N.B. Education Minister Angry After Learning French and English Students Have Been Sharing a School Bus
NB Education minister has vowed to take action after learning French- and English-speaking students have been travelling on the same school bus. Under a long-standing policy the provincial government claims it is constitutionally mandated to provide separate buses for anglophones and francophones. Dominic Cardy, leader of the provincial New Democratic Party, disagrees. “A local-level compromise — that was apparently entirely agreeable to the parents and the community — is now being ditched because someone is playing politics,” he said. A January report by the Atlantic Institute of Market Studies raised alarms these costs were rising disproportionately, citing separate buses as a cause. “Few politicians or school officials have dared to even ask if the sharing of bus services, on a larger scale, might result in significant savings to provincial taxpayers,” it said. In the 2014-15 school year, New Brunswick will spend $64.8-million to bus 90,000 students, or about $72
Do City Rankings Carry any Real Value?
AIMS Senior Fellow Patrick Luciani discusses whether city rankings carry any real value when considering the wide variety of city ranking lists and their sources.
Wage Standards: A One-dollar Fix for a $12 Billion Problem
The Times and Transcript Editorial Board writes a letter urging the provincial government in New Brunswick to take measures that would rationalize public sector spending and cites a study published by the Institute in 2014.
It’s Not About Big or Small, It’s About Good or Bad
In an article published by the Times and Transcript, one author cites a study released by the Institute in 2014 that measures the size and cost of Atlantic Canada's public sector and argues that the issue is ultimately about whether we have the right composition of public sector employment and compensation, not about whether it is costlier or bigger.
Snowed-under Class Time Needs to be Addressed, Minister Says
On the heels of an opinion piece authored by Paul Bennett, New Brunswick's Minister of Education Serge Rouselle makes it a point to say that snow days have become an issue in the province and one that needs a solution sooner than later.
PEI Golf Has Important Lessons for All Provinces, Says Report
Times and Transcript reporter Cole Hobson discusses a paper that the Institute recently released, which its former Director of Research Ian Munro authored, that details PEI's golf tourism strategy and argues that it failed to make good use of taxpayer dollars on the Island. He outlines a number of useful lessons from which other provinces can learn.
Atlantic Provinces Look to Set Standard Public Sector Wages
NB reporter Adam Huras discusses a new development in Atlantic Canada, wherein the four provinces have begun inquiring into whether standardized public sector wage scales could help rationalize public spending in the region and he cites figures outlined in an AIMS report from 2014.
Selling Provincial Golf Courses “Takes Times”: Henderson
PEI Minister of Tourism Robert Henderson agrees with a new report published by the Institute arguing that the province made a mistake in getting into the golf game as an owner and operator.
As Golf Tourism Declines, PEI’s Government Struggles To Make Par
Globe and Mail columnist Jane Taber discusses a new report published by the Institute and authored by its former Director of Research Ian Munro, which analyzes PEI's golf tourism strategy and argues that it was a wasteful use of taxpayer dollars.
Blizzard Bags Make for a Smart Snow Day
AIMS author Paul Bennett outlines a strategy for reducing the prevalence of snow days in Nova Scotia, which entails preparing out-of-school work plans for students to complete from home.