Why is it a challenge to attract skilled and motivated immigrants to our region? The most serious problem is a lack of opportunity. A critical mass of business-growth potential is what attracts immigrants. It's also what makes them decide to stop moving, settle down, and embrace where they live

by Neville Gilfoy

Another challenge we face is the exodus of so many graduates. They leave—for the West, the U.S., or other places—seeking opportunities where their talents, enterprise, and skills will be better rewarded. Low-level literacy is also a serious problem in Atlantic Canada. A longtime educator recently challenged my suggestion that we need a regional agenda to educate the nearly 1,000,000 people who are functionally illiterate. He argues that to educate those with low skills, we need to show them the benefits of education. In other words, what’s in it for them?
    
These three issues continue to hurt our region, yet they have been addressed time and again—by governments, educators, business organizations, and economic development agencies. We have discussed the many elements of these issues in this magazine, and we are seeing small measures of progress. As APEC’s Elizabeth Beale points out in her essay about literacy on page 140, what’s missing is this: a coherent focused education agenda led by our premiers.
    
As a region, we must determine our over-arching objectives. What centres of excellence will we get behind and grow? What industry sectors will we build to become the best that they can be? On the back page of this issue Frank McKenna also calls on the Atlantic premiers to establish a regional growth agenda. Many other business organizations and individual leaders have called for a regional strategy. So why can’t we get four political leaders to start the ball rolling?

 We won’t succeed in having immigrants come here, graduates stay here, or under-educated (but smart) people better themselves unless we show them why it’s worth their while. To do that, we must change our approach to building opportunity.   

The studies are done. The comparisons are made. The rhetoric is delivered. The strengths and weaknesses are identified. The options are outlined. What remains is a simple—and courageous—act of leadership. This can’t be about individual provinces; it must be a regional effort.
      
What do you say, boys?