If we don’t matter in Ottawa, it’s OUR fault
In his fortnightly column, AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill takes on the naysayers, who constantly decry the past injustices they perceive the region has suffered from Ottawa. He says by constantly bemoaning the past, we miss the opportunities of today and tomorrow. Instead, we should be looking to improve ourselves and increase our power so that the voice of Atlantic Canada means more on Parliament Hill.
Powering the Gateway
Though New Brunswick certainly stands to benefit from the Atlantic gateway, AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill explains in this newspaper article that Halifax will be the primary beneficiary of the project.
MacKay lauds Atlantic Gateway
The release of the federal government's report on the Atlantic Gateway is generating a lot of buzz around the Maritimes. There is potential for significant regional growth. However, AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill says he's concerned that the Atlantic Gateway may be used to have public finances fund private interests.
Despite global boom, Halifax container port traffic dips
ACOA minister Peter MacKay's assessment of the potential benefits of an Atlantic Gateway may be used to garner funds from the federal government. AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill says the report is simply the government justifying spending money it's already set aside.
‘If we build it, they will come’: MacKay
In this newspaper article, AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill notes that the government's call to invest in Nova Scotian ports ignores the fact that there is a lot of spare capacity right now. He says we should try to reverse declining shipping numbers by using what we already have.
Don’t forget to think about the customer
In the rush to grab a piece of Asian trade, Atlantic shipping ports are in danger of working against each other say AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill. He explains that if the region wants to make money from the opportunities, it needs to make sure it's thinking about the customer's needs, not just its own.