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David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2020/06/higgs-calls-for-cultural-shift-to-turn.html
#nbpoli#cdnpoli
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-higgs-culture-shift-economy-growth-1.5597576
· CBC News· Posted: Jun 04, 2020 5:00 AM AT
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Premier Blaine Higgs said New Brunswick will need a cultural shift to recover financially from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
Like a malfunctioning time machine, the COVID-19 crisis is threatening to transport New Brunswick's economy back to where it was in 2010 or earlier, and that has Premier Blaine Higgs calling for radical changes in the province's work ethic and entrepreneurial instincts coming out of the pandemic.
"We need a cultural shift here in New Brunswick. We need momentum that's going to be created from this COVID crises," Higgs said last week during a wide-ranging talk about New Brunswick's economic problems on the provincial business podcast "Turning Point."
"This may be a wake-up call for the country and for New Brunswick. I'm hoping we can springboard off of this."
Two weeks ago, New Brunswick's department of finance projected the province's economy will shrink by 4.3 per cent in 2020, with an average of private sector forecasts predicting a larger decline of 5.5 per cent.
Contractions of those amounts would send New Brunswick's economy back to the size it was somewhere between 2007 and 2010, erasing up to 12 years of accumulated growth.
By contrast in better performing neighbouring economies, a five per cent contraction would erase just three years of growth in Nova Scotia, two in Quebec and a little more than one year in P.E.I.
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The explosion at Irving Oil's refinery in October 2018 cut output and dragged on New Brunswick's economy throughout 2019. It helped keep growth in provincial GDP below one per cent for the year for the 11th time in the last 13 years. (Submitted by Doug McLean)
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Higgs often cites international entrepreneur Amarjeet Singh Jatana and his company Canadian National Growers as a model for New Brunswick economic development. The company saw the province as an ideal place to grow and export apples and has established multiple orchards in Kent County without government help to make that happen. (Twitter)
"i think we can do a whole lot here in New Brunswick and attitude plays a role — a cultural shift plays a role," said Higgs.
Stung by the reluctance of locals to fill jobs left vacant by a short-lived ban on temporary foreign workers, Higgs acknowledged low pay may be causing disincentives to employment in some cases but expressed his own belief that a lack of work ethic in the population is also causing problems.
"I think we have to understand why the jobs that are available here are not jobs we're proud of and want to be part of," said Higgs.
"How many of the processors said to me — the farmers, other industries — said to me, 'You know I need four, five six New Brunswick workers to replace one temporary foreign worker.' What does that say about us as a society?"
Higgs appeared to make an outdated reference to the operation of the federal government's employment insurance program, claiming without citing the evidence that too many New Brunswick residents are happy to work for 10 weeks and collect assistance the rest of the year.
"We have a system where people think being on the 10-42 program is a way of life," said Higgs.
But according to rules posted by Employment and Social Development Canada that's not how the employment insurance system works.
Prior to the pandemic New Brunswick residents were required to work a minimum of 490 hours, at least 12 weeks, to qualify for 23 weeks of regular EI benefits in provincial regions with the highest unemployment rates.
Earning 42 weeks of regular benefits required at least 1,610 hours of work in the previous year, or about 40 weeks of full time work.
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In 2018, the company S&P Data was offered $2.2 million by the New Brunswick government to open two business services call centres. In 2019 it closed and laid off all 245 employees. Premier Higgs believes government grants are not the way to create jobs. (Opportunities NB)
"They were actually told you can't do that here in New Brunswick. They have orchards around the world and they looked at our climate and said that's a really good spot." said Higgs.
"Sometimes we under-sell ourselves. We can convince ourselves you can't do that in New Brunswick and that was a clear case. Even the farmers and the associations were like, 'Oh, they can't do that here in New Brunswick.'"
Higgs said he hopes the pandemic has shown the province it can come together and achieve important goals, a lesson he wants applied to the economy to end years of lacklustre growth.
"We don't go back to where we were," said Higgs. "We go well beyond where we were."
159 Comments
David Amos
Too Too Funny Indeed
Methinks Higgy's circus is getting more entertaining with each passing day N'esy Pas?
Terry Tibbs
Why is this news?
Export markets? We've been exporting our most valuable assets for years, our educated young folks, who leave for decent, well paying, employment.
People don't want to work? Can they afford to work?
So, yes Mr Higgs, it is ALL our fault, nothing to do with you, besides you are too busy jamming all the top spots with political choices of your own to pay attention to those who voted for you.
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2020/06/higgs-calls-for-cultural-shift-to-turn.html
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-higgs-culture-shift-economy-growth-1.5597576
Higgs calls for 'cultural shift' to turn N.B.'s economic fortunes around
Province reports weak economic growth in 2019, the 11th time in 13 years growth falls below 1 per cent
· CBC News· Posted: Jun 04, 2020 5:00 AM AT
Premier Blaine Higgs said New Brunswick will need a cultural shift to recover financially from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
Like a malfunctioning time machine, the COVID-19 crisis is threatening to transport New Brunswick's economy back to where it was in 2010 or earlier, and that has Premier Blaine Higgs calling for radical changes in the province's work ethic and entrepreneurial instincts coming out of the pandemic.
"We need a cultural shift here in New Brunswick. We need momentum that's going to be created from this COVID crises," Higgs said last week during a wide-ranging talk about New Brunswick's economic problems on the provincial business podcast "Turning Point."
"This may be a wake-up call for the country and for New Brunswick. I'm hoping we can springboard off of this."
On Monday, Statistics Canada reported New Brunswick's economy had another underwhelming year prior to the pandemic, growing by just 0.98 per cent in 2019. It's the 11th time in 13 years that growth in the province's economy has been one per cent or less, ranking lowest among Canada's ten provinces.
Economic growth in New Brunswick has been so weak since the global financial crisis of 2008 it is not out of the question for all of the gains of the last decade or longer to be rolled back just this year.Two weeks ago, New Brunswick's department of finance projected the province's economy will shrink by 4.3 per cent in 2020, with an average of private sector forecasts predicting a larger decline of 5.5 per cent.
Contractions of those amounts would send New Brunswick's economy back to the size it was somewhere between 2007 and 2010, erasing up to 12 years of accumulated growth.
By contrast in better performing neighbouring economies, a five per cent contraction would erase just three years of growth in Nova Scotia, two in Quebec and a little more than one year in P.E.I.
The explosion at Irving Oil's refinery in October 2018 cut output and dragged on New Brunswick's economy throughout 2019. It helped keep growth in provincial GDP below one per cent for the year for the 11th time in the last 13 years. (Submitted by Doug McLean)
Think bigger
Higgs often cites international entrepreneur Amarjeet Singh Jatana and his company Canadian National Growers as a model for New Brunswick economic development. The company saw the province as an ideal place to grow and export apples and has established multiple orchards in Kent County without government help to make that happen. (Twitter)
With that as a backdrop, Higgs said New Brunswick needs to forget about deficit spending as a way to stimulate economic activity and apply the collective effort it used to contain the COVID-19 virus to remake the province's economy.
He called on entrepreneurs to think bigger about what is possible and on citizens to place more value on work."i think we can do a whole lot here in New Brunswick and attitude plays a role — a cultural shift plays a role," said Higgs.
Claiming a number of New Brunswick firms could grow their businesses through export — but don't — and a number of citizens could work — but won't — the premier said it was important to understand what is holding the province back economically and fix it.
Stung by the reluctance of locals to fill jobs left vacant by a short-lived ban on temporary foreign workers, Higgs acknowledged low pay may be causing disincentives to employment in some cases but expressed his own belief that a lack of work ethic in the population is also causing problems.
"I think we have to understand why the jobs that are available here are not jobs we're proud of and want to be part of," said Higgs.
Wage hike?
"Are the wages high enough? But wages have to be tied with productivity. You do have to see if you're going to earn more money there has to be a working culture there to support that because they go hand in hand."How many of the processors said to me — the farmers, other industries — said to me, 'You know I need four, five six New Brunswick workers to replace one temporary foreign worker.' What does that say about us as a society?"
Higgs appeared to make an outdated reference to the operation of the federal government's employment insurance program, claiming without citing the evidence that too many New Brunswick residents are happy to work for 10 weeks and collect assistance the rest of the year.
"We have a system where people think being on the 10-42 program is a way of life," said Higgs.
Prior to the pandemic New Brunswick residents were required to work a minimum of 490 hours, at least 12 weeks, to qualify for 23 weeks of regular EI benefits in provincial regions with the highest unemployment rates.
Earning 42 weeks of regular benefits required at least 1,610 hours of work in the previous year, or about 40 weeks of full time work.
Broaden ambitions
In 2018, the company S&P Data was offered $2.2 million by the New Brunswick government to open two business services call centres. In 2019 it closed and laid off all 245 employees. Premier Higgs believes government grants are not the way to create jobs. (Opportunities NB)
The premier also called out business owners who he said need to broaden their ambitions.
He pointed, as he often does, to entrepreneur Amarjeet Singh Jatana of Canadian National Growers Inc. who three years ago began purchasing hundreds of acres of farmland in Kent County without government help to grow and export apples. Higgs said it is an example of how local businesses often overlook opportunity."They were actually told you can't do that here in New Brunswick. They have orchards around the world and they looked at our climate and said that's a really good spot." said Higgs.
Higgs said he hopes the pandemic has shown the province it can come together and achieve important goals, a lesson he wants applied to the economy to end years of lacklustre growth.
"We don't go back to where we were," said Higgs. "We go well beyond where we were."
159 Comments
David Amos
Too Too Funny Indeed
Methinks Higgy's circus is getting more entertaining with each passing day N'esy Pas?
Terry Tibbs
Why is this news?
Export markets? We've been exporting our most valuable assets for years, our educated young folks, who leave for decent, well paying, employment.
People don't want to work? Can they afford to work?
So, yes Mr Higgs, it is ALL our fault, nothing to do with you, besides you are too busy jamming all the top spots with political choices of your own to pay attention to those who voted for you.
David Webb NB
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: I personally know of 3 young professional people (Optometrist, Physiotherapist and Dentist) who have left the province, (2 to the USA) during the last Liberal government. All were quite happy with their remuneration. Their issue was being in the highest taxed jurisdiction in the country, and deteriorating, with the provincial debt ballooning and daily cost to service the debt over $1 million per day. They all thought it was a shameful waste of money, brought on by poor governance over many years, and limited their potential in the province.
They also saw limited opportunities for their offspring due to forced bilingualism. All three of these people were in French Immersion, however because English was their mother tongue and used every day their French language skills rapidly deteriorated. Right or wrong, that is their perspective.
They also saw limited opportunities for their offspring due to forced bilingualism. All three of these people were in French Immersion, however because English was their mother tongue and used every day their French language skills rapidly deteriorated. Right or wrong, that is their perspective.
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Relax and enjoy the circus
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @David Amos:
I'd like to be this is getting serious. Our minority government premier is straying quite dangerously into simply FO territory where it is no longer a circus and becomes a train wreck.
I'd like to be this is getting serious. Our minority government premier is straying quite dangerously into simply FO territory where it is no longer a circus and becomes a train wreck.
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @David Webb NB:
David, you are not telling me anything new............. my 4 university educated children are grown and gone, I have a step daughter, university educated, that is grown and gone. Why would they stay?
Business opportunities? Don't make me laugh.
David, you are not telling me anything new............. my 4 university educated children are grown and gone, I have a step daughter, university educated, that is grown and gone. Why would they stay?
Business opportunities? Don't make me laugh.
The only enjoyment I get is by watching the dance steps: 2 ahead, and 3 back. I'm past being entertained by a circus, especially the one Mr Higgs is in charge of, in fact I am beginning to find it quite stupid.