I would like to talk to that. I think the facts actually talk in favour of Atlantic Canada.
There have been studies coming out that identify and document the success of newcomers coming to this country who are coming to smaller communities and their success in catching up to the Canadian average in terms of income, and the process of integrating into Canada. One of the factors that is helping do that.... Since I'm the president of the Multicultural Council of New Brunswick, we are representing a large number of organizations that are involved in integrating newcomers into our province. Very often I'm saddened when I see people leaving this province to go to Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, because I know exactly what is going to happen.
There was the case of a young family from the Congo that was adopted by a village and church in P.E.I. They came here last fall and it was terribly cold and they considered maybe leaving. If only they had known what kind of lottery they had won by being adopted by a village in P.E.I., rather than going to Montreal and simply vanishing into the Congolese community.
I had the pleasure of working with a colleague from Rwanda. He had a PhD in soil science--he works in the Department of Agriculture--and he would go once or twice a year to Montreal. He said, “You wouldn't believe, George, what those people who live in the Rwandan community in Montreal believe about Canada. I tell them that it's not true.”
Beyond the fact that I think there's about a 60% retention rate in New Brunswick of newcomers, that's not too bad either.