Al Hogan over at the Times and Trashscript ran a ‘semi-negative’ story on the economy today. However, even at that, the subtitle of the article “Atlantic Canada has ‘turned a corner’”.

The article quotes some MPs being mildly optimistic.

What corner, exactly, have we turned? The closure of Fraser and Atlantic Yarns? What corner is that? The Premier demanding more Equalization or else? What corner is that?

Here we go with another $200 million for Andy Scott’s People Building New Brunswick strategy. Before we had an ‘Innovation’ strategy. Claudette wants to (in the article’s quote) “grow our small- and medium-sized companies”.

Funny how Ontario and Quebec are spending hundreds of millions to attract large industries and in New Brunswick we focus on ‘people’ or ‘innovation’ or small businesses.

Sigh.

Andy, here’s a hint. Give that money to large, multinational firms to invest a couple of billion dollars here – create a couple of thousand real, new economy jobs.

But they won’t. The last big forward thinking economic development deal was Michelin – 25 years ago or so. And we all know how badly that turned out – ironic pause – as they are still employing 2,500 people, paying good wages in three rural towns in Nova Scotia.

That was a ‘colossal’ failure – wasn’t it?