Atlantic Canada consists of four Canadian province
?s: Newfoundland and Labrador
? and the
Maritimes:
Nova Scotia,
Prince Edward Island and
New Brunswick. They are small in population by comparison with all other provinces, in part because they were settled much earlier.
All issues specific to Atlantic
cities and provinces:
politics
Parallel
parties to each large federal provincial political party
? contend provincial election
?s in each province with one exceptions: there is no Green Party of New Brunswick
?.
[+] issue: Atlantic regional development
position: control from Ottawa
Taken as a whole, the
New Democratic Party of Canada's positions amount imply it would centralize
ACOA and other
regional development decisions in Ottawa; However, in practice, Nova Scotians have much influence in that party, which is unified and in practice Halifax would make these decisions.
remit 100% of oil and gas revenues
? to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia with "no-clawback" provisions</td>
position: use GPI Atlantic?, taking direct measures to enhance rural and urban life
The
Green Party of Canada's position in 2004 was to reform ACOA into a genuine regional investment bank
? like the Caisse Depot
? system in
Quebec, witha mandate to optimize Atlantic
quality of life /
well-being as measured by already-existing Genuine Progress Indicators
?;
They would also offer direct incentives to provinces to ban non-organic agriculture (as was already being considered in PEI); renew coastal communities with rural bus route
?s and making it easy to share car
?s. These measures would be justified based on the measurable advantages.
position: equalize using tax system
The
Conservative Party of Canada raised the issue of abolishing ACOA grants in 2004, though there were already few or no such grants and the agency was relying on loans almost entirely by then. This was widely taken as a plan to abolish special regional aid programs and cut tax
?es.
While the CPC in 2004 voted to remit 100% of oil and gas revenues to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia in the Atlantic Accord
?, in 2006 in power Finance Minister of Canada
? Jim Flaherty
? voiced his
position that
equalization must include these revenues and other subsidies.
Mike Harris
?, whom Flaherty had also served in Ontario as Finance Minister, had raised three years earlier the question of whether the funds spent by ACOA would be better spent on a tax cut, noting that all
personal income tax paid in the region amounted to roughly ACOA's budget.
position: stronger ties with the US
The
Council for Atlantica is a business group favouring stronger transport and business ties with the US, notably Maine
? but also Boston
? and New York State
? and New York City
? to which the region has very strong historical and sentimental ties. Many families span these regions.
Also as a potential hedge against the possibility that
Quebec sovereignty might
end Canada, leaving
Atlantic Canada physically detached (at least) and possibly politically homeless, a very small minority favours exploring territory or statehood status within the US.
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