Economic Development

As U.S. security concerns lead to a "thickening" of the U.S.-Canadian border, trade is threatened. Charles Cirtwill, AIMS acting president, points out that the threatened trade promises to yield big gains for Atlantic Canada.

As Ottawa prepares to announce funding for the Atlantic Gateway, there is some concerns being expressed. AIMS acting president Charles Cirtwill notes that a successful Atlantic Gateway will result from good marketing and key infrastructure improvements, not from politically motivated pork-barrel spending.

Charles Cirtwill, AIMS’ acting President, examines the recent drive to encourage Nova Scotians to buy more local food. In his fortnightly column in the Chronicle-Herald he argues that a food supply plan that relies predominantly on local producers will limit consumer choice, raise costs and inhibit the industry's ability to grow. He goes on to say that Nova Scotia should take a lesson from its neighbours, forego protectionist instinct and try to expand into newer and larger markets, such as the North American organic food market.

A proposal to set up an Atlantic Marketing and Export Centre sounds like a good idea. However, as AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill explains there's no need to go through the cost for a new centre, just a need for cooperation among existing agencies.

In preparing its Labour Day special edition, the Telegraph-Journal asked AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill to provide comment on the current labour movement. In this opinion piece, Cirtwill explores the movement by labour unions away from collective bargaining and toward political activism.

For over a decade Maritime governments have actively recruited call centres as a way to reduce unemployment. Charles Cirtwill, AIMS acting president, points out the folly in assuming that such a transient industry would provide long-term employment.

AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill notes that the focus of the Atlantic Gateway should market the entire Atlantic region abroad and that provincial interests should not override that.

A meeting of the cabinets of the Maritime provinces has some people again talking about political union. In this article, AIMS acting president Charles Cirtwill observes that despite the potential economic and administrative benefits of a Maritime Union, the political will doesn't exist.

Ian Munro, AIMS director of research, says that the trucking industry's proposal to lower tolls will result in a greater burden on individual taxpayers.

For a decade AIMS has been writing about the pending labour shortage. Governments are finally listening. In this article, AIMS acting President Charles Cirtwill comments on the New Brunswick government's approach to the looming labour shortage.