Insights with Don Mills and David Campbell- An Acadia Broadcasting Podcast

Tim Banks may not be well-known beyond Prince Edward Island, but he is among Atlantic Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs. His business, APM MacLean, is involved with real estate development, with annual revenues of more than $100 million. Over his forty-year career, Tim has become the Island’s largest commercial real estate developer. On the latest Insights Podcast, Tim talks about the housing shortage on the Island and some of the impediments limiting developers' ability to provide enough homes, especially within the urban core of Charlottetown where building heights are severely restricted. He also talks about the time he almost sued the premier, losing workers to the public sector, and his $60 million Blackbush resort development near Grand Tracadie.You can listen to the full conversation in the player above or download the show on your preferred podcast platform.The Insights podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.Search for “Huddle Insights” on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. You can also listen to past conversations there.

It's hard to think of Clearwater Foods without conjuring to mind John Risley. But while Risley was the public face of the company, his former brother-in-law, Colin MacDonald, was not only the co-founder of the company but responsible for its day-to-day operations through much of its history.MacDonald deserves as much credit for Clearwater's success as his higher-profile partner.In the latest episode of the Insights podcast, MacDonald takes Don Mills and David Campbell through the company’s development and growth, as well as the ultimate decision to sell to a B.C.-based company and a group of First Nations led by Membertou in Cape Breton.He talks about his long partnership with Risley and the reasons for their estrangement. This is a rare and very candid conversation with one of the region’s least-known but most successful entrepreneurs.You can listen to MacDonald, Mills, and Campbell's conversation in the player above or download the show on your preferred podcast platform.The Insights podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.Search for “Huddle Insights” on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. You can also listen to past conversations there.

Don Mills considers Stephen McNeil to be Nova Scotia's most consequential premier in the last half-century.McNeil's reform of the collective bargaining process for public sector contracts, and his decision to close the pulp mill in Pictou and two aging hospitals in Cape Breton were all made knowing he would lose political support in each case.His efforts to open new markets in China for the lobster industry and legislating the presumed consent for organ donations law were other notable achievements during his tenure. He got elected to govern. He did not govern to get re-elected. He was perhaps the most successful "conservative" premier in terms of his fiscal policies yet true to his liberal roots in terms of social justice issues. Like him or not, he lived by his principles.Find out more about this important Nova Scotian and his legacy on the latest "Insights" podcast.You can listen to their conversation in the player above or download the show on your preferred podcast platform.The “Insights” podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.Search for “Huddle Insights” on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. You can also listen to past conversations there.

The mining of minerals like manganese is critical to the transition to a clean energy future that includes the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and generating electricity from solar and wind farms.On this week's "Insights" podcast, Don Mills and David Campbell continue a series of interviews with leaders in the mining sector across Atlantic Canada. They are joined by Matthew Allas, President and CEO of the Canadian Manganese Company, to talk about a large deposit of manganese located in the Woodstock area.As it stands, China produces more than 90 percent of the world’s manganese and almost all of it stays there for use in the production of a wide variety of products including electric vehicles and batteries.The Woodstock project is one of the largest deposits of manganese in the world. As North American firms look to develop EVs, batteries and other products to help the world reach its net zero 2050 commitment, New Brunswick could play an important role.Allas tells us about the size of the opportunity and the timing and potential roadblocks to getting the mine into production. He says this could be a multigenerational economic opportunity that creates hundreds of high-paying jobs and tens of millions in royalty revenue each year for the provincial government.You can listen to their conversation in the player above or download the show on your preferred podcast platform.The “Insights” podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.Search for “Huddle Insights” on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. You can also listen to past conversations there.

Communities across Atlantic Canada experienced population growth spurts in 2022, with immigrants and people from across Canada moving here for jobs and to start businesses. This brought a spirit of optimism the region hopes to carry into 2023. On the latest "Insights" podcast, Don Mills and David Campbell tap into that enthusiasm, answering questions from listeners and business leaders about the challenges and opportunities for economic development this year.You can listen to their conversation in the player above or download the show on your preferred podcast platform.The “Insights” podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.Search for “Huddle Insights” on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. You can also listen to past conversations there.

The Canadian Government recently announced a new $4-billion fund to spur the exploration of the critical minerals needed to achieve their Net Zero Emission goal for 2050. Canada also joined a consortium of other G7 to work collaboratively to find more secure sources for these minerals.On the latest "Insights" podcast, Sean Kirby, the Executive Director of the Mining Association of Nova Scotia, says the demand for critical minerals used in electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines will increase by six times the current demand.The challenge is that the time required to explore, secure regulatory and environmental approvals, and develop a mine site can range from 5 to 25 years. There is now an urgency to streamline that process because provinces like Nova Scotia can play a critical role in supplying minerals critical to fighting climate change."We need a huge global effort in order to open hundreds of new mines to meet the mineral supply challenge that global climate plans require," says Kirby. "Nova Scotia has the potential to contribute to that and play a role. I think we have a responsibility to do so."You can listen to their conversation in the player above or download the show on your preferred podcast platform.The “Insights” podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.Search for “Huddle Insights” on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. You can also listen to past conversations there.

Canada hit an all-time record of more than 430,000 immigrants last year and has a goal of achieving 500,000 immigrants a year by 2025.Canada's strategy to grow its population and workforce is the most aggressive in the G7. In the latest "Insights" podcast, Don Mills and David Campbell talk with Sean Fraser, the Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, about the government's efforts to boost immigration to record levels. They discuss the government's willingness to increase the number of refugees; the importance of post-secondary institutions in attracting and retaining immigrants; and efforts to mitigate the impact of immigration on healthcare, housing and education through policy changes and further capital investment.This will provide listeners with an excellent overview of this critical issue to the future prosperity of Canada."You walk down Main Street of any community in Canada, there are going to be 'help wanted' signs in the windows," says Fraser, MP for Central Nova."We had almost a million jobs open in the Canadian economy at a time when nearly 100 percent of our labour force growth already comes from immigration. We can't train Canadians quickly enough to fill the gaps in the labour market that exist today, and to prepare for the skills gap that's going to exist over the next generation."You can listen to their conversation in the player above or download the show on your preferred podcast platform.The “Insights” podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.Search for “Huddle Insights” on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. You can also listen to past conversations there.

Don Mills and David Campbell have had a series of conversations this year about the transformation of the energy sector in Atlantic Canada as it looks to decarbonize our economy and continue to foster a strong regional economy.Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) could be an important source of electricity production that provides essentially carbon-free energy that, unlikely many other sources of green energy, provides baseload stable power production whether or not wind is blowing or the sun is shining.SMRs are smaller, less complex, lower cost and should be far faster to deploy compared to earlier, larger-scale nuclear energy facilities.We talk to Brett Plummer, Chief Nuclear Officer and Vice President at NB Power about the potential of SMRs not only to address energy needs in New Brunswick and possibly around the region but also as a catalyst for regional economic development.If all goes to plan, potentially hundreds of businesses in the supply chain will develop expertise here that could be exported around the world. The plan is to have an SMR providing power to the New Brunswick electricity grid by 2030.“As we build out the infrastructure around the Small Modular Reactors, we’ll influence everyone in Atlantic Canada and elsewhere in Canada,” he says. “We’ve already had some engineering companies open up offices in New Brunswick in Saint John around the [SMRs] and we’re seeing more and more interest almost weekly. It’s building a tremendous amount of momentum.”You can listen to their conversation in the player above or download the show on your preferred podcast platform.The “Insights” podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.Search for “Huddle Insights” on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. You can also listen to past conversations there.

Sustainable Marine has connected its turbines to the Nova Scotia power grid in a real-life demonstration project to prove its surface-based technology can harness the power of the Bay of Fundy. Our conversation with their CEO Jason Hayman is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand the challenges and opportunities associated with tidal power. After numerous failed attempts by others to generate power from the world's highest and most powerful tides, Sustainable Marine has taken a different approach to the task of tapping into the tidal power of the Bay of Fundy that has the potential to power two million homes and help provide green renewable energy to Nova Scotia to replace coal-generated electricity.

When it was built in the 1960s, the Port of Belledune was a vital asset to support the development of the northeastern New Brunswick economy. The expansion of the mining sector led to the establishment of a lead smelter and other industrial projects. In the 1980s, a coal-fired electricity generation plant was built to further expand development opportunities. In 2022 the port is at a crossroads.The smelter has closed and NB Power’s facilities, the port’s top customer, will not be importing coal by 2030. What is the role of the Port of Belledune to support the next 20-30 years of economic opportunities in the region?Denis Caron, President & CEO of the port joins David Campbell and Don Mills on the "Insights" podcast this week to talk about the new vision.  Once again, Denis is positioning the port at the centre of a new generation of economic development that includes a green energy hub and the value-added production of products based on green and clean energy.He envisions a port with deeper integration with European markets for both import and export opportunities. If this important region of New Brunswick is to thrive in the years ahead, the Port of Belledune has an important role to play.You can listen to their conversation in the player above or download the show on your preferred podcast platform.The “Insights” podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.Search for “Huddle Insights” on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. You can also listen to past conversations there.