Jim Spatz is the Chairman and CEO of Southwest Properties Limited, one of Atlantic Canada’s leading real estate developers.
Publishing Twice a Week
The Macdonald Notebook is your source for exclusive Business & Inside Politics publishing every Saturday and Sunday.
Latest Issue
Exclusive: Jim Spatz Promotes His Senior Leadership Team – Six Women – At Southwest Properties
Last Weekend Editions, Below
Exclusive: Halifax Port: Why Shipping Executive Andy Abbott Will No Longer Rent His Vessel Spaces To Hapag Lloyd – ‘Slot Charter’ Agreement Ran For 39-Years
Exclusive: Why Hapag Lloyd’s Halifax Bound Container Cargo Could Become Fewer – It Is Concerning Carrier Beefing Up Calls to Port Saint John Over The Years
Jim David: My Take On Salty’s On The Waterfront – One Last Visit To Soon To Close Eatery Mainstay
MacPolitics: Nothing Free About Freedom of Info Request – Biting The Bullet & Paying Houston Gov For Houston Gov Wine Policy Documents
Lunenburg’s Blockhouse Hill Park Could Be Protected By Incoming Town Council – ‘Hopes’ Developer Thom Barclay
Lunenburg Politics: Good Riddance To Outgoing Town Councillors – Clean Slate Of Councillors Heading To Town Hall After Election In October
MacPolitics: Majority Of Canadians Would Favour Kamala Harris As Next U.S. President – Poll
MacPolitics: HRM Mayoral Race: Pam Lovelace Asks For Votes ‘To Bring Back The Passenger Trains’
MacPolitics: HRM Mayoral Contender Pam Lovelace On Her Mayoral Debate Strategy
MacPolitics: Housing the Biggest Issue In Mayoral Campaign: Andy Fillmore
MacPolitics: The Three Top Issues In HRM, According to Mayoral Contender Waye Mason
MacPolitics: Former Broadcaster Riley Murphy’s Mayoral Campaign Identifies Top Issues Facing HRM Voters
MacPolitics: Tory Turned Liberal Supporter, Rob Smith Says Dumping Trudeau As Leader Not A Good Idea – Cites Modern Political History When A Leader Is Changed Out, The Results Are Disastrous
MacPolitics: Parliament Returns Monday, Crucial By-Elections Slated
MacPolitics: Poll: Majority of Canadians Do Not Want An Early Election
Saturday Edition, Below
How The Joe Ramia Family Helped Raise $906,687 In One Day For QE2 Hospital Foundation
A Life Well Lived: ‘Tartan Hour’ Radio Host Paul Meagher Dead, Started His Broadcasting Career In 1977; Helped Found Seaside FM In 1999
Saint John & Bathurst Airport CEOs Say Pascan Aviation’s Halifax Route Transformative
MacPolitics: Iain Rankin Had A Plan To Twin To The Canso Causeway; Sadly Tim Houston Is Not Going That Far
Tim Houston Gov Actually Begins New Twinning on 103 HWY; A Bid That Carl Potter Did Not Want To Lose
MacPolitics: On Anniversary Of Lloyd Hines’ Demise — A Look Back At His Greatest Legacies
MacPolitics: Alison Strachan On Her Campaign To Win Lunenburg Town Council Seat
MacPolitics: Clan Chisholm Inc. Has Another Shot At Occupying Antigonish Town Hall
Behind The Political Force That Was Collie Herman Chisholm, There Was A Force of Her Own: Remembering Eleanor Chisholm, Who When She Died In 2018 Was My Oldest Reader At The Time – Meet Coline Morrow’s Mom
Exclusive: MacPolitics: Seaside FM Personality’s Halifax Mayoral Ambitions – Is Riley Murphy A Dark Horse Contender?
Past Issues, Below
Check Out The Notebook Archives For 8,200 stories Since Founding Year of 2017
Opinion
Podcast WIth Jordi Morgan & Jim Spatz
Oct 27, 2017 | Opinion
Opinion: Cannabis Consultations: Answering Questions With Questions
Oct 27, 2017 | Opinion
The only thing clear about the legalization of cannabis is there are more questions than answers. Since the Trudeau Liberals foisted responsibility of delivering the stash, provincial governments have been hunting for a flashlight to see through the policy smoke.
Jordi Morgan’s Podcast With Jared Steeves, Auctioneer
Oct 20, 2017 | Opinion
It’s not often you run into someone who began their career when they were six years old.
Opinion: How Trudeau & Morneau Spent Small Biz Week – Back-Tracking
Oct 20, 2017 | Opinion
It’s been a big week for small business in Canada. Small Business Week and Small Business Saturday roll around once a year, but it’s rare to have the occasion festooned with quite so much high level attention.
Podcast With Jordi Morgan & Gerry Pond
Oct 13, 2017 | Opinion
Gerry Pond has over 45 years of in-depth experience in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. He was CEO of NBTel and president of its successor, Aliant Telecom before he moved into the tech startup field.
Opinion: The Ridiculous Logic Of The $15 Minimum Wage Argument
Oct 13, 2017 | Opinion
Here is the latest argument being made to promote the $15 minimum wage:
Employers should simply pay their employees more. This will help solve our economic problems. With a $15 minimum wage, there will more money being spent. People on lower incomes will be spending all this money because they can’t afford to save it. Consequently, people will sell more goods and services and we will all prosper.
Opinion: Shrinking The Size Of Government Is Required
Oct 6, 2017 | Opinion
Shrinking the Size of Government is No Longer an Option – It’s Required
Atlantic Canada is facing serious challenges and we no longer have the option of kicking the can down the road. The demographic tsunami is upon us, and there is a looming financial crisis in that wave.
Opinion: A Closer Look At The Architect Reveals Thinking Behind Tax Changes
Sep 29, 2017 | Opinion
If anyone is looking for a clue as to why the federal government is imposing unfair tax changes on small business, you need to look no further than the author of the paper that informed the Liberal’s 2015 election rhetoric, retired bureaucrat Michael Wolfson.
Lunch With Alison Strachan & Suzanne Saul
Sep 22, 2017 | Opinion
Editor’s Note: Alison Strachan, a Halifax resident, will write an occasion column, interviewing business folk on their life over lunch dates for The Macdonald Notebook.
In this edition she chats with Suzanne Saul, co-owner of Attica Furnishings, during a lunch at Mother’s Pizza
By Alison Strachan
In 1995, Attica Furnishings opened its ‘start-up’ doors on Gottingen Street on the second level of the old Eye Level Gallery. Two years later, the store relocated to Granville Street, taking over the old JW Doull bookstore.
Spoken Word: Scott Brison At Halifax Port Days
Sep 15, 2017 | Opinion
Trudeau minister Scott Brison delivered this speech at Halifax Port Days this week. Here are his remarks:
When I last spoke here one year ago, we were all still digesting the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom … which at that point was still the most surprising vote of 2016!
Articles by Topic
- Art Hustins Jr: Life & Times (4)
- Baltimore Bridge: Could It Happen In Port of Halifax? (7)
- Barry Rofihe's Life & Times (5)
- Cabot Links (142)
- Chester Notes (75)
- Dan Leger's Book On Stephen McNeil (11)
- Electric vehicles Feature (13)
- Halifax Downtown Grocer Wars: Arthur's Takes On Pete's (4)
- Immigration: One Million NS Residents - Features (20)
- Jim Vibert Columns (18)
- John Carroll's Incredible Life & Times (7)
- John Risley: The Book - Net Worth (6)
- Lunch With Alison (86)
- Lunenburg Common Lands (68)
- Maritime Business (131)
- Melford Container Terminal (5)
- Millennial Entrepreneurs (42)
- NATO's Halifax Tech HQ (6)
- NS Liberal Cover-Up Coverage (70)
- NSLC (2)
- NSLC/Craft Beer/NS Wines (168)
- Pasta Primavera's Yarmouth Creation (12)
- Porsche Of Halifax Features (8)
- Premier's Office: Abrupt Departure Of Trusted Politcal Aide (7)
- Restaurants (97)
- Seafood Recipes By Home Chef Gary Phillipe (10)
- Taxing Out Of Province Homebuyers - News Features (33)
- The Donair Features (14)
- The Incredible & Significant Life & Times Of John MacDonell (4)
- The Incredible Life & Times of Butch Heisler (6)
- The Life & Times Of John Young & Carol Young (14)
- The Life & Times Of Terry Burns - Pro Golfer & Expert Sailor (5)
- The Notebook Seal Of Approval (4)
- Tom Peters' Golf Tour (29)
- Trudeau Gov Won't Fund Large Road Twinning (4)
- Truro Inland Cargo Terminal Project (20)
- Women In Non-Traditional Occupations (6)