AIMS // Atlantic Institute for Market Studies

In this op-ed, AIMS Director of Research Don McIver recommends the elimination of MLA pensions or replacing them with fixed-contribution plans or an RRSP allowance.

Pension issues remain a key challenge facing small businesses today. AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill thinks pooled registered pension plans (PRPPs) are an interesting option to look into.

Harry Koza, senior market analyst for Thomson Reuters in Toronto, anticipated the "great stimulus mania" in 2009, in a paper he wrote for the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS).

Weighing in on the renewed debate over whether Nova Scotia should deregulate gas prices, AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill says regulation leads to bigger profits for gas stations, oil companies and the provincial government.

AIMS Policy Analyst Jamie Newman says the 2nd Annual Nova Scotia Municipal Performance Report should be used to show citizens where their tax money is being spent so that they may hold government to account.

AIMS' 2nd Annual Nova Scotia Municipal Performance Report is discussed.

Results of AIMS' 2nd Annual Nova Scotia Municipal Performance Report are discussed. Stellarton finished top overall, while Pictou received mention for having the lowest cost for transportation services and Trenton was considered the most effective in governance and finance.

In light of the recent annual gathering of the Committee on Internal Trade held at Brudenell, AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill encourages PEI to forget about the Agreement on Internal Trade, join the New West Partnership, and do it today.

The notion that ours is the "most open, honest and accountable Canadian Government ever" is questioned when AIMS well-researched reports on education and healthcare reveal otherwise.

New Brunswick spends more on individual students than neighbouring provinces, but test scores remain low. AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill explains that how much you spend on education isn't as relevant as what you spend it on.

As new members of parliament begin familiarizing themselves with key economic and social issues, AIMS Director of Research Don McIver takes the time to review some of the more perverse consequences of existing strategies.

As New Brunswick prepares to swear in a new provincial government, AIMS Preisdent Charles Cirtwill looks to the past to suggest what may happen. He says it is unlikely the Tories will keep their promise not to increase taxes.

In this cover sotry in the Nova Scotia Business Journal, AIMS President & CEO Charles Cirtwill explains Nova Scotia has to do more to make life easier for small business. He points out taxes are too high in the province and the red tape too thick.

Charles Cirtwill, President and CEO of AIMS gives his opinion of the recent report by Tim O'Neill on the future prospects of the university system in this Op-Ed from the Chronicle Herald.

This article in the Times and Transcript discusses how the end of extended EI benefits draws reactions both for and against including comments by AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill.

AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill comments on the political promises made during election campaigns in this article in the Times & Transcript.

In his Op-ed in the Telegraph Journal AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill warns New Brunswickers to be wary of election "gifts".

This article in the Chronicle Herald looks at offshore oil revenues and the effect on the economy.

In this article in the Telegraph Journal, AIMS Vice President Barbara Pike comments on tax based incentives in northern New Brunswick

This article in the Telegraph Journal looks at the potential of The Canadian Taxpayers Federation opening an office in Halifax which AIMS President and CEO believes will benefit Atlantic Canadians.

In this Letter to the Editor posted in the Cape Breton Post, AIMS President and CEO discusses Nova Scotias investment into three competing terminal projects.

This Op-Ed by AIMS' Manning Center Intern John Kennedy discusses MLA spending in Nova Scotia

This commentary from the Telegraph Journal looks at the possible repercussions of the upcoming minimum wage increase in New Brunswick uses research from AIMS to make its point.

As NB Power unveiled its new strategic plan, AIMS president & CEO Charles Cirtwill explained what steps the utility should take to make use of its geographic location and take advantage of private interest.

The Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) today released a paper that provides tips for the Nova Scotia government in its quest to balance the books.

This op-ed by AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill appeared in newspapers in New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador. He explains that people appear to be ignoring one issue in the hoopla over the prposed sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec - it's an MOU. He points out there's still time to clean up the deal, or to get a new offer on the table.

AIMS' recent Commentary on trade unions by incoming president Charles Cirtwill is used by The Economist magazine for this story about the future of the union movement. The magazine story was republished in The Chronicle-Herald.

In this op-ed published in The Globe and Mail, AIMS Executive Vice President Charles Cirtwill provides a blueprint for fixing EI and helping those who've lost their jobs in this economic crisis.

AIMS' paper on the pending labour shortage by Jim McNiven continues to make headlines, including this article in Canwest News Service. AIMS President Brian Crowley suggests that the labour shortage will be Canada's greatest economic challenge over the next 50 years.

This editorial in the Calgary Herald uses AIMS' work on non-renewable resource revenues to make its point. AIMS has repeatedly published material that tells Governments revenues from non-renewable resources (such as oil & gas) should not be squandered on day to day operations.

Incentives matter, whether in federal transfers, worker productivity, or in taking personal responsibility. This talk explores all of these ideas and how government has done its best in most cases to get the incentives wrong.

Drawing on AIMS' extensive research on fiscal policy, economist Don McIver provides the steps for Nova Scotia to get back in balance and stay there.

In this Commentary, based on remarks to Finance Canada's 2009 Senior Managers' Retreat, Brian Lee Crowley says Canada could recover economically stronger than the US.

Our population is getting older. This Commentary, based on a talk to the Canadian Education Association, examines how that fact will impact education policy.

AIMS is releasing its second in a series of publications examining the role the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency plays in the economic development of the region. In this edition of ACOA Watch, Brian Lee Crowley and Bruce Winchester consider the recent work by Jack Mintz and Michael Smart of the C.D. Howe Institute "Brooking no Favorites"

Newfoundland’s Auditor General John Noseworthy has been painting with numbers, and the resulting picture is very bleak indeed. “Fiscal Realism” has proved especially shocking as Newfoundlanders are made more aware of the distinctions between “cash” deficits and accrued deficits. Peter Fenwick comments from Newfoundland.

A report this week by the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies recommends MLA pensions be eliminated or drastically changed.

The Atlantic Institute for Market Studies is recommending that pensions for members of the Nova Scotia legislature be eliminated or drastically transformed.

A former New Brunswick cabinet minister says the departure of Mike Ferguson won't hurt the province's battle to wrestle down its huge deficit and debt. Several years ago, University of New Brunswick economics professor David Murrell analyzed the budgets of all 10 provinces for four consecutive years, in a project for AIMS. He noticed the quality of the accounting work in New Brunswick was the best of all the provinces, and he believes that strong financial reporting made New Brunswick more accountable.

NB Finance Minister Blaine Higgs is ordering a review of public-sector pension plans in the province, pledging to address the volatility the plan has faced in previous years while also analyzing its fiscal sustainability going forward. AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill says the public pension review is urgent for two reasons.

AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill says the power rates freeze in New Brunswick is only putting off what the government will eventually need to finance upgrades and changes to the energy system.

AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill is interviewed about his thoughts regarding how descisions have been made regarding the prevention of school closures, and his take on backroom allegations made by southernshorenow.ca as a result of a freedom of information request.

The Atlantic Institute for Market Studies estimates that across our region, consumers have paid $155 million more than if gasoline markets had remained unregulated.

AIMS President & CEO Charles Cirtwill says the NB government has to do more than just say it has a financial problem, it has to provide details of how to solve it.

Days before promised budget consultations are to begin in New Brunswick, the finance minister says the deficit has increased by at least $50M to $800 million. AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill says the government needs to cut spending, increase consumption tax, but keep the income tax reform program implemented by the previousl Liberal government.

In this op-ed AIMS President & CEO Charles Cirtwill explains why paying more for energy makes sense. He says making us pay the true cost for electricity will make us all more frugal in how we use it, and add to the money to the public purse.

Tax incentives are a better way to stimulate the economy than handing out money. In this artcile, AIMS' Charles Cirtwill suggests if the new Tory government in New Brunswick is going to adopt any of the plans of the former Liberal government it should stick with tax reform. l

In this tongue in cheek op-ed, AIMS President & CEO explains why the Tory win in New Brunswick should be good newes for the NDP government in Nova Scotia.

This article from the Times & Transcript looks at the progress New Brunswick has made in achieving its self imposed benchmark in regards to population growth. It draws on AIMS' research to explain the population crunch.

This interview in the Telegraph Journal with AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill discusses the current and future fiscal health of New Brunswick.

AIMS Senior Fellow Brian Lee Crowley was approached by the National Post to contribute an op-ed on the idea of a coalition of the Liberals and the NDP. Here is what he wrote.

Part One: AIMS Senior Fellow Brian Lee Crowley is the co-author of a new book called The Canadian Century: Moving out of America’s Shadow. The book details the tremendous progress Canada has made in recent years in redeeming itself from decades of poor policy. In fact the book holds out the prospect of Canada finally claiming the century that Sir Wilfrid Laurier predicted would be ours – just 100 years late. In the first of two extracts published in the National Post, Crowley and his co-authors talk about Laurier’s plan for Canada and how the return to his policy prescription for Canada has paid important dividends. In the second extract they write about how to take the relationship with the US to the next level.

Part Two: AIMS Senior Fellow Brian Lee Crowley is the co-author of a new book called The Canadian Century: Moving out of America’s Shadow. The book details the tremendous progress Canada has made in recent years in redeeming itself from decades of poor policy. In fact the book holds out the prospect of Canada finally claiming the century that Sir Wilfrid Laurier predicted would be ours – just 100 years late. In the first of two extracts published in the National Post, Crowley and his co-authors talk about Laurier’s plan for Canada and how the return to his policy prescription for Canada has paid important dividends. In the second extract they write about how to take the relationship with the US to the next level.

AIMS President & CEO Charles Cirtwill points out in this story that government needs to be transparent and accountable. He says information on contracts awarded by the government are paid for by taxpayers, and they should know the details.

As Nova Scotians fume over the auditor general's report that highlights waste and abuse of MLA expense allowances, AIMS President & CEO Charles Cirtwill points out we should be more outraged by the millions of dollars wasted annually by government.

AIMS President & CEO Charles Cirtwill was asked to weigh in on the so-called MLA spending scandal in Nova Scotia. His suggestions about public accountability have since been implemented.

AIMS Research Fellow Harry Koza wrote this op-ed that appeared in the Montreal Gazette on the fiscal stimulus. Based on his Commentary, Who's irrationally exuberant now: Debt shy consumers or pump priming politicians?, Koza points out why "spend, spend, spend" is not the best message for these economic times.

In the never-never land of government-inspired "economic development," a sprinkling of pixie dust and a new name can rehabilitate discredited old ideas. Despite its dismal record at picking "winners" such as the Bricklin sports car, the New Brunswick government has recently decided to mould business "clusters" across its industrial landscape in the form of the "Plastics Valley" of North America. AIMS Director of Research comments in the National Post

Politics may play a part, however the move toward lowering taxes in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick shows provincial governments in Atlantic Canada are increasingly giving signs they understand that growth - and taxes- matter.

The Atlantic Institute for Market Studies’ Director of Research, Don McIver, is recommending the elimination of MLA pensions or, at least, replacing them with fixed- contribution plans or an RRSP allowance.

Living in the past is killing the future

AIMS’ response to the TD Forum on Canada’s Standard of Living

Equalization creates incentives for poorer provinces to keep taxes too high

Mike Harris spoke at the Fraser Institute's eighteenth annual Dr. Harold Walter Siebens Lecture

Author and historian Jack Granatstein's perspective on what needs to be done to sustain the military's ability to meet domestic and international responsibilities

AIMS’ 2nd Annual Nova Scotia Municipal Report Card is released. A proposal by AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill for Prince Edward Island to uphold its confederation promises- and expand Provincial free trade with the West. Why small provinces and states like Maine need big business- and soon. AIMS Director of Research Don McIver suggests that Federal government goodwill initiatives may very well have acted in the opposite in retrospect to 1867. Perry Newman, AIMS Board member and President of Atlantica Group LLC recalls the tale of the brave Terry Fox in-lieu of his mother, Betty Fox’s passing. Based on a convocation speech delivered to Kingsview Academy in Halifax, AIMS President and CEO Charles Cirtwill offers some words of wisdom about the future of our society

UNLEASHING CANADA: A Luncheon with Mike Harris

An invitation to lunch with urban visionary Mayor John Norquist of Milwaukee, lessons from the west coast's experience with property rights in the fishery and Brian Lee Crowley on how Employment Insurance causes unemployment.