On this week’s Insights podcast, Don and David speak with Dr. Trevor Tombe, Professor in the University of Calgary’s Department of Economics and Director of Fiscal and Economic Policy at the School of Public Policy. Dr. Tombe has published a number of papers related to interprovincial trade barriers including a recent one for the Public Policy Forum specifically covering the benefits to Atlantic Canada from making it easier to trade across provincial borders. We discuss a variety of barriers to provincial trade including rules and regulations, and we go deeper with a lively discussion of issues such as government subsidies to industry, provincial tax rate differentials, infrastructure investments and other government-related benefits that may provide advantages to industries in one province but not another. This one got a little wonky but we are sure you will enjoy the conversation.

This episode of the Insights Podcast was live recorded at the recent Biocon Conference held in Saint John, New Brunswick. This was the thirteenth annual conference for this sector. The podcast features a conversation with David and Don that was moderated by Meaghan Seagrave, the Executive Director of Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, an organization that provides critical strategic investment, advice and services to business developers of clean, green and sustainable technologies. There are many new companies in the bioeconomy that are leading the way, including Vyterra Renewals which was the focus of a recent podcast and Oberland Agriscience which will be a future podcast. Vyterra turns wood into fuel and Oberland turns insects into feed and fertilizer. This podcast focuses on the opportunities and challenges facing the bioeconomy sector and what needs to be done to accelerate its growth.

Dennis Campbell, the Founder of Ambassatours, first became interested in the tour business at the age of seven years ago when he accompanied one of his sister's guided tours and started his company in 1987 while still in high school. At its peak, the company had annual revenues of $30 million and employed nearly eight hundred people,100 buses and served 19-21 ports. Last year the company had 450,000 customers using the company's various land, water and amphibious tours. In this podcast, Dennis takes us on his personal business journey as he built his company, including some of the early challenges financing its growth, eventually selling off parts of his business as he begins winding down his long successful career. From the Harbour Hopper to double decker buses, the Silva, Harbour Queen, Theodore Tugboat, and the Magic Winery Tours, there is a very good chance listeners will have been on one of Dennis's tours. His role in the development of the hospitality sector within the region cannot be overstated. He is the consummate storyteller as you will see from this conversation.