Livio Di Matteo is Professor of Economics at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Visit his new Economics Blog “Northern Economist” at http://ldimatte.shawwebspace.ca/
The most recent point of comparison between Ontario’s Northern Growth Plan and Quebec’s Plan Nord lies in the difference in marketing. Quebec’s Premier Jean Charest is in Europe promoting Quebec’s economic development as well as Quebec’s Plan Nord. He will be visiting England, Belgium and Germany during the course of this week promoting Quebec but more importantly promoting northern economic development in the mining and resource sectors.
Of course, Quebec”s plan is quite easy to market given the dynamic and assertive nature of its language and content. Charest says that the Plan Nord could lead to 11 new mining projects during the next few years as well as 80 billion dollars in public and private investment. Charest is also planning to visit China and Japan this month to promote the Plan Nord.
On the other hand, Ontario is not promoting its northern development and its Northern Growth Plan in as engaged a fashion as Quebec. Why? Well, Ontario’s plan for the most part is a rather bland collection of plans to engage in further planning. It is difficult to market boring platitudes in a manner that does not put your audience to sleep. While Northern Ontario politicians have to sit through provincial government summits and seminars that endlessly repeat the same empty statements in order to demonstrate their fealty to Queen’s Park, international financiers and politicians would simply leave the room.