Provincial public sector employment rates in the Atlantic region, relative to population, are higher than in the rest of Canada.
Nationally in 2013, 17.8 % of all jobs were in the provincial public sector. By contrast, in the Atlantic provinces, this figure is 22.6%. Atlantic provincial governments could reduce the gap by half, or even by a quarter over a ten year period through attrition, wage restraint, and other frugal management options.
They would save hundreds of millions of dollars and no one would lose a job. This money could be reinvested in areas such as new educational technologies, debt reduction, research and innovation, and tax savings.