Earlier this week, on Tuesday, the new Liberal Government of New Brunswick delivered its first Throne Speech.

As might be expected it was ambitious and chock-full of plans and references to self-sufficiency. Missing from the speech was a definition of self-sufficiency. Indeed, there seemed to be some equivocation in respect to the meaning of self-sufficiency as indicated by injection of the idiom “sustainable economy”.

Case in point: “A stronger, sustainable economy will reduce the province's dependence on equalization”.

Webster defines self-sufficiency as the ability to supply one’s own needs without external assistance, e.g. without need for federal “equalization” monies.

A stronger economy will not necessarily be self-sufficient. A sustainable economy will not necessarily be self-sufficient unless it can generate wealth adequate to sustain its population in a self-sufficient state.

To be fair, the Throne Speech makes reference to the fact that Government has established a Task-Force on Self-Sufficiency, a Task Force that will present a Report (and presumably recommendations) in April 2007. On receipt of the Report, the Government will respond.

The framework for Government response is visible in the Throne Speech:

• literacy;
• education; a need to grow the population;
• energy development;
• innovation;
• small business development;
• investment in state of the art technologies to make our resource industries more efficient;
• an export economy;
• investments in culture and tourism;
• a transportation strategy that would recognize the links between safety, more efficient market access and clean energy;
• investments in healthier more active lifestyles; and,
• investments in affordable housing.

Aside from the financial challenges inherent in such a program, there may be conflicting challenges in the notion of energy sector growth and the greening of New Brunswick. Perhaps the biggest challenge will be the rationalization of sustainable rural (northern) economies within a self-sufficient province.

As might be expected, this document shows the way but provides little by way of detail as to how we might achieve some very commendable objectives. In advance of those details, I take the liberty (below) of tossing a few self-sufficiency suggestions into the hopper.

On the matter of literacy, give it a tangible consequence, make it a condition that people who apply for and are granted permits to drive a car, truck or other vehicle be graduates of high school and subject to literacy tests.

On the matter of population growth and student retention objectives:
introduce a program for resident graduates of universities and community colleges that would forgive 100% of their student-loans on a flat line basis if they stay and work in the province for ten years following graduation;
introduce a program to attract non-resident graduates of universities and community colleges elsewhere in Canada, that would repay 100% of their student loans on a graduated basis (5% x 4 years, 10% x 4 years and 20% in years nine and ten) over a period of ten years so long as they emigrate to New Brunswick and remain as a resident and be employed in the Province.

For young mothers who have one or more children today, pay them $100 a month for each additional child and offer them full maternity benefits for a period of five years after the birth of their third child.

To attract immigrants from outside Atlantic Canada, purchase going concern industry-leading businesses in Ontario and elsewhere and move them to New Brunswick. Establish an endowed retirement investment program for new (Canadian and International) immigrants that would enable them to build significant retirement savings if they stay and work in the Province for at least twenty years.

Strike an agreement with the federal government to move 25,000 civil service or crown corporation jobs to New Brunswick over the next twenty years.

On matters of innovation: adopt and utilize existing technology to build efficiencies into our resource and manufacturing industries. Direct R&D to development of new, patented technologies that could generate sales and profits for New Brunswick.

This Province has a world-class oil and gas company and a world-class power utility that produces electricity from a variety of fuel and energy-generating sources. Combine their respective capital and intellectual resources in a major research and development project mandated to develop new technologies to produce cleaner fuels, cleaner energy and cleaner, safer transportation of energy.

Invest in the development of ocean-wave and tidal energy technology. Explore the feasibility of geothermal electricity. We don’t have Alberta and British Columbia’s “hot-springs” but we have tons of water and a geological base that might be home to deep underground hot rocks that could generate steam to drive electricity-producing generators.

Partner with Magna International and the Government of Canada to establish an R&D engineering centre in Moncton that would develop automotive engine technologies (alternative fuels/more efficient engines) to burn 50 to 60% less fuel and build those engines in this Province.

Partner with our sister Atlantic Provinces to build a multi-modal transportation system that will speed access to markets, reduce cost and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Partner with a global health insurance provider to develop a mixed public/private sector healthcare model that would make New Brunswick a world leader in the provision of highest quality, easily accessible, affordable healthcare.

Build an economic model for the Province that will facilitate creation of a world-class business/commercial hub (call it a cluster) big enough and powerful enough to engage New Brunswick’s rural and northern economies.

A cluster is a geographic concentration of people, interconnected businesses, suppliers, universities, communities and institutions associated by common purpose.

Example, California’s Silicon Valley where a surge in computer and technology startups in the 1990s led to the relocation of venture capital funds, encouraged entrepreneurs to locate their start-ups and attracted technically skilled people in search of job opportunities to move to the Valley.

Game, set and match!

W.E. (Bill) Belliveau is a Shediac resident and Moncton business consultant. He can be contacted at bill.bellstrategic@nb.aibn.com Atlantic Insight is a published Blog inventory of opinion articles published weekly in New Brunswick's print media as written by W.E. (Bill) Belliveau, who is a resident of Shediac, New Brunswick, and small business owner, operating his Moncton-based marketing consultancy, Bell Strategic. He can be reached by e-mail at bill.bellstrategic@nb.aibn.com