Looking for Bootstraps seeks to understand why Canada's Maritime region (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island) has lagged behind much of the rest of the country in its economic development. Written by well-known public administration scholar (and Maritimer) Donald Savoie, the book covers a vast array of explanations, grouped under four main factors: geography, history, national policy and Maritimers themselves. Each one of these factors is explored in great detail across multiple chapters, resulting in a comprehensive account that addresses actors, institutions, culture, geography and history.

Savoie—an academic and consultant who has served as senior policy advisor on regional development in the federal government and who is also a resident of New Brunswick—is an eminently qualified author on the subject. There are several themes that repeat throughout that will be known to readers familiar with his work, particularly his 2006 book, Visiting Grandchildren: Economic Development in the Maritimes. He is an advocate of Senate reform and of Maritime union (in general, he is a firm believer in a squarely Maritime approach, arguing that Newfoundland differs too much from the other three to make an Atlantic strategy viable). One of the book's strongest arguments, touched on in nearly every chapter, is that Ontario and Quebec, by virtue of “rep by pop”, dominate federal politics far too much and have done so since Confederation. Savoie is critical of the federal government's approach to regional development, arguing that the goal of alleviating regional disparities for the sake of equality has long since disappeared from the political agenda, in the name of the health of the overall national economy, which favours the National Capital Region. The book argues that “regional thinking” must be brought back into federal politics, as opposed to “fall[ing] back on transfer payments or send[ing] guilt money our way” (390).

Savoie does a good job explaining why regional economic development has never quite sat well within classical and neoclassical economic theories, as they “play havoc” with efficiency models (187). The book touches on theories but does not use them extensively (a non-academic reader, presumably part of this book's target audience, given its publisher, might become a little lost in chapter 3, where Savoie mentions more than 10 theories of regional economic development and briefly outlines each one's strengths and weaknesses). Ultimately, he rejects the idea that any single theory can explain the circumstances of the Maritimes, given that regional development is influenced by so many different issues: “economics, the working of political institutions, bureaucracy, the urban-rural structure, the people factor, and attitudes, and still more factors” (365). Challenges such as an aging demographic, low in-migration, and high rural populations are covered in detail. One of the most interesting parts of the book is the discussion on the culture of the Maritimes being more resistant to change than other parts of the country. This is not something that can easily fit into an economic model, yet it is an important part of the story.

The federal government's actions are covered extensively, as are federal-provincial relations, but one part of the story that could benefit from deeper exploration is what happens within provinces. Savoie raises this issue in chapter 14, saying that provincial governments do not have as much control as we might think. However, he also calls on the three Maritime provinces to cooperate on many more matters than they currently do, such as a common tourism strategy, energy grid, alcohol commission, and environmental protection—among other areas. Much of the final chapter is devoted to solutions and the future. Savoie's main recommendation is that market-based private sector development is the region's best bet. Other ideas, such as more cooperation with universities, fracking, and boosting migration are touched on, but it would have been good to see a more dynamic discussion here, perhaps with the inclusion of some recent case studies.

Overall, the question of why the Maritimes has lagged behind is answered masterfully in this book. It is slightly weaker on the question of why it matters. It is likely that many who pick up this book will be sympathetic to the topic, but it is less clear, perhaps, to a general reader of Canadian politics, or (maybe less likely) an international reader, why the region's development is important from a broader point of view. Savoie discusses equality, but there is scope to develop this point in more detail. Nevertheless, ultimately, the key strength of Looking for Bootstraps is its expansive, impressive scope, alongside its rejection of parsimonious explanations and commitment to historical narrative. The book is a significant contribution to the literature on this oft-neglected region of Canada.