in the early part of the nineteenth century, the economies of the canadian maritimes were the most industrialized, and prosperous in british north america. the 1850s and 1860s were especially prosperous. by the start of the twentieth century, however, they were far poorer than the rest of the country, and remain so to this day. it has been said that the provinces never emerged from the post-confederation slump. see economy of the maritimes for a full discussion of this issue.