Union Of Atlantic Provinces

[Cameron]

This topic has been discussed off-topic here and there for some time. The question of an Atlantic provincial union does seem like an interesting idea. What I have in mind is sort of a EU type Union, where the provinces keep their names and respective governments but the economic power comes from the fact that you would be dealing with essentially one big province.

I don’t really know the details on how this would exactly work, but I’m interested in hearing what you have to say.

Reading the EU website gives me some information of how that union works, but I don’t know if we need to go to that extent with this idea. Again, suggestions and comments are more than welcome.

-Cameron

[westcoast99]

No, I don't see the purpose...?

[Cameron]

Gugsy

It would be a stronger voice in Ottawa when we have problems. As we sit now we are three small provinces and NL up north. This union would give us more bargaining power and a larger presence on the national and international stage.

[Craig Read]

Yes great idea and by necessity transfers for regional development would have to stop, as would the Lie-berals silly idea of stealing your oil revenues and giving you a % in return through the 'Atlantic Canada Development Fund'.

That was Rock's boneheaded idea. Why is that clown still around anyways ?

[Pellaken]

ignoring craig's usual anti-eastern rambling:

I think an atlantic union would not work.

though a maritime union with an invite extended to newfoundland would. Newfoundland is unlikely to join, and it therefore should not be a requirement.

odd you'd bring this up just now, our poli-sci class just started talking about it.

anyways

there are 5 basic regions in the maritimes:

PEI

Cape Breton Island (CBI)

French New Brunswick, or Acadia (ACD)

English New Brunswick (ENB)

and the Nova Scotia Mainland (NSM)

I think that most of the regions fear dominaiton my NSM. Therefore, we must takes steps to avoid that. my suggestion is to give extra seats in the legislature to these regions.

first of all, we distribute 60 seats equally to the maritimes. 2 extra seats are added to ACD, CBI, and PEI, giving us a total of 66. Newfoundland will get extra seats based on the average voters in the maritimes (with 60 ridings)

This would give us:

NSM=26

EMB=14

ACD-10+2=12

CBI-5+2=7

PEI-5+2=7

TOTAL=66

NFL=16

LAB=1

TOTAL=83

The capital should be in moncton, and the province / independant nation should be bi-lingual.

thats the basics...

[Craig Read]

Get serious. It is a small poor area living off of handouts.

Either reform, rebuild and energize your area or have it imposed on you.

And Pell, PEI is not a province - just a large Welfare farm.

[Pellaken]

craig

the maritimes (and maybe newfoundland too) is perfectly situated geographally

also

we are economically ready for the future.

The maritimes will become the economic hub of the future, while Alberta fails because it's entire economey is based on oil, which will eventually become useless.

we should declare independance right now. when we become rich, you'll come crying and begging to us to join. remember last time you did that? 1867? what happens after that? you exploited us, and ruined us. I dont think we'll fall for that again.

[Pellaken]

delete this post

[Boydfish]

I think that the Canadian-Atlantic rhetoric is getting a tad deep in here, but I'd like to ask a question: Would this proposed "super-province" simply be another level of government, or would the current local governments be absorbed into it?

BTW Pellaken, Alberta's oil will run out long after you're dead and gone, so I wouldn't worry after them too much. As well, there are a few things more than oil in the Albertan economy.

The simple fact is that there are few parts of the confederation that aren't very well positioned to have exceptional economies. The problem is that the Canadians have designed some of the most inefficient systems and concepts for exploiting them.

[Craig Read]

Boyd, you are right. What is needed is one Eastern province and a slim, reformed one at that.

But patronage, pay offs and corruptin are endemic in the East so the chance of that happening is null under the current system.

So my idea is simple - turn off the welfare and regional subsidy money taps.

Once the cash is gone, you will be amazed at how fast the Easterners rush to reform their system.

They might even have the common sense to take 4 little areas and amalgamate into one, and restrict government spending and regulation.

Then again these are the same folks that destroyed their fishing stocks so who knows.

[theWatcher]

Wouldn't a real merger between all of the provinces in the maritimes save money?

Rather than duplicating services for each province consolidate everything together.

One legislature, one election, one set of services, and a lot more clout as a larger entity....