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Originally Posted by Greco Roman
Just finished reading the new sticky for rural development for Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Good to see what is going on in Sask. but am seriously disappointed about the lack of coverage on rural Manitoba developments. Perhaps its just that people just aren't interested in posting Manitoba developments?
I'm truly concerned that Manitoba will fall so far behind Saskatchewan that we won't be able to compete with them; not good being last in the west. Do other Manitoban's feel that we will eventually become last in the west in terms of economic development, population growth, etc. and stay there? To me, this does not reflect well on Manitoba's national and international image.
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Hard to say. It all depends on how long the resource boom keeps going on for and what Alberta and Saskatchewan do with the windfall. The longer the boom and if the 2 provinces are proactive enough to diversify to more advanced industry, then yes, Manitoba will always be the 'economic sickman' of western Canada. If the boom goes bust within the next few years and the money is pissed away as often happens, it'll be OK by western standards. The problem here is that you have a province so large in area yet so sparse in resources (relative to others) that it doesn't at least give you that chance to leapfrog ahead in terms of economic wealth. Kicked in the crotch climatewise and resourcewise.
Having lived in both BC and Alberta over the past five years, I do feel it to be more economically depressed here. Those places are doing quite well, and the stats show Manitoba to be doing OK. Makes you wonder what it must be like right now out east.