The future of NB Power
In an interview with Moncton CBC's Information Morning, AIMS President Brian Lee Crowley argued that there is lots of room for co-operation between New Brunswick Power and Nova Scotia Power, including a potential merger as one possible outcome. Before the region can realise the benefits of the potential synergies, however, New Brunswick must get politics out of its electricity industry, as Nova Scotia has largely done through privatisation. A privatised and regionalised power utility would be in a good position to cut costs and to compete in international export markets. New Brunswick's electricity status quo is untenable, and is certainly incompatible with the growing movement toward deregulation and open energy markets.
Hamm’s moment of truth
In his regular newspaper column, AIMS President Brian Lee Crowley argues that NS Premier John Hamm's government is approaching a critical juncture. Fixing the province's finances is, by any measure, the government's most pressing problem. But the Premier and his ministers cannot seem to fix on a strategy that will allow them to do so, while maintaining public support. Experience from other countries shows, though, that fixing the deficit can be politically popular, if the sacrifices are shared by everyone, and the government doesn't cave in to special interests. Time, however, is rapidly running out. Publication: CHH, April 26, 2000.
AIMS Receives Prestigious International Think Tank Prize for Second Time. Operating in the Dark: The Gathering Crisis in Canada’s Public Health Care System
[HALIFAX] - For the second time in three years, the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) has been recognised with a distinguished international prize for excellence in think tank publications. The Atlas Economic Research Foundation has [...]
AIMS Receives Prestigious International Think Tank Prize for Second Time
Operating in the Dark: The Gathering Crisis in Canada's Public Health Care System
Beware, politicians: Cybergovernment is on the way
“The greatest coming challenge for political institutions -in Canada and elsewhere - will be to transform the very nature of democracy itself. Indeed, creating a new means for citizens to be involved in decision-making may be the only way to stem voter cynicism and the meaningless changing of political guards. “Edmund Burke reincarnated might then say: "I owe you not just my diligence, but decisions that are based both on my opinions and upon your properly - and scientifically - collected views. You are owed nothing less than a true, transparent and direct democracy ‘Cybergovernment of the people, by the people and for the people is here at last.’"
Time for politicians to hang up magic wand
In this week's Chronicle Herald, AIMS President Brian Lee Crowley does something he rarely gets the chance to: commend the Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland governments for their response to public cries for gas price regulation Publication: CHH, April 12, 2000.
AIMS’ response to the 2000/01 Nova Scotia budget
A First Step, but with a Short Stride Nova Scotia's First Conservative Budget Still a High Wire Act
There may be short-term pain to balance the books but now is the time to do it
On the eve of the Nova Scotia provincial budget, the Halifax Herald invited AIMS President Brian Lee Crowley to make the case why the province needs to balance its budget and reduce spending. Publication: CHH, April 10, 2000.
Nova Scotians not reaping benefits that others are
AIMS Fellow in Public Finance, Roland Martin, analyses how fiscal discipline in New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland over the past few years continues to pay dividends for the taxpayers in those provinces, as evidenced by recent tax cuts. By contrast, the author of Debtors' Prison II shows how Nova Scotia's continued deficit financing has significantly harmed what should be one of the region's strongest economies.
What we don’t know about health care
In an op-ed piece that originally appeared in the National Post, Dr. David Zitner of Dalhousie University and AIMS President Brian Lee Crowley argue that our health care problems stem chiefly from lack of information, not money. Publication: NP, April 3, 2000.