“Indeed, it can be argued that the policies of Howe and his associates were detrimental not only to Maritime industries but also to Canada’s war effort.”
This quote was said by Ernest Forbes in his book, “Consolidating disparity: Maritimes and Canada’s Industrialization during World War II. It was taken from the acadiensis publications of Forbes in one of the first paragraphs of the article.
Forbes is an Acadian historian with a wide knowledge of Maritime History. He wrote many books concerning the history of the Maritimes including books that addressed the Maritime Rights Movement.
Howe who is referred to by Forbes is a Maritime Politician from Nova Scotia, was among the politicians who spearheaded economic developments and political reforms in Canada after the Second World War. Under the political leadership of Howe, Canada’s industrial base was enhanced during the industrialization era.
In the context of this quotation, Forbes is questioning the effectiveness of the government in championing development in Canada. According to him, the government’s initiatives failed to address the problems of the Maritimes.
The government officials including Howe were largely to blame for the economic disparity of Maritimes; hence caused ineffectiveness of the Maritime industries and failure of Canada’s war efforts during the Second World War.
This quotation is important for History students because it gives learners an opportunity to understand how politics and bureaucracy can impact on the development and industrialization of a country. It acts as a platform for learners to prepare themselves for a better political leadership in the future.
