In the former Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin was in charge of all propaganda – right down to editing articles that would be printed in the local paper.
You would think there is a lesson in there for the provincial government’s spin doctors. Last week, they announced with great fanfare that the ‘repatriation’ campaign to bring back New Brunswickers was working. As I reported before, Training and Employment Development Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney was practically giddy in last week’s press release. Here’s a quote:
“Two and a half years into the JOB Start Strategy, we continue to make [excellent progress] in recruiting, retaining and repatriating skilled New Brunswickers.” (my brackets)
Simultaneously, however; those loose cannons over at the Department of Finance had the audacity to update their population and demography chart.
The latest data shows that 2004-2005 exhibited the highest level of net out-migration from New Brunswick since the Lord government took office.
I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried.
There was a net out-migration of 1,650 people in 2004-2005 compared to 760 in 2003-2004 and 843 in 2002-2003.
Three questions:
1. How could the Department of Training and Employment Development define the worst migration numbers since they took office as ‘excellent progress’?
2. Doesn’t somebody at Finance actually share these numbers with TED?
3. Why aren’t we reading about this in the local paper?