Force-feeding economic modernization is a tricky business, even for a Father of Confederation
After leading the 1940s movement to bring Newfoundland into Confederation, Joey Smallwood went on to win six consecutive elections and served as the province’s premier for just shy of 23 years. It’s not the longest run for a provincial premier – Nova Scotia’s George Murray, Alberta’s Ernest Manning and Ontario’s Oliver Mowat edge Smallwood on…
At the heart of the decision to join Confederation was Joey Smallwood’s use of sectarian politics
March 31 marks the 70th anniversary of Newfoundland joining Canada, a significant historical milestone in and of itself. It also facilitated the ascendancy of one of the 20th century’s most colourful Canadian politicians – Joey Smallwood. Newfoundland took a pass on the original 1867 Confederation, opting to remain with the arrangement that had been in…
Exports on the rise to U.S. and elsewhere: StatsCan
Canadian production of crude oil and equivalent products totalled 264.6 million cubic metres in 2018, up 8.5 per cent from the previous year, according to Statistics Canada. The federal agency reported on Monday that non-upgraded production of crude bitumen (+12.7 per cent) was the main contributor to the overall rise. Since January 2016, the average…
If you move from B.C. to Newfoundland, for example, you're likely to be denied coverage
St. John’s sees the sunrise 4.5 hours before Victoria. This means Newfoundlanders are the first to see the light and British Columbians are the last. Unfortunately, some who leave the West Coast to study on the Rock get an unwelcome surprise. Students who arrive from other provinces are denied health coverage, as are their dependents…
Statistics Canada said exports of crude oil and equivalent products increased 10.7% from the same month a year earlier
Canada produced 23.1 million cubic metres (145.6 million barrels) of crude oil and equivalent products in October, up 13.2 per cent from the same month a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada. The federal agency said on Friday that Alberta produced 19.3 million cubic metres of crude oil and equivalent products in October, an increase…
ATB report blames the decline on the completion of major projects and the dramatic oil price differential
The news from the oil patch continues to raise concerns across Alberta and Canada. The latest is the revelation that capital expenditure in the oil patch, a driving force of the national and provincial economies, is falling again. ATB Financial’s Economics & Research Team on Thursday released data from Statistics Canada indicating that there were “whispers…
Alberta (82.6%), Saskatchewan (10.3%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (4.7%) accounted for the vast majority of Canadian production
Canadian production of crude oil and equivalent products continued at a robust pace in August as production totalled 23.6 million cubic metres (148.6 million barrels), up 9.6 per cent compared with the same month in 2017, says Statistics Canada. And Alberta produced a record 19.5 million cubic metres of crude oil and equivalent products in…
Reading is not just about decoding individual words. In order to read effectively, you must also understand what you’re reading
Last year, Newfoundland and Labrador’s government published a roadmap to better government in the future, with the title The Way Forward. This ambitious document outlines how the government plans to modernize the public sector, build its economy for a sustainable future, and improve educational outcomes. Earlier this year, the provincial government released its Education Action…
Adopting the Alberta charter school model would give parents and children more choice and allow them to enjoy the benefits of competition
Canadians experience the enormous economic benefits of competition daily. For most consumer goods, over time, Canadians pay less and get more. Businesses compete to offer customers the best products at the lowest prices; those with offerings that consumers judge unsatisfactory are eventually forced to go out of business. As long as there’s competition, consumers are…
We need to follow the example set by New Zealand, which gave the Māori the help they needed, while allowing them to preserve their culture
In 2013, the people of the small outport community of Little Bay Islands, N.L., had to make a very emotional decision. The local economy had completely dried up. The crab processing plant had closed and the community was far away from government public services. Looking at its bleak prospects, the people of the small community…