CBC Maritimes

We talk with premier Darrell Dexter of Nova Scotia, as well as Robert Ghiz of PEI and Shawn Graham of New Brunswick.

Although January first is New Year's Day, for many of us the start of the school year is really the beginning of our new year. That's especially true in politics, given summer is such a political down-time. Maritimers head to the beach, politicians hit the Bar-B-Q circuit and most political watchers, myself included, gaze off in other directions.

But come fall, Canadians who care about politics plug back into the political scene and our political leaders roll up their sleeves and get down to business. Given the state of our economy and the shape of provincial finances, we thought this would be a good time to check in with the maritime premiers. I chat with premiers Darrell Dexter of Nova Scotia, Robert Ghiz of PEI and Shawn Graham of New Brunswick.

And on the phone-in we hear what you think the premier should be focusing on this fall. I get help from Jim Meek who is a weekly columnist with the Chronicle Herald newspaper in Halifax. He's also a public relations specialist with Bristol, a marketing communications company with offices in St John's, Moncton and Halifax.