Featured Letter: Beware cynical hyperbole about New Brunswick

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There is a difference between a reasoned discussion of public policy and a rant. Tom Mueller has crossed the line with his commentary headlined “New Brunswick is toast”. (March 21, 2024)

Rants are entertaining but they are hard to take seriously, and, if susceptible readers take them seriously, they can do real damage.

Mr. Mueller’s reasoning around the economic and social reality of N.B., the financial system, and the fiscal management of the province is rendered highly suspect when he writes; “These factors explain why our economy is destined for a death spiral,” and “When we eventually go bust there will be no one to bail us out.” “Destined”? “Eventually”? The words mean with certainty. These are impressive claims.

The most charitable thing one can say in the face of this pessimistic hyperbole is that Mr. Mueller is not interested in how local, grass roots economies work, their resilience and their options for adaptation to crisis. Nor does he show an awareness of the options governments have for establishing non-profit public banks for the management and expenditure of public funds.

While New Brunswick does have ongoing economic, social, and fiscal management dilemmas that may well devolve into various forms of crisis, projecting a “death spiral” for our economy and going “bust’ for the government are not credible metaphors for the future of our province. And even worse, they foster cynicism and despair. If taken seriously, political alienation follows, and civic responsibility suffers.

As an antidote to all this, three easy research steps can be taken; one at a time, Google these key words: “economic gardening,” “public banks,” and “monetary reform.” A wealth of innovative, hopeful, evidence-based, and action-oriented information will come up about what is being done and can be done to build up sustainable local economies, and how financial stability and fiscal responsibility can be brought to the practice of government.

Keith Helmuth

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