@benatkinsonphd
PhD Economics with 25+ years experience in public, private, and academic sectors. Expertise in International Economics and Industrial Organization, including transportation and retail gasoline pricing. Proud Calgarian and life-long lover of rock n' roll.
Charging different consumers different prices for the exact same thing can be anti-competitive, but it can sometimes instead be pro-consumer. wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/why-econom...
My pleasure! I am happy to see you writing on your blog again!
Alberta needs a provincial sales tax for the sake of economic stability. wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/alberta-is...
Dr. Lindsay M. Tedds: “Alberta is not a low-tax province. It is a province that taxes its oil instead of its people. That is a legitimate policy choice, but it is a very different claim than ‘Albertans pay $17 billion less.’” deadfortaxreasons.wordpress.com/2026/03/04/a...
“...if there is one thing that has been on my mind this week as I watch property tax data scroll across my screen, it is the provincial government’s decision to keep raising its own property tax take while telling Albertans it is not raising taxes.” deadfortaxreasons.wordpress.com/2026/03/04/a...
This reminds me of a former boss: when we had a retirement party for his Admin Assistant, he gave a speech where he said something to the effect of “I would say she is irreplaceable, but everyone is replaceable”! I do not think he was trying to be funny. www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/our...
@michaellemagnum.bsky.social is so good to me! :-) www.smbc-comics.com/comic/serve
I just bought my ticket. I am looking forward to it!
The guy is literally orgasming as he speaks.
Since his military career was essentially cosplay, he gets to make up for it now from behind the safety of a lecturn.
This is the opposite of the professionalism democracies should expect from their militaries (including their civilian leadership).
Given the announcement of the Alto High-Speed Rail, it seems timely to provide an update on our previous articles on the subject. wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/an-update-...
I will be there!
So excited to welcome Doug Irwin (@D_A_Irwin) to Calgary in a few weeks for the 2026 Distinguished Lecture in Economics! It will be a must-hear talk on all the trade policy changes happening today. 🤓
All are welcome! Details here: events.ucalgary.ca/arts/econom... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
Have Alberta's finances gone off the rails?
My latest for @TheHubCanada on the province's latest budget. thehub.ca/2026/03/03/... #ableg #cdnpoli #cdnecon
An important new research project is being conducted by Dr. Lindsay Tedds and Dr. Gillian Petit, and I encourage all eligible Albertans to complete their survey. wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/the-albert...
Sad news: “Horror icon and principal star of the Evil Dead series, Bruce Campbell, has been diagnosed with a ‘treatable’ but not ‘curable’ form of cancer.” faroutmagazine.co.uk/evil-dead-st...
Back, and with something important to say: ADAP, AISH, and what good disability income support design actually requires.
"Minister Nixon has, throughout this file, demonstrated a level of indifference to the people affected that is difficult to characterize charitably."
shorturl.at/n4RZe
“...Farkas and Michael Thompson, general manager of infrastructure services, said Stage 4 restrictions return March 9 and will remain in place for approximately four weeks, to allow crews to carry out maintenance on the city’s most critical water transmission line.” calgaryherald.com/news/local-n...
"It’s electrifying, in a civic-minded way, to know the consequences of a Harris vote are so clearly visible wherever I look, most especially in the black tendrils of smoke, death, and despair unfolding over almost everything, everywhere, all at once.” www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/con...
“If...string of ‘yes’ votes, they...will be handing more control to a premier who gets to draft an even longer list of future questions, set the timing, and avoid blame or claim ownership of the outcomes, all while ignoring or shirking responsibility...” drjaredwesley.substack.com/p/governing-...
"WECAN Food Basket Society was launched in 1993. Many Edmonton families and individuals were experiencing 'empty fridge syndrome,' an end-of-the-month issue. ...A 2022 survey found that over 20 per cent of Albertans face food insecurity..." ratcreekpress.substack.com/p/everyone-d...
Standards of living can be raised by lowering transportation costs in the trade of goods and services. But they can also be raised by lowering transport costs of people themselves. So that is the subject of today’s post. wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/designing-...
“Again: The question ‘How will this end?’ should have been asked before this war was triggered. It wasn’t.” marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
“That’s the way it is.”
Great Commander-in-Chief ya’ll have. Totally devoid of any semblance of empathy and consumed by ego.
#sendBarron
“Radiohead is promising a fight after a choral version of its classic song ‘Let Down’ was used without permission in a post on the U.S. Immigration and Enforcement Control’s official Instagram page.” www.spin.com/2026/02/radi...
“The whole thing is in pre-order, so it’ll be a bit before you get your shirt, but you can wait easy knowing that 100% of the profits will be donated to the Supporting Immigrants In Santa Cruz County Fund – through Community Foundation Santa Cruz County (CFSCC).” www.metalsucks.net/2026/02/27/d...
“Proceeds from all shirts sold will go to Border Kindness, which is a nonprofit based in the California border town of El Centro, that provides food, shelter, medical care, and legal services to migrants and asylum seekers.” www.metalsucks.net/2026/02/28/d...
“‘This is exactly the kind of reason the notwithstanding clause exists,’ argued Smith while double-parked in a handicap spot. ‘If me want to do something, me get to do it, notwithstanding. As a last resort.'” www.thebeaverton.com/2026/03/dani...
"City Council is looking at expanding the transit ticket window from 90 min to 2 hours – begging the question…how long does it take from the North TO south of Calgary…ride along with Phoenix Phillips to find out." calgary.citynews.ca/video/2026/0...
