I really hate the stereotype that Maritimers are lazy. In particular there's a stereotype that Cape Bretoners are lazy because the people are always wanting "handouts" (which for the record are the same thing as "subsidies" for famers). The reason they wanted "handouts" was so they could continue to mine goal a mile under the ocean bed, or continue to make steel, or get up at 4:00am every morning to fish for 12 hours a day out in the middle of the Atlantic.
I don't really associate any of those jobs as being "lazy". I sure as hell don't want to do them. Now that those people can't work in the prestated industries, those who aren't retired are working on the oil rigs in Alberta.
DA raises a good point about Nova Scotia's greatest export being the youth and knowledge. I know the only reason I'm still here is that I want to be by family, in fact I'm moving back to Sydney for family reasons, and will be trying to find something here. I'm well educated and have some good experiance behind me, I know I'd make more living in a Calgary, Toronto or Ottawa, but am opting to be here based on personal rather than professional reasons.
The top performers here are only here for the personal reasons unfortunately. I'd love to see the economy turn around (and it's starting to, I don't see us being an Alberta, Ontario, or BC any time soon) but hopefully we can find a nice little niche here.
It would be great to have the negative stereotypes stop though. As that's all they are, stereotypes.
Remeber in 1867 who built the country
