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Most people in New Brunswick don't have a clear sense of what self-sufficiency means, says Tony Tremblay, Canada Research Chair in New Brunswick Studies and professor of English at St. Thomas University.

So he decided to organize a conference about it.

The conference is entitled Exploring the Dimension of Self-Sufficiency for New Brunswick and is being held at STU today and Saturday at Brian Mulroney Hall.

"The conference is an occasion for New Brunswickers from all sectors to come together to discuss an issue of vital importance for the future of our province," Tremblay said.

Premier Shawn Graham says he wants the province to be self-sufficient by 2026.

"Most people would recognize the term (self-sufficiency) but have not thought about it carefully," said Tremblay.

He said the conference is designed to open up for discussion and do more than scratch the surface of self-sufficiency. Speakers will discuss the historical, cultural, economic, social and linguistic impact of self-sufficiency, he said.

The conference isn't just for academics, said Tremblay.

"We were very conscious of that in putting out our calls for papers," he said. "The ideas that are going to be shared will be very accessible."

He said the conference will speak to the issue in a way the general public can understand and participate. For these reasons, the conference is open to the public for free.

Ottawa author and former journalist Heather Menzies is the keynote speaker today at 5:15 p.m. Her speech is entitled Thinking Self-Sufficiency from the Perspective of Community and the Commons.

In an interview Thursday, Menzies said New Brunswick has done a good job of establishing itself in export niches and high technology, which will be important for self-sufficiency.

She said the talk about self-sufficiency reminds her of what former Liberal premier Frank McKenna did in the 1990s with call centres.

McKenna had a lot of success but, the Liberal government needs a broader strategy because it faces a much bigger challenge, she said.

"The New Brunswick economy, like the whole western economy, is heading straight into a huge crisis because of the end of cheap food and the end of cheap fuel," said Menzies. "A big train wreck is coming."

She said self-sufficiency will have to include taking care of people who need taking care of including: illiterate seniors, obese young people and people in low-paying jobs who are barely making ends. They won't be able to afford more expensive food and fuel, she said.

"How do we rewrite the whole social contract?" asked Menzies. "We need everybody to be involved."