ECC President Chris Crowell recently penned a column for The Chronicle Herald, urging Atlantic Canadian governments, business and organizations to nurture and maintain ties with Maritimers and Atlantic Canadians who have moved away from the east coast. Calling expatriates a "renewable resource", he asserts expatriates "do not want to be an observer of the success of Atlantic Canada; they want to be a part of the story:"

Governments, not-for-profits, universities and businesses would do well to capitalize on this goodwill. The wise will not simply ask expats to open their Rolodexes or wallets; they will create opportunities for expats to invest, to come home to specific jobs, to join boards or to mentor.

Crowell encourages others to work together with East Coast Connected in its core mandate to acknowledge the Atlantic Canadian diaspora and promote "brain circulation".