Michael J Armstrong
@profmjarmstrong.bsky.social
Associate professor of operations research at Brock University. I teach quality improvement & game theory. I research the economic aspects of cannabis legalization.
https://brocku.ca/goodman/faculty-research/faculty-directory/michael-armstrong/ ..
more
Associate professor of operations research at Brock University. I teach quality improvement & game theory. I research the economic aspects of cannabis legalization.
https://brocku.ca/goodman/faculty-research/faculty-directory/michael-armstrong/
Biology
22%
Environmental science
21%
Pinned
After Canada legalized cannabis, police caught more drunk drivers
Police reported more drug and alcohol impairment after 2018. The growth seemed more due to enforcement changes and pandemic restrictions than to legalized cannabis.
theconversation.com
This @ca.theconversation.com article summarizes my study of how impaired driving rates changed after Canada legalized recreational cannabis & enhanced enforcement in 2018.
In short: rates grew but mostly unrelated to legalization.
1/7
#EpiSky 🧪
theconversation.com/after-canada...
In short: rates grew but mostly unrelated to legalization.
1/7
#EpiSky 🧪
theconversation.com/after-canada...
Reposted by Michael J. Armstrong, David Murakami Wood
1/ Trump Administration officials have reportedly held several secret meetings with Canadian separatists, who are seeking US$500 billion to bankroll their efforts. It suggests that the Administration is interested in breaking up Canada and absorbing the remnants. ⬇️
Source: Statistics Canada, Consumer Price Index, monthly, not seasonally adjusted
www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/t...
www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/t...
Prices of authorized medical cannabis & non-prescription medicine were unchanged in 2025, while prescription medicine prices rose 1%.
Since 2018, medical cannabis prices have fallen 16%, while medicine prices rose 6% for prescription & 19% for non-prescription.
💊
Since 2018, medical cannabis prices have fallen 16%, while medicine prices rose 6% for prescription & 19% for non-prescription.
💊
In Canada during 2025, retail prices fell 1.7% for recreational cannabis, rose 5.6% for alcohol, & stayed flat for tobacco.
Since legalization in 2018, cannabis prices have fallen 30%, while prices rose 18% for alcohol & 45% for tobacco.
🥬🍺🚬
Since legalization in 2018, cannabis prices have fallen 30%, while prices rose 18% for alcohol & 45% for tobacco.
🥬🍺🚬
Brock seeks world-leading researchers through CERC, Impact+ programs
Brock University is recruiting multiple Research Chairs to head up teams applying for two Canadian government funding programs designed to attract top international talent in priority research areas....
brocku.ca
My @brocku.ca is hiring Research Chairs in:
- Human Mobility & Wearable Technologies
- Climate & Environmental Change
- Sustainable Grape & Wine Agriculture
- Healthy Development Across the Lifespan
Applications due 13 Feb. 🧪
brocku.ca/brock-news/2...
- Human Mobility & Wearable Technologies
- Climate & Environmental Change
- Sustainable Grape & Wine Agriculture
- Healthy Development Across the Lifespan
Applications due 13 Feb. 🧪
brocku.ca/brock-news/2...
Canadian personnel have been caught awkwardly between Donald Trump’s orders, Canada’s military mandate and public opinion. We explain how
Canadian soldiers have been carrying out Donald Trump’s orders
As the American president becomes more aggressive, this is becoming a problem
econ.st
Canada & other countries have soldiers serving on exchange duties in US military units. That's become a problem.
(Paywalled article)
FYI @steffanwatkins.bsky.social
🪖
(Paywalled article)
FYI @steffanwatkins.bsky.social
🪖
Reposted by Michael J. Armstrong
Canadian soldiers have been carrying out Donald Trump’s orders
As the American president becomes more aggressive, this is becoming a problem
econ.st
Canadian personnel have been caught awkwardly between Donald Trump’s orders, Canada’s military mandate and public opinion. We explain how
Danish pension fund to divest its U.S. Treasuries
Danish pension fund AkademikerPension said on Tuesday it would sell off its holding of U.S. Treasuries, worth some $100 million, by the end of this month, blaming weak U.S. government finances.
www.reuters.com
"Danish pension fund AkademikerPension said on Tuesday it would sell off its holding of U.S. Treasuries, worth some $100 million, by the end of this month, blaming weak U.S. government finances."
💲
#EconSky
www.reuters.com/business/dan...
💲
#EconSky
www.reuters.com/business/dan...
Microsoft’s AI deal promises Canada digital sovereignty, but is that a pledge it can keep?
As the U.S. government becomes increasingly authoritarian and issues threats to other countries, can Canadians trust U.S. tech companies with their data?
theconversation.com
"the U.S., through its 2018 CLOUD Act, has claimed the right to exercise control over data collected by U.S. companies, even if it’s stored outside the country"
By @bhaggart.bsky.social
🖥️
By @bhaggart.bsky.social
🖥️
Would my course on quality improvement count for CPEs?
You could attend classes online but need to write the tests in person.
😊
You could attend classes online but need to write the tests in person.
😊
Reposted by Michael J. Armstrong
War is bad for your health. You probably guessed that. But why?
A new study co-authored by @aflores-lagunes.bsky.social finds that serving in Vietnam itself was the common cause of bad health among vets – volunteers and draftees alike. See why in our newest news post.
#Econsky #veterans
A new study co-authored by @aflores-lagunes.bsky.social finds that serving in Vietnam itself was the common cause of bad health among vets – volunteers and draftees alike. See why in our newest news post.
#Econsky #veterans
America's own goal: Americans pay almost entirely for Trump’s tariffs
Contrary to US government rhetoric, the cost of US import tariffs are not borne by foreign exporters. Instead, they hit the American economy itself. Importers and consumers in the US bear 96 percent o...
www.kielinstitut.de
Study: Almost all Trump tariff revenue came from US consumers.
"Foreign exporters absorbed only about four percent of the tariff burden, 96 percent passed through to US buyers."
www.kielinstitut.de/publications...
"Foreign exporters absorbed only about four percent of the tariff burden, 96 percent passed through to US buyers."
www.kielinstitut.de/publications...
Craft beer in Canada is losing its fizz, as sales dry up and more breweries go bust | CBC News
After years of seemingly unlimited growth for the craft beer industry, the party is winding down. Sales are down and the number of breweries in Canada has started to decline, a shift driven by a mix o...
www.cbc.ca
"Beer sales are down across the board and the number of breweries in Canada has started to decline, a shift driven by a mix of cost pressures and changing consumer tastes and social habits."
🍺
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
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www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Complete list of U.S. products subject to counter tariffs - Canada.ca
Tariff countermeasures are intended to incentivize the United States to remove its unjustified tariffs against Canada. These countermeasures will remain in place until the U.S. eliminates its tariffs...
www.canada.ca
Canada also imposed tariffs on the USA in 2025, though most were later removed.
Most provinces continue to ban US alcohol due to US tariffs.
www.canada.ca/en/departmen...
Most provinces continue to ban US alcohol due to US tariffs.
www.canada.ca/en/departmen...
Kick-Starting Entrepreneurship
Are you thinking about launching a small business and looking to learn the key aspects of entrepreneurship? The Kick-Starting Entrepreneurship program is a series of workshops designed for young entre...
brocku.ca
The @brocku.ca Kick-Starting Entrepreneurship workshop series starts on 20 Jan. It's free to attend online but pre-registration is required.
brocku.ca/linc/entrepr...
brocku.ca/linc/entrepr...
I discovered this year that it can now competently, but not reliably, do the homework assignments in the game theory course that I teach to business students.
Manitoba’s Kinew tells Ontario’s Ford don’t ‘shoot ourselves in the foot’ with Crown Royal threat
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has called out Ontario Premier Doug Ford for talking himself “up onto a ledge” amid threats to remove Crown Royal whisky – which is distilled in Manitoba – from LCBO shelves...
www.ctvnews.ca
'Kinew stated that there was “no sense” in saying that “this Canadian worker’s job requires us to hurt another Canadian worker’s job ... “It’s not the type of thing that’s in keeping with our Team Canada approach right now"'
🥃
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...
🥃
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...
Ontario alcohol producers 'bet on ourselves' as U.S. booze ban nears 1-year mark | CBC News
Ontario sent a blunt message to U.S. booze suppliers when it yanked their alcohol off its shelves last year, pledging to redirect customers to local producers, and those businesses say they’re trying ...
www.cbc.ca
"the U.S. booze ban could have far-reaching impacts on consumers ... They are going to be less likely to purchase that Californian wine, because now they've tried what Ontario has to offer"
🍷🍸
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
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www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Opinion: Canada’s universities are in crisis as money gets tighter
Tuition freezes and spending cuts are undermining education with larger class sizes, less course selection, deteriorating facilities and services
www.theglobeandmail.com
Underfunding means Ontario's university students get "larger class sizes, less course selection, and deteriorating facilities and services. At the beginning of 2025, 14 of Ontario’s 23 universities were projecting deficits"
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com...
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com...
Public health metrics for USA, Denmark, & Canada
Life expectancy, years 👨👩👧👦
USA 80.9 DEN 82.2 CAN 84.2
Maternal deaths / 100K births 👩
USA 17.0 DEN 4.0 CAN 12.0
Infant deaths / 1K births 👶
USA 5.0 DEN 3.1 CAN 3.8
Tobacco use, % of adults 🚬
USA 22.1 DEN 14.3 CAN 10.1
Life expectancy, years 👨👩👧👦
USA 80.9 DEN 82.2 CAN 84.2
Maternal deaths / 100K births 👩
USA 17.0 DEN 4.0 CAN 12.0
Infant deaths / 1K births 👶
USA 5.0 DEN 3.1 CAN 3.8
Tobacco use, % of adults 🚬
USA 22.1 DEN 14.3 CAN 10.1
A Man on the Inside: Netflix comedy offers a timely defence of higher education
Season 2 of the show points to problems at universities as well as possible remedies.
theconversation.com
'The show focuses on staff and faculty efforts in an era of budget cuts and attacks on what the billionaire investor calls “pointless subjects” like art history and philosophy.'
theconversation.com/a-man-on-the...
theconversation.com/a-man-on-the...
Have you tried rigging a camera on any of your birds? It would be less spectacular but perhaps more amusing?
Yes. It's not as bad in Canada as in the US but it's getting worse. Very few departments can hire net new profs. Lucky ones (like mine) get to hire replacements for retirees. Unlucky ones don't.
International travellers entering or returning to Canada, by type of transportation and traveller type
International travel by non-Canadians visitors coming to Canada for a trip, by Canadians returning from a visit abroad and by other non-tourism travellers (e.g. crew), by port of entry (e.g. airport, ...
doi.org
The combined air & land decrease in Canadians traveling to the USA was about 25%.
📉💲
Data source: Statistics Canada
doi.org/10.25318/241...
📉💲
Data source: Statistics Canada
doi.org/10.25318/241...
The estimated number of Canadians who visited the USA by air was about 11% lower in 2025 than in 2024.
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The estimated number of Canadians who visited the USA by land was about 30% lower in 2025 than in 2024.
🚗
#EconSky
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#EconSky