About time... 
Welcome back to the fight...
Posted on 02/08/2006 1:41:17 AM PST by NZerFromHK
If harmless and law-abiding Denmark can earn the ire of the Muslim world, can Canada be far behind? It tilted to the right, with an election that saw Tory leader Stephen Harper sworn in on Monday as the country’s 22nd prime minister at the head of a minority government. In a four-way party split, Mr Harper has no allies on the right and only foes to the left. In addition, his party is a grouping of some who would be considered to the left of Labour here and others who would prefer Peter Dunne’s brand of centrism.
But future developments in Canada will be worth watching, as it rebuilds a defence relationship with the US, takes a more active role in foreign affairs and throws off its reputation as a "has been" among the bigger economies in the west.
One of its think tanks, the Fraser Institute, which runs the world ladder on economic freedom, produced a report at the beginning of the year on "Productivity, Prosperity and Business Taxes." It is a thorough analysis of how a country that is already advanced and prosperous must change if it is to remain that way. The parallels with New Zealand are obvious and the lessons it draws equally worthy of note.
In particular, I commend the chapter on productivity, which tracks how Canada is falling behind its larger neighbour. Its performance in the OECD is also dire. In 1995-2004, Canada was 18 out of 24 with average labour productivity growth of 1.5 per cent while New Zealand was even further back at 21 (1.2 per cent). By comparison, the US was eighth equal on 2.2 per cent) and Australia not far behind with 2.1 per cent.
In particular, I commend the chapter on productivity, which tracks how Canada is falling behind its larger neighbour. Its performance in the OECD is also dire. In 1995-2004, Canada was 18 out of 24 with average labour productivity growth of 1.5 per cent while New Zealand was even further back at 21 (1.2 per cent). By comparison, the US was eighth equal on 2.2 per cent) and Australia not far behind with 2.1 per cent.
Oops!
LOL, I love the headline. The Canadian conservatives should be running around waving that headline in the faces of everyone.
Yeah, the title sounds like a compliment, but keep reading and you will notice the author is in fact scolding Canada and is predicting a not-too-rosy improvement.
I hope Harper can achieve something. However,I found this post to Andrew West's site at the Sydney Morning Herald of interest:
"I migrated from Canada to Australia many years ago out of sheer frustration of watching Toronto and Vancouver turned into polluted and dangerous megacities.
The country which was home to 5 generations of my forbearers has been lost to political obsequiousness and a left-leaning immigration lobby, the likes of which may yet threaten Australia.
Unlike Canadians, Australians (thankfully) have a vastly greater sense of self and feel no need to apologise for who or what they are. John Howard espouses such feelings daily and why not I ask?
Meanwhile, Andrew West is quite correct in his comments regarding forces of the "Right" in Canada. In broad context, these have always been small c conservatives and bear no resemblance to America's fire and brimstone, love it or leave it, Goldwater Republicans.
In a country that endlessly fawned over Pierre Trudeau, regardless of his mindboggling arrogance, there's not much chance of a modern day Borden, Meighen or Bennett ever returning to centre stage in Ottawa. Alas, these men not only believed in a "participatory democracy" - they practised it, unlike some of us eh Pierre?
The "LEFT" is very much alive and well north of the 49th parallel, so Canadian conservatives had best tread softly. Mr. Harper would do well to remember what happened to Joe Clark.
Meanwhile, will all of you Canadian Liberals do us a huge favour and stay precisely where you are? After all, you keep telling all and sundry that Canada (current conservative government aside) is by far and away the best country on the planet.
Kindly keep your fractured society to yourselves. I'll continue to watch the downhill slide from afar."
My God, the Sydney Morning Herald is about as left-wing as you can go in Australia (save The Age, which is its sister publication in Melbourne), and even it allows comments like such to be published?
Australia is well and truly a LOT more conservative than Canada.
Australia has not embraced "feel-good liberalism" (if it makes you feel good it is OK to do it)and hopefully never will. The age of consent is still sixteen, it is an offence to be in possession of child pornography, and if people dared march in public in their birthday suits they would soon be locked up and heavily fined.
Canada enjoys immense resources, well educated and reasonably healthy citizens, and a friendly and wealthy neighbor.
IMO it can turn the economic problems around rather easily.
That may be one reason the liberals there have enjoyed such confidence through the years.
Most Canadians know they are "sitting pretty".
"Unlike Canadians, Australians (thankfully) have a vastly greater sense of self and feel no need to apologize for who or what they are."
The day I apologize for being Canadian I'll kiss his ass. Till then ,he can kiss mine.
I've never met a Canadian who wasn't proud of being Canadian...never met one ashamed of being Canadian, nor have i ever met one who would apologize for being Canadian...
what world are these guys living in?
He can kiss mine as well!
The problem is US productivity may have been overstated as many major corporation have cushioned their financial outlook by raiding their pension plans (or by never funding them to begin with). In Canada it is illegal to not fund defined benefit plans.
The problem is healthcare needs long term solutions. Much like social security it is a financial time bomb. The number of people requiring serious service from the system is only going to increase as baby boomers age, while the tax base is going to continue to shrink. That means the system needs more money simply to keep the wait times from getting even longer. If we don’t start fixing it now, I fail to see how the future generations won’t have to endure major tax increases. User fees, partial pay, substantial changes are needed. I know that is not very Canadian of me and maybe too much for even many Canadian conservatives to consider.
About time... Welcome back to the fight...
I for one am Canadian true and true...never will be ashamed of being who i am because of some people around me think different than i do.
Sure, Liberals have done bad things, so have Conservatives. Doesn't change the fact that i am who i am, and pride, however vile a thing it may be, is in me, and is Canadian.
So we get what we want with a Conservative Gov't, and next time around we'll have a majority...and that's a good thing.
Canada has been run by Canadians for 20 years or so. We get now what our forefathers foresight have given us...and we don't have much to play with.
Baby boomers were brainwashed beyond repair for the most part and they've been in the forefront of Canadian political leanings since they were allowed to vote. Too bad the boomers were all too drunk and too high to figure out who Trudeau really was, and what his ideals really were. The boomers then instilled all their "complacent, non-thinking, hoping for someone to tell them what to do, me all me " liberal values to their children...who are now the * have-nots *...for 30 years and a generation 1/2 Canadians have been lulled into a false sense of security.
Things are getting better, will get better...
I am Canadian...and proud to be
I've never been ashamed of being Canadian ... and neither should you. Canada was a great country and still is for the most part. The problem is not Canada and its majority. The problem lies with a certain group of people who have been ruining it for the rest of us. Not to worry though ... it's our turn now and we're taking Canada back. ; )
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