The Cloud over Newfoundland and Labrador

The Word Cloud

According to Abacus Data a full service research company out of Ottawa Ontario - the "Word Cloud" above represents the frequency of which certain words occurred when Canadians polled were asked to write 3 words that come to mind when thinking about Newfoundland and Labrador.

The larger the word the more frequently it was used. So let's have a look shall we?

1. The really big words: Cold - Fishing - Beautiful - Far

So it would appear Canadians recognize our fishery more than we do - particularly our politicians.

It would also seem that beautiful means the tourism ads are working with respect to that but we may have appeared to come across as too remote.

2. The Big Words are: East - Ocean - Friendly - Remote

Best I can tell Canadians know we are the East of the country despite the media referring to Quebec and Ontario as East.

Once again the word ocean draws people back to a fishing heritage.

Friendly is a given - although more obvious in rural communities.

Remote makes it seem too distant than it actually is from many provinces. 

3. The next size sees the following words enter in: Fish - Rock - People - Isolated - Island

Back to the fishery we go and then that awful term "Rock" which always applied to the Island - speaking of which comes up in this round of words. Clearly the thought that Newfoundland and Labrador is together as one province escapes the image we portray.

Isolated is another term that for most people means negative. Are we isolated because part of the province is an Island or does it also include Labrador because it's North?

There is no doubt that transportation is an issue no matter where in the province you reside or operate a business. Between ferry woes, airline route fluctuations, and highways throughout that are in shameful states of disrepair - the cost of visiting or living here is too high. This is what makes us isolated. Iceland, Greenland, Australia, and many other remote locations are not considered "isolated" and as a result their tourism and industrial results are much better.

4. Now let's look at the tiny words - one's that should be bold and in your face large: Whales, Icebergs, Tourism, Nature, Economy, Seafood, Offshore, Jobs, Scenery, Funny, Canada and Provinces.

These are the attributes we want to sell to the world - yet clearly the message is not getting through. Our economy and the benefits of being "isolated" such as beautiful scenery and nature being overshadowed by words like "rock" and "newfie". Not surprisingly - the only people who truly see this province as part of Canada are our own. We are viewed as an outport of Nova Scotia or worse a field of natural resources extracted for the benefit of others.

For all the comedic talent we clearly possess - either our successful comics and actors are not considered to be Newfoundlanders and Labradorians or the joke must simply be on us.

Finally the words that do not appear at all: Resources, Energy, Have, Churchill Falls, Hydro, Industry, and Intelligent.

This should really drive the point home. We are here and part of Canada for the singular purpose of providing wealth to others. So much for the youngest, hippest, coolest province right Danny?

This is just another cloud over our heads and we need to deal with our less than acceptable terms of Confederation and rid ourselves of inept, self-centred, partisan, and vindictive politicians.