Senators calls on maritime provinces to merge

[Sleipnir]

Conservative Senators from Atlantic Canada are mounting a renewed push for a Maritime Union, proposing the merger of the three East Coast provinces into a single political entity to rescue the region’s stumbling economy.

Stephen Greene of Nova Scotia, John Wallace of New Brunswick and Mike Duffy of Prince Edward Island have put together a detailed proposal for a union of their three provinces to be unveiled this weekend, including an idea for the name of the new province and the mechanics of power and representation.

Mr. Greene is set to deliver a written proposal and speech in Halifax this weekend.

“We’re hoping to move the ball forward and have the people in the Atlantic region, those who are thoughtful, talk about this. We need the public to demand that the political operatives here, the elected governments, start to co-operate,” said Mr. Duffy in an interview.

He compared it to retail economics — big-box stores can offer lower prices because they buy in large volume.

“In this highly competitive world, if we’re going to make headway, we have to be able to think big and see what we can do together, to ask, how can we put our small differences aside in order to help build a better Maritimes for our kids and their kids.

“For 1.8 million people we are terribly over-governed. But the bigger part of this is working in concert, together, to try to create economic development.

“How do we make our region more competitive, more attractive and more interesting? Stephen Greene is really going to lead this off,” said Mr. Duffy.

Check out the rest of the article below:

http://news.national...erge-provinces/

Edited November 30, 2012 by Sleipnir

[cybercoma]

Highly unlikely. I don't even know if it can be done without amending the Constitution.

[Guest]

What's the name? I hope it's not something vomit inducing like Cascadia.

[cybercoma]

New Queensland

[cybercoma]

I'm kidding. They haven't presented the report yet, so it's not announced.

[Sleipnir]

What's the name?

United Maritime as a de facto name

Edited November 30, 2012 by Sleipnir

[Guest]

New Queensland

I like it.

I'm kidding.

Shame.

[login]

I think this is a ludicrist proposition. While establishing a maratime interprovincial economic organization makes sense, the revisitation of the constitution is just too problematic and unnecessary.

Edited November 30, 2012 by login

[wyly]

I think this is a ludicrist proposition. While establishing a maratime interprovincial economic organization makes sense, the revisitation of the constitution is just too problematic and unnecessary.

I don't think it would be difficult if the three provinces in question all agree, why any other province object?...

[Sleipnir]

I don't think it would be difficult if the three provinces in question all agree, why any other province object?...

Wyly has a point, why would Alberta or Yukon cares if the maritime provinces merges?

[login]

I don't think it would be difficult if the three provinces in question all agree, why any other province object?...

j f c

No. It is a stupid idea.

If they can't solve their individual problems god help them on their collective problems.

Edited November 30, 2012 by login

[cybercoma]

j f c

No. It is a stupid idea.

If they can't solve their individual problems god help them on their collective problems.

The worse problem is that unemployment is terrible out here. So say you merge the 3 provinces. Where is the capital going to be and how many people in the public service are going to be put out of work, further exacerbating an already awful situation?

[Newfoundlander]

Welll according o the Liberals this is all Harper's doing. I think it's a wonderful idea but people are going to be to stubborn to allow this to happen.

Edited November 30, 2012 by Newfoundlander

[Signals.Cpl]

The worse problem is that unemployment is terrible out here. So say you merge the 3 provinces. Where is the capital going to be and how many people in the public service are going to be put out of work, further exacerbating an already awful situation?

It probably will not happen overnight, but concentrating their bureaucracy will save money but as you mentioned will also cost a lot of jobs but this also means that there are more resources and hopefully a strategy to deal with all the problems rather than a a fragmented strategy with every province doing its own thing to "fix" their problems. It just might give the maritimes a stronger position when discussing with the federal government.

[login]

The worse problem is that unemployment is terrible out here. So say you merge the 3 provinces. Where is the capital going to be and how many people in the public service are going to be put out of work, further exacerbating an already awful situation?

They need to get rid of public servants regardless, they need to create functioning crown corporations. The bottom line is they need to either create exports or lower their cost of living, if they expect unemployment rates to maintain or increase.

You can't expect restructuring to magically solve your problems if restructuring doesn't address the cause of the problems.

They need to reform their unemployment problems to turn them into employment programs. There is no unemployment if work can be made but work has to address the Cost of Living issue and the export market, otherwise it is just passing the buck.

Having common service agreements is much different than merging legislatures, courts and crowns.

Edited November 30, 2012 by login

[Fletch 27]

I think this is a great idea!

[wyly]

j f c

No. It is a stupid idea.

If they can't solve their individual problems god help them on their collective problems.

it's their call, I don't care nor should you or anyone else... Edited November 30, 2012 by wyly

[Canuckistani]

A very good idea. PEI as a province is a complete joke and the others aren't much better.How can a tiny province like PEI provide the same services as real provinces? The economies of scale just don't work.

[wyly]

The worse problem is that unemployment is terrible out here. So say you merge the 3 provinces. Where is the capital going to be and how many people in the public service are going to be put out of work, further exacerbating an already awful situation?

where they put the capital would be their decision it's a minor issue why does it matter....some people would be out of work not many, it would be a bigger province which requires are large number of people to run it...eliminating duplication of services should save money...

[Canuckistani]

...some people would be out of work not many, it would be a bigger province which requires are large number of people to run it...eliminating duplication of services should save money...

Well, to be fair, the savings from not duplicating service would come from some people losing their jobs. But wouldn't it better to employ those people in something productive rather than just duplicating a service. Ie keep them on, but have them do necessary, rather than unnecessary, work.

[wyly]

I'd expect most of the job loses would come at the top...the new government would no longer need three health ministers...but you still need the worker bees because the amount of work to be done won't decrease....

[Canuckistani]

I don't agree. Bureaucracies have huge numbers of administrative staff, ie lower level positions, that would also lose their jobs.

[wyly]

it shouldn't the volume of work does not change, even at the upper levels of management the work load remains the same...

[Wilber]

I don't agree. Bureaucracies have huge numbers of administrative staff, ie lower level positions, that would also lose their jobs.

The purpose of government isn't to employ civil servants.

PEI's population is forecast to peak at 150,000 by 2025 then decline to 129,000 by 2052. For this a 27 seat legislature and complete provincial bureaucracy. Ridiculous.

On the other hand, merging the Maritime provinces just makes too much sense.

[Fletch 27]

Global Clam Chowder prices would skyrocket as well! With the Consortium consisting of PEI Potatos, Nova-Scotia clams and New-Brunswick bacon making up the 3 main ingredients..

We dont need to protect the damn Clam-Chowder as much as we do public servants..