Alex Carrick’s Blog

My wife can read my mind, which makes it easier for her to steal things from me.   Okay, before I get into big trouble, “steal” is too strong a word. Borrow long-term is a better description.  

[Read more →]

Over the weekend, I had some fun imagining how certain celebrities and politicians would seem to be ideally suited for second careers, in their golden years, as “greeters” at Wal-Mart. Try to imagine being met by these people and these words on your way into the store.

[Read more →]

  There has been a major casualty of the digital age that you may be noticing only peripherally. Has it entered your consciousness that there are fewer punning headlines anymore?

[Read more →]

Looking for a “big gulp” experience? Fill up your gas guzzler. With gasoline at $1.20 per litre in Canada, it can bring a lump to your throat and tears to your eyes.   Yesterday, the Bank of Canada concluded that the Canadian economy is facing a difficult time over the next two years. In an […]

[Read more →]

It has often been said there are two driving seasons in Canada, winter and construction. We are currently in the transition period from the former to the latter.   My wife and I were talking about this the other day as we made our way to the cottage on Georgian Bay for the first time in the […]

[Read more →]

When I started out in this business, back in the 1970s, I would often leave Toronto and travel to the “hinterland” to make economic presentations before somewhat skeptical audiences. Many times, I was told the old joke, what’s the definition of an expert? An expert is some son-of-a-gun from Toronto with slides. I’ve cleaned up […]

[Read more →]

In the course of the current primary and caucus season in the United States, the Democratic contenders, both Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama, say they want to re-open NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) to deal with some perceived hardships faced by U.S. business.

[Read more →]

The “green movement” is everywhere these days. You find references to “green” in news stories, television ads and learned journals. It’s all about climate change and conserving scarce resources for the future.

[Read more →]