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I saw a thread that posed the same question for the state of Michigan in the US subforum and it got me thinking...
what is your perception of Atlantic Canada? Have you ever been? Do you think it is a backwards place with the best behind it? Do you think it has a bright future? Do you think of it at all? Seeing as Atlantic Canada doesn't even have a thread on this forum I'd like to hear some thoughts.
I saw a thread that posed the same question for the state of Michigan in the US subforum and it got me thinking...
what is your perception of Atlantic Canada? Have you ever been? Do you think it is a backwards place with the best behind it? Do you think it has a bright future? Do you think of it at all? Seeing as Atlantic Canada doesn't even have a thread on this forum I'd like to hear some thoughts.
I think Atlantic Canada, the area of the country with some of the oldest European-derived cultures, is an interesting part of the country because it's home to some interesting traditions and is deeply rooted. Backwards is definitely not the stereotype I have, but that it is economically a backwater is. That is, I don't have a stereotype that most people there or the culture is backwards, in fact I've always thought of it as a pretty progressive region of the country. I just see it as a region that isn't an economic centre because it lacks strong cities. As such, I don't think the region has a particularly great future in the medium term with such a large percentage of the population living in dying rural areas, which cost way more per capita to service then large towns and cities, and so many young people having left. But in the long term I think that the population will consolidate in the cities and a balance will be struck, and then its best days will be ahead of it.
I know very little and I want to know more. Damn right we need an Atlantic section.
The Calgary and Edmonton section barely get activity, the Montreal and Vancouver don't really get much activity either. I doubt an Atlantic Canada section would get much attention.
Yeah, terrible attitude considering Atlantic Canada is easily one of the most culturally interesting places in all of Canada. Unfortunately that attitude towards Atlantic Canada is too common.
I feel sadly nostalgic about Atlantic Canada as I was born and spent part of my youth there, both my parents are from there and the majority of my family roots are there.
I am not very optimistic for the future though my hopes are that the region will eventually stabilize around a small number of reasonably dynamic cities. One danger is that most of the rural areas are doing so badly that just keeping them afloat might make the provincial governments drain all the financial resources (and therefore economic viability) out of those few cities that are doing well and have a fighting chance.
I agree that our cities are our future. We have really only passed the 50% urban threshold in the last decade or so.
New Brunswick has an issue with the government trying to commit itself just as equally to the rural areas as the urban ones and I think a greater focus on our cities is what will help us to survive.
Not to mention our defeatist attitude that we have lived with since not long after confederation when we started to lose a lot of our economic power to central Canada.
Considering that Atlantic Canada was actually the first area of North America "discovered" and settled by someone from over the pond about 500 years ahead of the poser Columbus, I'd say the interest in it should be higher.
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