NDP’s job killing policies are driving young Nova Scotians away in droves
Submitted by communications on Thu, 2011-09-29 13:39
Sep 29 2011

Baillie says government failing on economy and immigration

HALIFAX, NS – Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie says the high cost, job killing polices of the NDP are to blame for the alarming amount of young people leaving Nova Scotia.


The latest Statistics Canada figures show approximately 60 per cent of Nova Scotians leaving for other provinces are in their 20s. Baillie says the province is on a path to a crisis situation with an aging population and a shrinking workforce.
 

“We’re losing our young people to provinces that see the importance of attracting business, investment and good jobs,” said Baillie. “On the other hand, the policies of our NDP government are raising costs, killing jobs and forcing our kids to leave to find work in alarming numbers.”
 

While immigration essentially balanced out the overall population number, Baillie says the loss of younger Nova Scotians adds to the province’s demographic woes. Nova Scotia has the highest proportion of people aged 65 and over in Canada and the lowest proportion of people under the age of 15.
 

“The NDP government’s high cost policies are suppressing job creation in Nova Scotia, leaving younger people with few opportunities,” added Baillie. “The real cost of the NDP’s mismanagement is families watching their children leave to start their lives elsewhere.”


Outmigration from Nova Scotia to other provinces reached 19,151 people in 2010/11 according to Statistics Canada preliminary data. That’s the highest number since 1989/90.


Baillie says Nova Scotia needs bold and ambitious ideas to attract and retain residents but the NDP immigration ‘strategy’ is piecemeal and lacks the effort required. He says the Statistics Canada figures should be a “wake up call” to the NDP that the status quo is not sufficient and it’s time for some game-changing decisions to be made.


The PC leader says a complete immigration strategy would include higher targets and an aggressive plan, which includes Nova Scotia’s universities and colleges, to meet them. He says that finding ways to allow younger people to stay in Nova Scotia until their 30s increases the likelihood that they will remain in the province.