Signs of (economic) spring?

For many parts of Canada it's been one of the colder and more prolonged winters on record. Here in the Okanagan and Nicola Valleys we've had our moments of wondering what happened to January springtime and if we'd ever see April flowers.

Feeling dreary about not being able to brag of balmy February days to your eastern relatives? Cheer up. I was in Edmonton and Calgary for a couple of days last week and they're still enjoying regular snow storms. Edmonton really got into the spring fever by setting a record this month for hitting minus 41 degrees on a day in April. (And that's not including that wimpy wind factor "feels like" thing.) Now that's impressive.

So while much of Canada looks for real signs of thaw, many Canadians are also earnestly scanning the financial horizon for an end to the long fiscal chill. And there is something happening out there. Here and there little signs of economic activity are breaking through the icy layer of the downturn.

Media types and forecasters are stealing a botanical term and referring to 'Green Shoots.' With that they are posing the question, asking “Are these signs of activity an indication that the recession is over or, are they just scattered occurrences that will fade back into the larger ongoing big freeze?”

For now, the best I can say is, 'Stay tuned.’ Sorry if you were hoping I had the inside track on something more powerfully predictive than that. Hey I'm just being honest with you. After all, if I could pick the stocks and predict the upturn I'd be doing book signings in the big cities and interviews on late night talk shows. All I can say for now is that I like the look of these 'green shoots' that are popping up here and there and I'm hoping it turns into a bumper crop.

That said there are things I've seen this week that I haven't liked. I was as disappointed as most Canadians were when I heard President Obama's Head of Homeland Security say that terrorists come across the US border from Canada. That urban myth was totally debunked years ago. The few times we do hear it anymore, it's only from the lips of the seriously misinformed.

In my previous posting as Minister of Public Safety I had the clear assurance from US intelligence agencies and the politicians who controlled them that they did not buy into those fanciful tales. Secretary Napolitano has since completely withdrawn her remark. While I appreciate that action the incident shows we still have our work cut out for us.

I'll be doing some of that work in Washington DC on Monday and Tuesday this week when I meet with the new US Trade Representative and the new Secretary of Commerce. We'll be rolling up our sleeves and working on ways of dealing with creeping (or should I say 'creepy') protectionism and other issues that hurt cross border trade and commerce.

Then I'll speak to the Chamber of Commerce at a luncheon where I will hit a number of these issues head on. I'll highlight the mutual benefits of smooth flowing borders and transparent rules and I'll remind our friends to the south that over 7 million jobs in the USA are directly dependent on healthy two way trade.

We need to see those ‘Green Shoots’ turn into a ‘Green Field’ that stretches from coast to coast.

I'll let you know how it goes. 

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.