In his October 4 posting, Di Matteo surveys the pre-election political scene and finds little to like from a Northern Ontario prospective, no matter what outcome the vote produces. And despite all the talk about the North, he sees no indication that the main parties are prepared to grant the region any real decision-making power.
"As a sign of where the priorities really lie, consider the fact that in all of the main party platforms, there was no real mention of new institutions for the North or any real policy of decentralization or devolution of decision-making when it comes to northern resource development."
He admits there has been no push from northerners to win greater autonomy, and he seems baffled by this willingness to tolerate the situation.
"Northerners seem to be quite happy in their role as an economic dependency punctuated by bouts of adolescent outrage," he writes. "They will be dealt with accordingly no matter who forms the government."
Decentralization will only come when the north's aboriginal population gets big enough to demand -- and get -- a new deal, he says.
He sounds a bit out of sorts and dispirited, doesn't he?
Well, it's not easy trying to push the North toward a more self-reliant future. Di Matteo is not the first northern warrior to succumb to frustration. Nor will he be the last. Over the years, many good people have thrown their hands in the air and wandered away to do something more rewarding.
At the same time, he does make good point.
Maybe it's worth looking deeper into the reasons behind Northern Ontario's soul-sucking inability to get its act together.
Di Matteo's "Northern Economist" blog -- always a good read -- is found at http://ldimatte.shawwebspace.ca/
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