Sometimes a blog is so obvious it becomes too easy to write. The words just kind of flow out the brain and through the fingertips and voila, it’s a blog. Like with tariffs – those are so easy to write since, as has been well-established, I really, really hate tariffs. Or Alberta separation. I could write thousands of wors about that little bit if Wexit if I cared to dignifiy it with my time.
National politics? Hate it, love to write about it. Provincial and municipal politics? Equally targeted with my scorn.
The energy sector? I could wax poetic about the world’s greatest industry for literally weeks at a time, in fact I did that once and was forcibly removed from Ontario. And I will again soon, once I get a real sense of where I think the market is going and why.
And then there’s this week, which thanks to a innocuous question has allowed me to put forth the following that literally writes itself, because in fact it requires very little writing on my part.
That innocuous question was pretty much as follows: “Thanks for doing the blog. It is an entertaining and moderately informative read. When you’re not writing all this volume of material, is there anyone you like to read and why?”
Well whaddya know, the answer to that question is in fact a resounding “you betcha”. Because I spend a lot of time reading – whether it’s studying the entrails of the economy and the energy sector or looking for wisdom on politics or just weird general interest, I have go-to’s for many of these topics and others.
Some are old standby’s, others are up and coming thought leaders. A few are very niche/special-interest oriented but always worth a read.
I like to read people who cover topics of interest, are thought-provoking, demonstrate depth of intellect and who challenge their readers. I’m also good with no-nonsense “just the facts” presenters of information.
But most importantly, I like variety. And in today’s unhinged and multi-faceted information ecosystem, there is no shortage of platforms that you can find these people on, whether it’s independent journalism, start-up publications, substack or any of a myriad of self-publishing avenues. All of these are worth a visit.
And, seeing as how I am a Twitter (it can never be X) power-user, most of these people are active on that godless cesspool of a platform that I use 2-3 hours per day.
So without further ado…
Who am I reading? And how can you read these as well?
Kyla Scanlon
Kyla is a economics writer who has been on Twitter for a while and who published a book called “In this economy? How Money and Markets Really Work” which is a highly informative and entertaining read about the realities of the world. She also does a newsletter that is always thought-provoking and insightful. Her most recent missive was “Economic Lessons from the Screwtape Letters: Rejection, Convenience and the Budget Deficit”.
I’m not giving Kyla enough credit here of course. You need to do the reading. Suffice to say, if you can write brilliant prose about the economy and weave the devil and CS Lewis into it, you have a fan for life in this Narnia-loving nerd.
https://kyla.substack.com/p/economic-lessons-from-the-screwtape
Joe Pompliano
If you know me, you know I love all things sports. And what’s not to love. Sports is fascinating – the competition, the pathos, the drama, the highs, the lows, the… Business. That’s right, the business of sports. That is Joey’s specialty and no one, I repeat no one, does it better. Whether it’s the economics of F1 or the patenting of the term Threepeat, Joe’s got you covered.
https://huddleup.substack.com/
Rory Johnston
I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure I first started following Rory on Twitter when he was in his previous career at Scotia Bank where he was a widely respected economist. Some years ago, likely during Covid because my memory is so fuzzy, Rory started raising a young family and got the itch, as we all do at that stage in our lives, to risk everything and start his own publishing and research empire. And thus Commodity Context was born. Rory publishes some of the most detailed and insightful data-driven commentary on the energy sector out there and if you are interested is worthy of a follow. If you are in the industry, you should ask yourself why you don’t have a subscription. He publishes a weekly newsletter, deep dive publications and has recently been tricked into podcasting.
Plus he’s a great guy. I have had the opportunity to meet and break bread with him on several occasions and I can vouch for him.
He is also the only individual who has ever had a guest blog on this site.
https://www.commoditycontext.com/
Scott Lincicome
Scott Lincicome is a Vice President, General Economics and trade specialist at the Cato Insitute – a right leaning think tank. I know what you’re thinking – right leaning – doesn’t that mean he is pro the Trump economic agenda? I guess if you live in generalizations, you might be right, but there are many aspects of the Trump agenda that right and left-leaning economists dislike and Scott, as it happens, dislikes the one aspect that I clearly dislike as well – and that is tariffs. But where I operate on gut instinct and dribs and drabs of knowledge, Scott is the real deal – immersed in data and facts and has published some of the most scathing and fact supported articles against tariffs out there.
I first started following Scott on Twitter during random discussions about the Logan Act – a 19th century relic that prevents non-American-flagged vessels going from one US port to another. But the best Scott discussion revolved around egg cartons. He had asked how people take eggs out of cartons. I said we go front to back but he said he that’s wrong and that due to how flimsy cartons are, the right way is to skip spots so as to preserve the structural integrity of the pack, which my wife and I now do obsessively at home in some kind of weird breakfast contest where we try and outdo each other in our attempts to remove our eggs in a patterns that will distribute the weight of the remaining eggs evenly and prevent the carton from collapsing in on itself.
And now you will be doing it as well.
He publishes in The Dispatch, but there is also a blog on the Cato website.
https://www.cato.org/people/scott-lincicome/category/blog
Ben Hunt – Epsilon Theory
Ben publishes a blog called Epsilon Theory, which is by and large broad sweeping analysis and review of major issues of our time. His Twitter handle says “Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose.” And anyone who quotes Friday Night Lights is OK by me.
The website says they “see the world through the lens of narrative” and the pieces they publish are insightful and thought-provoking, often putting a narrative story around events happening around us that make you shift perspective and context – typically leaving you more informed, thoughtful and, to be honest, quite often frightened.
https://www.epsilontheory.com/about-epsilon-theory/
Local Content Alert!
William Lacey
William Lacey is a Calgary-based researcher. He is a reformed investment banker, equity researcher and energy sector CFO who spends his time trying to analyze the energy sector from a purely data and fact-driven perspective. He is also a friend who knows a ton about the energy sector and whom I would go to prove or disprove any set of facts.
He is unapologetically pro-energy and conservative. And he admits that yes, he is “that guy”, something, something pro-oil T-shirt, something, something, kicked out of parliament in Ottawa. If you want to know more, you must visit the page.
His regular columns are smart, informed, current and relevant. And he loves a good chart, especially when it shows the contributions of the energy sector to Canada’s economy.
https://substack.com/@yycenergy
Max Fawcett
Max is the lead columnist for the National Observer, a left-leaning online publication. He writes a regular column that leans heavily into politics, especially Western and energy influenced politics because Max is, of course, located here in Calgary. I have joked to Max (yes I talk to left-leaning journalists) that he is my social conscience but that isn’t entirely true – I do in fact own my own conscience. I talk to Max because he is smart, incredibly well-informed and not shy to go toe to toe on any issue.
He understands the energy industry, even if I’m not convinced he 100% likes it, and generally supports the goals of managed growth for the sector, including egress, as long as it is accompanied by environmental goals including an acknowledgement that “oil” is in many ways a sunset industry (especially as a transportation fuel), which of course is where he falls out with some of the industry stalwarts and the politically hyperactive “all fossil fuels all the time” crew.
Agreeing or disagreeing with what he writes is part bias and part denial of industry facts and trends – on either side. But given the political dynamics at play in this country, ignoring or being overtly hostile to one half of an argument is singularly unproductive
On top of that, he has his finger on the pulse of the LPC and their goals so if you want to know what policy might be coming from Ottawa, Max is a good start.
His articles are infuriating to the largely CPC and UCP supporting Calgary and Alberta industrial base but we will all survive. We would be a much poorer society if we all agreed all the time. I have probably learned more from Max than he has from me.
Like Rory above, I talk to Max regularly, have had meals with him (and not been turned to a pillar of salt) and have even hit the driving range. He is a friend, has only one head (and it doesn’t spin around) and is not a card-carrying member of the Karl Marx fan club.
His articles, like all the ones I like to read are provocative, well-reasoned, grounded in fact and challenge you. Isn’t that what we want?
Not sure what the best link is as he is on multiple platforms, so here’s an X address to go from and a link to the National Observer, for which you might need a subscription, sorry.
@maxfawcett
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2025/05/22/opinion/pierre-poilievre-fight-canada-alberta-separatism
Trevor Tombe
Trevor is a Professor of Economics at the University of Calgary and notwithstanding what Mark Carney said when challenged about his plan to create massive deficits – Trevor is really well-informed about the economics of government, budgets, deficits and all the arcane stuff that goes into political platforms and promises and has lots of experience.
Trevor publishes in a number of different places but lately seems to have found a home at The Hub – an online publication that should be on this list so consider this a two-for-one.
Trevor writes well-researched, apolitical and eminently approachable for the layman analyses of mostly domestic economic matters. There is no BS in what he writes and it is all based in fact, sound theory and rationale.
It’s economics, so it’s also kind of geeky, but we elected a geek as prime minister, so it seems to me that it is time for all us econ geeks to flex our muscles.
Here’s a link to his personal website wherein he conveniently provides links to his many publications and studies as well as places where he is a contributor (such as the aforementioned “The Hub”).
The Line – Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney
The Line is a newsletter/forum/substack created by Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney to allow themselves and fellow journalists to, as they say, “call out illiberalism, hypocrisy, and bullshit wherever we find it”. And they do a pretty good job of it. They claim to be apolitical but I personally find them to be more politically right of centre than not and and more representative of a younger and more pragmatic conservatism than the polarized party apparatchiks. They produce an impressive volume of work, featuring guest writers on a variety of topics that range from weighty to, well, not so weighty. Commentary is sharp, informed and relevant. They certainly don’t take prisoners in their writing. Apropos of nothing, Jen is Calgary-based (relocation) and Matt is based in the centre of the universe. This will occasionally come out in their writing.
Of the two, I think Jen has the columns that most resonate with me because she and I share a similar antipathy to stupidity and a general frustration with, well, everyone and everything. Plus, she is now Calgary-based so her projection matches what I would now consider my local bias.
Interesting note – while they certainly aren’t from the same political lineage, the one time I met Ms Gerson in person, I was introduced to her by Max.
Trung Phan
If you follow Trung on Twitter, you will know him for what he is when he’s not doing his day-job. A great storyteller. Whether it’s the story of the creation of Sriracha Sauce, a deep-dive on the economics of the Taylor Swift Eras tour, a missive on why Linked-In is so cringe or any of a hundred different business stories, Trung spins good yarn.
His substack name says it all… Read Trung.
Happy reading everyone.
