In an ever-growing technological world, regions without cell phone service are at a distract disadvantage over areas with cell phone coverage. In a Province that suffers from brain drain and dwindling population, how can you expect people to move here if one of the drawbacks is lack of cell phone coverage? How can the province promote hiking, cycling and active living if so many places do not have cell phone coverage to help them actively be safe? How can our tourism industry compete with the world when our tour operators cannot instantly share their beautiful pictures of Nova Scotian cuisine, culture and our famous, natural vistas? Like it our not, the cell phone, the smart phone has become an integral part of North American culture and economy. Nova Scotians deserve the right to be a part of said culture and, just as important, to grow said economy.

Further, the issues of poor cell phone coverage go beyond the economy and culture. Touched on above, but at the heart of the matter is safety. Safety of the individual citizen driving on Canada's most unsafe roads, safety of the volunteer fire-fighter trying to communicate in the face of looming flames and safety of the mariner who faces emergencies at sea with limited communication abilities.  Fishing is the most dangerous profession in the world, but many Nova Scotian communities don’t have cell phone service forcing fishermen to rely on radios and back-up-radios which have limited communication ranges and often only reach the slow-to-respond Coast Guard. In most cases, the Coast Guard just gets on the phone and calls for a local boat to go out and do the rescuing.

Please, sign this petition to get cell phone coverage to all of Nova Scotia. Not only does improved coverage have economic and social benefits, but it will mean increased safety for fisherman and anyone else the works on, in, or around the coast.