Handouts

One Globe and Mail "Voter of The Day," Vera Collister from Toronto (and PEI) answered the question: "How could the federal government better help the Maritimes? The 64 year-old home-care worker said: "Stop giving us handouts. They don't work. In Ontario, people don't have the seasonal mentality. But you've got people here who tell their kids they can always fish or get work for two months. People need to think beyond that because one day even the two-month jobs won't be here. Most people here, in tourism and fishing, are working to get their unemployment" It seems to me many Canadians living outside the Maritimes agree with Vera Collister.

Even the Hon. John Crosbie is having doubts about the effectiveness of federal development institutions such as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. In his column in the current issue of the Atlantic Business Magazine, he recommends the four Atlantic governments review the results of independent research completed on ACOA and decide whether major reforms or completely new policies should be put into effect. He quoted a C.D. Howe Institute study which concluded since 1994, ACOA spending in ridings held by the governing party was on average 40 per-cent higher than opposition ridings. However, he assures us during the years of the Mulroney government ACOA decisions were not affected by politics! Yeah, sure.

Will the federal government ever stop giving handouts to the Maritimes?. It seems to me any federal government of any political stripe will continue to bribe voters in the Maritimes because winning is the name of the game. The current Minister responsible for ACOA and representing the riding of Egmont is one the least effective members I've ever seen but he will be re-elected on June 28. It's been said we get the kind of government we deserve. Therefore, Maritime voters must get the quality of member they deserve but they don't care as long as patronage keeps flowing and flowing.........