Category Archives: Infrastructure

Measure it anyway

I’ve always treasured a crack by Rose Friedman about the illusion of precision in economics. Her husband Milton was half-way through declaring that if you can’t measure something you don’t really understand it when she interrupted with “If you can’t … Continue reading

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30 billion here, 30 billion there…

During the campaign, the Tories said no deficits; wouldn’t be prudent. Now they insist that only hair-raisingly huge deficits are prudent. As, apparently, is leaking your budget so it won’t terrify people on the day. It’s as if “prudent” were … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Infrastructure, Parliament, Politics | 1 Comment

I’ve got a bad feeling…

Cassandra was my kind of gal. Unfortunately I can’t find her statue anywhere on Parliament Hill.
In case you attended a progressive, fact-free school, she’s the unfortunate Trojan princess granted the gift of foresight by Apollo but … Continue reading

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Built-to-last should mean something again

While cement shatters across Quebec, Charlemagne’s late 8th-century chapel in Aachen Cathedral still stands firm. Perhaps we could go there and say a prayer to our Lady of Reinforced Concrete that our bridges, overpasses and underground slabs keeping buildings out … Continue reading

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