Another article in a western Canadian paper educating westerners about the excessive federal funds sent to Atlantic Canada to prop up rural communities. This is from the Victoria Times Colonist:
Government programs aimed at helping rural areas can easily go wrong. Think of all the federal funds sent to Atlantic Canada, encouraging people to stay in the region despite a persistent shortage of jobs.
The writer must be talking about the billions spent in the last decade to prop up the aerospace industry – no, wait, that’s Greater Montreal.
Well then, he (she) must be talking about the $1 billion fed/prov incentives for the auto sector over the past three years. No, that would be southern Ontario.
Certainly, it’s the billions in tax breaks to encourage development in the oil sands. No, sadly, that’s Alberta.
Millions to grow the film/new media industry? Nope. That’s B.C.
Billions to support the agriculture sector? Not really. Most of that goes to farmers west of the Ontario border.
$590 million to develop port and rail infrastructure? Guess again. That’s Prince Rupert/Vancouver.
Let’s dig deeper.
How about the $4 billion Technology Partnerships Canada? Nope. Not one investment in rural Atlantic Canada.
How about the billions in federal government R&D spending? Not really. Outside of Halifax, not much of that money is spent in Atlantic Canada.
Oh, I get it. They’re talking about EI.
Tell you what, Victoria. You give us the billions in R&D, industry incentives and infrastructure subsidies and we’ll give you the EI.
That would be fun. Snooty, faux British accent Vancouver Islanders on EI and Miramichiers complaining about their lazy arses.
Oops. Just day dreaming again.