rae
      aS
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Jim-Beau
      Lieyeah
     
     
      STAFF
      GONZO
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Jan.8,
      2000
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      am
      sitting
      in
      the
      ViaRail
     
     
      smoking/bubble
      car
      rolling
     
     
      through
      New
      B.
      on
      my
     
     
      way
      back
      to
      the
      promised
     
     
      Island.
      I
      came
      down
      from
     
     
      the
      hills
      a
      few
      days
      ago
     
     
      and
      lo
      and
      behold
      I
      found
     
     
      it
      was
      business
      as
      usual.
     
     
      Certainly
      feels
      strange
      to
     
     
      be
      in
      the
      new
      millennium.
     
     
      But
      one
      good
      thing
      about
     
     
      it
      is
      that
      I
      have
      no
      expec-
     
     
      tations.
      And
      no
      expecta-
     
     
      tions
      means
      that
      it
      is
      hard
     
     
      to
      be
      disappointed.
      Nev-
     
     
      ertheless,
      I
      want
      to
      try
      to
     
     
      set
      myself
      up
      for
      a
      fall.
     
     
      With
      that
      in
      mind,
      I
      have
     
     
      crafted
      some
      new
      millen-
     
     
      nium
      resolutions
      for
      our
     
     
      country.
      Here
      is
      my
     
     
      political
      slant
      on
      things...
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Atlantic
      Provinces:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Forget
      about
      “let
      it
      snow”
     
     
      and
      replace
      it
      with
      “let
      it
     
     
      flow.”
      Oil
      that
      is,
      Texas
     
     
      tea.
      Hibernia
      and
      Sable
     
     
      Island
      are
      on
      line
      now
     
     
      pumping
      oil
      out
      of
      the
     
     
      ocean
      floor.
      This
      new
     
     
      source
      of
      wealth
      for
      the
     
     
      area
      vaulted
      Newfound-
     
     
      land
      into
      Canada’s
      fastest
     
     
      growing
      economy.
      As
      the
     
     
      Albertans
      have
      discov-
     
     
      ered,
      every
      rise
      in
      the
     
     
      price
      of
      oil
      equals
      huge
     
     
      windfalls
      for
      the
      provincial
     
     
      treasury
      (and
      conversely
     
     
      price
      drops
      reduce
      pro-
     
     
      vincial
      revenues).
      But
      the
     
     
      Albertans,
      under
      Peter
     
     
      Lougheed,
      learned,
      last
     
     
      millennium,
      that
      the
      best
     
     
      cushion
      against
      this
      is
      to
     
     
      diversify
      their
      economy
      to
     
     
      reduce
      the
      effects
      of
      price
     
     
      changes
      on
      oil.
      Newfies,
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      under
      Brian
      Tobin,
      are
     
     
      trying
      to
      do
      this
      with
      the
     
     
      huge
      nickel
      deposits
      at
     
     
      Voisey
      Bay
      that
      have
      the
     
     
      huge
      multinational
      Inco
     
     
      drooling.
      But
      they
      won’t
     
     
      let
      them
      develop
      it
      unless
     
     
      they
      promise
      to
      process
      it
     
     
      on
      the
      Rock
      as
      well.
      That
     
     
      means
      a
      lot
      of
      jobs
      to
      that
     
     
      economy
      plus
      the
      related
     
     
      economic
      spinoffs
      off
     
     
      such
      a
      large
      investment.
     
     
      Add
      in
      the
      renegotiated
     
     
      Churchill
      Falls
      agreement
     
     
      with
      Quebec,
      and
      The
     
     
      Rock
      vaults
      into
      a
      poten-
     
     
      tial
      “have
      province,”
     
     
      sharing
      their
      wealth
      (imag-
     
     
      ine)
      with
      less
      fortunate
     
     
      parts
      of
      this
      great
      country.
     
     
      This
      should
      start
      stemming
     
     
      the
      tide
      of
      Newfound-
     
     
      land’s
      greatest
      export:
     
     
      Newfies.
     
    

    
     
      In
      Nova
      Scotia,
      the
     
     
      prospects
      are
      not
      so
     
     
      bright.
      Sable
      Island
      will
     
     
      provide
      revenues
      that
     
     
      should
      dig
      the
      province
     
     
      out
      of
      its
      annual
      deficit.
     
     
      The
      province’s
      greatest
     
     
      strength,
      it
      seems
      to
      me,
      is
     
     
      its
      educational
      system.
     
     
      Numerous
      institutions
     
     
      exist.
      I
      think
      that
      if
      the
     
     
      government
      used
      this
     
     
      strength
      and
      partnered
      it
     
     
      with
      the
      private
      sector
      to
     
     
      create
      internships,
      we
     
     
      would
      see
      a
      huge
      reduc-
     
     
      tion
      in
      youth
      unemploy-
     
     
      ment.
      Hope
      starts
      with
      the
     
     
      dignity
      of
      a
      job
      and
      the
     
     
      freedom
      of
      a
      few
      bucks
      in
     
     
      one’s
      pockets.
      It’s
      other
     
     
      strength
      is
      the
      excellent
     
     
      port
      of
      Halifax.
      Communi-
     
     
      cations
      have
      changed
      but
     
     
      transport
      needs
      will
      remain
     
     
      constant
      (both
      in
      the
     
     
      movement
      of
      people
      and
     
     
      goods).
      Geographically,
     
     
      Halifax
      is
      closer
      to
      Eu-
     
     
      rope,
      which
      gives
      it
      a
      huge
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      advantage.
      Ifthe
      port
      can
     
     
      adjust
      its
      infrastructure
      to
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      the
      rise
      in
      use
      of
      container
     
    
   
   
    
     
      stocks,
      it
      could
      become
     
     
      the
      gateway
      to
      North
     
     
      America
      once
      again.
      It
      is
     
     
      one
      Panamanian
      Coup
     
     
      away
      from
      huge
      growth.
     
     
      The
      province’s
      biggest
     
     
      problem
      is
      what
      to
      do
      with
     
     
      Cape
      Breton.
      The
      coal
     
     
      mines
      are
      closing
      and
      this
     
     
      distinct
      and
      unique
      area
      is
     
     
      in
      jeopardy
      of
      becoming
     
     
      an
      even
      greater
      economic
     
     
      basket
      case.
      It
      seems
     
     
      research
      is
      needed
      to
      find
     
     
      new,
      Clean
      uses
      for
      coal.
      It
     
     
      might
      seem
      doubtful
      but
     
     
      look
      at
      Asbestos,
      Que-
     
     
      bec.
      Their
      natural
      resource
     
     
      has
      become
      synonymous
     
     
      with
      cancer
      but
      research
     
     
      has
      found
      a
      use
      for
      the
     
     
      tailings
      processed
      asbes-
     
     
      tos
      leaves
      and
      this
      area
      is
     
     
      on
      the
      rebound.
     
    

    
     
      PEI
      is
      in
      slightly
     
     
      better
      shape.
      The
      Confed-
     
     
      eration
      Bridge
      has
      created
     
     
      a
      “hassle
      free
     
     
      accessibility
      (quotes
     
     
      because
      it
      should
      have
     
     
      been
      a
      tunnel)
      to
      one
      of
     
     
      our
      country’s
      many
      gems.
     
     
      This
      alone
      has
      increased
     
     
      tourism
      by
      halfa
      million
     
     
      visitors
      which
      means
      a
      lot
     
     
      of
      off
      island
      money
      is
     
     
      being
      pumped
      into
      the
     
     
      economy.
      The
      dark
      side
      is
     
     
      twofold
      because
      of
      the
     
     
      nature
      of
      the
      employment
     
     
      created.
      Most
      of
      that
     
     
      increase
      occurred
      during
     
     
      the
      summer
      cycle
      and
      in
     
     
      primarily
      the
      cyclical
     
     
      service
      industry.
      The
     
     
      Island
      needs
      to
      somehow
     
     
      remake
      itself
      into
      a
      four
     
     
      season
      attraction.
      With
     
     
      global
      warming,
      or
      what-
     
     
      ever
      excuse
      they
      can
     
     
      provide
      to
      explain
      the
     
     
      reduction
      of
      snow,
      this
     
     
      won’t
      be
      easy.
      But
      I
      have
     
     
      a
      few
      bold
      suggestions
     
     
      that
      could
      create
      the
      white
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      elephant
      every
      province
     
     
      should
      have.
      With
      a
     
     
      renewed
      emphasis
      on
      golf
     
     
      perhaps
      even
      the
      worlds’
     
     
      first
      outdoor
      covered
      golf
     
     
      course
      is
      needed.
      The
     
     
      Islands
      disposition
      seems
     
     
      to
      be
      conducive
      to
      a
     
     
      world
      class
      aquarium.
     
     
      Maybe
      finally
      get
      a
      tun-
     
     
      nel!!
      Whatever
      they
      do,
     
     
      they
      must
      try
      to
      diversify
     
     
      and
      spread
      the
      money
     
     
      around.
      The
      Island
      has
     
     
      already
      begun
      to
      position
     
     
      itself
      as
      a
      knowledge
     
     
      based
      area.
      This
      will
     
     
      translate
      into
      more
      jobs.
     
    

    
     
      New
      Brunswick
     
     
      seems
      to
      be
      in
      good
      shape
     
     
      as
      well.
      It
      has
      capitalized
     
     
      on
      its
      bilingual
      nature
      in
     
     
      attracting
      investment.
     
     
      Continuing
      to
      do
      so
      places
     
     
      it
      ata
      competitive
      advan-
     
     
      tage
      over
      other
      areas
      of
     
     
      Canada
      and
      the
     
     
      Maritimes.
      Perhaps
      a
     
     
      reduced
      dependency
      on
     
     
      Irving
      (which
      employs
     
     
      almost
      one
      in
      four)
      might
     
     
      help
      as
      well.
      On
      a
      national
     
     
      level,
      New
      B.
      should
      take
     
     
      the
      lead
      in
      showing
      that
      a
     
     
      bilingual
      province
      gives
      it
     
     
      that
      global
      edge
      (a
      warn-
     
     
      ing
      Ontario
      and
      Manitoba
     
     
      would
      do
      well
      to
      heed).
     
     
      The
      economy
      is
      beginning
     
     
      to
      diversify
      thanks
      to
      their.
     
     
      aggressive
      pursuit
      of
     
     
      capital.
      There
      might
      be
     
     
      short
      term
      costs
      to
      this
      (ie
     
     
      the
      tax
      breaks/bait)
      but
     
     
      working
      people
      pump
      a
     
     
      lot
      more
      into
      the
      economy
     
     
      than
      what
      unemployed
     
     
      take
      out.
      “Whatever
      it
     
     
      takes”
      should
      be
      a
      new
     
     
      catch
      phrase
      for
      all
      in
      the
     
     
      increasingly
      competitive
     
     
      nature
      of
      attracting
      global
     
     
      capital.
     
    

    
     
      Overall,
      the
     
     
      Maritimes
      should
      consider
     
     
      some
      kind
      of
      political
     
     
      union.
      The
      threat
      of
     
     
      another
      level
      of
      govern-
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ment
      is
      ominous
      but
      one
     
     
      must
      consider
      the
      position
     
     
      they
      sit
      in
      now.
      It
      is
      diffi-
     
     
      cult
      for
      the
      region’s
      con-
     
     
      cerns
      to
      be
      met
      ona
     
     
      federal
      level
      because
      of
     
     
      their
      relatively
      weak
     
     
      parliamentary
      provincial
     
     
      seat
      base.
      However
     
     
      together
      they
      would
      be
     
     
      quite
      a
      force
      that
      the
      rest
     
     
      of
      the
      country
      would
      have
     
     
      to
      pay
      heed
      to.
      25
      %
      of
     
     
      national
      power/say
      means
     
     
      a
      lot
      when
      perhaps
      the
     
     
      population
      numbers
      might
     
     
      not
      exist
      to
      support
      the
     
     
      claim
      in
      the
      future.
      The
     
     
      threat
      of
      course
      is
      in
      the
     
     
      loss
      of
      autonomy
      which
      I
     
     
      agree
      with.
      But
      if
      this
     
     
      union
      was
      only
      ona
     
     
      national
      level
      then
      the
     
     
      threat
      would
      be
      lessened
     
     
      because
      provincial
      struc-
     
     
      tures
      would
      still
      exist.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      best
      thing
      that
      could
     
     
      happen
      to
      Quebec
      is
     
     
      stability.
      Lucien
      Bouchard
     
     
      can
      not
      provide
      this
      and
     
     
      we
      will
      have
      to
      wait
      until
     
     
      at
      least
      2003
      before
      we
     
     
      can
      see
      if
      Jean
      Charest
     
     
      can.
      The
      upside
      is
      that
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      demographics
      are
      such
      _
     
     
      that
      the
      Pequistes
      only
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _have
      a
      window
      of
      about
      5
     
    
   
   
    
     
      to
      10
      years
      to
      get
      their
     
     
      sovereignty
      project
      off.
     
     
      After
      that
      time,
     
     
      allophones,
      who
      are
     
     
      traditionally
      federalist,
      will
     
     
      tide
      their
      baby
      boom
      into
     
     
      a
      majority
      position
      in
      the
     
     
      province.
      Even
      with
      this
     
     
      instability,
      Quebec
      is
     
     
      growing.
      The
      economy
      is
     
     
      picking
      up
      and
      French
     
     
      entrepreneurship
      helping
      it
     
     
      get
      ahead.
      It
      is
      difficult
      to
     
     
      attract
      investment
      with
      the
     
     
      instability,
      but
      I
      would
     
     
      suggest
      a
      super
      project
      to
     
     
      get
      things
      moving
      while
      the
     
     
      economy
      is
      in
      an
      up
      cycle.