Small Business Blog from Atlantic Canada

I was just on the Facebook group that opposes the sale of NB Power. While I was unimpressed with quite a few participants on the radio shows on this topic, I was equally unimpressed with the quality of comments on the Facebook group. They boast of 27,000 members but the quality of dialogue leaves a lot to be desired. Again very few intelligent discussions on the topic. It appears that politicians are whipping up an already disgruntled public into a frenzy over the deal. I am not sure as to why the Shawn Graham and his New Brunswick liberals make a rookie project mistake (or is it?) of not involving all stakeholders early on during the negotiations with Hydro Quebec. But I am not here to discuss politics. I am trying to determine if the proposed MOU is favorable to all parties involved. I made a case for the sale of NB Power in my previous post. Before we go about dissecting the MOU, it helps to understand the context in which this deal is about to be consummated.

Ever since the governments of New Brunswick and Quebec announced their MOU late October, the media and the people have been having a field day denouncing the deal. There are actually two decision points here. The first is to determine if NB Power needs to be sold, while the second is how to structure a deal, if it needs to be sold. Based on my analysis, I think selling NB Power might just be a good idea. Seriously guys, if you have any objective reason to oppose the sale of NB Power, I am willing to listen.

Your cash flow position is a reflection of how well you are doing your job as a leader. It is a measure of the success (or lack thereof) of the execution of your strategic intentions. Hence it is critical that you often put on your financial hat in addition to whatever other hats you wear. Think of cash flow as the pulse of your business. Just as a doctor uses your pulse rate for diagnosis, so should you be evaluating your cash flow frequently to feel the pulse of your business.

“The current crisis is unprecedented!” “Governments globally are reducing interest rates to historic lows in response to this crisis.” “Government is urging banks to lend.” “TSX is down another 100 points …”

Not a day goes by these days without us hearing the words of economic gloom and doom. Deficit’s seem to be the new economic mantra. It seems to be the magic wand that will seemingly fix our economic woes. And perhaps it will. But I am not sure that getting into a deficit to fund infrastructure spending is the key to our economic recovery. A deficit may be effective depending on how we get into deficit.

So far the financial crisis has centered around mortgages and mortgage backed assets. As the current historical crisis unfolds and gobbles up respected Wall Street investment banks - here is a question to ponder. Will private equity companies be next?

If you are thinking of purchasing your home, let a mortgage broker guide you through the financial details. A good mortgage broker will help you establish your budget even before you start house hunting. A wealth of information is available to you through Canada Mortgage and Housing as well as Genworth Financial use it. If you are considering moving Quispamsis/Saint John and surrounding areas, consider talking to Pat Lockhart. Pat’s an accredited broker and she can help you get the best rate that suits your needs.

I am “CA” Atreya (PMP, MBA), the author of this blog. I help businesses in Atlantic Canada achieve their BHAG successfully. You may subscribe to this blog using a feed reader (RSS).Having worked as a life insurance sales agent once upon a time, I know how difficult it is to get quality life insurance leads. [...]

Do you invest in stocks? Are you the type who trades online? Do you do your own company research and valuation? If yes, then I am sure you have a list of websites you visit to gather information. Information, after all, is the key to successful investing. It is no secret that successful returns accrue over the long-term.