My Atlantic Canada includes Toronto

Brain drain is so last year. Let’s start talking about brain circulation—an open flow of resources, talent, and creativity.

by Chris Crowell

I’m not a betting man, but I’d venture that if you were to ask at random 10 people walking down Toronto’s Bay Street if they have some sort of connection with Atlantic Canada, two or three of them would say yes. Maybe they weren’t born there, but their parents were. Or perhaps their grandparents still live on the Rock. Or maybe, if you look closely at their hands, you’ll spot a StFX grad ring. 

I don’t know if there is a “Maritime mafia” in Toronto, but I can tell you that Atlantic Canadians are everywhere in this city. These expats represent a tremendous resource to the region: they are ambassadors of goodwill and, potentially, brokers of deals.
 
Until recently, governments in Atlantic Canada have not recognized this hidden value. Policy discussions have always centred around the concept of brain drain. Moreover, once someone makes it beyond Edmundston, N.B., repatriation begins. These concepts are inherently flawed because they focus on the person as only a physical asset—someone who fills a job or who otherwise might start a new venture.
Instead of brain drain, let’s talk about brain circulation: an open flow of resources, talent, and creativity. My friend Alison Loat wrote about this concept for her master’s thesis at the Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Mass.

She argued that expatriate populations (diasporas) could be leveraged as vehicles for implementing foreign policy on the international stage. That got me thinking. Why couldn’t the same principles apply on a regional basis within Canada to promote economic development? Atlantic Canadians living away still want to feel connected to the East Coast, and that goodwill is a valuable asset.
 
Brain drain fails to recognize that people often leave home for valid reasons. They want to see other parts of the world, extend their personal or business networks, and get wide-ranging professional experience. That should never be discouraged. Rather, what we need to do is continue to engage these minds and pull on these heartstrings. Make them miss home just a little bit more so that they might come back a little sooner.
 
And if they don’t? Well, perhaps they’ll buy a cottage back home; on a sunny Friday afternoon in July, it’s faster to fly to Charlottetown than it is to drive to Muskoka, Ont., from Toronto, not to mention the more affordable cost of real estate in Atlantic Canada. Maybe they’ll visit more frequently, hold a conference, encourage friends to visit, or seek a business opportunity. The possibilities are limited only by the imagination of those involved.
 
I’m not advocating that everyone should grab their diploma and catch the next flight to Toronto or Calgary. Quite the opposite, in fact. I’d like to see the focus evolve beyond repatriating and retaining those already affiliated with the region. Atlantic Canada is a fantastic place to live, with many good-news stories unfolding. There are those already on the ground who are marketing and developing the region to create the right opportunities to attract and retain talent. Over the long haul, this will address the common misperception that to get ahead, one has to leave for greener pastures. And the good news is that there are lots of people like me—those of us who live away but want to help grow the region.

It was on this premise that last November a small group of expats formed East Coast Connected (ECC), a group that has already provided a forum for Atlantic Canadian political and academic leaders visiting Toronto, contributed to policy issues, and keeps East Coast culture alive in Hogtown at monthly social events.
 
If there is any doubt in your mind about the passion that displaced East Coasters have for their region, consider that ECC has a Facebook group of 1,500 people, a mailing list almost as large, and more people wanting to volunteer to help create a community hub in Toronto to strengthen the bonds among Atlantic Canadians. I think we’re on to something.
 
Social networking is exploding on the Internet, long-distance phone rates are affordable, and blogging can be done from anywhere. These are the tools of brain circulation—the tools that are being used to build ECC and to keep Atlantic Canadians living all over the world connected to home.
 
Chris Crowell was born and raised in Dartmouth, N.S., but has lived in Toronto for the past six years. He is the founder and president of East Coast Connected (www.eastcoastconnected.ca), a not-for-profit, community-hub venture for expats living in Toronto that keeps them engaged in the current affairs of Atlantic Canada.
 
 
 
 

 

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