8

Possible

Canadas Adam Kahane, Editor

PERSPECTIVES ON OUR PASTS, PRESENTS, AND FUTURES

52 Possible Canadas PERSPECTIVES ON OUR PASTS, PRESENTS, AND FUTURES

“ I love this one image that I gather is a traditional one in the First Nations worldview: We all make up a circle. In the center of that circle is a tree, and everybody’s view of the tree is different. One person says, ‘There’s fruit that’s ripening.’ Another person says, ‘There’s a blight on the tree.’ A third person says, ‘There’s where it got struck by lightning.’ And it’s all of those things! If I’m not seeing the blight, I need the person who is to tell me so. I can’t operate without that intelligence or I’ll be going - Michael Green 1957-2015 off half-cocked.”

1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword: How to Build a Good Future 6 Introduction: A Plurality of Canadas 8 PART 1: EIGHT LENSES 10 Lens 1: What Energizes You About What Is Going On? 12 The determination of today’s young people The creativity in our cities The way we are making diversity work Lens 2: What Have We Inherited from Our Past? 14 A colonial history and mindset Strong public institutions A capacity to collaborate Lens 3: How Is Our Situation Changing? 16 We are recklessly altering our ecosystems Our international competitiveness is slipping Our culture is morphing Economic and political inequality among us is increasing Our society is fragmenting Our political discourse in becoming increasingly polarized Lens 4: What Risks Are We Facing? 20 Complacency: Not realizing that we are at risk Dependence of our economy on natural resources Failure to develop and retain talent Deterioration of our democracy Weakening of our capacity for collective action Lens 5: If Things Turned Out Badly, What Would Have Happened? 24 We would have failed to recognize and adapt to a changing world Our education and health systems would have failed We would not have invested where we needed to Our society would have fallen apart Lens 6: If Things Turned Out Well, What Would Have Happened? 28 We would have become more ambitious We would have transformed our economy We would have restored our connections to one another and to our land Lens 7: What Important Choices Do We Face? 32 How to use our natural resources wisely What role we need to play in the world How to step up our capacity to take risks and innovate Lens 8: What Would It Take for Us to Succeed in Creating a Good Future? 36 Have the courage to acknowledge our challenges Engage and act in partnership to address these challenges

2 PART 2: FIFTY-TWO CONVERSATIONS 38

Jeannette Armstrong on Moving beyond Colonialist Understandings: “Re-indigenizing means becoming responsible to the location that you’re in” 40 Scott Baker, Jonathan Glencross, Humera Jabir, Chris Penrose, and Amara Possian on Community: “The places I fnd most inspiring and energizing are those where there are young people.” 42

Jim Balsillie on Commercializing Our Ideas: “With all our creativity and smart, hard-working people, why aren’t we more successful?” 44

Tzeporah Berman on Resisting Climate Change: “Oil is corroding our pipelines and it’s corroding our democracy.” 46

John Borrows on Indigenous Legal Traditions: “We’ve unfortunately taken a perspective that treaties were merely real-estate transactions” 48

Simon Brault on Reinventing Ourselves: “Canada should renounce the idea of one interpretation or an ofcial story” 50

Pat Carney on the Challenges of Migration: “We have survived strains that have broken other countries’ hearts” 52

Jean Charest on Tolerance: “Demagogues thrive by cultivating insecurity and demonizing certain groups” 54

Michael Chong on Parliamentary Reform: “The checks and balances on power in Parliament and in our election system have weakened” 56

Zita Cobb on Valuing Our Small Communities: “Nature and culture are the two great garments of human life” 58

Brian Crowley on Our Institutional Legacy: “You can only think that Canada is a bad place if you have never left here” 60

Nadia Duguay on a Canada for All: “The level of citizen awareness about social challenges seems to be increasing” 62

Zahra Ebrahim on Designing a Better Future: “I worry that we’ll get stuck in a vortex of indecision” 64

David Emerson on Game-Changing Leadership: “We have allowed a gold-rush mentality to prevail” 66

Suzanne Fortier on a Smart and Caring Nation: “There’s a sense of solidness about Canada” 68

Roger Gibbins on Deciding Where We’re Going: “We created the kind of country we have through an act of will” 70

Anne Golden on Resilient Cities: “We’re fnding that the yachts are rising faster than the rowboats” 72

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT.)

Danny Graham on Citizen Engagement: “I have tremendous faith in ‘Joe Public’” 74

Michael Green on Telling Our Story: “There never was any conciliation” 76

Steven Guilbeault on Green Innovation: “Our municipalities are beacons of hope” 78

Alex Himelfarb on Our Weakening Collective: “Extreme inequality is corrosive” 80

Don Iveson on Boom and Bust: “We seem to avoid some of the conversations we need to have” 82

Mark Jaccard on Responsible Growth: “We are living in the Anthropocene Era and we know we are infuencing the planet” 84

Gord Lambert on Collaborative Innovation: “Climate change is a critical challenge” 86

Kevin Lynch on Pivoting Internationally: “Canada thrives when it understands the world around it” 88

Preston Manning on Reconciling Economy and Environment: “Canadians need a dose of realism with respect to the economy” 90

Elizabeth May on Our Elected Dictatorship: “Our constitution is based on the premise that those with power will not abuse it” 92

L. Jacques Ménard on Fulflling Our Responsibilities: “We tend to defer too much, partly out of a sense of respect but also out of a kind of passivity” 94

Tanzeel Merchant on How We Live: “I see disruptions and anger” 96

Farah Mohamed on Our Competitive Advantage: “Humility is nice, but not when it holds you back” 98

Gordon Nixon on Our Strengths and Weaknesses: “It’s great to have commodities, but that sector is certainly not going to be an engine for growth” 100

Ratna Omidvar on Growth through Diversity: “Canada has the skeleton bones for how a future society should function” 102

Lili-Anna Pereša on Making Tough Choices: “We’re fed up with bad news and our scepticism is high” 104

Sherene Razack on Our Settler Legacy: “Almost everything we do came out of that colonial moment when we tried to fgure out how to steal the land” 106

Angus Reid on the State of Our Democracy: “We elect a Prime Minister who has almost dictatorial power” 108

4 Michelle Rempel on Pluralism and Innovation: “We’ve got a huge creative class in this country” 110

Jean-Paul Restoule on Building Relationships: “Canadians need to include Aboriginal people in Canadian institutions—but on Aboriginal terms” 112

Bill Robson on Human Capital: “Societies tend to stagnate when the forces that resist change become entrenched” 114

Janet Rossant on Creating a Hub of Creativity: “When people come here, they are always amazed by the culture of collaboration and ‘cooperativity’” 116

Gabrielle Scrimshaw on Learning from Our Past: “There’s a tremendous amount of empowerment” 118

Khalil Shariff on the Virtue of Pluralism: “Canada has developed a kind of civic intent to make diversity work” 120

Janice Gross Stein on Smugness: “Comfort is our biggest enemy” 122

Art Sterritt on Sustainable Economies: “It’s time for people to begin to control what we do in this country again” 124

Catherine Swift on What Business Needs: “Every special interest group now seems to have the ability to stop major economic development projects” 126

Peter Tertzakian on Our Great Energy Industry: “The people who spend the most time beating up Canadians are Canadians” 128

Michel Venne on Participation: “Decisions are made by a small group of privileged people who protect their own position and power” 130

Annette Verschuren on Economic Innovation: “Why can’t we be the country that most responsibly produces fossil fuels and minerals?” 132

Tamara Vrooman on Economic Democracy: “Debates are becoming polarized and institutional rather than engaged and personal” 134

Sheila Watt-Cloutier on the Right to be Cold: “The resource development companies are basically like the missionaries and fur traders were” 136

Joseph Wilson on Learning: “When we go to New York or Silicon Valley or London, people are envious of what we’re doing in education” 138

Yuen Pau Woo on Our Relationship with Asia: “We overlook the fact that China saved Canada from a more severe recession” 140

Armine Yalnizyan on Self-Defeating Policies: “We are becoming a corporatocracy, a state that serves the interests of corporations frst and foremost” 142

5 → By Stephen Huddart, President and CEO, How The J. W. McConnell Family Foundation FOREWORD to Build a Good FUTURE

The past divides us, but the future is a place where we can think and dream together. Pos- What is Canada, and what sible Canadas has created a vehicle for those might Canada become? conversations, and Community Foundations of Canada is proud to be a part of it. — Ian Bird, President, Community Foundations As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s 150th anniver- of Canada sary in 2017, it is worth noting that this confederation Maytree believes in basing its work on is one of the world’s great political collaborations. At listening to the authentic voices of the com- the same time, to many Indigenous peoples, it has munity. Possible Canadas has opened up a conversation with Canadians from various not been so collaborative and thus not so worthy of communities, and holds the potential for celebration. Canada was once a place of tribes, then a attracting many voices creating interlacing colony, and then a country. As a nation, Canada became narratives of our country in the years ahead. — Alan Broadbent, Chair of Maytree known as a place talented at problem solving, future building, and open to immigration—in many ways a It does not happen often that we take the time to think, refect, and share our view of the fu- model for the world. Lately, we have also become a ture of Canada. This opportunity provided the country that is confronting a suppressed part of our space to take this challenge on and help build history and that is now working to reconcile Aboriginal a strong, equal, and just Canada. — Jean-Marc Chouinard, Vice-president, and non-Aboriginal peoples. Strategy and Partnerships, Lucie et André Chagnon Foundation By 2017 there will be 38 million of us. On the threshold

The Globe got involved in this project to of this momentous anniversary, it falls to us all as Cana- provide leading thinkers a broad platform on dians to consider where we are today, how we got here, which to articulate some of the challenges and where we are going. Governments and the private facing Canada in the decades ahead, and to give sector have valuable contributions to make. However,

6 they cannot take us into the future on their own. For our audience an opportunity to advance the that, we need the involvement of the community sector. conversations inspired by Possible Canadas. — Gabe Gonda, Head of Features and Weekend, The Globe and Mail In proportion to the size of our economy, Canada’s community sector is one of the largest in the world. There seems to us a troubling gulf be- tween the vigour, imagination and limitless We are committed to building a country that is more potential of our country, and the truncated innovative, compassionate, inclusive, and sustainable. scope and ambition of our national conver- sation. Possible Canadas seeks to reignite We seek justice and reconciliation. We are also a vital a necessary and long overdue engagement partner in advancing public discourse, raising inconve- in our collective future. — Sandy Houston, nient truths, and taking measured risks that illuminate President and CEO, Metcalf Foundation improvements to the status quo. One of the joys of the journey to 2017— and a source of great hope—is the Pos- As an expression of this commitment, The J.W. sible Canadas partnership. At imagiNation 150 we are encouraging thoughtful and McConnell Family Foundation is pleased to be a found- inclusive conversations about Canada’s ing partner in Possible Canadas, a project that is future to stimulate new relationships and actions to ensure a prosperous nation. The exploring the past, present, and future of the country. essays in this book will inspire Canadians We have been joined in this efort by a coalition to engage with each other from coast to comprised of imagiNation 150, Community Founda- coast to coast. — Colin Jackson, Chair, tions of Canada, the Rideau Hall Foundation, Mindset imagiNation 150 Social Innovation Foundation, the George Cedric We believe that everyone in Canada should Metcalf Foundation, Maytree, Tides Foundation have the opportunity to participate in de- termining our nation’s current and future Canada, and the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation. priorities. Possible Canadas demonstrates the rich insights that can come from This project was led by Adam Kahane and his colleagues engaging diverse perspectives, which we hope will spark further conversations and in the Canadian ofce of Reos Partners, an international creative collaborations. — Alison Lawton, social enterprise that helps people move forward to- Founder and Chair of Board, Mindset gether on their most important and intractable issues. Social Innovation Foundation

Tides Canada believes that Possible We want to thank the insightful Canadians who agreed Canadas has the potential to reinvigorate to be interviewed for this initial—but by no means a national conversation about the kind of Canada we want. These interviews pro- fnal—inquiry into what Canada could and should be- vide a robust foundation to enable diverse come. Their diverse, thoughtful and provocative views Canadians to reflect on our country and have kicked of the conversation. We also acknowledge the tremendous potential for our shared future. — Ross McMillan, President and the support of The Globe and Mail, which published a CEO, Tides Canada six-week series of excerpts from the interviews. As we approach Canada’s 150th birthday, Possible Canadas offers a thoughtful way to Our goal now is to stimulate continued dialogue among reflect on our past 100 years and the kind Canadians who care about the next 150 years of this of Canada we might seek for the next 100 extraordinary experiment we are fortunate enough to years. As a foundation for Canada, we believe there is extraordinary potential to catalyze call home. We invite you to read, refect on, and discuss and support collective leadership and action the interviews; to visit the project website (www.pos- around areas of promise for our future. siblecanadas.ca); and to contribute your thoughts and — Vinod Rajasekaran, Managing Director, Rideau Hall Foundation energies to creating a good future for us all.

7 A → By Adam Kahane, Director, Reos Partners INTRODUCTION Plurality of CANADAS

Someone once told me that, for an individual, humility is the king of virtues. 852 What is the king of virtues for a society— the virtue from which all other virtues and capacities stem? I wonder if the capacity for pluralism might be the source from which all others stem. — Sharif The year 2017, the 150th anniversary

Canada should renounce the idea of one of the founding of Canada, offers interpretation or an ofcial story. We need to keep alive a democratic and open Canadians an opportunity to refect discussion about how we see the past and on where we have come from, where we the future. — Brault are today, and where we could go. I like the fact that we often don’t know who we are, because there isn’t an expectation in terms of needing to To contribute to this refection, we created a subscribe to certain things. This could be a weakness as well as a strength, project called Possible Canadas. Our frst activity depending on how we shape it. I’ve always was simple: to ask 50 people for their refections seen this openness as my chance to be a on what it would take for Canadians to succeed part of our country’s narrative. — Merchant in creating a good future. This book reports what we heard.

We wanted to hear from insightful Canadians with diverse experiences and perspectives, from across the country and from across civil society, business, and government. We asked around for suggestions as to whom we should interview, and ended up

8 having the 52 conversations with 56 people (one conver- Questions sation was with 5 young activists) that form the basis for this volume. We Asked:

Our objective for these interviews was to see Canada 1 What is it about your personal story that has from each interviewee’s perspective. We therefore asked shaped what you do and open-ended questions intended to elicit what each person the perspective you have? thought was most signifcant about the Canadian 2 When you look at the situation. We talked with each of them for between one current situation in Canada, what catches your attention? and three hours (most of them in person, a few on the What energizes you? What phone); transcribed a recording of the conversation; keeps you up at night? edited the transcript; and asked them to review and, if 3 If you could ask a they wished, revise it. (We take responsibility for all fnal clairvoyant about the future editorial decisions and errors.) of Canada, what would you most want to know?

The result of this simple set of encounters surprised and 4 If things turned out badly in Canada over the next touched us. Almost everyone we approached was interested 20 years, what would have in talking about Canada at 150. As we engaged in these happened? What would the story have been? conversations and then with the transcripts— respectfully, diligently, suspending our opinions and 5 If things turned out well in Canada over the next judgments—our appreciation for each interviewee, and 20 years, what would have for their unique and thoughtful views, kept growing. happened? What would the story have been? Moreover, our appreciation for our country and its challenges and possibilities also kept growing. This experience 6 What are important examples of situations when Canada reafrmed for us how powerfully empathetic dialogue has failed in addressing its can build insight, connection, and commitment. challenges or in realizing its potential? In these examples, why did we fail? IN THIS BOOK, THEN, 56 PEOPLE OFFER THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON CANADA. THE FIRST PART 7 What are important examples of situations when Canada OF THE BOOK PRESENTS THESE PERSPECTIVES has succeeded in addressing THROUGH EIGHT OVERLAPPING LENSES, AND its challenges or in realizing its potential? In these examples, THE SECOND PART THROUGH EXTENDED why did we succeed? EXCERPTS FROM EACH CONVERSATION. 8 What are important lessons The resulting picture is not simple or straightforward: it is from the past? richly complex, in places contradictory, even confounding. 9 What important upcoming To reach your own understanding of this picture, we decisions will Canada have suggest you read the text through slowly and several to make? What are the upcoming forks in the road? times. We ofer only one, tentative conclusion of our own: that such intentional pluralism might be part of the best 10 What is the legacy that you would like to leave? What do of what Canada is, and of what it would take for Canadians you want your epitaph to be? to succeed in creating a good future.

9 Part 1:

8 LENSES

10 11 1 LENS 1 What Energizes You About What Is Going On?

The places I fnd most inspiring are those The determination of where there are young people having conversations about what the future could today’s young people look like. But we’re not the ones with power. The political system—where formal deci- sion-making power is held—seems like Our young people. It’s unfashionable a barrier. That makes it easy to disengage. — Possian to defend teenagers, but they give me Young people! I’ve spent my life working hope. Young people are creative and with young people, and this is the most subversive and tenacious and fearless. adventurous, clear-eyed, hard-nosed generation I’ve met. They depend on We can learn from them how to get themselves, are single-minded in their angry instead of being complacent in desire to get the best skills, have a global view, and are not risk averse. They have the the face of injustice. — Wilson capacity and the confdence to move out from under the big, cumbersome institutions. — Stein

12 As I travel across Canada, I hear a lot agencies mobilized citizens, but now possibility to retain our cultural and of Indigenous youth saying, “I am an neighbourhoods themselves are the religious identities. As we face issues activist” or “I want to go to law school, ones working on this mobilization. like energy security and religious ex- because I want to help our commu- — Pereša tremism, this ability to have a national nities.” Because the 17 year olds are identity but still be a nation of many fghting for what they believe is right, We’re a very diverse nation and soci- diferent cultures is going to become our community is in great hands. In the ety. That contributes tremendously more and more important. — Rempel Aboriginal community, our generation to our strength, and our ability to see is what some consider the eighth fre, things diferently and create a difer- We need to continue to make room which is the generation that’s going to ent future. In Vancouver, 75% of young for several Canadas to co-exist. This change everything. I get goose bumps people 17 and under have a parent is something that we’ve done quite when I think about it because I believe who’s not from this country. That well—we’ve been able to accommo- it. I can see the tides starting to shift. brings a tremendous sense of renewal, date a range of interpretations and — Scrimshaw energy, tolerance, and creativity for perspectives. People from difer- what’s possible. — Vrooman ent cultures come here and give the country its unique character. We’re The creativity in our cities We are a multicultural country that beginning to see that this is part of our accepts and embraces people from richness as a country and that some of I like what we’ve done in urban Canada. all over the world. People come here the opportunities we have come from Despite the big challenges out there, for many diferent reasons, and that the fact that we are not defned by just we’ve been able to create urban envi- mixture of skill sets and viewpoints one role. — Fortier ronments that are pretty safe, interest- gives us huge opportunities. We have ing, and energetic. — Gibbins vibrant urban centres that continue Everywhere you go within this province, to grow. When you bring people into you fnd First Nations people fght- I’m really glad I live in Toronto. This city close proximity and provide the ing to sustain the ecosystems and to is 50% non-White, and no one group right infrastructure, you can cause create sustainable economies based is in the ascendancy. It is an incredible interactions that lead to new ideas on them. We’ve created partnerships combustion of histories and politics. If and inventions. — Rossant with everybody within our regions: cor- there’s anything that stands a chance porations, unions, municipalities, and of blowing apart our terrible colonial industries like sports fshing and mining. history, it has to be this extraordinary The way we are making Local non-Native people embrace us, mix of people together in one physical diversity work because they understand that we have space. The people here won’t put up to protect the place so that the air and with oppression as easily as in other We’ve created a degree of political the water and the land can continue to places. They’re not going to accept tranquillity in the country that in some support us all. — Sterritt being left out. — Razack ways is stifing but also has given us a great deal of internal comfort. In our In their advertising, the oil companies Our municipalities are beacons of hope. national politics, we don’t tear people say the pipelines are nation-building In Montreal, we beat a 50-year-old re- down. We’ve done reasonably well in projects, but what they are building is a cord in terms of transit usage because knitting together a difcult country nation of resistance. They are connect- we’ve invested in the transportation into a society that is remarkably inclu- ing people across constituencies and infrastructure. The green belt around sive and diverse. — Gibbins waking people up to the climate and Toronto is seen by many as a model in health implications of diferent policies. North America. Vancouver is probably It’s a good time to be a Canadian. We The best antidote for fear or depression one of the 10 best examples in the world have a strong brand that is in very is engagement, and we’re seeing that in of what needs to be done at the mu- good shape around the world. We are spades across the country. — Berman nicipal level on sustainability. In each of a federation, so we’ve sorted out how these places, it’s not just about money, to operate a functioning society with The diverse make-up of our country is but also about a shift in mentality. Peo- great levels of regional, cultural, and one of our competitive advantages. In ple see this challenge as an opportunity geographic diversity. In that sense, we an increasingly globalized, intercon- to be better in what we do, to be more can contribute a lot of new thinking to nected world, it’s a competitive edge resilient, to be more efcient. other countries about how to govern for any organization or country to have — Guilbeault in this extremely diverse and rapidly a variety of opinions around the table. changing world. — Reid If the people involved are all from simi- Over the past 20 years, every neigh- lar backgrounds, you can’t really bourhood in Montreal has organized a The thing that strikes me the most is understand what’s going on outside multidisciplinary round table in which our pride in Canadian pluralism. As a the room. We do a good job of cel- people from community organizations, country, we have a set of ebrating diversity; now we have local agencies, the city, the police, values, including equal opportunity, to fgure out how to leverage it. health providers, schools, and so on individual freedoms coupled with — Mohamed talk and work together. Before, only a sense of responsibility, and the 13 2 LENS 2 What Have We Inherited from Our Past?

We have to learn that the colonial project A colonial history that is Canada is not viable, because it is not structured on the principle of a common and mindset humanity. We could look at all the instances where spectacular meanness and repres- sion have not produced anything good, This isn’t Canada: this is Syilx territory. moments when Canada was tempted to be extremely vicious to Indigenous peoples. And it has been Syilx territory since at If that principle structures your country, which is what structures this country, then least the post-glacial period. it’s almost like you can’t go anywhere good — Armstrong from there. — Razack

In 2014, half of Canadians still don’t know what a resi- dential school is. If you don’t know what it is, you don’t Strong public institutions understand the legacy it has for Aboriginal people. If more people understood how Canada was colonized, I believe we’d be a bit more reluctant to celebrate our nation’s Our greatest asset is our right to vote and founding. For myself, why would I want to celebrate our freedom to serve in Parliament without John A. Macdonald when I understand how he colonized spending a fortune. If you run for Member Aboriginal men, women, and children? He made decisions of Parliament and spend more than the that led to the mistreatment and deaths of thousands of rules allow, you and your agent will go to jail. people, but we generally don’t teach that in our history We should protect our freedom of access classes. If we really want to honour the past, I believe we to the political system by anybody who has should learn from it. If we avoid it, we’re simply hiding not been in jail…. By global standards, we behind our own ignorance. — Scrimshaw don’t live in an oppressive society. We have personal freedom and the legislative rule of law that allows people to achieve their goals and ambitions. Canadians can fnance and implement an idea, and live the lives they want to live. — Carney

14 Canada is a lucky country. People often could’ve kept fghting, but we didn’t. need to go back to our tradition of en- say it’s because we have a vast endow- We chose the path of persuasion, not gaging, consulting, debating, listening, ment of natural resources, but that force. To me, that’s the foundation of and refecting. — Vrooman can’t explain our success as a society. Canada. Why didn’t we celebrate it? I can name 50 countries around the We’ve unfortunately taken a per- I am excited about a new model we have world with fantastic natural resource spective that treaties were merely created to accelerate the pace of envi- endowments that are hellholes you real-estate transactions. In taking that ronmental performance through inno- would never want to live in. So that’s view, we’ve lost a part of who we are as vation and collaboration. COSIA—Can- not what makes this a great society. a nation. We failed to see our nation as ada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance—is We have a diferent endowment that rooted in a higher aspiration. — Borrows the specific example. It is a network of is much more important than natural 13 companies that represent more than resources: the institutions and be- The most signifcant political decision 90% of Canada’s oil sands produc- haviours that we originally inherited with regards to the foundation of tion, with 40 Associate members from from the British and have evolved Canada was when the British realized academia, government, and business to become our own. These include a they could not hope to govern this part supporting the effort. — Lambert well-functioning democracy, the rule of North America without some form of law, non-corrupt judges and police, of recognition of the French population. Scientifc research will be an important a reasonable regulatory and taxa- More recently, the Francophones driver of the economy of the future. tion burden, well-functioning social and Anglophones have included First It works best in environments and services, a well-developed work ethic, Nations in the partnership. But every cultures that support collaboration enforcement of contracts, and respect time we have veered of the track of and cooperation—something that we for private property. — Crowley inclusion, we have gotten into trouble. ofer in Canada. When people come I think we understand that diversity is here, they are always amazed by the We’re known around the world for our an asset for us. We prefer to err on the culture of collaboration and “coopera- education system. Public education is a side of tolerance. That’s something tivity.” Some say that, to be the best, respected institution; we pay our teach- precious. During the April election, we have to be competitive. But by col- ers relatively well; we do well on stan- people in Quebec chose to walk away laborating, we can bring new ideas to dardized assessments; and the equality from something that speaks to the the table and also pragmatically share gap here is not huge. Canadians value darker nature of human beings. our limited resources in order to make our education system in a similar way Quebeckers understand historically an impact beyond the dollars that are to how we value our healthcare system. that they are a minority, and the way invested. — Rossant That leads to pressure to innovate, from they treat others will refect on the both the private and the public sectors. way they are going to be treated. They The last thing the fsh talk about is the Toronto is home to perhaps the largest looked into the precipice and walked water that they’re in: it’s invisible. The cluster of education innovation in the away, saying, this doesn’t feel right, scafolding of Canadian society—this world. We have a high-quality university there’s something wrong here, and I’m commitment to pluralism—is invisible system and talented people coming out not going to go for this. — Charest to most Canadians. We don’t always of universities. When you unleash them understand it explicitly, and we might on a messy problem like education, you We have a tradition of working to- take it for granted, but it is embedded get some really interesting stuf. For gether, talking about things, and being in us. I believe this is underappreciated example, MOOCs—Massive Open tolerant of diferent opinions. But by Canadians themselves, if not by oth- Online Courses—are everywhere now, we don’t see a lot of that anymore. ers. There’s a danger both in Canadians but they were invented in Canada. When Debates are becoming polarized and not being humble enough and in being we go to New York or Silicon Valley or institutional rather than engaged and too humble about our pluralism. No London, people are envious of what personal. There aren’t opportunities one wants a bunch of arrogant plural- we’re doing in education. — Wilson for individual voices to be cultivated ists running around; on the other hand, and nourished. I worry that in our race being too humble can serve as a way to get things right, to be competitive, of devaluing an asset and somehow A capacity to collaborate to be efcient, we’re making decisions shielding you from assuming respon- that are not inclusive, are short term, sibility for sharing it. Of course, plural- This is the 250th year of the Treaty of and don’t beneft from the perspec- ism is not just a Canadian asset. It’s an Niagara. In 1764, 2000 Native people tives of many. It may feel like we are asset in Canada or of Canada, but it’s representing 24 diferent nations met making a decision and getting on with also a global human asset. We’re just with the head ofcial in British North things, but ultimately, we will regret custodians of that asset for the world. America, Sir William Johnson, to enter not including the many voices, because What does it mean for us to use this as- into a treaty of peace, friendship, and we won’t have made the best decisions. set with the world as a benefciary? respect. This was after the Seven In the end, then, this approach will slow — Sharif Years’ War. Together, they said, this is us down and will cost us money, time, what Canada is going to look like. We social capital, and natural capital. We

15 3 LENS 3 How Is Our Situation Changing?

Now we are starting to understand that the We are recklessly altering lifestyle we worked so hard to build—our industries and our agriculture—might not our ecosystems be sustainable. We’re learning that we actu- ally need some of the wisdom that the First Nations thought they could teach us when We are living in the Anthropocene Era we showed up looking sickly and dying of every winter. — Green and we know we are infuencing the Nobody cared about the Arctic until the ice planet. The question is, how can we do started to melt, but now that the resources so in a far less reckless way, especially are going to be exposed and easier to ac- cess, planeloads of people are coming up. I today with respect to greenhouse gas am concerned that digging the land we have emissions? — Jaccard held sacred for millennia and dangling the money and jobs card will deepen the struggles we face. — Watt-Cloutier

16 I travelled a lot around Ontario this succeed, that company may need to tance of the Aboriginal question—are past summer to the diferent reserves, have ofces in Montreal, Johannes- vanishing. What I fnd most compelling and I heard from elders, “There used burg, and Mumbai instead. Likewise, right now is opening possibilities for to be a lot of oak and maple in this since World War II, our leading uni- reinvention and reimagination of what forest, and it’s no longer there. We’re versities have built relationships with could be. — Brault no longer seeing the kinds of birds those in the UK and the United States. and insects and fsh that were once Now, we are going to have to do so with As the most Asian city outside of Asia, prominent here.” After hearing from Brazil and China. — Lynch how will Vancouver evolve? About 45% them, I’m worried about the environ- of the population of the census metro- ment and about losing diversity in our We need to reorient both our domes- politan area of Vancouver today is of ecosystem. — Borrows tic and our geopolitical engagements Asian ethnic descent. Within 10 years, to ideas commercialization, particu- Vancouver will be a majority “Asian” larly in the complex, predatory, and city. Will that lead to a shift in terms of Our international evolving realm of intellectual property trade, business, and popular culture? rights management. Ownership and Will Vancouver plug into the dyna- competitiveness is slipping commercialization of intangible ideas mism—and challenges—of contem- is very diferent than for tangible natu- porary Asia and serve as a connector The oil and gas industry is undergo- ral resources. — Balsillie across the Pacifc, or will Vancouver ing its biggest change in 100 years. settle into a more typical North Ameri- Environmental, political, resource, Have you heard the term BANANA? can trajectory—becoming a city with and demographic issues are all collid- Build Absolutely Nothing, Anywhere lots of Asian people, but one that does ing at once to transform the way we Near Anything. Every special interest not have deep commercial and cultural supply and consume energy…. We’re group now seems to have the ability ties with Asia? — Woo not in an era anymore in which we can to stop major economic development simply wait for energy prices to go up. projects from going ahead. Another People are starting to realize the We have to assume prices are going country would think, Wow, you are importance of including Aboriginal to be steady or potentially even go lucky to have all these wonderful re- perspectives in school curricula and in down. The way to compete in a cut- sources! Here, the message is, No, you workplaces. I get a lot of interest from throat market is by ofering a better can’t develop them! — Swift people who want to change the way product at a lower cost than others. they’re teaching, training, and doing The Canadian energy industry woke up We can do much better in our relation- advocacy to include Aboriginal cultural to this fact a few years ago, and we’re ship with China. We’re underperform- knowledge and identity, and anti-rac- getting good at it. But if we don’t start ing relative to our peers, but there is no ism work. — Restoule addressing environmental issues, if we sense of urgency or long-term strategy don’t continue to be disciplined about on how to catch up with the competi- We will need to grapple with a con- containing costs, and if we don’t start tion. This complacency is partly due cept of development that balances making relationships with new custom- to an underappreciation of the shift in economic, ecological, Aboriginal, and ers and adapting to new systems, we’re economic and political gravity across other issues, such as demographic not going to make it. — Tertzakian the Pacifc. While Canadians may have shifts, in order to achieve compatible legitimate reservations about all kinds goals. We have entered a much slower We’re not going to be an immigrant of challenges in China and other Asian cycle of the economy, in which there’ll magnet forever. The things that we of- countries, it would be naïve not to rec- be less money available for social and fer aren’t unique to Canada anymore. ognize that an important shift is hap- economic measures. Many young Ca- Other parts of the world are becom- pening and that Canada has to engage nadians are making lifestyle and work ing equally attractive in ofering the vigorously with the global power shift choices that are more consistent with a comforts that are a part of our lives in order to remain relevant. — Woo slower-growth economy. — Carney here. We work on the assumption that we’ll continue to attract immigrants and that they will come to our cities. Our culture is morphing Economic and political All of that could turn on a dime, and we would suddenly have a very diferent A huge number of assumptions that inequality is increasing future. — Merchant were at the foundation of our cultural spaces, policies, and tools 50 years Will we be able to address the growing Part of our future success is going to ago—such as the notions of national income divide and so blunt the harsh have to be diversifying where we do borders, controlled airwaves, a certain edges of capitalism? We had hoped business. Today, a company may have hierarchy of cultural tastes and prefer- that participation in a globalized ofces in Montreal and Boston. To ences, the undervaluing of the impor- knowledge economy would increase

17 living standards everywhere, that all Polling data shows that Canadians are communities. And our rural places are boats would rise, but we’re fnding losing faith in their democratic insti- powerful sources of knowledge, cre- that the yachts are rising faster than tutions. Voter turnout has declined ativity, and innovation: they are assets, the rowboats. In Toronto, you can see precipitously in the last 20 years. In not liabilities. — Cobb the stagnation of the middle class and the last federal election, four out of 10 very little improvement in the poorer Canadians chose not to vote. That’s I’m concerned by the fact that a lot classes. — Golden one of the lowest rates among western of people feel lonely and are discon- democracies. — Chong nected or marginalized. I don’t think Without structural change, it’s hard this was as much the case years ago. to imagine how the younger people It’s hard to have political democracy The divide between people who are in of today are ever going to be able to and engagement if we don’t have eco- the system and people who are out is save the way that my generation did. nomic democracy and engagement. deeper and more brutal than before. Income diferentials have resulted The work I do is about making sure — Brault in a decline of the ability of lower, that people have access to informa- middle, and even upper-middle income tion and support so they can make What keeps me up at night is the grow- Canadians to maintain a quality of life informed decisions. We’re also looking ing, institutionalized dehumanization relative to high-income earners. A for ways to include more people in the towards specifc groups. It’s as though combination of cost infation (particu- economy and in the fnance system— society is evolving based on the prin- larly in housing) and lifestyle choices people who may not have access to ciple that human life doesn’t matter. will impact how we look as a country. A bank accounts and things that you or Every morning, I read about 10 things lot of people are living okay today but I would take for granted. To think that that make me think we’re growing they are not saving, they don’t have big economic democracy and income increasingly distant from each other. It pensions, and they’re certainly not go- inequality are unrelated would be like begins with race and becomes a struc- ing to be able to maintain their current saying that the right to vote and use of ture that invades everything. — Razack standard of living with social security. universal sufrage were unrelated. — Nixon — Vrooman In some areas of the country, we seem to be experiencing an era of migra- How do we cope with the increasing Extreme inequality is corrosive. When tion motivated largely by greed. These problem of inequality? You see it ev- the people at the top and the people “global migrants” come to Canada, erywhere. You can’t go into an airport at the bottom are breathing such dif- park their money, and move on to live without seeing rich guys going through ferent air, it’s hard to imagine them elsewhere. That’s refected in the num- the fast lanes and everybody else fnding any common interest or shared ber of empty houses and condos here waiting in line for an hour to get on an purpose. When people at the top are in Vancouver. Much of the new housing airplane. Factor that across our society so rich that they can decide they no is marketed to ofshore residents who many times, whether it’s in healthcare longer need public services, they ef- live in Canada part time, if at all. If you or other services. — Reid fectively secede from society. When have a foating migrant population, the gap is extreme, they also seem to the essential structure of community Compared to 20 years ago, there has believe they somehow deserve all they commitment and connections may been an increase in income inequal- have. Hence trickle-down meanness. be weakened. That’s refected in the ity. It’s increasing more slowly than If they don’t need the services and waning volunteer base and support for in other regions in the world, but it deserve their wealth, why pay taxes? the arts afecting some communities. is increasing nonetheless, especially People at the bottom start to think that — Carney between the richer and the rest of the the game is fxed, and there’s nothing society. We have also seen other gaps in it for them. They don’t want to vote There are also some worrisome growing—a smaller part of the popula- and they too don’t want to pay taxes. trends. We’ve lost our commitment to tion goes to concerts and museums, Why pay or play when the game is permanency. We used to say, “Come to sends their kids to private school. Who rigged? — Himelfarb Canada and after three or four years, drops out of school? It is not rich peo- you will become a Canadian citizen.” ple. This dollar issue concerns me, but We’re making citizenship harder to get I am more interested in the access to Our society is fragmenting and easier to lose. We are importing power. Poor people and young people temporary foreign workers who have tend to vote less than other groups. Our small communities across the no right to permanency, and so we’re This has an infuence on the way gov- country, not just in Newfoundland, are creating a two-tiered society. ernment policies are made. When you disintegrating in front of our eyes, and — Omidvar have fewer and fewer people voting yet this is so entirely preventable. I be- in elections, decisions are made by a lieve that business and technology are small group of privileged people who powerful tools that, deployed properly, protect their own position and power. can contribute to place and can help — Venne create resilient, contemporary rural

18 Our political discourse shift needs to happen for us to create a to consensus. We’ve always had this new balancing point. — Graham notion that we could disagree without in becoming increasingly being disagreeable. Today, the polite polarized It’s healthy to have diferences of opin- Canadian is disappearing. Conversa- ion, but not when we reduce issues to tions are no longer allowed. You’re only Since the 1990s, there has been more black or white. When you’re too far allowed to yell slogans at each other edginess in our political leadership. to the right or to the left on an issue, across the aisle. — May Politicians are more dismissive and you very rarely succeed in solving disrespectful of each other’s ideas. problems. The gray area is where the Our federal government is more highly Politics has become this crazy world resolutions happen. Right now, we’re politicized than at any time in our where people are yelling at each other, fghting on the details and not on the history. That’s generally a bad thing. “We’re right and you’re wrong, shut up, big issues. We have to fnd more things Once you get beyond economic issues, sit down, and pay attention to what I we can all agree on. — Verschuren defence, border security, and a couple have to say.” Attack ads are symptoms of other fles, you end up with a federal of this dynamic. The important point There were always elements of our government that doesn’t seem to have is that these messages are a symp- society that were intolerant, but one a big vision for the country beyond tom of a more polarized public who of the great things about Canada has devolving powers to the provinces and want—even demand—simple answers been our respect for diferent view- letting them sort it out. — Reid to complex questions. A fundamental points and the idea that we can come

“When the people at the top and the people at the bottom are breathing such different air, it’s hard to imagine them fnding any common interest or shared purpose.” — Alex Himelfarb

19 4 LENS 4 What Risks Are We Facing?

Canada is vulnerable to a lot of diferent at- Complacency: Not realizing tacks. Because of our proximity to the Unit- ed States, we’ve always taken for granted that we are at risk that we are a safe country, without the fear of war. But in today’s world, where wars are often fought through electronics and The infamous UN report of 20 years ago terrorism rather than on the ground, we are way, way behind most other industrialized or so that described Canada as the best countries. We don’t have the same level of place in the world to live may have done intelligence as most Europeans countries or the United States, and that leaves us very us a disservice by making us complacent. vulnerable to attack. Some massive event of We didn’t get here by accident; we’ve terrorism could really change our country. — Nixon created the kind of country we have through an act of will. If that will weakens There’s not enough concern in our country about the economy. The jobs aren’t there, or loses its focus, then a lot of what we the pension funds aren’t there, people aren’t have will be precarious. My fear is that living happily ever after. Maybe we haven’t hit the wall hard enough. I am worried about we’ve solved the problems of the past where the new jobs are going to come from but we’re rapidly being overtaken by the and that other countries are going to steal them away. We’ve got to catch up. problems of the future. We somehow — Verschuren need to crystallize our best thinking into a vision for the future. — Gibbins

20 What quality of life can our children renewable energy technologies has ex- them. We compete in the world, and and grandchildren expect? One of my ceeded everyone’s wildest dreams. But the fewer unique skills we develop, the major concerns is the degree to which we are banking our economic future poorer our country will be. We can’t the present tends to steal from the on oil and gas resources that are going shrink ourselves into greatness. At future, whether it’s through govern- to become stranded assets, and so we some point, we have some collective ments borrowing to support today’s will be behind the eight-ball in develop- responsibilities to one another genera- consumption, promises we’ve made ing economic options. Our economic tionally. Future generations will pass a based on projected future wealth, or stability in the future is directly linked tough judgment on today’s genera- waste that we don’t think about and to our capacity to limit fossil fuel devel- tions, saying, “Look at what they did have trouble measuring. — Robson opment now. — Berman through their obsession with an indi- vidualistic way of thinking.” — Ménard We’re becoming passive and run the When Canadians think about resource risk of taking for granted the many development in the north, they seldom I worry about youth unemployment. things that have made Canada the consider the human dimension. The We can’t aford a lost generation. We tolerant, open, diverse, and welcoming current government sees the Arctic cannot lose out on the way young peo- society that we’re privileged to live in. as an opportunity for the great energy ple think, interact, drive change. We Our greatness didn’t happen by acci- superpower to feed the world, but in also need to think about stability: who dent. If we don’t work at it enough, we doing so it fails to recognize that Inuit is going to pay taxes and keep our so- are at risk of diminishing and losing it. families trying to feed their families cial programs going? I would like us to Then what kind of country will we leave are going to be negatively impacted by be thinking a little less short term and a for our children and our grandchildren? environmental degradation. People little more long term. — Mohamed — Vrooman don’t quite get why we would still want to hunt and eat seals rather than go to Our education system is not well the supermarket to buy chicken and suited to help students develop the Dependence of our economy pork chops. They don’t understand skills that are going to be needed in the on natural resources the importance to our communities of future economy. We need to be better continuing to respect and take in the at anticipating where jobs and oppor- We are not managing our natural wisdom that a hunting culture teaches. tunities will come from and providing resource assets well. We pay insuf- — Watt-Cloutier our young people with the training and fcient attention to long-term growth, education they need. — Swift stability, and intergenerational fair- In Canada, over the past century we ness. I look at what we are doing with largely got the ecosystem right for a We’re failing the youth of Canada, non-renewables, and I despair. We resource economy and continue to Indigenous youth in particular, by have allowed a gold-rush mentality prosper because of it. This ecosystem fghting about ideology and not fnding to prevail…. In a similar vein, we have includes physical elements like roads ways to get people basic skills. Even witnessed the erosion of manufactur- and pipelines, geopolitical elements now, only 35% of the kids on reserves ing in the Canadian economy, and I like market access and investment pro- are graduating high school. Only 4% on am concerned about that. I believe a tection, universities that appropriately reserves have post-secondary educa- balance of manufacturing, resource educated students and researched key tion. We’ve lost generations of young extraction, technology, and services is areas, courts that fairly addressed do- people to residential school, to child important for a healthy, dynamic, and mestic commercial issues, and public welfare, to the prison system, to drugs, stable economy. — Emerson sector-private sector structures to ad- to dropping out of school. The loss of dress the important issues of various human potential is staggering. If any jurisdiction ought to have the time horizons. The critical challenge — Borrows resources to keep up with growth, it and opportunity for Canadian policy- would be Alberta. But the boom-and- makers and business leaders is to fully If things turned out badly, we would bust cycle of using resource revenues understand the diferences between have failed to keep our young people. to pay for ongoing expenditures is the ecosystem for a resource economy They will go where the work is interest- incredibly risky. You can’t choose to and the ecosystem for an innovation ing and challenging, and where they fund all-day kindergarten and then, economy, and then ensure that these can contribute. That will be a huge loss. when oil drops below a certain price all gaps are addressed. — Balsillie If we don’t reorient our institutions to per barrel, eliminate all-day kinder- make them hospitable to members of garten. We made missteps in the past, this generation, they will just walk right frst by allowing development to get Failure to develop and around them and do other things. Our out of control, and then by allowing the retain talent institutions will atrophy, because they extractive business to crowd out the won’t have people to shake things up value-added business. — Iveson How do you miss an opportunity on and say, no, we’re not going to do it this We’re living at a tipping point. In the talents? You do two things: you don’t way anymore. — Stein last two years, global investment in develop them and you don’t retain

21 I worry that we’ll get stuck in a vortex could be Trudeau or Mulcair, and we only this invisible, incremental, hard- of indecision and not have the capacity might like the decisions better, but it to-talk-about growth in inequality, but to recognize the moment where we still wouldn’t be a democracy. — May also the loss of the collective capacity could use the evidence we have to sup- to do anything about it. — Himelfarb port taking a leap of faith. That inability We have what we might call a “democ- to take risks is what is preventing us racy defcit,” particularly with younger I am worried that we are failing to from leading in so many areas and is people. The simplest measure of it is invest sufciently in our “sacred causing us to haemorrhage talent from declining participation in elections. capital” (natural capital, social capital, our country. — Ebrahim People feel that their votes don’t cultural capital, community capital) count. Polls on Canadians’ perceptions and in protecting our ways of know- of the performance of government and ing. In our small communities, there Deterioration of the processes of democracy are over- is an increasing poverty of hope, and our democracy whelmingly negative. In this climate, a despair is taking hold. I don’t under- the few who do take an interest can stand why we’re not more alarmed and Democracy only thrives if you have control the whole system. I call it “The doing something about the fact that transparency, information, and par- Iron Law of Democracy”: if you choose we’re losing a fundamental part of our ticipation. All three of those things are not to involve yourself in the politics of Canadian identity, ways of knowing, being restricted right now in Canada. your country, you will be governed by and sources of strength, imagination, The public’s ability to participate in people who do. — Manning and resourcefulness. Our identity and the decisions that afect our future strength emerged—and emerges— has been dramatically limited. If you In the short run, command-and- from our relationship with this amaz- want to speak or send a letter to the control models of governance can ing piece of nature that we call Canada. National Energy Board on an issue, you produce huge gains, but in the long — Cobb have to fll out an 11-page form and be run, they fall fat. Without checks and approved. During regulatory reviews, balances, at some point a bad leader Why do we allow for a good portion of citizens and experts are not allowed comes along and undoes all of the our salary to be taken from us? To pay to talk about the impact of proposed gains made and then some. Democra- for collective services. When we are projects on climate change. — Berman cies are frustrating in the short run, unaware of the link we have to others, because the lack of concentrated and we don’t trust that those around We’re in real trouble if we start losing power makes for less efcient decision us are going to play their part, and we trust in unbiased, thoughtful institu- making, but in the long run they get it lose faith that we are all going to help tions like the National Energy Board. right. If you look at the last 180 years, each other, then we reject things like Historically, these institutions had the all evidence points to the fact that paying taxes. In our society right now, fnal word on various decisions, but people in an educated, civilized, and we don’t trust the people with power, today, through social media and other enlightened society will make the right and we don’t trust those without pow- communication techniques, an incred- decisions. — Chong er. We live in a state of insecurity. And ibly small minority of people are able when we are insecure, we can decide to hold up projects. Everybody has to either to turn our backs on each other accept some sense of burden, even if it Weakening of our capacity or to stick together. I hope that we in means having a power line not too far for collective action Quebec and in Canada will choose to from you. That may be the thing you stick together. — Venne have to accept for the greater good of One of the reasons that our institu- the country. The fact that small groups tions, including our political institu- We’re losing our sense of community of people can circumvent the institu- tions, are so important is that, as for- in terms of the country as a whole. tions that help make our country great mer Prime Minister Trudeau observed, Many people feel that, if you’ve got a is a national problem. — Tertzakian Canada is an act of defance. Canada great local community and you have makes no sense: we are dispersed geo- a rapid rail line to an international air- We are a democracy only in theory. In graphically; we have a terrible climate; port, that’s all you need. So the provin- practice, we’re an elected dictatorship. we have two ofcial languages and cial and national communities become Canadians no longer feel empowered; many non-ofcial; we have no revolu- irrelevant. The opportunity to go and they are passive consumers. They have tionary moment that is binding; we are experience the world and then come abandoned the notion that they have a country of great cultural and regional back to a base is great, but I worry rights and responsibilities in running diversity. For all these reasons, we have about a loss of purpose for Canada as the country. It’s very hard to wake to work at being Canada. And when a whole. We’re losing faith in our politi- people back up to the fact that they we lose trust in our government and cal institutions and our capacity to do have power. Forty percent of Cana- in each other, it weakens us…. The big- things together. There is a narrow- dians don’t vote. In the by-election in gest impact of austerity is that it stunts ing of perspectives that’s not unique Fort McMurray-Athabasca last June, the political imagination; it makes it to Canada, but nonetheless, having only 15% voted! Unless we change the seem like nothing’s possible collective- people in this large, ungainly country system, the next elected dictator ly. Each of us is on our own. So I see not turn inward is alarming. — Gibbins

22 “Without checks and balances, at some point a bad leader comes along and undoes all of the gains made and then some.” — Michael Chong

23 5 LENS 5 If Things Turned Out Badly, What Would Have Happened?

A dramatic increase in forest fres and We would have failed to beetle infestations will destroy the majority of our intact boreal forests. We’ll be dealing recognize and adapt to a with dramatic immigration from all over the world, but predominantly from Southeast Asia and Central Africa. Within the next 20 changing world years, 30% of the population of Southeast Asia will lose their homes as a result of sea-level rise. A much larger population We didn’t change direction. We contin- will strain the capacity of our cities, which ued to rely on things that compromise will also be under extreme pressure due to fooding and extreme weather. Food prices our environment. The same type of for most crops will be triple to quadruple people ended up making decisions and what they are today. — Berman serving in public ofce. We fell behind in We’ll be where we are now: a little bit behind the rest of the world. Innovation and creativ- building the infrastructure we need. We ity will still be a thing that sits on the outside continued to operate from a narrative and not within the DNA of organizations, and so their adaptive capacity will remain con- of scarcity, which ended up hurting the strained. Our role in the global community people who are most afected by social will stagnate, and we’ll still be trying to fgure out how we can contribute to a global con- inequities. — Penrose versation about being more inclusive, more creative, and more human centred. — Ebrahim 24 Our education and health Healthcare costs continue to rise. replaced by the amorphous “social Today, they are running close to 50% of licence.” We will fail to restore mo- systems would have failed provincial budgets. As researchers, my mentum to multilateral trade talks, colleagues and I have to look quite hard and attempts to forge regional trade There’s a huge disconnect right now at what we do, because the healthcare agreements will falter. We will fail to between what we know we need from system has only restricted dollars to be adapt to the reality of global warm- our education system and what our able to invest. We have to look at the ing, and the world will be confronted education system is set to deliver. In business case of whether what we are with an urgent international public 20 years, we might look back and say, developing is going to be something policy crisis. Related to climate and “We knew we had to double down governments will pay for. — Rossant our failure to manage well our natural on innovation and creative thinking resources, we will see technological for the sake of the economy and for I wonder if this baby-boom generation advances that result in consumers solving complex problems. Instead, we is going to pursue its self-interest to fnding economic substitutes for car- insisted that everybody learn the same the bitter end. If baby boomers insist bon-based energy. Given our extreme baseline knowledge, and we basically on the maximum level of healthcare dependence on carbon-based energy, drilled creativity out of kids. As a result, and the maximum technology right till our economy and public fnances will we don’t have the intellectual and the end, they’re going to bankrupt the take a serious hit. — Emerson creative capital to solve our massive healthcare system and make aspects of problems.”— Wilson it unavailable to the younger genera- We will fail if we don’t invest in the tions. — Manning changes that are needed. For example, Education will be about learning trades in Toronto, we’ve barely invested at all in or skills and not about learning to think infrastructure; since 2000, we’ve made critically. Most places where people We would not have invested some improvements but not enough to can learn to think critically will shut where we needed to deal with our backlog. We need to invest down; the rest will be small or very, in new construction and waste manage- very restricted. The result is that you There’s a growing awareness that tax ment and energy systems. We need to don’t get to ask questions about why cuts are not the solution to every prob- improve how we develop and grow, by things are the way they are, why some lem. In the public sphere, people are linking our transit decisions to our devel- people have a good life and others beginning to recognize that what we’re opment decisions. And we will fail if we don’t, what your relationship is to oth- facing is less a spending problem than don’t address growing income inequal- ers in the social world. There’s no way a revenue problem. Bridges are col- ity through a combination of tax changes to break down the mythologies that lapsing, and sewers and pipes built 100 and program innovations. — Golden you see reproduced every day in the years ago need to be repaired. We’re papers. — Razack awash in easy money but oddly have no money for these essentials. But we’re Our society would have We will have kept shrinking the re- paying a bundle privately to repair fallen apart sources we devote to higher education our homes and cars from the damage and research at our universities and caused by deteriorating infrastructure. Canada’s going to be more and more institutions. We will have chosen to — Yalnizyan separated by geography, in terms of the give all the money back to citizens and urban centres versus everything else. forgone our collective responsibility We made it difcult to bring creative The rural communities are at a critical to foster a better educational system. people here. We need to be open to point in their evolution, and we’re not That would have an impact on our people coming to and going out of acknowledging that they have a prob- record of achievement in the realm of Canada. We failed to invest in funda- lem. They may not have enough people innovation and patent development. mental research, innovation, and the to support them. The people who Canada will have eroded and missed an creative force. If we don’t focus on the are there are going to get older. More opportunity to focus on our talents. future and build on our strengths, we people are living in single households — Ménard will become a so-so nation. We will not than ever before, in building types that achieve the impact that we can across breed isolation, not community. All of In 20 years, our healthcare system the world in the arts, science, business, these factors compound to afect what may be completely overburdened. We fnance, and politics. — Rossant kind of a society we become and what are heading towards a kind of perfect kind of lives people live. I see disruptions storm with an aging population and an Pipelines critical to getting products and anger happening. I see the Canadian already stressed healthcare system. to market won’t be constructed in a identity getting a little fractured. — The stress may create a more unequal timely way. Critical economic infra- Merchant society. New immigrants, Aboriginal structure, particularly transporta- people, and at-risk populations may tion infrastructure, will be rejected I also worry about the unity of the not get the healthcare they are entitled in every strategic “neighbourhood,” country. We cannot take for granted to. — Wilson refecting regulatory licence being that things will always be the way they

25 are. The separatist movement in continue to create imaginary borders community and connection. We should Quebec has moved from the main- between us and create a self-sustaining have had conversations that would have stream to the margin, but it is never system that constantly reinforces our pulled us beyond the moment and to- going to go away. Our leaders need limits. — Duguay wards thinking in broader “why are we to make a constant, continued, and here” ways. We failed to create a difer- deliberate efort to forge a common Demagogues thrive by cultivating inse- ent relationship with our environment. identity based on what we share. It will curity and demonizing certain groups. We were more tuned into national and not happen automatically. — Charest They emphasize diferences rather international energy fows and not A bad scenario would be one where uni- than the things we have in common. attentive enough to the local energies versal education no longer exists, where If that were to happen, we’d be in that and the way they were being harmed or everyone decides on their own what spiral societies can end up in, where could’ve been better harnessed. they are going to learn. We would lose we lose the ability to trust each other — Borrows a shared understanding of the world and to have a common discourse. We based on a compendium of knowledge would fnd ourselves living in a country that has been accumulating for centu- where we were suspicious of each ries. — Venne other and suspicious of other groups. — Charest We allowed envy to become the pre- dominant political emotion in Canada. We would have allowed reductionist Regionalism, which is driven by envy, is thinking to get out of hand. We would a deeply corrosive force in Canada. have forgotten that nature and culture — Crowley are the two great garments of human life. We’d all live in mega cities and suf- Our leaders didn’t recognize the value fer from a kind of placelessness. We in everyone moving together, including would have lost our intimate knowl- those who are less wealthy and less edge of and ability to learn from the powerful. That’s a risky way to go. If we natural world. We’d have lost what Pam continue on the trajectory of disman- Hall refers to as “the ways of knowing tling many of our social structures and that come from an embodied, interde- welfare supports, and making drastic pendent relationship with the still-wild changes in our laws, we might create world.” We’d be eating industrial food the sort of entrenched inequality that that’s produced by enormous compa- we see in the US and the UK. — Jabir nies that transcend all borders. We’d be subservient to fnancial capital, and The state will continue disengaging, we wouldn’t have a clue who we were. the educational system will abdicate We’d have no sense of continuity with from its independence, and citizens will the past. The wisdom and nuances become more disillusioned about the of heritage, and of the natural world, possibility for good things to happen. would be lost. — Cobb We will continue to develop societies where social status, the place you were We failed to cultivate a healthy way born, or your level of education con- of addressing, for a lack of a better tinue to dig deeper inequalities around word, spirituality. We weren’t atten- human rights. Instead of looking at all tive enough to the non-physical way of the potential in our diferences, we will being in the world and to questions of

26 “We allowed envy to become the predominant political emotion in Canada.” — Brian Crowley

27 LENS 6 6If Things Turned Out Well, What Would Have Happened?

When Canada hosted the Olympics in We would have become Montreal and then again in Calgary, we didn’t win any gold medals as a nation. We more ambitious were deeply unsatisfed with our national performance. To our credit, we didn’t rationalize our results by saying, “That’s We have an ambition challenge in okay, gold medals don’t matter.” Instead we created and funded a coherent program Canada. I’m not sure my generation is called “Own The Podium” and realized its ambitious enough. We can do much ambitious goal at the Vancouver Olympics by winning 15 gold medals—the most of any better in the world than we think we country in the world. These results thrilled can. Some of the younger Canadians and inspired our entire nation. It teaches us what an ambitious, orderly, and systemic think that they can beat anybody if they approach can do. These are nation-building exercises, and they prove that if Canadians study hard, work hard, and are innova- want to win, Canadians know how to do it. tive and clever enough. We have to be — Balsillie

sufciently ambitious to keep those kids Looking into the future, I see a diferent in Canada, so they can start their social Canada, built on the momentum of today. We have doubled our population. As a result, proft enterprises and companies here, we have 10 big urban centres, not just four. In those urban centres are residents of unri- teach here, run for political ofce here. valled diversity. This strengthens our econo- If we’re not ambitious enough, they’ll go my and prosperity. Because we are a bigger economy, we’re able to produce more, somewhere else, because they want to we’re able to trade more, we’re able to sell to make a diference. — Lynch more people, we have more people with big ideas. Our population growth has stabilized through immigration, and our economy has the capacity to absorb immigrants at all skill levels and many more refugees. — Omidvar 28 We took the risk of focusing. We fo- about innovating in terms of the public We have an opportunity to serve as cused on one big thing and we moved policies we need to become a nation a world-class example of a resource- the bar. Perhaps the one big thing was of innovators. With a little bit of push- based economy that is an engine of in- poverty reduction, and we reduced ing and coordination, innovation is novation, through engaging across dis- dramatically the number of people something we could be known for—it ciplinary, organizational, cultural, and living in poverty in our country. We did could become our international brand. governmental boundaries to achieve this not by wanting to create some- — Rempel environmental, social and economic thing the world would look to us as a outcomes that beneft all Canadians. leader in, but by harvesting the intelli- Business is the most powerful force in — Lambert gence within our borders to make bold society right now. Given what I just said, change happen. And this helped us to this may seem strange, but I think, with Resource extraction and exportation retain thought leadership by demon- strong democratic institutions in place, is such a 19th-century game plan for strating that Canada has an appetite that power could be harnessed to make growth, complete with a 19th-century for taking risks. — Ebrahim a better world. We’re on the edge of an distribution of benefts and calculation explosion of technological change— of costs. We need another plan. Not Canadians have to rethink what we from artifcial intelligence to biomimic- a Plan B, because there’s no Planet B. want to be and how we want people ry to miraculous medical breakthroughs Canada’s Plan A should help us become to see us. We’re not putting the right to the Internet of things. Canada could a 21st-century energy superpower by investment in the right places, because provide leadership on how innovations developing the world’s most energy- we don’t know where we’re going. We get applied. It starts with making sure efcient homes and forms of transit. have to be more optimistic and fnd we have all hands on deck, so we can We live in a cold climate and have to ways to move our society towards cre- make the most of the ingenuity that travel long distances. We should be ating value. People want to rally behind resides in our population and build their world leaders in maximizing energy ef- a future, and right now, nobody is de- capacity to put good ideas into action. fciency, whatever its source. Instead of scribing what that future is. Leadership — Yalnizyan Energy East, think Energy Least. Climate can really create change, and people change is forcing every society to ad- will follow behind a sensible vision for Canada will be considered a hub of dress this challenge. Nations can’t suc- the country. If the vision is clear, we creativity and not the Canada of old ceed on a planet that fails. — Yalnizyan will fnd a way to get there. We need that digs coal and makes cars. We inspirational leadership—from unions, have harnessed the concept of urban If things turn out well in the next 20 First Nation, business, government— centres as being the driver for Cana- years, there would be some changes in to take us to that point. — Verschuren dian success and have invested in our how resources are thought about: not infrastructure. Canada has become the as resources that are to be extracted place of choice for the most creative by foreign corporations, but as re- We would have and innovative people in the world. sources that are part of that landscape transformed our — Rossant and the people who live there. To a large degree, that is informed through economy A high-speed rail network will connect Indigenous partnering and protection major corridors across the country. for the things that are required for the Canada is one of the fastest-aging There will be a dramatic increase in next seven generations. — Armstrong countries in the world. If we are to public transit, cycling, and walking and continue with our Canadian social a dramatic decrease in the number of The new economy is going to come and economic model, the genera- cars in urban centres. More companies from fnding more productive ways to tion of workers 25 years from now like Facebook will move to Canada produce food and energy, to use water, will need to be much more produc- and build their data centres here. to extract and refne oil and gas, to tive than my generation or that of my Canada will make a big investment in extract minerals. Why can’t we be the father. Therefore, we must become a renewable energy resources and in country that takes on the challenge of leader in education and in our ability to the capacity to export clean energy to reducing the carbon footprint? Why stimulate innovation and creativity in the United States. We’ll see a rise in can’t we be the country that most sciences, healthcare, and service areas. the generation of tidal energy on both responsibly produces fossil fuels and — Ménard coasts and of geo-thermal energy, minerals and the like? We’re really especially out of Alberta. More house- good at so many things! — Verschuren Canada would be known as a world holds will produce their own energy leader in terms of innovation and and feed that energy back to the grid. innovation policy. People across the All of that will mean a democratization We would have restored political spectrum recognize that we of energy and of the economy: if no need to use our enormous resource one owns the inputs and everyone can our connections to one wealth to look into the future and de- generate the energy to fuel society, another and to our land velop secondary industries. I’m not just that changes who holds power. talking about making widgets but also — Berman

29 We will be able to imagine citizens, Canada would be a national network politicians, and organizations in of intensely local places, some big, society that listen to one another, many small. We would have found exchange with one another, and rec- ways to localize and at the same time ognize each other as complementary link communities together. Every- actors who have the capacity to col- thing exists in relationship, and in laborate and create real solutions. We healthy relationships I can be more will have understood that solutions me and you can be more you. That’s will not be brought by organizations, the kind of relationships we need researchers, or politics, but from build. Our lives wouldn’t be domi- society itself—through the capacity nated by distantly owned hyper-busi- of individuals to recognize each other. nesses that optimize primarily for — Duguay return on (distant) capital. Instead, we’d have right-scaled businesses that If we constrained our material de- operate in ways that fortify the fabric mands, we would have more time for of our communities. Of course there our personal, family, and social rela- are instances when we need national tions. If we spent more time looking distribution companies, but there are after each other, we wouldn’t have to creative ways to achieve scale when go to the government for support. This and where scale is necessary: creative is an alternative approach to trying to ways to keep the well-being of our fx everything by regulation or law. It’s communities at the top of our priority easy to talk about the future in terms list and at the core of our decision of what it should be economically, envi- making. — Cobb ronmentally, socially, and politically. I would add the spiritual dimension. Things really change when you start to — Manning see people as individuals, rather than as one aspect of their identity. You We’ll be a country that has a high qual- come together around common in- ity of life for all people, something we terests, and because you have slightly haven’t achieved yet. We take it for diferent ways of seeing the world or granted that we can be born from a having experienced the world, learning very modest or difcult environment happens. There’s a common humanity, and still succeed, but we need to con- a shared sense of responsibility to the tinue to ofer equality opportunities land and to each other, which is where for all. — Fortier we should be starting. — Restoule

30 “We will have understood that solutions will not be brought by organizations, researchers, or politics, but from society itself.” — Nadia Duguay

31 7 LENS 7 What Important Choices Do We Face?

We are a resource-based economy. It is a How to use our natural pretty sound prediction that a resource- based economy is not going to serve us resources wisely well 20 years down the road. We’ll have to transform ourselves, but how do we do it? A lot of people want to establish Calgary as Canadians need a dose of realism with a leader in the energy feld. But we’re never going to out-compete the Chinese on solar respect to the economy. The resource power or the Germans on wind power. If sector is the horse that’s pulling the we have a niche in the global economy, what is it? — Gibbins current economic cart. We have to give We have to get rid of this idea that we are more attention to strengthening those just hewers of wood and drawers of water, industries and recognizing what they’re and that we don’t have the intelligence to create secondary and tertiary industries. contributing. To maintain our high qual- We can’t continue to export every asset we ity of life, the economy must be strong have. I’ve watched for too many decades now as we’ve sent raw resources and the enough to pay for the social services energy we could use to process them to network. As our population ages, the other countries. Instead of depending on others, we should be a lot more intelligent demands on our healthcare and pension about how we use our natural resources to enhance the lives of people in this country. systems will increase. — Manning — Sterritt

32 We are hypocrites, in that we’re both storage. I’m extremely disappointed We have to consider, from a cultural riding the economic boom and criti- that we didn’t play that role when there perspective, are we comfortable being cizing its impact. We want the money was a real interest, even among the an aggressive, outspoken advocate but we don’t want the environmental corporate sector, in doing so. When on the world stage? Or are we more destruction. What are we doing about Stephen Harper came to power, all that comfortable in our traditional role as a it? Have our habits around consump- stuf died. Canada could still be a lead- peace-keeper and mediator—friendly, tion changed? It may take two or three er. We could say, “Here’s what we’re not aggressive or outspoken, and generations, but the things that we doing, here are the policies. Who can consensus-driven? Clearly that’s not know and have known for the last match us?” And we could be selling our where we are today. — Nixon 400-500 years are going to change, technologies and know-how in ways whether we cause that change or that really help developing countries, We face constant challenges when it whether the planet makes that change like China, rapidly reduce emissions comes to how open to the world we’re happen. We’re seeing it already: pests without the huge expense of closing all prepared to be on issues such as im- are moving north, the country is their coal plants. — Jaccard migration, trade, investment. Canada warming. I really want to know where talks about being internationalist, and we will land. — Merchant If we’re going to pursue the oil sands many people identify with that aspect business, we need to learn from our of our history. The question is, when The discussion of the economy versus past mistakes and demonstrate that you’re looking at a particular issue, the environment. We’re never going we can be good stewards of this com- say freer trade with Europe or the to create innovation if we polarize plex resource that we’ve inherited by Trans-Pacifc Partnership, you’ve got ourselves on these two issues. Why chance. The activity is going to happen; to decide: are you going to take a bit can’t we both add value to our indus- as long as oil is higher than about $50 of a gamble, engage with the world, tries and take greater responsibility a barrel, the extraction will continue. risk a few losses for the sake of the for managing our natural resources? We need to orient ourselves single- gains? Or are you going to hold back, — Verschuren mindedly to making it cheaper, cleaner, avoid risks, and try to keep things the greener, faster, and safer, and then we way they are? Those choices matter. I worry about Canada’s north. Geo- need to apply that intellectual property They add up. And they lead down two graphically, most of Canada is a huge, to other environmental challenges and totally diferent paths. — Robson sparsely populated mass of land and industrial processes around the world. water penetrating the Arctic, at the That should be our next nation-build- We have to make some hard decisions front line of climate change. Gradually, ing project—create long-term value about who we are going to be and what attention is shifting to northern issues out of this one-time beneft. — Iveson we’re going to do in the world. We and concerns. But the challenge of the are a small country and we cannot do north will be akin to the challenge of At the same time, it is frustrating that everything. In the attempt, we weaken developing early Canada. It will require the industry gets a bad rap and is not our impact everywhere we go. We have enormous investments with very long recognized for its achievements. In to have this debate, and in the process, “payback.” Issues around sovereignty fact, the people who spend the most we will make Canadians proud instead and security will be paramount. As- time beating up Canadians are Canadi- of angry. — Stein sessments and potential impacts will ans. However, because of our regula- require intense discipline and focus. tory standards, rule of law, and the way A couple of years ago, I had a conversa- The costs of mistakes will be high, but we operate, Canada is one of the top tion with an elderly European diplomat the cost of neglect higher. Sir John A. fve energy-producing countries in the during the United Nations climate talks Macdonald must be turning in his grave. world. It does not make sense that a in South Africa. With tears in his eyes, — Emerson lot of efort and money is going into di- he said to me, “I’ve been a diplomat minishing our role. If you want to make for 35 years, and for many of the issues As a global citizen, Canada can have the world a better place, why would that I have worked on, my partners more weight than we may realize. you want to shut down one of the top were the Canadians. This has changed. Back in World War II, we declared war producers? — Tertzakian I don’t understand, what’s happen- on Nazi Germany before the Soviet ing to Canada?” It was this visceral Union and the Americans did. We moment when I thought, I want to showed real leadership. Of course, What role we need to be proud of Canada again. We’re the leadership isn’t just about joining some play in the world country that helped heal the hole in the military expedition; it’s about setting ozone layer. We need to decide if we’re an example. Similarly, Canada could We live in a global economy, and as going to be the people who lead the play a leadership role on issues such as a country we need to fgure out how world on sustainability and social jus- carbon capture. In 2005-2008, there we want to position ourselves in the tice and other intransigent problems. was a real push for Canada to become world. Canada’s position today is very — Berman a world leader in carbon capture and diferent from what it was 15 years ago.

33 How to step up our capacity been talked about. Let’s stop talking about experiments and start commit- to take risks and innovate ting to new approaches to problem solving. If we can’t do that, we should We’re the frst generation that knows just commit to being a country that things are probably going to get worse. follows. — Ebrahim Sure, we can make it slightly less bad, but even if we stopped pulling any fos- For Canada to be on a positive trajec- sil fuels out of the ground tomorrow, tory in the future, our systems would there would be irreversible climate need to become more porous and change that would impact how we live. more responsive to emerging ideas We’re trying to fgure out what to do and disruptions. Right now, it seems about it. If we can build solutions in a like the existing structures don’t have way that changes the way things have the capacity to metabolize good ideas been done and that challenges power and new narratives, even if we were to dynamics, then we might come out of come up with them. — Glencross this even stronger. — Possian We are a rules-bound society. We don’t We have the opportunity to assert like to take too much risk. Peace, order, ourselves—to rebrand ourselves— good governance: that’s us. Not tak- as a bigger power in light of what’s ing risks means surrounding yourself happening in the world. There will with the same old ideas and the same be 9 billion people to feed by 2050, old people that refect those ideas. and we’ve got some of the strongest Research shows that if you want to agricultural policies. During the 2008 produce the same rigid thinking, your world fnancial crisis, we showed our team should be homogenous. How- fnancial prowess, and we continue to ever, if you want to create something be a leader in our taxation and bank- new, diferent, crazy, then you should ing systems, our stability, and our rel- ensure that your team is made up of atively low unemployment rate when people who are radically diferent from compared to other nations. But do you. It may create measured confict we export enough of that knowledge? and chaos, but it will result in creativity, No! Do we showcase enough just how and we need creativity. — Omidvar awesome we are? No! It’s called the “Tall Poppy Syndrome”—we don’t Up till now, Canada has been a society want to stand out by being the tallest that’s comparatively open to innova- poppy in the feld, so when Canadi- tion. We’re quite comfortable with ans do amazing things, we won’t take people coming in and doing things credit for them. I’d like to see us be diferently. Any individual instance of more patriotic, but until the world ap- established interests trying to shut plauds us, we don’t applaud ourselves. down something new or keep out a Humility is nice, but not when it holds competitor may not seem critical. you back. — Mohamed But it’s part of a larger battle: what is versus what could be. As a society, we We have to decide what kind of want the people who are trying to do country we want to be. There’s lots of something new and diferent to win investment right now in innovation in more than they lose. — Robson the public service and other sectors, and that investment is going to dry up if we don’t commit to implement- ing some of the great ideas that have

34 “Let’s stop talking about experiments and start committing to new approaches to problem solving.” — Zahra Ebrahim

35 LENS 8 8What Would It Take for Us to Succeed in Creating a Good Future?

Have the courage to acknowledge our challenges

People with vision, intellect, wis- will do the heavy lifting, not for dom, and stamina must decide to self-serving reasons but for pride step out of their comfort zones and of country and belief in our re- dedicate themselves to persuad- sponsibility to future generations. ing their fellow citizens that we If people with unusual talents don’t have a lot of hard work to do. We step up, and if Canadians don’t will have controversy, and perhaps ofer support when they do, the short-term sacrifce, but Canadians negative scenario will become the will have to embrace leaders who base case.. — Emerson

36 The primary forces of change today sole owners of a power that, they said, open to new ideas and be able to hear are not Canadian; they’re global. came straight down from God, to the diverse points of view from people Canada thrives or is less successful rise of democracy with power coming from diferent backgrounds, experi- depending on how well it understands from the people. This proves that it ences, and cultures. — Fortier the world around it. When it under- is possible for humanity to overcome stands it, it does quite well. When it barbarism. We are, however, in the If we fail to make the changes we need doesn’t understand it, it does poorly…. process of recreating the aristocratic to, it won’t be because the solutions We also need to create a context where elites that monopolize power. Fortu- aren’t there or because they aren’t today’s important issues permeate nately, we have a strong sense of the economically viable. It will be because public discourse. Pick up fve newspa- past, and we are capable of turning we didn’t believe we could do it and pers and listen to fve radio stations to- trends around. This is why I do not lose didn’t mobilize enough people from all day, and they’re not going to deal with sleep. But we need to persevere, and the sectors of our society to make it these issues. Do the same sampling in from time to time, we need to get mad. happen. — Guilbeault Singapore or Sweden, and they would. — Venne — Lynch I have been refecting on how we might be working together in the future to We can’t sleepwalk into the future; we Engage and act in address environment or social chal- need to clearly grasp where we’re not partnership to address lenges. The metaphor is inspired by happy with the direction we’re heading Tour de France-type road cycling, and use our collective will to make a these challenges which is intensely competitive, with change in course. The race is on be- many diverse teams and riders and tween what we can do by intentionality We aren’t contributing inside our strategies, and is also deeply collab- and will, and what the forces at work in country and outside to the world to orative. Free riders are not tolerated. Canadian society will do if there is no the extent of our potential. Being Everyone has to do their part. Trust intervention. — Reid social democrats, we tend to defer too has to be very high. The purpose is much, partly out of a sense of respect to accelerate progress to achieve a With a four-year election cycle, politi- but also out of a kind of passivity that defned outcome. Can we create such cians campaign and paint a nice, beau- says, “Let’s wait until we get guidance.” “pelotons” to mobilize joint eforts tiful picture, but they’re not telling the The way we can do better is by taking and talents to achieve our big, bold, entire story. When they get in power, responsibility for what Canada is to positive outcomes? — Lambert they realize they have to make tough become. We have to remind ourselves decisions. Then people aren’t happy that it’s not going to come from gov- If we put our faith in people and in- because the politicians aren’t doing ernment and it’s not going to come clude them more often in deliberations what they promised. When we vote for from elsewhere: Canada will be what and decisions between elections—and people, we have to have the courage we make it. — Ménard not just for these single events—Cana- to let them do what they have to do da would get back on the path towards and not succumb to the pressure to do Our society has continued in a dynamic being a vibrant, successful, sustainable, what is popular. — Pereša of dominators and dominated, where progressive country. The way forward we consider that we have nothing to is through processes that bring citi- We’ve had spectacular moments when learn from First Nations people. We zens into conversation with each other, we should have stopped and said, think we only have to help them. But especially around important, complex “Wow, this is really bad.” We have to there is nobody who helps anybody issues. — Graham keep taking these moments and being else. Each of us has something to learn political about them, organizing about or share with others, regardless of our We need to develop a symbolic life that them, educating around them, expos- social position. We cannot build the is strong enough to give Canadians ing them. We need to say to White Canada of the future without all a sense of belonging and possibility, people, “I don’t want you to help me. I Canadians. Creating a truly inclusive and at the same time communicate want you to understand that your life dialogue means all of us positioning our values to the rest of the world. will be really bad if things continue as ourselves as learners, rather than as It’s easy right now to live anywhere in they are.” If you want to live behind masters downloading our knowledge the world and be connected through barricades and have guns and shoot to others. — Duguay screens and live in a virtual world that down everybody who confronts you, if has nothing to do with a sense of place. you think that’s a good life, then you’re The Governor General called for us But I still believe that by living together not going to see the common cause. to create a smart and caring nation. in communities and sharing institu- But you cannot live enjoyably, let alone That’s a good intersection: we need tions, values, and a political system, ethically, in a society where such bad people with aspirations and ambi- we will be able to generate a single things are happening to others. tions who want to put their talent and symbolic space where we meet, ex- — Razack eforts towards bettering both them- change, dream, and imagine the future. selves and the community. To make the — Brault In 400 years of human civilization, we necessary leaps in terms of knowledge went from a time when kings were the and creativity, our leaders must be 37 Part 2:

52 INTERVIEWS

38 39 → Jeannette Armstrong, Canada Research Chair in Jeannette Okanagan Indigenous Knowledge and Philosophy at the University of British Columbia, was interviewed Armstrong on on November 7, 2014 by Elizabeth Pinnington

MOVING BEYOND Colonialist Understandings: “Re-indigenizing means becoming responsible to the location that you’re in.”

PINNINGTON ARMSTRONG

What is it about I’m Indigenous, and I’m Indigenous really afected the way that I feel about to this part of Canada, to the Plateau those injustices that haven’t been your story that tribal areas, and Interior Salish. So ONE reconciled. informs the OF THE THINGS THAT INFORMS MY PERSPECTIVE IS THAT FOR ME, THIS Reconciliation isn’t just about hearing perspectives that ISN’T CANADA: THIS IS SYILX the truth, it’s about acting on the truth, to make changes and to reconcile you have and the TERRITORY. And it has been Syilx territory since at least the post-glacial some of the really serious injustices work that you period, according to all the research that are still happening and still pres- that has been done by linguists and ent (economic injustice for instance). do today? archaeologists. One culture, here on Government proclamations continue this land. to look at our lands as lands to be taken, resources to be taken—and continue So that history informs how I see the to not look at the truth. We have legally settlement of Canada. When I was in occupied those lands for thousands of high school and university, for instance, years and have the right to participate we all studied the history of Canada. in decisions about those lands, whether I realized that the local history here the decisions are about development was really skewed in terms of what was or protection. So those are some of presented in the textbooks. What was the issues that are still outstanding in presented made early settlement really terms of how Canada can think about positive and watered down to be more its 150 years of being. palatable for the Settler society. That

So what does Reconciliation isn’t about Canada’s So I look at this 150th anniversary and I view about it; it’s about the Indigenous think, “If it’s an anniversary, then who reconciliation peoples’ view about it. got married here?” Partnership with involve? Indigenous peoples is necessary to bet- I think society will be better for that, ter the situation that currently exists in and I think Canadian people are to a Indigenous peoples’ communities right large extent willing to do that if they’re across this country. informed about it. I have a lot of opti- mism that peoples in Canada are in a For instance, how we defne Indigene- position to take the high road and be a ity itself might inform how we need model for the rest of the world in rela- to look at climate change. Indigenous tion to that. people have survived these 150 years. Like George Manuel and other 40 leaders have said in the past, we were of Canada, that’s not to the detriment not meant to survive: we were meant of Canada. Finding a way to survive has to be totally assimilated and be like the provided us with strengths, with tools, rest of the Settler populations. Yet we and with a better understanding of how have survived within our identities, and we might be partners in this country. we will continue to survive within our identities, and that’s to the betterment

If you could ask a Has Canada moved away from its colo- The other part I would ask is, how nialist understanding of who Canada is? well are we doing aligning with other clairvoyant three Has it indigenized itself to the reality nations of the world that are much questions about the of this country and not to an old further ahead than Canada in looking at European construct of domination deeper issues that relate to Indigenous future of Canada, and governance? knowledge and Indigenous peoples? what would you So with the example of climate change, Another question I would have is, has are we really indigenizing ourselves to want to ask? Canada taken a strong position in terms that area, and looking at how education of working with its Indigenous partners systems and media systems might sup- to reconcile some of the issues that port that? What I mean is that very, very deep down are afecting all of society? few people in any locality understand For example, policies that create minori- anything about their environment, ties or the idea that there are minorities. their watershed, their local indigenous Really that’s just a construct. This con- fauna and fora, and yet they are casting struct creates ethnicities and the idea ballots to make decisions about those that there are minorities. Really those things. So re-indigenizing doesn’t mean don’t exist; we’re human beings that live turning people into Indians or what- in diferent parts of this country that ever; it means becoming responsible require diferent ways and mechanisms to the location that you’re in from a by which we can cooperate locally in knowledgeable point of view in making terms of our environment, our econom- decisions that afect every one of us. ic needs, and our social requirements. There are no minorities in that.

“So I look at this 150th anniversary and I think, ‘If it’s an anniversary, then who got married here?’”

If things turn out There would be some changes in how partnering and protection for the things resources are thought about: not as that are required for the next seven well over the next resources that are to be extracted by generations. If in the 20 years the legal 20 years, what will foreign corporations, but as resources landscape has opened some doors that are part of that landscape and the and has moved towards real, balanced have happened? people who live there. To a large degree, partnering with Indigenous people, then that is informed through Indigenous that will be a huge move forward.

41 → Scott Baker, StudioY Fellow at MaRS Discovery District; Jonathan Glencross, Consultant at Purpose Capital; Humera Jabir, Law Student at McGill University; Chris Scott Baker, Jonathan Glencross, Humera Penrose, Executive Director of Success Beyond Limits; and Amara Possian, Campaign Manager at Leadnow.ca, Jabir, Chris Penrose, and Amara Possian on were interviewed on September 1, 2014 by Adam Kahane

COMMUNITY: “The places I fnd most inspiring and energizing are those where there are young people.”

KAHANE GLENCROSS

What keeps you I’m particularly concerned about That makes it easy to disengage. At the people’s inability to imagine an entirely same time, our social movements are up at night? diferent future, as individuals but also fragmented. We agree on 99% of the as a country. Some of my most con- things, we acknowledge that we’re up nected and engaged friends spend a lot against systemic forces, but sometimes of time defending their current activi- it seems as if we’re never going to be ties against the narrative that was given able to work together. We might share to them when they were younger: go to goals, but we don’t necessarily have the school, get a good job, work hard, start collective capacity to act. a family, settle somewhere nice, and be able to tell a simple story about what JABIR you do. This preoccupation prevents I come from an immigrant background, them from dreaming about new modes and my city, Toronto, is now a majority of operating. immigrant city. That has framed my

POSSIAN understanding of people who consider themselves on the margins or aren’t I think a lot about the inability of our part of the mainstream political discus- political candidates to provide compel- sion. I’m very concerned about inequal- ling visions for the future. The places I ity and who gets left behind in the way fnd most inspiring and energizing are we move forward. When social services those where there are young people are cut, when youth unemployment having conversations about what the isn’t addressed, when debt is put on the future could look like. But we’re not the backs of young people—these actions ones with power. The political sys- limit people’s future prosperity and tem—where formal decision-making their ability to have a voice and partici- power is held—seems like a barrier. pate equally in society.

If things turn out PENROSE POSSIAN badly in 20 years, what We didn’t change direction. We contin- Somewhere along the way, we lost ued to rely on things that compromise confdence in our vision. We’re in a would have happened? our environment. The same type of situation right now where ONE PART people ended up making decisions and OF SOCIETY HAS BEEN SUCCESS- serving in public ofce. We fell behind FUL AT MAKING IRRELEVANT ISSUES in building the infrastructure we need. IMPORTANT TO THE MAJORITY OF We continued to operate from a THE PUBLIC. IF THAT TREND CON- narrative of scarcity, which ended up TINUED, MANY OF US WOULD FEEL hurting the people who are most af- SO POWERLESS THAT WE WOULD 42 fected by social inequities. COMPLETELY RETREAT. JABIR continue on the trajectory of disman- tling many of our social structures and Our leaders didn’t recognize the value welfare supports, and making drastic in everyone moving together, including changes in our laws, we might create those who are less wealthy and less the sort of entrenched inequality that powerful. That’s a risky way to go. If we we see in the US and the UK.

If things turn out GLENCROSS JABIR well, what would For Canada to be on a positive trajec- We would be committed to working to- tory in the future, our systems would gether to achieve one national project. that story be and need to become more porous and Finland has been successful by focus- how would it more responsive to emerging ideas ing on building one of the world’s best and disruptions. Right now, it seems education systems. It’s impossible to come about? like the existing structures don’t have solve everything, but if there was one the capacity to metabolize good ideas thing we could strive to be excellent at, and new narratives, even if we were to that would give us some motivation. come up with them.

“Maybe we’re just more attuned to barriers than an older generation who may have already found their way. There is a strong sense of anxiety among my generation”

What I notice from the JABIR and worse and worse in most regards. We’ve also grown to understand the conversation so far is how Maybe we’re just more attuned to bar- world as incredibly fast moving and un- riers than an older generation who may much more despairing predictable, and so in face of terrifying have already found their way. There challenges, we have this faith that things your initial comments is a strong sense of anxiety among my tomorrow might be very diferent than generation. You see that in terms of they are today. That’s what keeps driving have been than those the number of people who seek mental me despite a lot of pessimism made by many of the oth- health counselling in universities and those who are stressed about fnding POSSIAN er interviewees. I wonder jobs. Many people in the 20- to 30-year- old range don’t know what their next We’re the frst generation that knows whether your position step is or how they’re going to get to things are probably going to get worse. where they want to go. Sure, we can make it slightly less bad, as young leaders enables but even if we stopped pulling any fos- you to see something that BAKER sil fuels out of the ground tomorrow, there would be irreversible climate older people are missing. It’s easy for me to describe the worst- change that would impact how we live. case scenario and difcult for me to We’re trying to fgure out what to do describe the fantastic scenario and about it. If we can build solutions in a how we get there. That’s probably way that changes the way things have very millennial. From the moment we been done and that challenges power started being curious about the world, dynamics, then we might come out of we learned that things are getting worse this even stronger.

What energizes you? JABIR One of the biggest things we struggle with is the great loneliness that many As much as we talk about the policy people feel. As we become more and changes and higher-level things that more isolated, we lose the ground for are needed, at the base of it all, we start anything that we want to do. I want to in families and in communities. If those bring people together, because without things aren’t strong, then movement that, the rest of it really isn’t possible. building and activism isn’t possible.

43 Jim → Jim Balsillie, Co-Founder of RIM/BlackBerry, was interviewed on September 22, 2014 Balsillie on by Monica Pohlmann

COMMERCIALIZING Our Ideas: “With all our creativity and smart, hard-working people, why aren’t we more successful?”

POHLMANN BALSILLIE

What concerns you Let me frst say I’m bullish on Canada’s We got a lot of the macroeconomic prospects for the future. We have elements right, such as our stable about Canada? strong fundamentals and a creative banking, monetary, and government workforce. But I’m concerned about fscal systems. We invested generously Canada’s prosperity, specifcally how in all of the right microeconomic areas we commercialize our ideas globally. In like tax incentives, granting programs, the past 32 years, growth in Canada’s and R&D funding, and so the issue is multi-factor productivity (a measure not more government money. The of how we commercialize our ideas) question we must ask ourselves is, why has been zero. Yet during that same aren’t these micro inputs creating the timeframe in the US, their multi-factor macro outputs for us when our overall productivity soared. You can pay for a system is so stable? lot of social services, hospitals, schools, and transit systems with that kind of THE CRITICAL CHALLENGE AND OP- prosperity. As a country, with all our PORTUNITY FOR CANADIAN POLICY- creativity and smart, hard-working MAKERS AND BUSINESS LEADERS IS people, why aren’t we more successful TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DIF- in commercializing our ideas? FERENCES BETWEEN THE ECOSYS- TEM FOR A RESOURCE ECONOMY In Canada, over the past century we AND THE ECOSYSTEM FOR AN IN- largely got the ecosystem right for a NOVATION ECONOMY, AND THEN resource economy and continue to ENSURE THAT ALL THESE GAPS ARE prosper because of it. This ecosystem ADDRESSED. Once this is achieved, includes physical elements like roads I am certain our commercialization and pipelines, geopolitical elements performance will start rising as we have like market access and investment pro- always expected given our levels of tection, universities that appropriately investment and world-class skills. educated students and researched key areas, courts that fairly addressed domestic commercial issues, and pub- lic sector-private sector structures to address the important issues of various time horizons.

44 What important We need to reorient both our domestic need a strategy to advance it, industrial and our geopolitical engagements to programs need to encourage it, and decisions will Canada ideas commercialization, particularly public sector-private sector structures have to make in these in the complex, predatory, and evolving need to ensure it’s addressed on a realm of intellectual property rights priority basis. areas of ecosystem management. Ownership and com- mercialization of intangible ideas is Commercialization is where the inno- gaps to create an very diferent than for tangible natural vation game is won or lost: it’s where innovation economy? resources. Sophisticated capacity here you get paid for your ideas. When you will increasingly be needed as new get paid for ideas—otherwise called emerging economies seek to also ad- transferring intellectual property vance their national innovation cham- rights—then you get multi-factor pions and as various carbon-pricing productivity, you get prosperity and regimes are inserted into global trade. wealth, and you can spend it wherever The academy needs to research it, our you wish. schools need to teach it, the courts

“If Canadians want to win, Canadians know how to do it.”

What important When Canada hosted the Olympics in Vancouver Olympics by winning 15 gold Montreal and then again in Calgary, we medals—the most of any country in lessons can we learn didn’t win any gold medals as a nation. the world. These results thrilled and from the past? We were deeply unsatisfed with our inspired our entire nation. It teaches us national performance. To our credit, we what an ambitious, orderly, and system- didn’t rationalize our results by saying, ic approach can do. These are nation- “That’s okay, gold medals don’t matter.” building exercises, and they prove that if Instead we created and funded a coher- Canadians want to win, Canadians know ent program called “Own The Podium” how to do it. and realized its ambitious goal at the

45 Tzeporah → Tzeporah Berman, Author and Environmental Activist, was interviewed on September 5, 2014 Berman on by Monica Pohlmann

RESISTING Climate Change: “Oil is corroding our pipelines and it’s corroding our democracy.”

POHLMANN BERMAN

What is it about Canada is now doing less on climate EVERY DAY, POLLUTION IN CANADA change and has a weaker regulatory IS GOING UP INSTEAD OF GOING your story that system to address environmental DOWN. Our national trajectory is the informs the threats than any other industrialized opposite of what it should be, and we’re country. In the last two years, dozens out of step with most of the internation- perspectives that of laws that protect our air, water, al community. Emissions in the US are going down, and they are dramatically you have and the and biodiversity have been gutted or removed. The Fisheries Act no longer increasing their spending on renewable work that you ofers habitat protection, that is, we energy. We are not. Our government protect fsh but not where they live. refuses to talk about climate change and do today? The Water Act no longer protects the has systematically shut down much of water. These changes were made to re- the climate science in the country. It’s move impediments to the expansion of not just that we’re not acting on climate oil and gas exploration. The oil and gas change; we don’t even have a process to sectors are having an unprecedented have a conversation about it right now. infuence on the development of policy at a time when protecting the environ- Democracy only thrives if you have ment is crucial to the future stability of transparency, information, and par- our economy and our climate. ticipation. All three of those things are being restricted right now in Canada. We’re living at a tipping point. In the The public’s ability to participate in the last two years, global investment in decisions that afect our future has renewable energy technologies has been dramatically limited. If you want exceeded everyone’s wildest dreams. to speak or send a letter to the National But we are banking our economic Energy Board on an issue, you have to future on oil and gas resources that fll out an 11-page form and be approved. are going to become stranded assets, During regulatory reviews, citizens and and so we will be behind the eight- experts are not allowed to talk about the ball in developing economic options. impact of proposed projects on climate Our economic stability in the future is change. These draconian restrictions directly linked to our capacity to limit make approvals much easier for indus- fossil fuel development now. For every try. What we’re seeing in Canada is that dollar we spend today on developing oil corrodes: it’s corroding our pipelines fossil fuel, we will spend four dollars and it’s corroding our democracy. in 2020 on dealing with the results of climate change, including extreme weather, foods, and immigration.

46 What energizes you? The increasing role that First Nations waking people up to the climate and are playing in the public dialogue on health implications of diferent policies. a range of issues. Many First Nations The best antidote for fear or depression communities and leaders are tired is engagement, and we’re seeing that in of not being listened to and of having spades across the country. When I start- these oil and gas projects pushed on ed running campaigns, the focus was on them. First Nations are fghting for how many people you could get around their traditional territories, for their your kitchen table. Now I’m meeting traditional way of life, and, as one of the young organizers who can connect to chiefs said to me earlier this summer, in tens of thousands of people in seconds. many ways for their lives. They have an enormous amount of in- formation at their fngertips, and they’re In their advertising, the oil companies connected in ways we never imagined say the pipelines are nation-building possible. That changes the impact we as projects. But what they are building is a individuals and as groups can have. nation of resistance. They are connect- ing people across constituencies and

If things have turned A dramatic increase in forest fres and lose their homes as a result of sea-level beetle infestations will destroy the ma- rise. A much larger population will strain out badly in 20 years, jority of our intact boreal forests. We’ll the capacity of our cities, which will what would Canada be dealing with dramatic immigration also be under extreme pressure due to from all over the world, but predomi- fooding and extreme weather. Food look like? nantly from Southeast Asia and Central prices for most crops will be triple to Africa. Within the next 20 years, 30% quadruple what they are today. of the population of Southeast Asia will

“Democracy only thrives if you have transparency, information, and participation. All three of those things are being restricted right now in Canada.”

If things have gone A high-speed rail network will connect We’ll see a rise in the generation of tidal major corridors across the country. energy on both coasts and of geo-ther- well over the next There will be a dramatic increase in mal energy, especially out of Alberta. 20 years, what will public transit, cycling, and walking and a More households will produce their own dramatic decrease in the number of cars energy and feed that energy back to the Canada look like? in urban centres. More companies like grid. All of that will mean a democratiza- Facebook will move to Canada and build tion of energy and of the economy: if no their data centres here. Canada will one owns the inputs and everyone can make a big investment in renewable en- generate the energy to fuel society, that ergy resources and in the capacity to ex- changes who holds power. port clean energy to the United States.

What important The 2015 election: I think it is going to understand, what’s happening to Can- change the face of Canada. A couple of ada?” It was this visceral moment when decisions are coming years ago, I had a conversation with an I thought, I want to be proud of Canada up for Canada? elderly European diplomat during the again. We’re the country that helped United Nations climate talks in South heal the hole in the ozone layer. We need Africa. With tears in his eyes, he said to to decide if we’re going to be the people me, “I’ve been a diplomat for 35 years, who lead the world on sustainability and for many of the issues that I have and social justice and other intransigent worked on, my partners were the Cana- problems. I think we are. dians. This has changed. I don’t 47 John → John Borrows, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Victoria Law School, was interviewed Borrows on on September 2, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

INDIGENOUS Legal Traditions: “We’ve unfortunately taken a perspective that treaties were merely real-estate transactions.”

POHLMANN BORROWS

What concerns you We have two legal systems, one from Canada as a whole. It could be exciting France and one from England, and yet to learn what the Salish legal tradition about Canada? we don’t sufciently recognize the says related to fracking or pipelines, ones that originated here. The tradi- or whatever the local issue might be. tions that came from France and Eng- Maybe the answer is not totally in the land have sometimes served us well, Salish Law and not totally in the Com- but they’ve also left gaps and further mon Law, but when you put the two questions that aren’t being solved. I’m together—that’s powerful! There’s convinced that Canada can be enriched something in the fowing together by Indigenous peoples’ legal tradi- that gives you a new insight. Just as we tions. I would love to see Salish, Cree, have diferent forms of art, Indigenous Blackfoot, Inuit, and Mi’kmaq legal peoples have diferent forms of law. perspectives and traditions form a part We need to explore how we can take of our standards for judgment, not just that law and carve it in new and within Indigenous communities but for beautiful ways.

If you could ask a Can we revitalize Indigenous languag- want to speak Salish!” There are hand- es? Many of them are close to extinc- fuls of Salish speakers by frst language, clairvoyant about tion, and it’s hard to sustain the others, but now there are a growing number of the future of Canada, even if they are on a stronger foot- second-language learners. ing—like Inuit, Ojibwe, and Cree. Part what would you want of the reason for this trend is that 50% I’VE BEEN LEARNING OJIBWE FOR to know? of Native people are married to non- A FEW YEARS. WHEN I LEARN THAT Native people. About 60% of Aboriginal LANGUAGE, I GAIN OTHER WAYS OF peoples live in urban areas now; there LOOKING AT THE WORLD. In Algon- are so many English-language media quian language, the world is divided infuences in the rising generation. between things that are living and things that not living. In Ojibwe, rocks The good news is there are many and trees actually have life forces; you second-language learners of Indige- would address them as you would a nous languages. They grow up speaking person. You have a diferent relation- English, but they’re Salish and decide, “I ship to the world.

48 What keeps you We’re failing the youth of Canada, that they can make a diference and to Indigenous youth in particular, by help them identify what their gifts and up at night? fghting about ideology and not fnd- contributions might be. It is exciting, ing ways to get people basic skills. Even though, that students are asking ques- now, only 35% of the kids on reserves tions. They’re not just letting it be. are graduating high school. Only 4% on reserves have post-secondary educa- I travelled a lot around Ontario this tion. We’ve lost generations of young past summer to the diferent reserves, people to residential school, to child and I heard from elders, “There used welfare, to the prison system, to drugs, to be a lot of oak and maple in this for- to dropping out of school. The loss of est, and it’s no longer there. We’re no human potential is staggering. longer seeing the kinds of birds and insects and fsh that were once promi- In teaching young people, I often sense a nent here.” After hearing from them, loss of hope or cynicism about what the I’m worried about the environment and future holds, about what they can do in about losing diversity in our ecosystem. the world. I try to encourage them to see

“We chose the path of persuasion, not force. To me, that’s the foundation of Canada.”

If in 20 years things We failed to cultivate a healthy way towards thinking in broader “why are of addressing, for a lack of a better we here” ways. We failed to create a have not gone well, word, spirituality. We weren’t atten- diferent relationship with our environ- what’s happened? tive enough to the non-physical way of ment. We were more tuned into national being in the world and to questions of and international energy fows and not community and connection. We should attentive enough to the local energies have had conversations that would and the way they were being harmed or have pulled us beyond the moment and could’ve been better harnessed?

What are important This is the 250th year of the Treaty of We chose the path of persuasion, not Niagara. In 1764, 2000 Native people force. To me, that’s the foundation of examples from the representing 24 diferent nations met Canada. Why didn’t we celebrate it? past where Canada with the head ofcial in British North We’ve unfortunately taken a per- America, Sir William Johnson, to enter spective that treaties were merely succeeded in realizing into a treaty of peace, friendship, and real-estate transactions. In taking that its potential? respect. This was after the Seven view, we’ve lost a part of who we are as Years’ War. Together, they said, this is a nation. We failed to see our nation as what Canada is going to look like. We rooted in a higher aspiration. could’ve kept fghting, but we didn’t.

49 Simon → Simon Brault, Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts, was interviewed on Brault on November 5, 2014 by Brenna Atnikov

REINVENTING Ourselves: “Canada should renounce the idea of one interpretation or an ofcial story.”

ATNIKOV BRAULT

How has your For more than 25 years, I have been and decode the state of the world and preoccupied by ways in which we can to point us in a direction of hope. To be personal story revitalize cities. To me, arts and culture relevant, art needs to have some kind shaped your are essential components of any jour- of social impact. I profoundly believe ney to empower people and for com- that art and culture are components perspective? munities to reinvent themselves. We of freedom, of emancipation, of taking need artists to interpret, comment on, charge of our destinies.

What’s got your Our country is increasingly divided, industries, and quotas for Canadian politically and ideologically. We need to content to develop that cultural space. attention right now? fnd themes, questions, and preoccu- What I see as the challenge and op- pations that go beyond those divides portunity right now is that this notion and to debate ideas based on their of a Canadian cultural space has to be merit and not on who expressed them. revisited, questioned, and challenged. We still believe we need experts to fx A huge number of assumptions that things. But expertise is not enough; we were at the foundation of our cultural need a broader view and understand- spaces, policies, and tools 50 years ing of the challenges and potential solu- ago—such as the notions of national tions. Canada must see its thinkers and borders, controlled airwaves, a certain artists and philosophers and research- hierarchy of cultural tastes and prefer- ers as people who have practical con- ences, the undervaluing of the impor- tributions to make to solving problems. tance of the Aboriginal question—are vanishing. What I fnd most compelling This work happens in our cultural right now is opening possibilities for spaces. Sixty years ago, the notion of reinvention and reimagination of what developing that space in Canada was could be. It’s time to invite people who informed by the idea of a national have been excluded from the conversa- identity that would be diferent and tion about arts and culture to imagine separated from the American one. how we could build a new and trusted We developed a set of rules, cultural cultural space together.

50 If you could ask a HOW WILL WE PRACTICE DEMOC- sion will have more and more difculty RACY OVER THE NEXT DECADES? performing well on any indicators. clairvoyant anything DEMOCRACY—AND FREEDOM OF about the future, SPEECH, EXPRESSION, AND CRE- What will be the future of our symbolic ATION—REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST life—the music, images, movement, and what would you POWERFUL ENGINES TO DEVELOP A narratives that we build? What will be the COUNTRY. Canada should renounce want to know? role of artists, who are the makers and the idea of one interpretation or an interpreters and proposers of symbols? ofcial story. We need to keep alive a In society right now, we cannot ignore democratic and open discussion about some attempts to control our symbolic how we see the past and the future. life and to instrumentalize it for com- mercial or other purposes. We need to Have we found ways to avoid isolation? develop a symbolic life that is strong I’m concerned by the fact that a lot of enough to give Canadians a sense of be- people feel lonely and are disconnected longing and possibility, and at the same or marginalized. I don’t think this was as time communicate our values to the rest much the case years ago. The divide be- of the world. It’s easy right now to live tween people who are in the system and anywhere in the world and be connected people who are out is deeper and more through screens and live in a virtual brutal than before. It has to do with pov- world that has nothing to do with a sense erty, education, and language. Arts and of place. But I still believe that by living culture have a role to play in advancing together in communities and sharing in- the ideal of a more inclusive society. The stitutions, values, and a political system, countries that succeed in being more we will be able to generate a single sym- inclusive will have a better future. The bolic space where we meet, exchange, ones that continue to invest in exclu- dream, and imagine the future.

“Our country is increasingly divided, politically and ideologically.”

As compared to a Canadian Today, the architecture, the trafc Because we don’t live in an infnite city today, if I were to zoom fow, the organization in cities is done world, neighbourhoods would be orga- to facilitate driving in cars, buying, and nized in a holistic way around sharing, in on a Canadian city in 20 consuming. There aren’t enough meet- preserving, and safekeeping knowl- years and it has a particularly ing spaces, not enough places where edge and commodities. Meeting places vibrant symbolic life, what people can exchange ideas, share, and would be attractive, even in the poor- would I see? help each other. In the Canadian city of est neighbourhoods. People would be the future, I would hope humans would connected and feel supported be front and centre of everything.

What important lessons What interests me the most is how we We also need to think much more glob- from the past can we draw recovered from diferent crises. Resil- ally than we are. We have a lot of regu- ience is the ability to go back to a state lations and protectionist ways of think- upon to inform how we of relative harmony and happiness ing. The best way to protect something should operate in the future? after some kind of upheaval, whether is not to put it in a safe and close the in a neighbourhood, industry, sector, door; it is to share it. Every time we or part of the country. We can dig into think about something, we need to our past to fnd out what individuals, fgure out if it is not only a proposal for proposals, and ideas served as catalysts the country, but also one that we want of resilience and learn from those. to share with the rest of the world.

51 Pat → Pat Carney, Senator Emeritus, was interviewed Carney on on October 7, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

CHALLENGES of Migration: “We have survived strains that have broken other countries’ hearts.”

POHLMANN CARNEY

What keeps you Canada is a young country, built since in Vancouver. Much of the new housing Aboriginal times on waves of immigra- is marketed to ofshore residents who up at night? tion. My own grandmother, Bridgit live in Canada part time, if at all. If you Casey, was born in Canada West fve have a foating migrant population, years before Confederation cre- the essential structure of community ated Canada in 1867, the child of Irish commitment and connections may be immigrants who were committed to weakened. That’s refected in the wan- developing the land and putting down ing volunteer base and support for the roots for their families. arts afecting some communities.

For centuries people came here Other countries such as Switzerland because Canada was a frontier; there and Japan have tackled this challenge was a new world to explore, with new by taxing non-residents or making it opportunities to make a better life. impossible for them to buy property. In Canada became a sanctuary for people Canada, because we need immigrants seeking freedom from oppression and to grow our economy, we don’t have poverty at home. These new Canadi- those kind of controls. ans relied on communal support for clearing land, raising barns, building The waves of migration that built communities. And they introduced Canada have often put a strain on the new customs, art, and culture into the existing community fabric. During Canadian mosaic. Cultural diversity Canada’s frst 147 years, many immi- became the new norm. grants still considered other countries as their “homeland.” WHEN CANADA In some areas of the country, we seem BECOMES THE “HOME PLACE”—A to be experiencing an era of migra- TERM USED BY MY HOMESTEAD- tion motivated largely by greed. These ING GRANDPARENTS—FOR FUTURE “global migrants” come to Canada, GENERATIONS OF CANADIANS, THE park their money, and move on to live COUNTRY WILL HAVE REACHED elsewhere. That’s refected in the num- MATURITY. ber of empty houses and condos here

52 What energizes you? The sense of opportunity in Canada. Our greatest asset is our right to vote By global standards, we don’t live in an and our freedom to serve in Parlia- oppressive society. We have personal ment without spending a fortune. If freedom and the legislative rule of law you run for Member of Parliament that allows people to achieve their and spend more than the rules allow, goals and ambitions. Canadians can you and your agent will go to jail. We fnance and implement an idea, and should protect our freedom of access live the lives they want to live. We have to the political system by anybody who clean air in most places. has not been in jail.

Are Canada’s political Joe Clark famously called Canada “a some regions of Canada and hated in community of communities.” There’s others. We survived the antagonism institutions moving in a much stronger sense of community between French and English Canadi- the right direction? in Canada today than when I entered ans. We are learning to acknowledge politics in 1980. It’s generally accepted the important role and responsibilities that Canada has fve regions. No one is of Aboriginal Canadians. raging about French and English texts on cornfakes boxes. Now people are The question is whether we can build more concerned about the fact that on our historical record and survive the the Chinese language newspapers are conficts created by the new wave of in the top of the coin box and the Eng- global migrants and the potential global lish ones are in the bottom. population shift. If you have an ethnic population that feels disengaged from We have survived strains that have the political process, or an ethnic popu- broken other countries’ hearts. We lation in some ridings that excludes survived Meech Lake. We survived the other groups, you wonder whether tensions between western and eastern the political will to sustain the country Canada. We survived politicians like will last or whether it will fracture the Pierre Trudeau, who were loved in national or regional fabric.

“If you have an ethnic population that feels disengaged from the political process, or an ethnic population in some ridings that excludes other groups, you wonder whether the political will to sustain the country will last or whether it will fracture the national or regional fabric.”

What upcoming We will need to grapple with a concept We can preserve and grow our beloved of development that balances econom- country and the world’s best lifestyle if decisions will Canada ic, ecological, Aboriginal, and other we can maintain our connection to the need to make? issues, such as demographic shifts, in country as a whole, to a sense of com- order to achieve compatible goals. We munity, and to the reality that there have entered a much slower cycle of are rural and non-rural elements of the the economy, in which there’ll be less country. Canada is not confned to the money available for social and econom- metropolitan areas of Toronto, Mon- ic measures. Many young Canadians treal, and Vancouver. are making lifestyle and work choices that are more consistent with a slower- growth economy.

53 Jean → Jean Charest, Former Premier of Quebec, was interviewed on September 3, 2014 Charest on by Adam Kahane

TOLERANCE: “Demagogues thrive by cultivating insecurity and demonizing certain groups.”

KAHANE CHAREST

When you think When I look at the overall picture of are not even 3% of the world’s econo- Canada, I fnd that we often lack am- my, we could play a bigger role in the about Canada and bition. When we close embassies in world if we chose to. Quebec at this time Africa and wind down international programs, we’re telling the rest of the I also worry about the unity of the in our history, what world that we’re really not that impor- country. We cannot take for granted keeps you up at night? tant. If we’re not out there branding that things will always be the way they ourselves and selling ourselves, we’ll be are. The separatist movement in Que- less relevant. We need to have a bet- bec has moved from the mainstream ter sense of where we ft in the world, to the margin, but it is never going to how we can distinguish ourselves, and go away. Our leaders need to make a where we could make a diference. We constant, continued, and deliberate need to know what things we are good efort to forge a common identity at, what assets we have that will allow based on what we share. It will not us to better succeed, and how we can happen automatically. make our success last. Even though we

Given Canada’s Regardless of people’s backgrounds, I think we understand that diversity is Canadians do have common character- an asset for us. We prefer to err on the diversity, what does istics. We have a diferent view of the side of tolerance. That’s something a common Canadian world, diferent experiences, and dif- precious. During the April election, ferent attitudes from people in other people in Quebec chose to walk away identity look like? countries. As a people, we Canadians from something that speaks to the are not aggressive; we’re not over darker nature of human beings. Que- the top in political discourse; we’re beckers understand historically that community oriented. Our exchanges they are a minority, and the way they among ourselves are civilized. We treat others will refect on the way they govern ourselves well in that way, and are going to be treated. They looked I like that about Canada. Some people into the precipice and walked away, think we’re too nice. I’ve seen the other saying, this doesn’t feel right, there’s world, and I would choose the “too something wrong here, and I’m not nice” world every time. going to go for this.

54 What could Demagogues thrive by cultivating inse- lose the ability to trust each other and curity and demonizing certain groups. to have a common discourse. We would undermine our sense They emphasize diferences rather fnd ourselves living in a country where of tolerance? than the things we have in common. we were suspicious of each other and If that were to happen, we’d be in that suspicious of other groups. spiral societies can end up in, where we

And why might HUMAN NATURE IS SUCH THAT WE diferences in this country, it would be REMEMBER NEGATIVES BETTER easy for us to fall into this divisive trap. that happen? THAN POSITIVES. IT’S EASIER TO The most signifcant political decision VOTE AGAINST SOMETHING—OR with regards to the foundation of SOMEONE—THAN FOR IT. Canada was when the British realized they could not hope to govern this part For politicians, it’s always tempting of North America without some form to pit one group against the other of recognition of the French popula- because it works so well and so rapidly. tion. More recently, the Francophones In Canada, for the most part, we have and Anglophones have included First resisted this temptation, but we need Nations in the partnership. But every leaders who will always be commit- time we have veered of the track of ted to elevating the political debate. inclusion, we have gotten into trouble. Otherwise, because there are so many

“I think we understand that diversity is an asset for us.”

Are you saying that Canada will forever be a work in prog- is forever, and accepting that we need ress. The challenge for our leaders is to be more ambitious and challenge we are at risk of to lead Canadians in appreciating what ourselves more. being complacent? we have, acknowledging that nothing

55 Michael → Michael Chong, Member of Parliament for Wellington-Halton Hills, was interviewed on Chong on September 26, 2014 by Adam Kahane

PARLIAMENTARY Reform: “The checks and balances on power in Parliament and in our election system have weakened.”

KAHANE CHONG

What keeps you One of our challenges is the need to ing bodies and their decisions don’t renew our democratic institutions. bind the caucus leadership. As a result, up at night? Democracy is one of the greatest party leaders, in particular the party inventions of western society. The leader in power, the Prime Minister, checks and balances on power that ex- have almost unchecked power. ist through a parliamentary or repub- THIS IS A SERIOUS, SERIOUS lican or other system of government CHALLENGE TO THE STRENGTH OF are at the heart of western democracy. OUR DEMOCRACY. In Canada, the checks and balances on power in Parliament and in our election In the short run, command-and-control system have weakened over the last models of governance can produce decades. If we are going to continue to huge gains, but in the long run, they fall meet the challenges of the 21st century, fat. Without checks and balances, at like the rise of developing economies, some point a bad leader comes along diversity in our country, and terrorism, and undoes all of the gains made and we need to strengthen that foundation. then some. Democracies are frustrat- ing in the short run, because the lack Canada is now an outlier among West- of concentrated power makes for less minster parliamentary democracies efcient decision making, but in the because of several changes in the way long run they get it right. If you look at we do things. First, caucuses no longer the last 180 years, all evidence points have a direct say in the election or to the fact that people in an educated, removal of party leaders. Second, party civilized, and enlightened society will leaders now have unbelievable power make the right decisions. to decide on party candidates. Third, caucuses are no longer decision-mak-

If things turn out Polling data shows that Canadians are cies. If over the next 20 years, we fail losing faith in their democratic institu- to renew our democratic institutions, badly over the next tions. Voter turnout has declined pre- engage Canadians in a meaningful 20 years, what would cipitously in the last 20 years. In the last way, and make these institutions more federal election, four out of 10 Canadi- relevant to them, it’s not inconceivable have happened? ans chose not to vote. That’s one of the that voter turnout could decline to 50% lowest rates among western democra- or even 40%. If that happens, these

56 institutions will lack the legitimacy to and certain industrial sectors in North act in a decisive way. We’d be looking at America. Today, Pittsburgh is a symbol a system with even greater executive of success; Detroit is not. Pittsburgh power and a legislative branch that is had good democratic governance that no longer central in our public life. was able to respond to the decline of the steel industry and reinvent the city. If Parliamentary reform fails, that The problem with Detroit wasn’t that increases the risk that we won’t be able the auto industry declined; it was that to deal successfully with a range of is- its democratic leaders and institutions sues. For example, as our economy has failed to respond to that challenge. become more urban and more service- It’s clear from scientifc research that based, we face signifcant challenges the planet is being stretched to the in our large city regions, including limit of its sustainability. We have to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, make sure that the land we have inher- Edmonton, and Halifax. Look what ited is passed on to future generations has happened with Pittsburgh and in as good if not better shape than we Detroit. Both were manufacturing and received it. The path to environmental industrial powerhouses throughout sustainability is through Parliament. the late 19th and frst half of the 20th A weakened legislature makes it more centuries. Both became Rust Belt cit- difcult to achieve consensus on ies with the decline of manufacturing meaningful policies.

“The problem with Detroit wasn’t that the auto industry declined; it was that its democratic leaders and institutions failed to respond to that challenge.”

Has there been any Many! The rebellions of 1837 in Upper the legislature. We also had the great and Lower Canada were a direct result broadening of the franchise in the late historical example of the concentration of power in the 19th to earlier 20th centuries, when where Canadian executive branch of government. Peo- women and all males above a certain ple in what are now Ontario and Que- age were given the right to vote. In the democracy has risen bec rebelled because their democrati- 1870s, the right to a secret ballot in fed- to such a challenge? cally elected legislatures weren’t being eral elections was adopted. We’ve been heeded. Out of those rebellions came able to make reforms before, and I have the great reforms of the 1840s and the no doubt that we will be able to restore vital principle that the executive branch Parliament to playing a central role in of government is not accountable to our public debate again. the governor in council but rather to

57 Zita → Zita Cobb, President of the Shorefast Foundation, was interviewed on October 17, 2014 Cobb on by Adam Kahane

VALUING Our Small Communities: “Nature and culture are the two great garments of human life.”

KAHANE COBB

What can you tell me I grew up in a fshing community on We became economic refugees. My an island of the northeast coast of father said to us, “You have to get an about yourself that Newfoundland. For centuries, we’ve education because there’s no work for would help me had a gift of place: a place that we love, you here; there’s no life for you here.” a place we learn from. This wasn’t I studied business because I wanted understand what a capital-accumulating society. We to understand how this destruction you’re paying caught as many fsh and grew as many could have happened. turnips and cabbages as we needed attention to? to get through the winter. It was a Our small communities across the remarkable way to live, and as a result country, not just in Newfoundland, I understand deeply what community are disintegrating in front of our eyes, means: it’s a shared place and set of and yet this is so entirely preventable. interests. Community means living I believe that business and technol- like we have a shared fate. When I was ogy are powerful tools that, deployed nine, the factory ships arrived, and properly, can contribute to place and it took only 30 years to bring the cod can help create resilient, contempo- to the brink of extinction. Over night, rary rural communities. And our rural everything we knew about making a places are powerful sources of knowl- living on the North Atlantic was com- edge, creativity, and innovation: they pletely irrelevant. Parents could no are assets, not liabilities. longer teach their children anything.

What concerns I am worried that we are failing to invest We haven’t done nearly enough to sufciently in our “sacred capital” fortify, invest in, and enable our special you about Canada (natural capital, social capital, cultural places in a time of rapid globalization, these days? capital, community capital) and in pro- where bigger always seems better and tecting our ways of knowing. In our small the local and specifc is too often al- communities, there is an increasing pov- lowed to become subservient to a quest erty of hope, and a despair is taking hold. for efciency. I talk to people who grew I don’t understand why we’re not more up on small farms in Saskatchewan, and alarmed and doing something about the this way of life seems to have been lost. fact that we’re losing a fundamental part The fshery is another example: in many of our Canadian identity, ways of know- cases, it is controlled by people who do ing, and sources of strength, imagina- not live on the ocean and fsh for their tion, and resourcefulness. Our identity livelihoods, who don’t have “embed- and strength emerged—and emerges— dedness” in place, who are not sensitive from our relationship with this amazing and responsive to place, who manage piece of nature that we call Canada. fnancial capital in boardrooms far away 58 from the smell of fsh. They are not likely compromise small, locally owned busi- to optimize for place, and yet they have nesses—of course with their scale, they the power to bring 350-year-old com- can destroy these institutions, which munities to collapse with the stroke of a have been an integral part of our com- pen and without the beneft of a proper munity fabric. In addition to the loss of conversation about alternatives. locally owned businesses, I worry about what this kind of market domination We’re living through a time marked by does to our freedom of spirit—to initia- the fattening of communities and a tive itself. For example, who is going to fattening of culture. Our landscapes set up a small cofee shop with unique are fattened by a monoculture of box oferings when there are large multina- stores and transnational chains that tionals on every corner?

“Our small communities across the country, not just in Newfoundland, are disintegrating in front of our eyes, and yet this is so entirely preventable.”

If things turn out We would have allowed reductionist an embodied, interdependent relation- thinking to get out of hand. We would ship with the still-wild world.” We’d be badly over the next have forgotten that nature and culture eating industrial food that’s produced 20 years, what would are the two great garments of human by enormous companies that transcend life. We’d all live in mega cities and sufer all borders. We’d be subservient to they look like? from a kind of placelessness. We would fnancial capital, and we wouldn’t have a have lost our intimate knowledge of and clue who we were. We’d have no sense ability to learn from the natural world. of continuity with the past. The wisdom We’d have lost what Pam Hall refers to and nuances of heritage, and of the as “the ways of knowing that come from natural world, would be lost.

What lessons do we CANADA AS A WHOLE IS LIKE A about the value of culture and identity? LOVELY PATCHWORK QUILT. THERE Are we able to work in a collaborative need to learn from ARE SO MANY CULTURES AND COM- way among all the players—including our past failures? MUNITIES IN CANADA, AND THE businesses—to make decisions that are WAY YOU SEW ALL THESE LITTLE in the best interests of the fabric of our PATCHES TOGETHER TO MAKE A communities? There is an increasing QUILT IS THROUGH OUR BUSINESS presence of reductionist thinking that is AND GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS. WE causing us to lose the things that are es- USED TO PUT THEM TOGETHER IN sential and sacred. Maybe we can’t save A WAY THAT RESPECTED ALL THE every community, but I would like to see PATCHES, BIG AND SMALL. NOW WE a national statement that says, “As Cana- SEEM TO EXPECT ALL THE PATCHES dians, we value our small rural commu- TO BE THE SAME. If one or two fall of, nities.” That would be very encouraging we don’t seem bothered by a hole in and a good beginning to fnding a way to the quilt. Do we have a vision anymore optimizing for community well-being.

If things turn out Canada would be a national network of return on (distant) capital. Instead, intensely local places, some big, many we’d have right-scaled businesses that well over the next small. We would have found ways to operate in ways that fortify the fabric 20 years, what localize and at the same time link com- of our communities. Of course there munities together. Everything exists in are instances when we need national would the story be? relationship, and in healthy relationships distribution companies, but there are I can be more me and you can be more creative ways to achieve scale when and you. That’s the kind of relationships where scale is necessary: creative ways we need build. Our lives wouldn’t be to keep the well-being of our communi- dominated by distantly owned hyper- ties at the top of our priority list and at businesses that optimize primarily for the core of our decision making. 59 Brian → Brian Crowley, Managing Director of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, was interviewed Crowley on on September 5, 2014 by Adam Kahane

OUR INSTITUTIONAL Legacy: “You can only think that Canada is a bad place if you have never left here.”

KAHANE CROWLEY

What energizes Canada is a lucky country. People often AND BEHAVIOURS THAT WE say it’s because we have a vast endow- ORIGINALLY INHERITED FROM THE you these days ment of natural resources, but that BRITISH AND HAVE EVOLVED TO about Canada? can’t explain our success as a society. BECOME OUR OWN. These include a I can name 50 countries around the well-functioning democracy, the rule world with fantastic natural resource of law, non-corrupt judges and police, endowments that are hellholes you a reasonable regulatory and taxa- would never want to live in. So that’s tion burden, well-functioning social not what makes this a great society. services, a well-developed work ethic, enforcement of contracts, and respect WE HAVE A DIFFERENT ENDOW- for private property. Canada is not MENT THAT IS MUCH MORE a place where we are victims of a IMPORTANT THAN NATURAL predatory state. RESOURCES: THE INSTITUTIONS

How did we end It’s not universal in all the former Brit- think long term, they can create, they ish colonies, but places like Australia, don’t have to worry that if they invest up with this New Zealand, the United States, and something in the society, next year it strong institutional Canada inherited these institutions will be stolen by the president’s broth- from the same source. Hong Kong er—although the recent demonstra- endowment? demonstrates that they are not unique tions there show that these institutions to a certain culture, because Hong are by no means untouchable. That Kong is essentially British institutions underscores what a rare achievement with Chinese people living within them. such institutions are in the world, and Hong Kong has traditionally enjoyed Canada is perhaps the most successful the same kind of success: people can of the inheritors.

Is this endowment Canadians don’t always understand aren’t things that we can do to improve. what we have. I’m constantly battling a But you can only think that Canada is at risk? narrative that is popular in some quar- a bad place that must be torn apart ters that Canada is a terrible place, that and reconstructed if you have never we’re racist or we’re destroying the left here and seen what other people environment. I’m not saying that our live and work with. As the song says, history is without blemish or that there “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s

60 gone.” I worry that people sometimes barrel to produce oil in Saudi Arabia want to undermine our institutions and perhaps $80 a barrel to produce without understanding what these it in Canada’s oil sands, the world’s oil have achieved for us. producers are beating down the doors to invest in the oil sands. It’s because I’ve taken it as a personal mission to those natural resources are nested say, let’s appreciate what we have and inside our endowment of institutions understand the great success that it’s that investors can have confdence in conferred on us. To pick a concrete the security of their investment. example, even though it costs $20 a

Let’s say things turned First, we blew our chance to achieve whatever difculties they’re facing on reconciliation with Aboriginal people. somebody else and to not take respon- out badly over the Second, we allowed fear of terrorism sibility for their own contributions. I coming 20 years in to make us insular and frightened of spend a lot of time with Americans, and others; Canada’s openness to the world I’ve never heard anybody say, “Those Canada. What would and our willingness to embrace people goddamned Texans; they’ve got oil, the story have been? from everywhere is one of our greatest and they’re screwing the rest of us!” strengths. And third, we allowed envy But in Canada, you can hear people to become the predominant political say things like that every day about dif- emotion in Canada. Regionalism (which ferent regions. We seem to think that is driven by envy) is a deeply corro- someone else’s success comes at our sive force in Canada. There’s a strong own expense. tendency here for people to blame

“I’m a big believer in a society that leaves room for experimentation, for initiative in every field, which is something that government is far better at shutting down than encouraging.”

What is the role of For me, government is not the solution to take initiative. There is an important for everything, and that’s true socially role for government, but there are government in ensuring and culturally just as much as it is eco- limits to what government can do. It’s Canada’s future? nomically. I think that freedom is the a question of balance. It’s not always indispensable condition of successful bad for governments to tax and always societies. I’m a big believer in a society good for people to spend. The chal- that leaves room for experimentation, lenge is that when we get the balance for initiative in every feld, which is between collective provision and something that government is far bet- individual choice out of whack, we start ter at shutting down than encouraging. to undermine the institutions that have Today, we need to recover our ability enabled us to be successful.

61 Nadia → Nadia Duguay, Co-Founder of Exeko, was interviewed on November 12, 2014 Duguay on by Elizabeth Pinnington

A CANADA for All: “The level of citizen awareness about social challenges seems to be increasing.”

PINNINGTON DUGUAY

What do you fnd Our current reality in Canada is not formation—something which is already that encouraging. However, the level happening here. Even if the road is hopeful about what is of citizen awareness about social chal- long and we need many change agents currently happening lenges seems to be increasing—about along the way, it’s encouraging to see issues such as inequality, discrimination, citizen initiatives arising all across the in Canada? the role culture plays in society, and the country. At the political level, looking at environment. I fnd this hopeful! municipalities is encouraging. There you fnd openness, creativity, innovation, Recognizing the potential of individu- collaboration, and support for initiatives als to move past prejudice and to think that move beyond prescribed sectors critically and creatively is not a utopian and social norms. act, but rather a frst step in social trans-

When you look at Canada is one of the 10 most developed for example 68% of Inuit living in Nun- countries in the world, but we still have avik live in overpopulated homes, and the current situation fagrant inequalities. And it’s even more 53% live in homes that don’t respect the in Canada, what discouraging to see how far-reaching minimum building standard. You will be disinformation is in this country. Many eight times more likely to be homeless worries you? Canadians think it is unjustifed to in your lifetime and 10 times more likely continue talking about rights, because to go to prison; in 50% of cases, you they think everyone’s rights are already will have a longer sentence than other respected! The reality is that if you are Canadians for the same crime. Serious born First Nations in this country, you questions arise from this. will face serious housing challenges—

If things don’t go If we think about the darkest panorama the place you were born, or your level for the next 20 years, the state will of education continue to dig deeper well over the next continue disengaging, the educational inequalities around human rights. 20 years, what will system will abdicate its independence, Instead of looking at all the potential and citizens will become more disil- in our diferences, we will continue to have happened? lusioned about the possibility for good create imaginary borders between us things to happen. We will continue to and create a self-sustaining system that develop societies where social status, constantly reinforces our limits.

62 If things go well in the We will be able to imagine citizens, increase our capacity to be open to politicians, and organizations in society sharing knowledge and experiences, next 20 years, what that listen to one another, exchange and to look at the Other as someone will have happened? with one another, and recognize each who could nourish our way of thinking. other as complementary actors who If everything goes well in 20 years, we have the capacity to collaborate and will have understood that solutions create real solutions. All too often, we will not be brought by organizations, attack each other but forget that oth- researchers, or politics, but from ers are also probably thinking carefully society itself—through the capacity of about what can be done. We need to individuals to recognize each other.

What are some I think that residential schools are a very important to note that many involved important notion from our history that in the residential schools had good important lessons often get silenced or minimized. OUR intentions; they wanted to do good and from Canada’s history? SOCIETY NEEDS TO LOOK THIS to help. It is here that we have much to TERRIFYING PERIOD OF OUR learn about the importance of cultural HISTORY IN THE FACE, IN ORDER identity and also about the fact that we TO LEARN FROM IT AND BUILD A shouldn’t help people just because we BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR want to. It’s only through a careful read- CURRENT ISSUES. While Canada has ing of history that we can extract such not had great wars in our territory, we valuable learning for the future. perpetrated a great cultural violence. It’s

“Each of us has something to learn or share with others, regardless of our social position.”

What are some failures The relations between First Nations who helps anybody else. Each of us and non-First Nations people. Still has something to learn or share with in Canada’s history? today First Nations people are not con- others, regardless of our social posi- sidered full citizens. Our society has tion. We cannot build the Canada of the continued in a dynamic of dominators future without all Canadians. Creating and dominated, where we consider a truly inclusive dialogue means all of that we have nothing to learn from us positioning ourselves as learners, First Nations people. We think we only rather than as masters downloading have to help them. But there is nobody our knowledge to others.

63 Zahra → Zahra Ebrahim, Principal and Founder of archiTEXT, was interviewed on Ebrahim on November 10, 2014 by Brenna Atnikov

DESIGNING a Better Future: “I worry that we’ll get stuck in a vortex of indecision.”

ATNIKOV EBRAHIM

How has your Designers are uniquely positioned to use their skills for social change fnd it look at complexity, for two reasons: we difcult to be understood beyond their work shaped your understand people and we are comfort- capacity to make artefacts. We need to perspective? able testing prototypes. When charged understand that designers are a critical with a problem, designers begin by part of any strategic team, so that when looking at the people who are afected tables are convened around healthcare and their wants, wishes, needs, and or poverty reduction or the environ- fears. But many designers who want to ment, a designer is always there.

What concerns How can my generation take the skills start changing the way we support this we’ve developed in the entrepre- new generation of leaders now. you these days? neurship, social innovation, tech, and emerging sectors and use these to dis- I also worry about how inclusive we rupt industry and government? A lot of are of citizens’ voices. I worry that we my peers are migrating into positions will never create a culture of authentic of decision making, but they quickly get engagement on critical national con- crushed by institutional accountability versations. I worry that we’ll get stuck and lose their drive to take risks and in a vortex of indecision and not have make creative things happen. When the capacity to recognize the moment people don’t succeed in transforming where we could use the evidence we these institutions, it’s not that they have to support taking a leap of faith. weren’t creative and talented; it’s that That inability to take risks is what is they needed new capacities that previ- preventing us from leading in so many ous leaders didn’t need. These things areas and is causing us to haemorrhage take a long time, and so we need to talent from our country.

If you could ask a What were the biggest risks we took? we learned how to align the eforts How did we deal with success and of people trying to do similar things clairvoyant anything how did we deal with failure? Did we across the country? Alignment and about the future, grow in our capacity to listen to a more collaboration are in the Canadian DNA, diverse set of citizens, to respond to but we haven’t fgured out how to what would you most their needs rather than react? Have practice them yet. want to know?

64 If things turn out well We took the risk of focusing. We fo- gence within our borders to make bold cused on one big thing and we moved change happen. And this helped us to in the next 20 years, the bar. Perhaps the one big thing was retain thought leadership by demon- what’s the riskiest poverty reduction, and we reduced strating that Canada has an appetite dramatically the number of people for taking risks. Instead of talking about thing that Canada living in poverty in our country. We did how our cities are so metropolitan, we this not by wanting to create some- embodied this: we showed the world will have done? thing the world would look to us as a instead of telling the world. leader in, but by harvesting the intelli-

If that kind of culture WE’LL BE WHERE WE ARE NOW: A we’ll still be trying to fgure out how we LITTLE BIT BEHIND THE REST OF can contribute to a global conversation doesn’t become the THE WORLD. Innovation and creativity about being more inclusive, more cre- norm in Canada, will still be a thing that sits on the out- ative, and more human centred. Where side and not within the DNA of organi- we are now isn’t such a bad place: where will we be? zations, and so their adaptive capacity we’re just limiting ourselves because will remain constrained. Our role in the we aren’t comfortable trying out new global community will stagnate, and processes in our old systems.

“How can my generation take the skills we’ve developed in the entrepreneurship, social innovation, tech, and emerging sectors and use these to disrupt industry and government?”

What decisions do We have to decide what kind of country of the great ideas that have been talked we want to be. There’s lots of invest- about. Let’s stop talking about experi- we need to make? ment right now in innovation in the ments and start committing to new public service and other sectors, and approaches to problem solving. If we that investment is going to dry up if we can’t do that, we should just commit to don’t commit to implementing some being a country that follows.

65 David → David Emerson, Former Minister of Trade, was interviewed on August 15, 2014 Emerson on by Monica Pohlmann

GAME-CHANGING Leadership: “We have allowed a gold-rush mentality to prevail.”

POHLMANN EMERSON

What keeps you up at We are not managing our natural new products for the global market- resource assets well. We pay insuf- place can and do go elsewhere. You night about what’s fcient attention to long-term growth, basically force the economy to rely on going on in Canada? stability, and intergenerational fair- those activities that have to be near the ness. I look at what we are doing with resource—the opposite of economic non-renewables, and I despair. We have diversifcation. allowed a gold-rush mentality to pre- vail. When markets are strong, we have In a similar vein, we have witnessed the massive investment in projects like erosion of manufacturing in the Ca- the oil sands, leading to cost infation, nadian economy, and I am concerned social and economic growth pains, and about that. I believe a balance of manu- pressures on the environment. Then facturing, resource extraction, technol- we take the revenue from these re- ogy, and services is important for a sources—the one-time revenue from healthy, dynamic, and stable economy. the sale of a publicly owned asset—and use it to pay for healthcare, govern- We’re also struggling with a number ment programs, and services that are of public policies that run counter to deeply embedded in our public sector Canada’s dependency on international expenditure base. But the cycle inevita- trade and investment for our economic bly turns, and we end up with fscal and future. We maintain protectionist economic devastation. The revenue is policies in agriculture, telecommunica- no more, but program expenditures tions, and sundry other sectors. Our continue. Costs that rose easily won’t own protectionist policies undermine come down. This approach to resource our reputation as a free-trading nation management supercharges fscal and and hurt our ability to negotiate the economic volatility, both nationally and kind of trade agreements needed to among regions. underpin a healthy economic future. While this is slowly changing, it remains This volatility also has a troubling efect a signifcant worry. on that part of our economic base that is globally mobile. Costs and fscal pres- Finally, I worry about Canada’s north. sures created in a boom are very sticky, Geographically, most of Canada is a and correction is stubbornly slow and huge, sparsely populated mass of land painful. Industry, capital, and the skilled and water penetrating the Arctic, at the people needed to drive innovation and front line of climate change. Gradually,

66 attention is shifting to northern issues Assessments and potential impacts will and concerns. But the challenge of the require intense discipline and focus. north will be akin to the challenge of The costs of mistakes will be high, but developing early Canada. It will require the cost of neglect higher. SIR JOHN A. enormous investments with very long MACDONALD MUST BE TURNING IN “payback.” Issues around sovereignty HIS GRAVE. and security will be paramount.

If 20 years from now, This negative scenario would refect tutes for carbon-based energy. Given failures on a number of fronts. Pipe- our extreme dependence on carbon- things haven’t turned lines critical to getting products to based energy, our economy and public out well in Canada, what market won’t be constructed in a fnances will take a serious hit. timely way. Critical economic infra- will have happened? structure, particularly transportation The lead times for transformative infrastructure, will be rejected in every initiatives, whether they’re regulatory, strategic “neighbourhood,” refect- legal, or infrastructural, are enor- ing regulatory licence being replaced mously long. We will have failed to tame by the amorphous “social licence.” the forces of short-termism, and this We will fail to restore momentum to will feed the tendency of political par- multilateral trade talks, and attempts ties to neglect a broader vision for the to forge regional trade agreements will country in favour of playing to narrow, falter. We will fail to adapt to the reality sectional political bases with baskets of of global warming, and the world will goodies and favours. be confronted with an urgent inter- national public policy crisis. Related In short, future generations of Cana- to climate and our failure to manage dians will be severely challenged to well our natural resources, we will see achieve the kinds of opportunities and technological advances that result in standard of living enjoyed by the frst consumers fnding economic substi- few post-war generations.

“The lead times for transformative initiatives, whether they’re regulatory, legal, or infrastructural, are enormously long.”

What decisions will People with vision, intellect, wisdom, There have been many game-changing and stamina must decide to step out of leaders throughout history. I love Canada have to make? their comfort zones and dedicate them- reading about them because many selves to persuading their fellow citizens dealt with failure and setback, but they that we have a lot of hard work to do. persevered. Steve Jobs had an obses- We will have controversy, and perhaps sive, unambiguous vision for Apple. Not short-term sacrifce, but Canadians will everyone liked it, but he is revered for have to embrace leaders who will do the his obstinate commitment to doing, not heavy lifting, not for self-serving reasons what was popular, but what he believed but for pride of country and belief in our in. Canada needs that kind of game- responsibility to future generations. If changing leadership: people committed people with unusual talents don’t step to doing what is difcult, exhausting, up, and if Canadians don’t ofer support and at times unpopular—but right for when they do, the negative scenario will the country’s long-term future. become the base case.

67 Suzanne → Suzanne Fortier, Principal of McGill University, was interviewed on November 13, 2014 Fortier on by Brenna Atnikov

A SMART and Caring Nation: “There’s a sense of solidness about Canada.”

ATNIKOV FORTIER

What energizes Having the privilege of living and work- it is too easy to isolate yourself, to just ing with the new generation of our observe what’s happening around you you about Canada? country. Students are concerned about through the Internet, to be a critic. We things happening here in Montreal and need our youth to be people of action, in Canada, but also about issues we are to be builders. Hockey people say, “At facing as a planet. They are reimagining the end, you need time on ice,” that is, things like engagement and communi- you need to get in the arena, play the ty. They want to be leaders, and it is our game, and be part of the action. Our responsibility as a society to nurture young Canadians need to have their them and give them the opportunity to time on ice. develop the skills they need. Right now,

What kind of leadership THE GOVERNOR GENERAL CALLED BOTH THEMSELVES AND THE COM- FOR US TO CREATE A SMART AND MUNITY. To make the necessary leaps qualities will Canada CARING NATION. THAT’S A GOOD in terms of knowledge and creativity, need to be successful? INTERSECTION: WE NEED PEOPLE our leaders must be open to new ideas WITH ASPIRATIONS AND AMBITIONS and be able to hear diverse points of WHO WANT TO PUT THEIR TALENT view from people from diferent back- AND EFFORTS TOWARDS BETTERING grounds, experiences, and cultures.

If you could ask a What role will Canada play globally global. They understand that whether around some of the huge challenges we’re a businessperson or an agriculture clairvoyant anything that the planet is facing? Canada is well expert, we aren’t going to solve issues about the future of positioned to contribute, because it’s by working alone; we’re going to do it by been privileged with what it has in terms bringing people with diferent expertise Canada, what would of resources. Because Canada is made together. Given these things, I wonder you want to know? up of people who come from every- if we’re going to seize the moment and where in the world, people here are con- become a place that is central to the cerned not only about issues right next well-being of the planet. door but also about those that are more

68 If things turn out We will be a more divided, less tolerant, conditions, and that will cause a lot of and less safe country. There will be social unrest. We will waste our pre- badly over the next increased disparity in terms of people’s cious resources. 20 years, what will Canada look like?

And if things turn out We’ll be a country that has a high qual- range of interpretations and perspec- ity of life for all people, something we tives. People from diferent cultures well over the next haven’t achieved yet. We take it for come here and give the country its 20 years, what would granted that we can be born from a very unique character. We’re beginning to modest or difcult environment and still see that this is part of our richness as a the story be? succeed, but we need to continue to country and that some of the opportuni- ofer equality opportunities for all. ties we have come from the fact that we are not defned by just one role. To me, We also need to continue to make room part of our success will be come from for several Canadas to co-exist. This is continuing to defne ourselves in ways something that we’ve done quite well— that accommodate diferent points we’ve been able to accommodate a of view.

“Our young Canadians need to have their time on ice.”

What is an example of Over the past few years, most places in have faced. There’s a sense of solidness the world have been under the shock of about Canada. We’ve done a good job when Canada has been the brutal economic crisis. We have the with the fundamental things that are im- most successful? right dose of smarts and prudence, so portant in society. Of course, we always we built some really solid bases here. Al- have to think of how we can do better, though it wasn’t exactly an easy period, but we’ve got a strong foundation. it was not as bad as what many others

69 Roger → Roger Gibbins, Senior Fellow at the Canada West Foundation, was interviewed on September 5, 2014 Gibbins on by Monica Pohlmann

DECIDING Where We’re Going: “We created the kind of country we have through an act of will.”

POHLMANN GIBBINS

What concerns We’re losing our sense of community in fear First Nations will become more and terms of the country as a whole. MANY more isolated rather than part of the na- you about Canada PEOPLE FEEL THAT, IF YOU’VE GOT A tional mainstream. That isolation is not these days? GREAT LOCAL COMMUNITY AND YOU going to be healthy. When groups are HAVE A RAPID RAIL LINE TO AN close to the larger society, all of the posi- INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, THAT’S tive things about integration can work. ALL YOU NEED. SO THE PROVINCIAL It’s the small, remote communities that AND NATIONAL COMMUNITIES concern me. That’s not a future. BECOME IRRELEVANT. The opportu- nity to go and experience the world and We have a fetishlike approach to the then come back to a base is great, but I environment: we focus on these seven worry about a loss of purpose for Can- trees or this particular lake, and fail to ada as a whole. We’re losing faith in our engage in trade-ofs. You would hope political institutions and our capacity to that if I’m in my neighbourhood protect- do things together. There is a narrowing ing my trees, there’s a local attachment, of perspectives that’s not unique to but also in the back of my head there’s Canada, but nonetheless, having people something about, how does this work in this large, ungainly country turn for the province? How does this work inward is alarming. for Canada? You want that internal de- bate in people’s heads, and I don’t think Overall, the situation with Aboriginal that’s there right now. people is positive, with a lot of energy and innovation. But at the same time, I

What important We are a resource-based economy. It is a Calgary as a leader in the energy feld. pretty sound prediction that a resource- But we’re never going to out-compete decisions do we based economy is not going to serve us the Chinese on solar power or the Ger- have to make? well 20 years down the road. We’ll have mans on wind power. If we have a niche to transform ourselves, but how do we in the global economy, what is it? do it? A lot of people want to establish

70 What lessons do we You’ve heard the old Alberta expres- the trip. Christy Clark is trying to sell sion, “Give me another oil boom, and the trip, and that’s not good enough. need to learn from I promise not to piss it away!” Alberta Harper has a destination in mind, our past failures? is a great example of where we took in but he hasn’t clearly articulated it. If huge amounts of wealth but it didn’t people fear the end that Harper has leave us better of. In BC, Premier in mind, they are not going to buy into Christy Clark has a vision that the the means. If we had a clear vision of resource wealth from liquid natural gas where we are heading as a country or will generate a bounty that can be used as a province, a vision that is a bit bet- to do diferent things within the prov- ter than lower taxes or higher salaries, ince. She is on the right track, in that we then it would be easier to sell. We have to use that bounty in a transfor- haven’t articulated that vision. As a mative way. consequence, it’s hard to counter the opposition that comes up. At the same time, if you’re in the travel business, you sell the destination, not

What energizes you I like what we’ve done in urban Canada; difcult country into a society that is re- despite the big challenges out there, markably inclusive and diverse. We have about Canada? we’ve been able to create urban envi- been a signifcant international player. ronments that are pretty safe, interest- We beat ourselves up all the time about ing, and energetic. We’ve created a our track record on the environment, degree of political tranquillity in the and yet we’ve accomplished quite a bit country that in some ways is stifing but at the local scale. There are exceptions, also has given us a great deal of internal but nonetheless, we have done things comfort. In our national politics, we pretty well. We should take pride in what don’t tear people down. We’ve done we’ve accomplished in this country. reasonably well in knitting together a

“If we have a niche in the global economy, what is it?”

As a country, what The 150th anniversary provides an ity and social harmony that we’ve had. opportunity to push Canadians into The infamous UN report of 20 years ago should we be talking thinking about the future. In 1967, the or so that described Canada as the best about that we are not? premiers of Ontario and Quebec hosted place in the world to live may have done a conversation called the Confedera- us a disservice by making us compla- tion of Tomorrow Conference. It’s time cent. We didn’t get here by accident; for us to have another national conver- we’ve created the kind of country we sation about a whole set of pressing have through an act of will. If that will concerns. The world seems to be going weakens or loses its focus, then a lot of to hell in a hand basket in ways that are what we have will be precarious. My fear quite discouraging. It makes it even is that we’ve solved the problems of the more important for Canadians to begin past but we’re rapidly being overtaken to talk in constructive ways about our by the problems of the future. We some- own country, what can we do here, and how need to crystallize our best thinking how can we protect the kind of prosper- into a vision for the future.

71 Anne → Anne Golden, Former CEO of the Conference Board of Canada, was interviewed on September 12, 2014 Golden on by Adam Kahane

RESILIENT Cities: “We’re fnding that the yachts are rising faster than the rowboats.”

KAHANE GOLDEN

What is going on in Two forces are transforming the world, point where more than half the world globalization and urbanization. Both now lives in cities. In Canada, 80% of us Canada that you think focus on cities. By globalization, I live in towns of 10,000 or more inhabit- needs attention? mean all of the changes that have been ants. Combined with the aging of the facilitated by the technology revolu- population and the dependence of our tion, including the restructuring of economy on immigration, our cities the economy, the intensifcation of face huge challenges. And that’s where competition, and the growing speed at people are going, where innovation which all of these things are happening. is occurring, where the wealth of the The information technology revolution country is generated, where our major is reshaping everything—every in- educational and healthcare institutions dustry and job, education, healthcare, are concentrated. Cities punch above democracy, even how people think and their weight when it comes to creating communicate. The second major force, the country’s GDP. The future success urbanization, is a demographic revolu- of our cities is pivotal to Canada’s abil- tion. A few years ago, we passed the ity to compete in the global economy.

If things turn out We will fail if we don’t invest in the management and energy systems. We changes that are needed. For example, need to improve how we develop and badly over the next in Toronto, we’ve barely invested at all in grow, by linking our transit decisions to 20 years, what would infrastructure; since 2000, we’ve made our development decisions. And we will some improvements but not enough fail if we don’t address growing income have happened? to deal with our backlog. We need to inequality through a combination of tax invest in new construction and waste changes and program innovations.

72 What would lead us We need a public that is enlightened price of a civilized, safe, and progressive enough to understand that cities and society. WE ALSO NEED LEADERS LIKE to make wise or city regions are on the threshold of a NAHEED NENSHI IN CALGARY, WHO unwise decisions? new era, and that we have to make deci- PROMOTE MATURE DISCUSSIONS, sions looking forward not backward. We ARE NOT AFRAID TO TELL THE have to look at the evidence and be very TRUTH, AND DON’T JUMP TO JUDG- careful when we make these decisions MENT BUT WAIT TO SEE AND WEIGH because they have consequences. We THE EVIDENCE. have to be willing to pay our taxes as the

If you could ask a Will we address the congestion and world? Finally, will we be able to address connection issues that are so funda- the growing income divide and so blunt clairvoyant anything mental to the prosperity of our cities? If the harsh edges of capitalism? We had about the future, we don’t entice people out of their cars hoped that participation in a globalized and if we don’t connect all parts of the knowledge economy would increase what would you region, we will pay a steep price in terms living standards everywhere, that all want to know? of productivity losses and lessened qual- boats would rise, but we’re fnding that ity of life. With the arrival of new groups, the yachts are rising faster than the will we be able to continue to achieve rowboats. In Toronto, you can see the the openness and tolerance that has stagnation of the middle class and very been key to our success, or will it result little improvement in the poorer classes. in tensions as it has elsewhere in the

“Two forces are transforming the world, globalization and urbanization.”

73 Danny → Danny Graham, Former Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party and Founding Chair of Engage Nova Scotia, was Graham on interviewed on July 2, 2014 by Adam Kahane

CITIZEN Engagement: “I have tremendous faith in ‘Joe Public’.”

KAHANE GRAHAM

What concerns you Since the 1990s, there has been more have to say.” Attack ads are symptoms edginess in our political leadership. of this dynamic. The important point about what’s going Politicians are more dismissive and is that these messages are a symp- on in Canada? disrespectful of each other’s ideas. tom of a more polarized public who Politics has become this crazy world want—even demand—simple answers where people are yelling at each other, to complex questions. A fundamental “We’re right and you’re wrong, shut up, shift needs to happen for us to create a sit down, and pay attention to what I new balancing point.

What might that The game changers are deep demo- single events—Canada would get back cratic reform and in particular citizen on the path towards being a vibrant, shift look like? engagement. The essence of democ- successful, sustainable, progressive racy is collective wisdom. If we put our country. The way forward is through faith in people and include them more processes that bring citizens into con- often in deliberations and decisions be- versation with each other, especially tween elections—and not just for these around important, complex issues.

Can you think of an Back in the 1990s, the public and politi- the criminal justice system in Alberta. cal leaders felt that the Young Ofend- Some people expected that the group example where we have ers Act was resulting in young criminals was going to recommend tougher pen- managed to engage who committed serious ofences get- alties. During the three-day process, ting of scot-free. The reality was that those citizens were informed in depth in the way you think Canada was sending youth to jail more about the choices they had. What frequently than almost any western emerged from this deliberation was a is required? country. In response to the public out- set of excellent common-sense recom- cry, Ralph Klein, the premier of Alberta, mendations about the direction of the who wanted tougher criminal laws, criminal justice system that was born brought together a citizen assembly of from the best practices and evidence, 150 Albertans to set the direction for and not from rhetoric.

74 Are you saying that I’m not sure if I would say that. But I have tremendous faith in “Joe Public.” BEING IN POLITICAL OFFICE IS Research has shown that if you give him average citizens have A TREMENDOUSLY DISTORTING or her the opportunity to apply their a greater capacity EXPERIENCE, AND YOU CAN LOSE wisdom to something, they will usually YOUR COMPASS WHEN YOU PAY TOO arrive at a wiser decision, and the rest to be sensible than MUCH ATTENTION TO THE MEDIA of us generally accept the outcome. politicians do? AND COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORS. Consider the extent to which our gen- eral public accepts jury decisions.

Do you think the current Not a chance! Zero chance. It can’t because of the lack of education and the happen just from the top down, for a limited exchange of information. But in political narrative can variety of reasons: decline in trust in this day and age, people just aren’t go- change with a different institutions; a lack of informed discus- ing to buy a solution unless they’ve had sion around the real challenges; and the a chance to spend time with it. So any set of leaders? complexity of issues. fundamental changes have to be both top-down and bottom-up. One hundred years ago, we lived in a time when people trusted the elite more

“The game changers are deep democratic reform and in particular citizen engagement.”

Do you think that Let me tell you a story about a latent was high-fving each other. In the cel- passion I’ve witnessed for Canada. I took ebration, I was with an Indo-Canadian Canadians care enough my youngest son, Colin, to the 2010 conga line, an elderly Asian man wear- about Canada to do Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where ing a Crosby jersey, and even homeless we witnessed something about the love people who walked over from the other what you want them to? that regular Canadians have for our side of town to smile and share their zeal country that I did not expect. We were for our country. A magical ingredient lucky enough to be on Robson Street on exists among Canadians that doesn’t the last day of the games, after Canada get expressed very often. If we were to had won several gold medals. We were till it up and unearth it, it would release walking along with tens of thousands potential and possibilities that we don’t of complete strangers, and everyone yet fully know.

If we were sitting here We would have become even more opposing ideas and political parties to polarized. When you look at the extreme come together in a constructive way. 20 years from now, and examples of what’s happening in places things had turned out like the Middle East and some African I think that the sweet spot of innovation countries, you see that the greatest and possibilities is not on the edges, it’s really badly, what would challenge is not around ideas; it’s around in the middle, where there is a blend of have happened? relationships and process. Nobody perspectives. The acceptance that all has created enough opportunities for things are possible creates magic.

75 → Michael Green, Creative and Executive Producer of Making Treaty 7, was interviewed on July 30, 2014 by Michael Brenna Atnikov. Making Treaty 7 is a cultural event that invites Calgarians to imagine a shared future through the Green on frame of the signing of Treaty 7 at Blackfoot Crossing in 1877

TELLING Our Story: “There never was any conciliation.”

ATNIKOV GREEN

Do projects like A friend of mine, Adrian Stimson, who build—our industries and our agricul- is a visual artist from Siksika, refuses to ture—might not be sustainable. We’re “Making Treaty 7” use the word “reconciliation.” He says learning that we actually need some indicate that we are there never was any conciliation. of the wisdom that the First Nations The Settlers came here with a decidedly thought they could teach us when we at a new time of Victorian idea of what success looks like, showed up looking sickly and dying of reconciliation what wealth looks like, and what role every winter. everyone plays in this “machine.” in Canada? We’re going to see a time soon when the The Europeans saw people living on the First Nations people overcome the gen- land, and they were utterly incapable of erations of oppression and take their valuing their way of life. They sent First place as leaders of our country. The fact Nations children to residential schools that we’re producing “Making Treaty 7” and basically beat their culture out demonstrates that we’re ready for this of them. conversation now in Canada, and I don’t know if we were before. But now we are starting to understand that the lifestyle we worked so hard to

What are your hopes “Making Treaty 7” is a theatrical experi- One person says, “There’s fruit that rip- ence, but it’s got very serious intentions. ening.” Another person says, “There’s for “Making Treaty 7”? Most people have absolutely no idea a blight on the tree.” A third person what Treaty 7 is, and even if they do, says, “There’s where it got struck by chances are they’re seeing it only from lightning.” And it’s all of those things! If one perspective. We worked with many I’m not seeing the blight, I need the per- diferent cultures—the Blackfoot and son who is to tell me so. I can’t operate the Stoneys and the Tsuu T’ina—to pro- without that intelligence or I’ll be going duce the show. Trying to get to a shared of half-cocked. vision is an adventure. When it’s work- ing, though, all of a sudden something If we all start to appreciate that way of really interesting comes out. looking at life together, then we can work to make the world a better place. I love this one image that I gather is That is what we’re trying to do with a traditional one in the First Nations “Making Treaty 7.” It really is every- worldview: we all make up a circle. In body’s story. the center of that circle is a tree, and everybody’s view of the tree is diferent.

76 If “Making Treaty 7” We have to move beyond mere toler- women’s role in society took a huge ance and embrace an enlightened and step forward around that time; and contributes to the changes expanding paradigm of what humanity we began to learn what it means to be you hope for, what might is all about. I think that’s the promise multicultural. of Canada. Canada be like in the It’s not like we’ve been some tolerant next 20 years? I CAN’T GET OVER THIS FEELING utopia for much of our history, but THAT WE WERE MORE OPEN AND we were heading in the right direction ACCEPTING DURING THE TRUDEAU for a while. The challenge will be to try ERA. He got the church and courts and get back to that earlier vision that out of our bedrooms, so we can be Trudeau’s Canada was all about. who we are without fear of reprisal;

“We’re learning that we actually need some of the wisdom that the First Nations thought they could teach us when we showed up looking sickly and dying of every winter.”

77 Steven → Steven Guilbeault, Co-Founder of Equiterre, was Guilbeault on interviewed on June 12, 2014 by Elizabeth Pinnington

GREEN Innovation: “Our municipalities are beacons of hope.”

PINNINGTON GUILBEAULT

What energizes Our municipalities are beacons of ambitious in North America. Mr. hope. In Montreal, we beat a 50-year- Charest spoke at the event and said, you about what is old record in terms of transit usage “When you look around the world, the happening in because we’ve invested in the trans- countries that are able to solve prob- portation infrastructure. The green lems and rise to challenges can do so Canada right now? belt around Toronto is seen by many as because these issues transcend politi- a model in North America. Vancouver is cal afliation or ideology.” Across the probably one of the 10 best examples in country and world, where sustainability the world of what needs to be done at initiatives are taking place, it’s because the municipal level on sustainability. In these issues are transcending political each of these places, it’s not just about afliation or political mentality. Obvi- money, but also about a shift in mental- ously, from one political party to anoth- ity. People see this challenge as an op- er, there will be diferences, but as long portunity to be better in what we do, to as we can agree that we share the same be more resilient, to be more efcient. goal and need to achieve the same ob- jective, then it becomes a conversation We recently organized an event to about how do we do it. We’ve seen that celebrate Quebec’s achievement of its happen in many parts of Canada, and 2012 greenhouse targets, the most this really energizes me.

What about the IF YOU LOOK AT THE FEDERAL Canada led the efort to ban antiper- SCENE, IT IS NOT PRETTY. CANA- sonnel landmines, culminating with the current situation in DA USED TO BE A LEADER WHEN Ottawa Convention in 1997. We used to Canada keeps you IT CAME TO ENVIRONMENTAL be a country that had a good reputa- AND HUMANITARIAN ISSUES. WE tion. Now when I go to UN meetings up at night? WEREN’T ALWAYS THE BEST, BUT WE abroad, senior ministers from diferent WERE PART OF THE LEADING PACK countries come to me and say, “What’s OF COUNTRIES. The Montreal Proto- happening with Canada? We don’t rec- col was signed in Montreal in 1988 to ognize what you’ve become.” slow down depletion of the ozone layer.

78 If things turn out badly Canada as a whole right is now focused I have a friend who says, “Buying is vot- on developing a kind of 19th-century ing.” We need to become more aware of in the next 20 years, what resource-based economy. The economy the choices we make every day as indi- will have happened? of the 21st century will be one that viduals, including in the political arena. focuses on knowledge, on know-how, These issues have to be a bigger part of on innovation and creativity. If we are people’s choices. stuck in oil and gas, we will be forced to import technologies that others have If we fail to make the changes we need developed. We are not preparing for the to, it won’t be because the solutions world that will be. aren’t there or because they aren’t eco- nomically viable. It will be because we Also, the reality is that many people didn’t believe we could do it and didn’t are talking the talk of sustainability, but mobilize enough people from all the sec- fewer are walking it. We have a role to tors of our society to make it happen. play both as citizens and as consumers.

“We can’t have a prosperous society at the detriment of the planet.”

If things go well over People will have realized that we can’t as an environmental advocate, can’t do, have a prosperous society at the detri- that governments can’t do. If I’m side by the next 20 years in ment of the planet. Fortunately, we’re side with someone in business, then all Canada, what will seeing more and more business leaders of a sudden we’ve increased the weight become vocal about some of these is- of our message and enlarged the audi- have happened? sues. They need to be part of the solu- ence that will be receptive to it. tion, because they can do things that I,

Why are some business Beyond the moral imperative to think corporate citizen? Soon, I will be inter- and act more sustainably, there are viewed by people who I want to come leaders beginning material benefts. I had a conversation and work for me. It’s going to be a to- to advocate for with Robert Dutton, the now-retired tally reverse dynamic. Unless my com- CEO of RONA, the hardware store. Un- pany is a responsible actor, it’s going environmental der his leadership, the company took to be hard to attract new people.” He sustainability? a superb shift towards sustainability. also told me that when RONA reduces He said, “Today, I interview people to waste at their large hardware stores by come and work for me. But people’s 80%, they save about $80,000 a year values have changed a lot. It’s about the on waste collection. If that’s not good pay cheque, but also about what kind of business, I don’t know what is. company you are. Are you a responsible

79 Alex → Alex Himelfarb, Former Clerk of the Privy Council, Himelfarb on was interviewed on June 23, 2014 by Adam Kahane

OUR WEAKENING Collective: “Extreme inequality is corrosive.”

KAHANE HIMELFARB

What keeps you The number one issue for me is although people are working longer to inequality. Let’s think of the bottom, stay in place. The second thing is petro up at night? middle, and top of society. On the bot- jobs. The oil-rich provinces have done tom, even if, as some argue, over the pretty well for some working-class past few years things aren’t necessarily folks, because they have relatively getting worse, they aren’t improving high-paid jobs, but this success is and certainly not at the rate that we regionally focused and fragile. And see in many other rich countries. Com- even in Alberta, inequality is high; the pared to other rich countries, we’re benefts are unevenly spread. Mostly doing badly, and on First Nations and our labour market performance has Aboriginal issues and on child poverty, been shabby, wages have not kept pace unforgivably badly. Most troubling, we with productivity gains and only barely are moving in the wrong direction. Aus- with infation, and more and more Ca- terity at every level of government— nadians (especially young Canadians) largely self-imposed through years of are fnding themselves with precarious unafordable tax cuts—has eroded our jobs, with no security, benefts, or pros- key redistributive institutions, which pects, and high levels of debt. So you’ve are welfare and employment insurance, got signifcant middle-class problems and continues to squeeze the programs that, if unattended, are just going to that mitigate the consequences of get worse. But because we have all inequality, including Medicare. Auster- these headlines about how well we’re ity has yielded a kind of trickle-down doing compared to the US (which has, meanness. Its consequences inevitably among rich countries, the most serious fall hardest on the most vulnerable. inequality problems), you can’t get Just think of recent policies that seek any traction on it. Many, especially in to deprive refugee claimants of needed my age group, have done pretty well— medical care or social assistance. And which no doubt is another reason for how is it that we always fnd money for the dangerous level of complacency. war but cannot fnd the resources to serve our veterans well? The list is long Then at the top, we have witnessed the and the direction is wrong. very rich getting very much richer. Cap- ital always talks louder than labour— The middle class is also unquestion- that’s why it’s called “capitalism” and ably stretched. Two things mask the not “labourism”—but now the bargain- extent of the problem. First, over the ing power of capital is through the roof. last decade, women have worked more So money talks louder than ever. hours than before, so many households have not actually fallen in income,

80 What is the impact of Extreme inequality is corrosive. When somehow deserve all they have. Hence the people at the top and the people trickle-down meanness. If they don’t this growing inequality at the bottom are breathing such dif- need the services and deserve their on our society? ferent air, it’s hard to imagine them wealth, why pay taxes? People at the fnding any common interest or shared bottom start to think that the game is purpose. When people at the top are so fxed, and there’s nothing in it for them. rich that they can decide they no longer They don’t want to vote and they too need public services, they efectively don’t want to pay taxes. Why pay or secede from society. When the gap is play when the game is rigged? extreme, they also seem to believe they

Does government have a WE HAVE HAD 30 YEARS OF AN a conjurer’s trick! That’s a distrac- ASSAULT ON GOVERNMENT. THE tion! And it has worked profoundly. Of role to play in countering RIGHT’S GREATEST SUCCESS HAS course government has to be made these problems? BEEN TO REDEFINE TAXES AS A better, but that won’t happen so long as BURDEN OR PUNISHMENT AND AN the very idea of government is seen as UNJUSTIFIABLE CONSTRAINT ON the problem. OUR FREEDOM, AND TO EQUATE GOVERNMENT WITH INEFFICIENCY The biggest impact of austerity is that AND CORRUPTION. For decades it stunts the political imagination; it we’ve heard that our main problem is makes it seem like nothing’s possible the size of government. Is the problem collectively. Each of us is on our own. climate change? No, the problem is So I see not only this invisible, incre- the size of government. Is the problem mental, hard-to-talk-about growth in inequality? No, the problem is the size inequality, but also the loss of the col- of government. And the solution is lective capacity to do anything about it. to make government smaller. That’s

“When the people at the top and the people at the bottom are breathing such diferent air, it’s hard to imagine them finding any common interest or shared purpose.”

But doesn’t our One of the reasons that our institu- many non-ofcial; we have no revolu- tions, including our political institu- tionary moment that is binding; we are weakened trust in one tions, are so important is that, as for- a country of great cultural and regional another make it harder mer Prime Minister Trudeau observed, diversity. For all these reasons, we have Canada is an act of defance. Canada to work at being Canada. And when we for us to act collectively? makes no sense: we are dispersed geo- lose trust in our government and in graphically; we have a terrible climate; each other, it weakens us. we have two ofcial languages and

81 Don → Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton, was interviewed Iveson on on July 24, 2014 by Brenna Atnikov

BOOM AND BUST: “We seem to avoid some of the conversations we need to have.”

ATNIKOV IVESON

If you could talk with What an opportunity! How will climate The other thing I would ask is, where change afect this country in the com- are we with reconciliation with Indig- a clairvoyant about ing decades? I worry that Canada may enous people? Because that’s one of the future of Canada, be less resilient to it because of scale. the huge unfnished pieces of work in The vastness of the country is one of this country. In spite of all the attempts what would you most the things that makes us beautiful and to assimilate them, we haven’t been means we have massive resources successful, and it’s only because of the want to know? to beneft from. But because things resilience of the Indigenous people that are so spread out, we have thousands they’re still here. of miles of roads and pipes. All of that stuf is potentially vulnerable to A third question would be, does the changes in climate. country still exist or does it break apart because there’s nothing pulling YOU CAN WAIT FOR YOUR COUN- it together anymore? We’ve become TRY TO FLOOD, OR YOU CAN BUILD allergic to constitutional crises, but DIKES TODAY, OR YOU CAN BE other countries go through them and PART OF A LEGITIMATE EFFORT TO they’re healthy. It’s like a marriage—if REDUCE CLIMATE CHANGE. The you let everything fester, and then you federal government’s not talking about fnally say what you think, it’s hard to climate change because it has been work things out. If we can fght it out as incompatible with their approach to a country and come out stronger, we’re the development of the country as an good. But we seem to avoid some of the energy superpower. We should have a conversations we need to have. national strategy for dealing with physi- cal infrastructure that is at risk due to severe weather events, and frankly, we’re going to need pots of money to pay for it.

How has resource If any jurisdiction ought to have the re- kindergarten. We made missteps in the sources to keep up with growth, it would past, frst by allowing development to wealth contributed be Alberta. But the boom-and-bust cycle get out of control, and then by allowing to Edmonton’s of using resource revenues to pay for the extractive business to crowd out the ongoing expenditures is incredibly risky. value-added business. complex issues? You can’t choose to fund all-day kinder- garten and then, when oil drops below a If we’re going to pursue the oil sands certain price per barrel, eliminate all-day business, we need to learn from our

82 past mistakes and demonstrate that we environmental challenges and indus- can be good stewards of this complex trial processes around the world. That resource that we’ve inherited by chance. should be our next nation-building proj- The activity is going to happen; as long ect—create long-term value out of this as oil is higher than about $50 a barrel, one-time beneft. So when we’re done the extraction will continue. We need up north, when we’ve extracted the last to orient ourselves single-mindedly to of the extractable, economically feasible making it cheaper, cleaner, greener, resource, there’s still some reason for faster, and safer, and then we need to Edmonton to exist. apply that intellectual property to other

What has shaped how In 2002, I participated in a workshop down, raise a family, and build a career, about the need to build cities that can Edmonton actually scores better than you see things and attract and retain talented, creative, Toronto in terms of the afordability what you do? and innovative people. I had a political of housing and the quality of public science background, and this question education. We ultimately decided to provoked me to think a lot about what stay here, and we have no regrets about Canadian cities must become in order that decision. to ofer a complete urban experience and remain competitive. I’m mayor of Edmonton now, and obviously I am fully invested in the city. A few years later, my partner and There are people who get into local I started thinking about where we politics because they see room for im- wanted to build our life. My friends provement, and then there are people were not attracted to Edmonton as a who like everything exactly how it is. I’m place to live, and we were torn between frmly in the category of someone who several Canadian cities, but if you con- loves the place but sees a lot of room sider where you might want to settle for improvement.

“If we’re going to pursue the oil sands business, we need to learn from our past mistakes and demonstrate that we can be good stewards of this complex resource that we’ve inherited by chance.”

What would you I want to contribute to building the kind and the values that make us a great place of city that my kids are going to want to to live are still there. The physical infra- like your personal stay in. I can imagine that in seven gen- structure may have changed entirely, legacy to be? erations’ time, this place is still vital, and but the things that bind people together the things we invested so much of our are still real. time and energy building have endured,

83 Mark → Mark Jaccard, Professor of Sustainable Energy at Simon Fraser University, was interviewed on September 4, 2014 Jaccard on by Monica Pohlmann

RESPONSIBLE Growth: “We are living in the Anthropocene Era and we know we are infuencing the planet.”

POHLMANN JACCARD

What concerns Our current federal government and We are living in the Anthropocene Era its rapid expansion of fossil fuel indus- and we know we are infuencing the you about Canada tries is unconscionable. There’s an planet. The question is, how can we do these days? unwillingness to take on the powerful so in a far less reckless way, especially forces that make a lot of money from today with respect to greenhouse this endeavour. The thing is, what I call gas emissions? If you look at Quebec true conservatives aren’t inherently with its recent link up to California’s keen to expand the fossil fuel industry cap-and-trade, if you look at what was regardless of the planetary implica- achieved in British Columbia just fve or tions. Many right-of-centre politicians, seven years ago with our zero-emission including Gordon Campbell in British electricity policy and carbon tax, if you Columbia and Arnold Schwarzenegger look further afeld to examples like in California, have implemented efec- California with its regulations on fuels, tive climate policies. vehicles, and electricity, you see there are things that can be done.

If things turn out Canada will continue to grow economi- problems. As a grad student, I studied cally, but it won’t be pollution-intensive environmental problems that we well over the next growth. That growth will be distributed eventually were able to address fairly 20 years, what more equitably so that the children efectively, such as urban air pollution, from less advantaged families have the depletion of the ozone layer, and would the story be? opportunities that are similar to those acid rain. When people try to make a from well-of families. I’m a fairly opti- bigger deal out of climate change than mistic person, and I see humans grap- I think they need to, I bring up those pling efectively with all sorts of huge earlier successes.

84 What important My focus has been on helping our so- INCREDIBLE FORM OF CHEMICAL ciety achieve growth while preserving ENERGY THAT HAVE LED TO OUR decisions do we and conserving the natural world. WE WELL-BEING TODAY. IT’S CARBON have to make? SHOULDN’T DEMONIZE FOSSIL POLLUTION THAT’S THE PROBLEM. FUELS; FOSSIL FUELS ARE AN

What are important As a global citizen, Canada can have disappointed that we didn’t play that more weight than we may realize. Back role when there was a real interest, even lessons from the past in World War II, we declared war on Nazi among the corporate sector, in doing so. for Canada? Germany before the Soviet Union and When Stephen Harper came to power, the Americans did. We showed real lead- all that stuf died. ership. Of course, leadership isn’t just about joining some military expedition; Canada could still be a leader. We could it’s about setting an example. say, “Here’s what we’re doing, here are the policies. Who can match us?” And Similarly, Canada could play a leadership we could be selling our technologies role on issues such as carbon capture. and know-how in ways that really help In 2005-2008, there was a real push for developing countries, like China, rapidly Canada to become a world leader in car- reduce emissions without the huge ex- bon capture and storage. I’m extremely pense of closing all their coal plants.

“As a global citizen, Canada can have more weight than we may realize.”

85 Gord → Gord Lambert, Executive Advisor for Sustainability and Innovation at Suncor Energy, was interviewed on Lambert on July 17, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

COLLABORATIVE Innovation: “Climate change is a critical challenge.”

POHLMANN LAMBERT

What is energizing I am excited about a new model we have supporting the efort. By pooling our created to accelerate the pace of en- resources and sharing knowledge, best you these days? vironmental performance through inno- practices, and even intellectual prop- vation and collaboration. COSIA—Can- erty, we hope to improve our economic, ada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance—is social, and environmental performance the specifc example. It is a network of as individual companies and as an 13 companies that represent more than industry. To date, member companies 90% of Canada’s oil sands produc- have shared approximately $1 billion of tion, with 40 Associate members from intellectual property. academia, government, and business

What is happening in We have an opportunity to serve as disciplinary, organizational, cultural, and a world-class example of a resource- governmental boundaries to achieve Canada that has caught based economy that is an engine of environmental, social, and economic your attention? innovation, through engaging across outcomes that beneft all Canadians.

What keeps you Certainly climate change is a critical Twenty-frst-century problems are challenge. CANADA’S REPUTATION much more complex than earlier up at night? HAS DECLINED AROUND PERCEP- environmental challenges such as acid TIONS OF OUR LACK OF ENGAGE- rain. In the case of greenhouse gas MENT ON SOLUTIONS. There have emissions to the atmosphere, we are been many stops and starts in the ef- all part of the problem, and we all need fort to confront this global crisis. Many to be part of the solution. Yet even solid plans have fallen prey to changing today we default to a blame-based political winds. Even when govern- narrative. We can’t separate our supply ments have made a good start and have of energy from our demand require- a decent draft plan, there has usually ments. Complex problems that don’t been criticism of outcomes not being honour boundaries require conven- bold enough to protect the climate or ing diverse expertise and interests being too bold and damaging to the and broad-based, solution-oriented economy. We end up with gridlock. engagement—instead of being siloed and divisive.

86 If things turn out well I have been refecting on how we might The purpose is to accelerate progress be working together in the future to ad- to achieve a defned outcome. Can we in Canada over the next dress environment or social challenges. create such “pelotons” to mobilize 20 years, what will The metaphor is inspired by Tour de joint eforts and talents to achieve our France-type road cycling, which is in- big, bold, positive outcomes? Canada’s have happened? tensely competitive, with many diverse Oil Sands Innovation Alliance is an teams and riders and strategies, and is example of 13 companies creating also deeply collaborative. Free riders the rules for how we ride in a peloton are not tolerated. Everyone has to do together. This could inform other new their part. Trust has to be very high. models for collaboration.

“Can we create such ‘pelotons’ to mobilize joint eforts and talents to achieve our big, bold, positive outcomes?”

What about your My frst job out of school was in Cold benefcial collaboration. We had areas Lake, Alberta, and I worked with the of agreement, areas of concern, and personal story has community, including First Nations disagreements, but it was through dia- shaped what you do and local business. I was working on logue and mutual respect at a personal the Imperial Oils Cold Lake project as level that we began to resolve difer- and the perspective an environment specialist. I began to ences and created solutions. How we learn what it takes to create the hu- engage with one another is essential to you have? man-to-human relationships and trust what we want to achieve. that enable constructive and mutually

87 Kevin → Kevin Lynch, Vice Chair of BMO Financial Group, Lynch on was interviewed on July 2, 2014 by Adam Kahane

PIVOTING Internationally: “Canada thrives when it understands the world around it.”

KAHANE LYNCH

What concerns you The primary forces of change today are It is really important to our success that not Canadian; they’re global. Canada we make sure that we are not parochial about what’s going on thrives or is less successful depending in our mindset. All politics are local, but in Canada right now? on how well it understands the world in a globalized world, the defnition of around it. When it understands it, it local needs to be broadened. does quite well. When it doesn’t understand it, it does poorly.

What is an example of At the moment, our trade relations succeed, that company may need to are largely patterned on the last 40 have ofces in Montreal, Johannes- how we need to broaden years, not on the future. So 90% of burg, and Mumbai instead. Likewise, our perspective? our trade is with the OECD [Organiza- since World War II, our leading uni- tion for Economic Cooperation and versities have built relationships with Development] countries and only 10% those in the UK and the United States. with the emerging world. But if you Now, we are going to have to do so look at where globalization is taking with Brazil and China. economic growth, all of the growth is in the emerging world. We have the opportunity to diversify better and faster than the Americans, Part of our future success is going to Brits, or French. If we could build have to be diversifying where we do brand and presence and relationships business. Today, a company may have in emerging countries, we would be ofces in Montreal and Boston. To part of a giant market.

What kind of As in the past, we need ports and roads, Mandarin. That’s not where the growth but we also need the soft infrastructure is going to be. To ensure personal, soci- infrastructure do we of things like language skills. Today, our etal, and economic success, we need to need to support this kids are more likely to take German, reorient our educational system. Italian, or Greek in high school than kind of effort?

88 What will it take to shift Most people will take the status We also need to create a context quo unless either there’s a force for where today’s important issues per- the national narrative? change or they are enticed to change. meate public discourse. Pick up fve Who wouldn’t? It’s human nature. So newspapers and listen to fve radio I either have to scare you, that if we stations today, and they’re not going don’t do this the world will fall apart, to deal with these issues. Do the same or I have to entice you and engage you sampling in Singapore or Sweden, and in a realistic dialogue. they would.

Are there instances THE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WAS A These pivots succeeded because of SPECTACULAR PIVOT BY CANADIAN leadership—not just from govern- when were we able to CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS. Likewise, ment but also from the business overcome the status in the mid 90s, we made a big fscal piv- community and others. Especially in ot. It stands out as being pretty abrupt the case of the Free Trade Agreement, quo? What made these and aggressive, and frankly it turned out Canadians could see business people, brilliantly. But it wasn’t our typical incre- academics, and others honestly debat- efforts successful? mental change; it was a big change. ing. It required enormous leadership to convince the average Canadian Public opinion polling wasn’t in favour that, in a balance of risks and opportu- of either plan. At the time, if you asked nities, the Agreement was actually on somebody, “Do you want to fundamen- the positive side. tally change all of our trade agreements with the biggest country in the world?” most said “No.”

“Part of our future success is going to have to be diversifying where we do business.”

Are the conditions ripe It’s easier to convince people to do research in western countries shows big things if there’s collective trust in that, over the last 20 years, trust for large-scale change to those proposing the changes. Polling throughout society is way down. occur in Canada now?

Are you confdent in We have an ambition challenge in sufciently ambitious to keep those Canada. I’m not sure my generation is kids in Canada, so they can start their our ability to make the ambitious enough. We can do much social proft enterprises and companies needed changes? better in the world than we think we here, teach here, run for political ofce can. Some of the younger Canadians here. If we’re not ambitious enough, think that they can beat anybody if they they’ll go somewhere else, because study hard, work hard, and are innova- they want to make a diference. tive and clever enough. We have to be

89 Preston → Preston Manning, President of the Manning Centre for Democracy, was interviewed on September 16, 2014 Manning on by Brenna Atnikov

RECONCILING Economy and Environment: “Canadians need a dose of realism with respect to the economy.”

ATNIKOV MANNING

When you look at I’d like Canada to be the best-governed performance of government and the democracy in the world, with the processes of democracy are over- Canada, what’s got strongest economy and the highest whelmingly negative. In this climate, your attention? quality of life. One way to strengthen the few who do take an interest can democratic governance is to raise the control the whole system. I call it “The knowledge, skill, ethics, and capacity of Iron Law of Democracy”: if you choose elected ofcials. Many more think tanks, not to involve yourself in the politics of interest groups, and training programs your country, you will be governed by exist for elected provincial and federal people who do. ofcials than for the more than 25,000 municipal ofcials. You need 30 hours of At the highest level, politics is about training to be a barista at Starbucks, but reconciling conficting interests. The you can become a lawmaker in Parlia- hardest ones to reconcile are the ones in ment without one hour of training. Is which both sides are good. As a nation, that smart? It is becoming impossible to we’ve desperately been seeking the persuade competent people at the peak middle way right from the beginning, of their abilities to get involved in the po- and that’s helped keep the country litical arena, because they are not willing together. It’s why we’re bilingual; it’s why to subject themselves or their families we chose a combination of the British to the personal attacks and scrutiny that Parliamentary system and the American occur in the media. Federalist system. We need to continue to seek that middle way on newer fronts, We have what we might call a “democ- including the economic-environmental racy defcit,” particularly with younger front. Otherwise, we could be heading people. The simplest measure of it is towards another national unity crisis, declining participation in elections. prompted by the Western provinces and People feel that their votes don’t count. their sense of subsidizing everything Polls on Canadians’ perceptions of the east of the Ottawa River.

What keeps you Canadians need a dose of realism with they’re contributing. To maintain our respect to the economy. The resource high quality of life, the economy must up at night? sector is the horse that’s pulling the be strong enough to pay for the social current economic cart. We have to services network. As our population give more attention to strengthening ages, the demands on our healthcare those industries and recognizing what and pension systems will increase.

90 We also need to address environmental have delayed the projects isn’t because concerns, particularly as they interface the National Energy Board issued with resource development. We can’t some regulatory order; it’s because of continue to engage in a polarized economic factors. When the price of environment-versus-economy argu- gas went sky-high, it led to a slowdown ment. Nobody is out to destroy the of the development of the oil sands be- environment or the economy—you cause the companies are using natural need both—but a lot of people are gas to fuel the extraction. The signals willing to take one side or the other. that get through most strongly to the There are diferent ways of reconciling oil sands developers are fnancial and the economy with the environment, market signals. some of them on the supply side and some of them on the demand side. Few Conservatives can play a big role in groups in society talk about constrain- reconciling these interests. The words ing demands. “conservative” and “conservation” come from the same root. Living within A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING AMONG your means—something that fscal CANADIANS COULD BE A PART OF A conservatives believe in—is actually RENEWED WILLINGNESS TO TEMPER an ecological concept. You can’t take OUR DEMANDS FOR THE SAKE OF more out of a natural system than goes THE FUTURE. Instead, environmental back into it. Conservatives could make groups focus on using regulations to the harnessing of market mechanisms stop certain activities. But if you look at to environmental conservation their the development of the oil sands plants signature contribution. in Alberta, the reason the companies “People feel that their votes don’t count.”

If things unfold badly I wonder if this baby-boom generation maximum technology right till the end, is going to pursue its self-interest to the they’re going to bankrupt the healthcare over the next 20 years, bitter end. If baby boomers insist on the system and make aspects of it unavail- what would the story be? maximum level of healthcare and the able to the younger generations.

And if things turn out The central doctrine of the Chris- future, the next generation, the envi- tian faith is reconciliation, whether ronment. If we constrained our mate- well over the next between people and whoever they rial demands, we would have more 20 years, what would conceive God to be, people and others, time for our personal, family, and social people and themselves, or people and relations. If we spent more time looking have happened? the physical world. The renewed inter- after each other, we wouldn’t have to est in environmental stewardship—in go to the government for support. This restoring the relationship between is an alternative approach to trying to people and nature—has some spiritual fx everything by regulation or law. It’s elements to it. That spiritual perspec- easy to talk about the future in terms tive has a role to play in helping people of what it should be economically, en- recognize the need to sacrifce immedi- vironmentally, socially, and politically. I ate satisfaction for something in the would add the spiritual dimension.

91 Elizabeth → Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands, was May on interviewed on September 8, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

OUR ELECTED Dictatorship: “Our constitution is based on the premise that those with power will not abuse it.”

POHLMANN MAY

What keeps you We are a democracy only in theory. In been raised in an era in which the mes- practice, we’re an elected dictator- sage has been “government is bad.” up at night? ship. Canadians no longer feel em- When I talk to young people, they say, powered; they are passive consumers. “I don’t want the government doing They have abandoned the notion that this or that.” But in a democracy, you they have rights and responsibilities in should feel as though your govern- running the country. It’s very hard to ment extends from the end of your wake people back up to the fact that fngertips to do collectively what you they have power. Forty percent of Ca- can’t do as an individual. nadians don’t vote. In the by-election in Fort McMurray-Athabasca last June, Our capacity to know what’s actually only 15% voted! Unless we change going on has been diminished. The the system, the next elected dictator Internet has opened up the possibility could be Trudeau or Mulcair, and we for massive amounts of disinforma- might like the decisions better, but it tion, masquerading as information. still wouldn’t be a democracy. Social media has amplifed the voices of the intolerant, the racists, the Today, democratically elected misogynists, the homophobic. I am on governments have little sense of Twitter, and the stuf I get sent some- sovereign power and are beholden times is horrifc. There were always to transnationals through things elements of our society that were like investor-state agreements. We intolerant, but one of the great things need to reestablish that democracies about Canada has been our respect (and citizens) can choose what they for diferent viewpoints and the idea want to do, whether it’s saying no to that we can come to consensus. We’ve something like the Enbridge Northern always had this notion that we could Gateway pipelines or weighing in on disagree without being disagreeable. the Canada-China investor treaty. Today, the polite Canadian is disap- For many years, we’ve gone through pearing. Conversations are no longer deregulation, privatization, and trade allowed. You’re only allowed to yell liberalization. Taxes and anything col- slogans at each other across the aisle. lective are demonized. Our kids have

92 What lessons do we We’re like a little popsicle stand. If of power; it’s just not done. Stephen you’re ruthless, you can knock us over. Harper doesn’t have any real respect need to learn from Our constitution is based on the prem- for Westminster parliamentary democ- our past failures? ise that those with power will not abuse racy. I don’t think he is working in the it. There are no rules against the abuse interest of Canada.

What concerns you Right now, we’re irrelevant in any inter- Energy Agency, and the Organiza- national negotiations on climate, be- tion for Economic Cooperation and about Canada’s role on cause the rest of the world knows we’re Development. Christine Lagarde from the international stage? going to do the wrong thing. We’re out the IMF said at the Davos meetings last of step with a large global shift that year, “If we don’t act on the climate cri- is happening. Some of the strongest sis, future generations will be roasted, voices for action on the climate crisis toasted, fried, and grilled.” Shell and BP include the International Monetary are saying that it’s time for some form Fund, the World Bank, the International of carbon tax.

“We are a democracy only in theory. In practice, we’re an elected dictatorship.”

What energizes you? The provinces ofer a glimmer of hope of jobs for every barrel of bitumen on climate change. The premiers are produced would matter. ALL THESE saying, we need an energy policy. In the PIECES WOULD COME TOGETHER IF absence of a federal policy, we have “ad- WE WERE AROUND THE SAME TABLE hockery,” which has allowed corpora- SORTING OUT OUR PROBLEMS, IF WE tions to rule. If we had a national energy RETURNED TO COMMUNITY VALUES policy, energy security would matter, AND TO TAKING CARE OF EACH so we would export only after we met OTHER. We’re not going to be able to domestic needs. Climate action would resolve the climate crisis if we’re not a matter. And maximizing the number functioning democracy.

93 L. Jacques → L. Jacques Ménard, Chairman of BMO Nesbitt Burns and President of BMO Financial Group, Quebec, was Ménard on interviewed on November 15, 2014 by Adam Kahane

FULFILLING Our Responsibilities: “We tend to defer too much, partly out of a sense of respect but also out of a kind of passivity.”

KAHANE MÉNARD

What do you see As Canadians, we have certain rights. We aren’t contributing inside our We also have duties and a responsibil- country and outside to the world to going on in the ity to contribute to the public good, the extent of our potential. Being country that needs especially if we are blessed with a social democrats, we tend to defer too certain level of infuence. That’s also much, partly out of a sense of respect paying attention to? true of the country. We have a country but also out of a kind of passivity that that’s blessed. We moan and groan says, “Let’s wait until we get guidance.” about some of our shortcomings, but The way we can do better is by taking when we look at the news, we can see responsibility for what Canada is to how Canada is the envy of the world. become. We have to remind ourselves We are blessed because we happen to that it’s not going to come from gov- be in this hemisphere and because our ernment and it’s not going to come culture allows us to govern ourselves from elsewhere: Canada will be what in the way we do. The 2008 crisis did we make it. Caring, fairness, solidarity, not have the impact here that it did resourcefulness, and innovativeness elsewhere. How can we share our are all Canadian values. Canada will be a expertise, experiences, and values in better place if our leaders and citizenry a way that shows solidarity with other take more responsibility for practicing folks in the world that have not been those values and creating better op- blessed as we have? portunities for people to succeed.

If you could ask a Has Canada become a model in the service areas. Economically, we are a realm of education? Canada is one small country, and the only way we’re clairvoyant about the of the fastest-aging countries in the going to grow is by becoming much future, what would world. If we are to continue with our more efective and by regaining our Canadian social and economic model, role as a powerful exporter of ideas, want to know? the generation of workers 25 years services, and certain products. We from now will need to be much more need to wean ourselves of of being productive than my generation or totally dependent on our national that of my father. Therefore, we must resources. We can still be a resource- become a leader in education and in based country, we can still ship oil and our ability to stimulate innovation and minerals, but we need to have a more creativity in sciences, healthcare, and balanced economy.

94 If things have not turned We will have kept shrinking the re- Future generations will pass a tough sources we devote to higher education judgment on today’s generations, say- out well over the next and research at our universities and ing, “Look at what they did through 20 years, what would the institutions. We will have chosen to their obsession with an individualistic give all the money back to citizens and way of thinking.” story have been? forgone our collective responsibility to foster a better educational system. A lot of our imaginative, energetic, That would have an impact on our and highly schooled kids would have record of achievement in the realm of left the country. Many smart kids have innovation and patent development. already left Quebec. In response, here Canada will have eroded and missed an in Montreal, we’ve realized that we opportunity to focus on our talents. can do one of two things: we can keep harping on our weaknesses or we can HOW DO YOU MISS AN OPPORTU- decide to work on our strengths. We NITY ON TALENTS? YOU DO TWO can wait for someone else to defne THINGS: YOU DON’T DEVELOP THEM us and our potential and our calling AND YOU DON’T RETAIN THEM. We as a city, or we can act on the leverage compete in the world, and the fewer that we do have as a community and as unique skills we develop, the poorer citizens. There is energy and creativ- our country will be. We can’t shrink ity and talent in this city, and one of ourselves into greatness. At some the challenges is fguring out how to point, we have some collective respon- retain, attract, and develop it. sibilities to one another generationally.

“We can’t shrink ourselves into greatness. At some point, we have some collective responsibilities to one another generationally.”

95 Tanzeel → Tanzeel Merchant, Executive Director of the Ryerson City Building Institute, was interviewed on Merchant on September 16, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

HOW WE LIVE: “I see disruptions and anger.”

POHLMANN MERCHANT

What keeps you up Our education system focuses on the Some of our conversations about attainment of status, not on the quality diversity need to be reframed. For at night about what’s of education. Going forward, it’s going example, we still use the term “visible going on in Canada? to be a challenge to get the right people minority” for a populace that is no lon- for the kinds of things we need to do in ger a minority. We’re not doing a good the workforce. Young people also need enough job of engaging newcomers. to develop basic skills in terms of being We use models of engagement that able to articulate their thoughts and may be alien to them or may not be have conversations. It’s not just about relevant anymore. We are also creating whether or not someone tweets; it’s ghettos. Go to Rexdale or Mississagua about how to engage them in the com- or Brampton to understand how we’re munity and in political discourse. And focusing ethnic communities in one it’s not just about importing people place. Immigrants make choices to with skills from somewhere else; it’s go there, but we’re not doing a good about fguring out what things we want enough job of integrating these com- to be good at. munities into the city’s fabric.

What energizes you? I like the fact that we often don’t know have difcult conversations. If we can’t who we are, because there isn’t an do that, how can we do anything else? expectation in terms of needing to sub- If we identify and own the issues, we scribe to certain things. This could be a could do some wonderfully creative weakness as well as a strength, depend- things. Canada has been willing to bring ing on how we shape it. I’ve always seen people together without ideology, to this openness as my chance to be a part talk things through and work things of our country’s narrative. out. I like that in my life and I like that in my nation—one that’s not polar- We still have the economic clout and ized, that’s inclusive, that encourages resources to be able to make a big conversation, and that doesn’t decide diference in the world. Whether we what’s right and wrong before you’ve want to is something that we need to started talking. We do that well. We’re start talking about. We throw money still a young country, and there are at problems, but it comes down to many stories yet to be written. We can whether we have the political will to start to shape them in a positive way.

96 If you could ask a I’d want to know what path we take on moving north, the country is warming. I the environment. WE ARE HYPO- really want to know where we will land. clairvoyant about the CRITES, IN THAT WE’RE BOTH RID- future of Canada, what ING THE ECONOMIC BOOM AND We’re not going to be an immigrant CRITICIZING ITS IMPACT. WE WANT magnet forever. The things that we would you want to know? THE MONEY BUT WE DON’T WANT ofer aren’t unique to Canada anymore. THE ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUC- Other parts of the world are becom- TION. WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT ing equally attractive in ofering the IT? Have our habits around consump- comforts that are a part of our lives tion changed? It may take two or three here. We work on the assumption that generations, but the things that we we’ll continue to attract immigrants know and have known for the last 400- and that they will come to our cities. 500 years are going to change, whether All of that could turn on a dime, and we we cause that change or whether the would suddenly have a very diferent planet makes that change happen. future. I’d like to know where we go We’re seeing it already: pests are with that.

“We’re not doing a good enough job of engaging newcomers. We use models of engagement that may be alien to them or may not be relevant anymore. We are also creating ghettos.”

If in 20 years things have Canada’s going to be more and more are going to get older. In some munici- separated by geography, in terms of palities in Ontario, 60 to 70% of their gone badly in Canada, the urban centres versus everything population will be above the age of 65 what’s happened? else. The rural communities are at a by the year 2040. critical point in their evolution, and we’re not acknowledging that they More people are living in single house- have a problem. Politically, they still holds than ever before, in building have clout because of the way seats types that breed isolation, not com- are distributed, and they’re expecting munity. All of these factors compound a certain quality of life that they can no to afect what kind of a society we longer get. In 30, 50, 100 years, they’re become and what kind of lives people going to be very diferent places. They live. I see disruptions and anger hap- may not have enough people to sup- pening. I see the Canadian identity port them. The people who are there getting a little fractured.

97 Farah → Farah Mohamed, CEO of G(irls)20, was interviewed Mohamed on on September 19, 2014 by Brenna Atnikov

OUR COMPETITIVE Advantage: “Humility is nice, but not when it holds you back.”

ATNIKOV MOHAMED

When you look at The diverse make-up of our country is bigger power in light of what’s happen- one of our competitive advantages. In ing in the world. There will be 9 billion Canada, what’s got an increasingly globalized, intercon- people to feed by 2050, and we’ve got your attention? nected world, it’s a competitive edge some of the strongest agricultural poli- for any organization or country to cies. During the 2008 world fnancial have a variety of opinions around the crisis, we showed our fnancial prow- table. If the people involved are all from ess, and we continue to be a leader similar backgrounds, you can’t really in our taxation and banking systems, understand what’s going on outside the our stability, and our relatively low room. We do a good job of celebrating unemployment rate when compared diversity; now we have to fgure out to other nations. But do we export how to leverage it. We could start by enough of that knowledge? No! Do we having more diversity—of ethnicity, showcase enough just how awesome gender, sexual orientation, people with we are? No! It’s called the “Tall Poppy disabilities—in our federal, provin- Syndrome”—we don’t want to stand cial, and municipal governments. We out by being the tallest poppy in the also have to change the curriculum feld, so when Canadians do amazing in schools. Students still learn more things, we won’t take credit for them. about the frst and second World Wars I’d like to see us be more patriotic, but than about the positive contribution of until the world applauds us, we don’t Aboriginal Canadians or of immigrants. applaud ourselves. Humility is nice, but not when it holds you back. We have the opportunity to assert ourselves—to rebrand ourselves—as a

What keeps you I WORRY ABOUT YOUTH UNEMPLOY- social programs going? I would like us MENT. WE CAN’T AFFORD A LOST to be thinking a little less short term up at night? GENERATION. WE CANNOT LOSE and a little more long term. OUT ON THE WAY YOUNG PEOPLE THINK, INTERACT, DRIVE CHANGE. We have to be careful regarding poli- We also need to think about stability: cies that afect the ability for people who is going to pay taxes and keep our from other countries to come here and

98 to work. The growth of our population vators and scientists and Nobel Peace still needs to come from immigration. If Prize winners—are going to choose to we don’t have open immigration laws, go somewhere else, and we can’t aford we’re not going to have that growth. As that. We haven’t lost our lustre in this a result, the best of the best—the inno- area, but we need to polish it.

How can we better We need to cultivate people’s ability to the right to vote. Some in this country make informed decisions. It is abso- will take the position that, “It’s rain- ensure we don’t let lutely ridiculous that we do not have ing, I’m not going to vote today.” If opportunities go mandatory voting. If you were forced I ruled the world, you wouldn’t get to vote, you would care about your your passport, your health card, or to waste? leadership, the risks that your country your driver’s licence if you didn’t vote. is taking, and its reputation abroad. To be engaged, people need to feel You would be more engaged with the hopeful, they need to feel like they can policies and the people who represent play a part, they need to feel like their you. People in other countries die for opinion matters.

“We have the opportunity to assert ourselves— to rebrand ourselves— as a bigger power in light of what’s happening in the world.”

99 Gordon → Gordon Nixon, Former President of Royal Bank of Canada, was interviewed on July 30, 2014 Nixon on by Monica Pohlmann

OUR STRENGTHS and Weaknesses: “It’s great to have commodities, but that sector is certainly not going to be an engine for growth.”

POHLMANN NIXON

When you look at Historically we’ve been a commod- to consider, from a cultural perspective, ity-based economy with a strong are we comfortable being an aggres- Canada today, what’s manufacturing sector, and now we’re a sive, outspoken advocate on the world keeps you up at night? commodity-based economy with a weak stage? Or are we more comfortable in manufacturing sector. It’s great to have our traditional role as a peace-keeper commodities, but that sector is not a big and mediator—friendly, not aggressive employer, and it’s certainly not going to or outspoken, and consensus-driven? be an engine for growth. Canada has to Clearly that’s not where we are today. fnd its way in the world of innovation, emerging technologies, and advanced Finally, Canada is vulnerable to a lot of manufacturing methods. We also have diferent attacks. Because of our prox- to ensure that we continue to stay disci- imity to the United States, we’ve always plined from a fscal perspective. We talk taken for granted that we are a safe about how well the country is doing f- country, without the fear of war. But nancially, but Quebec and Ontario both in today’s world, where wars are often have signifcant fnancial burdens and fought through electronics and terror- defcits. In the past we’ve seen the nega- ism rather than on the ground, we are tive impact of a lack of fscal discipline. way, way behind most other industrial- ized countries. We don’t have the same We live in a global economy, and as a level of intelligence as most Europeans country we need to fgure out how we countries or the United States, and want to position ourselves in the world. that leaves us very vulnerable to attack. Canada’s position today is very diferent Some massive event of terrorism could from what it was 15 years ago. We have really change our country

What energizes you? Few countries in the world ofer the have worked really hard to overcome quality of life, stability, security, and our geography, our elephant to the consistency that Canada does. In terms south, and our history. of income equality, quality of gover- nance, and even economic perfor- DIVERSITY IS PROBABLY OUR mance, it’s a pretty good story. We GREATEST SOURCE OF STRENGTH.

100 It is one of our core values as a com- Everyone knows the country was built pany, and it is one of our core values as by immigrants, but we don’t often ac- a country. In 1980, we had one female knowledge that the country is still be- executive; today our chairman is fe- ing built by immigrants. You don’t want male, as are 40% of our executives. And the diversity we have made work so we are an example of how the mosaic of well to turn from an incredible strength multiculturalism can work well. When into a weakness. If we are complacent, you look across our employee base, our multicultural success could turn almost every country in the world is into ethnic challenges. represented in a signifcant manner.

If things turn out badly We aren’t able to compete in terms of wrong decision for more than half of innovation and advanced manufactur- our young people. in Canada over the next ing, and end up underperforming the 20 years, what would rest of the world economically. Under- So without structural change, it’s hard performance in terms of economic to imagine how the younger people of have happened? growth would result in a snowballing today are ever going to be able to save efect of higher unemployment, gov- the way that my generation did. Income ernment defcits, and a less optimistic diferentials have resulted in a decline country as a whole. of the ability of lower, middle, and even upper-middle income Canadians We also have a mismatch of training to maintain a quality of life relative to and future jobs. Universities are prob- high-income earners. A combination of ably the least innovative sector of the cost infation (particularly in housing) economy, when you think of traditional and lifestyle choices will impact how lectures and tenured professors and we look as a country. A lot of people are everything else. Every other sector of living okay today but they are not sav- the economy has been forced to adapt ing, they don’t have big pensions, and as a result of technology and other they’re certainly not going to be able changes, but our educational system to maintain their current standard of really has not adapted. In terms of living with social security. learning the skills they need for tomor- row’s jobs, university is probably the

“Without structural change, it’s hard to imagine how the younger people of today are ever going to be able to save the way that my generation did.”

101 Ratna → Ratna Omidvar, Executive Director of the Global Diversity Exchange at Ryerson University, was Omidvar on interviewed on October 16, 2014 by Elizabeth Pinnington

GROWTH through Diversity: “Canada has the skeleton bones for how a future society should function.”

PINNINGTON OMIDVAR

What excites you? Canada has the skeleton bones for how fnancial services sector is the changing a future society should function. We are rules for who qualifes for a mortgage. today what many other societies likely In the past, the bank only counted the will become; we are home to many na- incomes of two individuals: a couple. tionalities, many races, many religions. Immigrant employees at one fnancial Diversity is part of our DNA, primarily in institution pointed out a missed busi- the urban centres. We function general- ness opportunity. They said, “Wait a ly well—nobody is rioting on our streets, second, immigrant families don’t always people are civil to each other, you go on live as husband and wife; they live as the subway with people packed in tight husband and wife, brother, sister, aunt, and nobody is shouting racist remarks. uncle.” The whole family works together to purchase a home which, along with Local institutions have contributed citizenship, is a signifcant indicator a great deal to this narrative. For ex- of belonging. Consequently, fnancial ample, in Toronto, schools have been services institutions in Canada changed remarkably progressive in refecting mortgage criteria to allow families to the multicultural face of Canada in the be defned diferently and to pool their curriculum. It’s no longer “Jenny and income to qualify for mortgages. Busi- Thomas go to the store to buy sugar” ness goes where the market is, and our it’s “Fatima and Ali go to the store to buy fnancial services sector has realized rice.” These things make a diference. that if we want to serve the customer, we have to know the customer. We’re In other ways, business has taken the making progress. It’s just taking a very lead in adapting to our new diverse long time. reality. An interesting example from the

If things turn out Looking into the future, I see a diferent economy, we’re able to produce more, Canada, built on the momentum of we’re able to trade more, we’re able well over the next today. We have doubled our popula- to sell to more people, we have more 20 years, what tion. As a result, we have 10 big urban people with big ideas. Our population centres, not just four. In those urban growth has stabilized through immigra- would the story be? centres are residents of unrivalled di- tion, and our economy has the capacity versity. This strengthens our economy to absorb immigrants at all skill levels and prosperity. Because we are a bigger and many more refugees.

102 Second, we are an economic power- Canadians are adept at interpreting house because we are trading with the written and unwritten rules and many more countries rather than rely- regulations in diferent markets, and ing so heavily on the United States. We are nimble in moving from one culture have addressed our overreliance on to another. Canada’s future is in paying one market by aggressively diversifying attention to and releasing this latent our political and business relationships. power of the immigrants of today Through immigration and through and yesterday, and strengthening the diaspora networks, our natural links connections between places, markets, to the outside world have expanded. suppliers, and ideas.

What keeps you We are a rules-bound society. We don’t There are also some worrisome trends. like to take too much risk. Peace, order, We’ve lost our commitment to per- up at night? good governance: that’s us. Not tak- manency. WE USED TO SAY, “COME ing risks means surrounding yourself TO CANADA AND AFTER THREE OR with the same old ideas and the same FOUR YEARS, YOU WILL BECOME A old people that refect those ideas. CANADIAN CITIZEN.” WE’RE MAKING Research shows that if you want to pro- CITIZENSHIP HARDER TO GET AND duce the same rigid thinking, your team EASIER TO LOSE. We are importing should be homogenous. However, if temporary foreign workers who have you want to create something new, dif- no right to permanency, and so we’re ferent, crazy, then you should ensure creating a two-tiered society. We know that your team is made up of people from the United States and Europe that who are radically diferent from you. many guest workers don’t leave; they It may create measured confict and overstay their visas and go under- chaos, but it will result in creativity, and ground. Imagine coming in as a tem- we need creativity. porary foreign worker from Mexico, China, or the Philippines. You’re tied to In Toronto, whilst our visible minority an employer. You do not have the free- population is roughly 49%, it only flls dom to quit. If that employer abuses 13% of leadership positions. The people you, are you going to complain? We’re who sit in boardrooms and hold corpo- losing sight of the values we built this rate power look like Old Canada; they great nation on. Another of those val- don’t look like New Canada. Why is it ues is compassion. We’ve made a stark that we’re not Silicon Valley, apart from departure from compassion in our sunshine? Because in Silicon Valley, the negligible efort to resettle refugees price of entry is not where you were from Syria and Iraq. born, the price of entry is your idea. We’re not there yet.

“Not taking risks means surrounding yourself with the same old ideas and the same old people that reflect those ideas.”

What legacy do you Through the Global Diversity Exchange Local communities have an enormous at Ryerson, we are creating movements potential to reach out across borders, hope to leave? for change that are locally embedded connect with each other, and learn and and grounded in ideas that work, on replicate from each other. This is far diversity, migration, and inclusion. more difcult for nation states.

103 Lili-Anna → Lili-Anna Pereša, President of Centraide of Greater Montreal, was interviewed on September 3, 2014 Pereša on by Adam Kahane

MAKING Tough Choices: “We’re fed up with bad news and our scepticism is high.”

KAHANE PEREŠA

When you look at MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT SOCIAL But there has been a decline in the INEQUALITY KEEPS GROWING IN welcome we give people. Immigrants what’s going on in CANADA—EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOT generally arrive and experience what Montreal, in Quebec, AS HIGH AS ELSEWHERE. Around the we call “transitional poverty.” In world, growing inequality is creating a Canada, it used to take around seven in Canada, what keeps lot of tension. In Canada, we have been years before somebody would feel safe from some of that tension be- you up at night? fnancially comfortable, and after that cause we don’t share borders with any they would move out to the suburbs. country that has extreme inequalities But now it takes 14 years for some- and so don’t have the pressure from body to reach fnancial independence. migration. The poverty rate in Montreal is 23%, which means almost one person out of Still, we have a responsibility to be four lives below the poverty line. more open than we have been lately. When my father arrived here as a We have a collective responsibility to Croatian immigrant, this community make sure that those who are in the welcomed him wonderfully. Canada most vulnerable positions are protect- has a long history of welcoming ed and have the same opportunities as refugees or people who are being dis- the rest of us. criminated against in their countries.

If things don’t turn out We—both citizens and politicians— make tough decisions. Then people would have failed to show courage in aren’t happy because the politicians well in Canada over making the tough, long-term decisions aren’t doing what they promised. When the next decades, what we face. With a four-year election we vote for people, we have to have the cycle, politicians campaign and paint courage to let them do what they have would have happened a nice, beautiful picture, but they’re to do and not succumb to the pressure and why? not telling the entire story. When they to do what is popular. get in power, they realize they have to

104 Do you think we’re Right now, we’re investing a lot in health system. And since there is a link healthcare. Why is that? Because peo- between low educational attainment currently making wise ple fear that they and their loved ones and poverty, investing more in educa- investments for the could become ill, and want assurance tion would be more sustainable than that if they do they will have access to sinking more and more money into future? quality care. But since the population healthcare. But how can elected of- of deprived areas has poorer health fcials who serve four or fve years have and lower life expectancy, reducing the courage to invest in such a long- poverty reduces the pressure on our term, preventive approach?

Does Montreal have Over the past 20 years, every neigh- I think that we’re fed up with bad news bourhood in Montreal has organized a and our scepticism is high. We want the capacity to make multidisciplinary round table in which good news, and we know that we have needed change? people from community organizations, to rely only on ourselves to create that local agencies, the city, the police, health good news. Even if we don’t have the providers, schools, and so on talk and same political vision, we know we have work together. Before, only agencies to stick together to move forward. mobilized citizens, but now neighbour- Despite the degree of poverty in Mon- hoods themselves are the ones working treal, when you look at statistics on the on this mobilization. They defne neigh- levels of happiness and quality of life, it is bourhood priorities, such as security one of the top places to live, because we or making sure that all kids go to good have a strong community network. The schools, and then they work together to reason we have a low crime rate, a high make it happen. They don’t say, “Okay, quality of life, and a society that mobiliz- we’ll choose the one that is easier”; they es in a peaceful way is because we have say, “What is the most important one an open culture and because our social for us to move on frst?” fabric allows people to have hope.

“Despite the degree of poverty in Montreal, when you look at statistics on the levels of happiness and quality of life, it is one of the top places to live, because we have a strong community network.”

105 Sherene → Sherene Razack, Professor of Social Justice Education Razack on at the University of Toronto, was interviewed on October 7, 2014 by Elizabeth Pinnington OUR SETTLER Legacy: “Almost everything we do came out of that colonial moment when we tried to fgure out how to steal the land.”

PINNINGTON RAZACK

What keeps you The growing, institutionalized dehu- a spectrum of violent acts, like police manization towards specifc groups. ofcers who drive a man out of the up at night? It’s as though society is evolving based city and leave him to freeze to death. on the principle that human life doesn’t The principle that this person’s life is matter. Every morning, I read about not worth as much as yours is both 10 things that make me think we’re an everyday act and a state practice. growing increasingly distant from each Look at the “tough on crime” initiatives other. It begins with race and becomes that conservatives love. What kind of a structure that invades everything. cruelty and disregard for human life do White people routinely dehuman- these kinds of policies come out of? ize Indigenous people. I’m talking of

What are some I always think about how dominant We have to learn that the colonial proj- subjects make themselves dominant. ect that is Canada is not viable, because important lessons You’re not born that way. I tell my class, it is not structured on the principle of a from the past for “No one is born White.” You have to common humanity. We could look at all learn it and you have to keep perform- the instances where spectacular mean- Canadians? ing it every day. People don’t easily ness and repression have not produced believe in their own superiority or that anything good, moments when Canada others are lower forms of humanity. was tempted to be extremely vicious They have to convince themselves, to Indigenous peoples. If that principle and they’re terribly haunted by it. The structures your country, which is what Settlers had to learn that Indigenous structures this country, then it’s almost people were inferior, were savages. like you can’t go anywhere good from But it was a very hard lesson to learn, there. We can’t move into recogniz- because for one thing, they’re not. ing the humanity of refugees or other Indigenous people had a lot of knowl- people if our day-to-day life is intensely edge about this place and clearly had a structured by the inhumanity with developed society. Because we have to which we have treated Aboriginal peo- be taught not to recognize the human- ple. Almost everything we do came out ity of others, maybe we can interrupt of that colonial moment when we tried this process. to fgure out how to steal the land. We have to confront this colonial paradigm before we can open the way to others.

106 How can we confront it? WE’VE HAD SPECTACULAR MOMENTS bad if things continue as they are.” If WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED you want to live behind barricades and AND SAID, “WOW, THIS IS REALLY have guns and shoot down everybody BAD.” We have to keep taking these who confronts you, if you think that’s a moments and being political about good life, then you’re not going to see them, organizing about them, educat- the common cause. But you cannot ing around them, exposing them. We live enjoyably, let alone ethically, in need to say to White people, “I don’t a society where such bad things are want you to help me. I want you to happening to others. understand that your life will be really

If you could ask a I would want to know if the wholesale I’d also like to know what we did with damage and destruction of Indigenous the tar sands. This is the moment to clairvoyant about the communities continued. White people confront what we as humanity are future, what would destroy Aboriginal communities doing to wreck the climate. If we can’t because they get in the way of gold, of confront it now, we’re too far along. I you want to know? oil, of White people feeling like this is hope people suddenly fnd themselves their land and they have a right to do asking, why are we doing this? what they want with it. I would want to know if, in the long run, Aboriginal people lost out.

“Every morning, I read about 10 things that make me think we’re growing increasingly distant from each other.”

If things turn out badly Education will be about learning trades have a good life and others don’t, what or skills and not about learning to think your relationship is to others in the in the next 20 years, what critically. Most places where people social world. There’s no way to break will have happened? can learn to think critically will shut down the mythologies that you see down; the rest will be small or very, very reproduced every day in the papers. If restricted. The result is that you don’t you are taught that Aboriginal people get to ask questions about why things are a dying race, you don’t have a way are the way they are, why some people to question that statement.

What energizes you? I’m really glad I live in Toronto. This city history, it has to be this extraordinary is 50% non-White, and no one group mix of people together in one physical is in the ascendancy. It is an incredible space. The people here won’t put up combustion of histories and politics. If with oppression as easily as in other there’s anything that stands a chance places. They’re not going to accept be- of blowing apart our terrible colonial ing left out.

What legacy do you want That it is possible and necessary to pond. I hope to be part of a community stand up and say what’s happening of people who feel this way and who to leave through the work is wrong. But I can’t just do that as an can act collectively without getting that you’re doing? individual. Writing a book or teaching shut down. a class is like throwing a pebble into a

107 Angus → Angus Reid, Chairman of the Angus Reid Institute, was interviewed on September 30, 2014 Reid on by Monica Pohlmann

THE STATE of Our Democracy: “We elect a Prime Minister who has almost dictatorial power.”

POHLMANN REID

What’s on the Twenty years ago, healthcare was preferential access to our healthcare number fve on the list of issues of resources; that’s now up to 65 or 70%. mind of Canadians concern to Canadians. It is now number And yet despite Canadians’ concerns these days? one. They sense that the quality of about some parts of the system, when the system has deteriorated. In 1994, you ask what really makes it special to fewer than 40% of Canadians thought be Canadian, their answer is increas- that wealthy people in this country had ingly healthcare.

When you look at It’s a good time to be a Canadian. We geographic diversity. In that sense, we have a strong brand that is in very can contribute a lot of new thinking to Canada today, what good shape around the world. We are other countries about how to govern makes you feel a federation, so we’ve sorted out how in this extremely diverse and rapidly to operate a functioning society with changing world. optimistic? great levels of regional, cultural, and

What concerns you? The voting system here is broken. We it is possible to have a Prime Minister elect a Prime Minister who has almost whose French isn’t perfect but who dictatorial power. We have issues with has a lieutenant who is bilingual. That’s voter turnout and political literacy, es- not a popular idea, but it’s one that I pecially with young voters. There is an care a lot about, because leadership appalling lack of understanding of even development is critical to the future of some of the most fundamental aspects the country. of our democracy. The decline of newspapers and AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, OUR the signifcant decline of what I call RECRUITMENT OF STRONG LEAD- consensus-building media is a big ERS IS SOMEWHAT DIMINISHED BY concern. Local newspapers no longer THIS UNWRITTEN RULE THAT TOP cover stories in the community. When ELECTED OFFICIALS MUST BE FULLY you just rewrite a bunch of news wire BILINGUAL. We basically disenfran- reports, how do you cover city hall or chise the majority of English-speaking local crime or other issues? politicians. We have to understand that

108 If you could ask a How do we cope with the increas- family and the legitimizing of all kinds ing problem of inequality? You see of diferent arrangements. For some clairvoyant about the it everywhere. You can’t go into an people who see traditional families as future of Canada, what airport without seeing rich guys going the foundation of society, rapid move- through the fast lanes and everybody ment in the other direction is of con- would you want to know? else waiting in line for an hour to get cern. I have other friends who think on an airplane. Factor that across we should be celebrating the death of our society many times, whether it’s the traditional family. in healthcare or other services. Our society ended up enriching a lot of What is life going to be like 20-25 years people through technology and other from now, when my fve grandchildren changes. We need to fgure out how enter the labour force? Are they going bring things back into some kind of kil- to see their lives as a step down from ter. Are we going to be a society that is what their parents or grandparents increasingly unequal, or are we going achieved? Are they going to have ac- to fnd some mechanisms to reinvent cess to high-quality healthcare? Will the middle-class dream? Canada continue to be a fair, compas- sionate society, or are technology and What are households going to look like global forces going to compromise 20-50 years from now? We’re seeing those elements that have created the massive changes in the defnition of Canadian experience?

“The tide is moving against the quintessential idea of what it is to be Canadian and of the Canadian dream.”

What important The tide is moving against the quintes- forces at work in Canadian society will sential idea of what it is to be Canadian do if there is no intervention. trends do you see? and of the Canadian dream. That’s why leadership is so important—if we Our federal government is more highly can fnd leaders who can galvanize the politicized than at any time in our his- nation to counter this tidal movement, tory. That’s generally a bad thing. Once we’ll be okay. We can’t sleepwalk into you get beyond economic issues, the future; we need to clearly grasp defence, border security, and a couple where we’re not happy with the direc- of other fles, you end up with a federal tion we’re heading and use our collec- government that doesn’t seem to have tive will to make a change in course. a big vision for the country beyond The race is on between what we can do devolving powers to the provinces and by intentionality and will, and what the letting them sort it out.

109 Michelle → Michelle Rempel, Minister of Western Economic Diversification, was interviewed on Rempel on September 26, 2014 by Brenna Atnikov

PLURALISM and Innovation: “We’ve got a huge creative class in this country.”

ATNIKOV REMPEL

What are you The thing that strikes me the most those demonstrations between groups is our pride in Canadian pluralism. representing the two sides. I thought, paying attention to in As a country, we have a set of values, “That’s not Canada!” There are certain Canada right now? including equal opportunity, individual things we just don’t do as a country. We freedoms coupled with a sense of re- can completely disagree on policy or sponsibility, and the possibility to retain other things, but at the end of the day, our cultural and religious identities. As that discourse of ideas and positions is we face issues like energy security and how we develop as a nation. We have religious extremism, this ability to have to be able to talk about difcult issues a national identity but still be a nation without coming to blows. For example, of many diferent cultures is going to we value religious freedom, but we also become more and more important. value gender equality and equality in We need to insure that, as our country terms of sexual orientation. How do we grows and matures, we still have equal- square those circles? My hope is that ity of opportunity for all people, both we recognize that there are certain those coming to Canada and those who values that trump any sort of discrimi- live here now. nation and that we call discrimination for what it is rather than veiling it. What Several months ago, when the confict we’ve built here is unique and special. between Israel and Palestine fared up, If we don’t hold on to it and celebrate there were demonstrations in Calgary. it and speak out when it’s threatened, A physical assault took place at one of then I worry for us.

If things turn out well Canada would be known as a world need to become a nation of innovators. leader in terms of innovation and inno- With a little bit of pushing and coordina- over the next 20 years, vation policy. People across the political tion, innovation is something we could what would the story be? spectrum recognize that we need to use be known for—it could become our our enormous resource wealth to look international brand. into the future and develop secondary industries. I’m not just talking about If you look at the innovation ecosystem making widgets but also about innovat- in Canada as a constellation, you’ve got ing in terms of the public policies we the innovators—the people who are

110 actually doing the thinking or designing commerce, think tanks—but it’s kind of the widgets. Those innovations have to a disparate system right now. To bring go somewhere. If it’s a widget, is it going order to this universe, to the big policy into industry? If it’s a new economic questions, we’re identifying where each model, is it going to afect the federal component fts in terms of that con- budget development process? Then veyer belt and making sure that those you’ve got all the other actors in the pieces are well fnanced, well linked, and innovation community—government driving towards a common purpose. funders, not-for-profts, chambers of

What do you see as Our political system is a good one creative class in this country. People and is relatively equal in terms of op- from all walks of life are innovators. going particularly portunities for people to enter. IF A More importantly, we’ve got the well in Canada? YOUNG WOMAN FROM A MIDDLE- vehicles by which to get their best CLASS FAMILY IN SOUTH WINNIPEG thinking plugged into our public policy CAN BECOME A CABINET MINISTER, decision-making process. ANYBODY CAN. We’ve got a huge

“As we face issues like energy security and religious extremism, this ability to have a national identity but still be a nation of many diferent cultures is going to become more and more important.”

111 → Jean-Paul Restoule, Associate Professor in the Jean-Paul Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education at the University of Toronto, was interviewed on Restoule on October 8, 2014 by Elizabeth Pinnington

BUILDING Relationships: “Canadians need to include Aboriginal people in Canadian institutions—but on Aboriginal terms.”

PINNINGTON RESTOULE

What keeps you There’s a lot of optimism among young communities. They twist the truth to Aboriginal people. While the birth rate get people on their hateful bandwag- up at night? for Canadian citizens is relatively low, ons and play up the fears and tensions the Aboriginal population is young and that are a part of Canadian history. growing fast. This population needs to be courted to help address gaps in the PEOPLE DIG IN THEIR HEELS WHEN workforce. With education and train- FORCED TO GRAPPLE WITH THE ing, there’s great potential there. FACT THAT CANADA EXISTS ON STOLEN ABORIGINAL LAND. THEY’RE However, you still see strong currents AFRAID THEY’RE GOING TO LOSE of racism in places, like the comments SOMETHING IF THEY TALK ABOUT section of major news websites, where WHAT IT MEANS TO SHARE WHAT’S some people say terrible things about BEEN STOLEN OR TO GIVE UP SOME Aboriginal people. Some media person- OF THE POWER THAT WAS TAKEN. alities spread outright lies about Cana- These are legitimate fears, but the dis- dian law, Aboriginal law, and Aboriginal course is often uninformed and hateful.

What are helpful People are starting to realize the to see some impact in the graduate importance of including Aboriginal courses I teach. Ten years ago, if I places from which to perspectives in school curricula and asked, “Who has heard of residential build this dialogue? in workplaces. I get a lot of interest schooling?” one or two hands might from people who want to change the go up. Now, it’s maybe a quarter to way they’re teaching, training, and a third of the students. I think in 20 doing advocacy to include Aboriginal years dialogue will change because cultural knowledge and identity, and instead of having to back up and cover anti-racism work. It has been about 20 the foundation from which to start years since Ontario frst introduced a talking, people will at least have the First Nations Studies course into the history, they’ll know that. high-school curriculum. I’m starting

What are important Having Aboriginal overrepresentation symptoms as opposed to preventing crossroads that we’re facing in the criminal justice system versus these kinds of choices in the frst place. having proportional representation of Canadians need to include Aboriginal as we move forward as a Aboriginal people in education and the people in Canadian institutions—but on collective or as a nation? workforce. So much is spent on treating Aboriginal terms.

112 How can we build When we open up workplaces and We can build mutual respect in other schools to Aboriginal participation, ways. For example, at the beginning of mutual respect? that tears apart the stereotypes the school day, teachers and students people have. Relationships break can acknowledge that we are on Sech- down fear. Things like exchange elt territory or Nuu-Chal-Nuth terri- programs between Indigenous and tory, in the same way that we play the non-Indigenous youth replace some of national anthem, show the Canadian the stereotypes we get from flm and fag, or hang pictures of the Queen. media with real relationships that are Some activist circles also have elders rich and complicated. The more we do an opening before meetings. Once can do to encourage these relation- this becomes commonplace, the next ships, the better. step is to go deeper and fnd meaning- ful ways for the elder to participate in For example, Aboriginal education the event. enhancement agreements in BC, where making outreach to parents Many people have been welcomed and communities is something that into communities because they have the staf has to do, have resulted in shown good faith and integrity and much greater involvement of students humility. They say, “I’m interested in and parents in the life of the school learning more, what can I do?” From and the community. This means that there it’s a simple process: “Come to instead of teachers having to man- the community gathering, to the feast, age tensions between Aboriginal and to the pow-wow.” It deepens and non-Aboriginal students and families, becomes, “Come to the ceremonies.” these relationships are opportunities And before you know it, friendships for enriching activities in the school. and relationships form. Aboriginal students and families are more likely to want to be involved and That’s where things really change, to do things together that help the when you start to see people as in- school or to share experiences. This dividuals, rather than as one aspect also helps to enrich non-Aboriginal of their identity. You come together learners, as they get opportunities to around common interests, and visit in the local Aboriginal community because you have slightly diferent and see the kinds of things that they’re ways of seeing the world or having doing, like restoring the health of the experienced the world, learning hap- river, which everyone is drawing from. pens. There’s a common humanity, a Those kinds of things make a meaning- shared sense of responsibility to the ful diference. land and to each other, which is where we should be starting.

“There’s a common humanity, a shared sense of responsibility to the land and to each other, which is where we should be starting.”

113 Bill → Bill Robson, President and CEO of the CD Howe Institute, was interviewed on October 20, 2014 Robson on by Adam Kahane HUMAN CAPITAL: “Societies tend to stagnate when the forces that resist change become entrenched.”

KAHANE ROBSON

What about Canada The degree to which we are able to living here, and therefore, this is where develop and attract talented people. the physical capital investments are hap- are you paying In the future, barriers to the move- pening, the fnancial capital is fowing to, attention to ment of people, goods, services, and and the technology they need is being capital around the world will stay low, developed. This is encouraging, because these days? and people will be increasingly able to Canada already has a human capital locate in attractive places to live and advantage. We have relatively good el- work. When you ask people who are ementary and secondary education, and establishing businesses in Toronto, in- huge post-secondary enrolment. We cluding in high-tech industries, why are have a successful history of immigration they here, they often say that it’s one of that brings in lots of talented people. the few places in the world where they We need to build on that advantage and can get together with people who do all continue to be a good place for talent to the things they value, from suppliers to develop or to come. potential employees. Those people like

If you could ask a WHAT QUALITY OF LIFE CAN OUR their children. Am I right in wanting CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN my children to stay in this country? clairvoyant about the EXPECT? One of my major concerns is future, what would the degree to which the present tends I also would want to know the degree to to steal from the future, whether it’s which we’re able to continue to reconcile you want to know? through governments borrowing to liberty and order. People who lived support today’s consumption, prom- during the spread of totalitarianism ises we’ve made based on projected around the world in the 1930s would future wealth, or waste that we don’t be pleasantly surprised by the freedom think about and have trouble measur- and dynamism and opportunity that ing. I’m anxious about the degree to exist in so many places today. It’s been a which Canadians 20 or 30 years down remarkable fourishing, and it’s natural the road are going to fnd them- to wonder whether we’re going to be selves discharging commitments we able to continue. The debate over the made on their behalf. For Canada to use of quarantine in the face of the continue to attract and retain talent, challenge from Ebola is a concrete ex- people need to feel a sense of expand- ample of where the tension plays out. ing possibilities for themselves and for Even as we fret that we’ve lost a lot of

114 freedom with the growth of the regula- job of maintaining the balance between tory state and that we’re under surveil- individualism and public order. It’s cer- lance so much at the time, we’ve still tainly one of the things that has made managed so far to do a pretty decent Canada so successful.

If things turned out Societies tend to stagnate when the the status quo can adversely afect forces that resist change become people’s attitudes towards change. badly over the next entrenched. I’m following with some Up till now, Canada has been a society 20 years, what would interest the battle of the cab and hotel that’s comparatively open to innova- industries with services like Uber tion. We’re quite comfortable with have happened? and Airbnb. There are good reasons people coming in and doing things why regulations exist in those areas, diferently. Any individual instance of but we should worry when defend- established interests trying to shut ers of the status quo bring the state down something new or to keep out in to protect their positions. If the a competitor may not seem critical. people who like monopolies are able But it’s part of a larger battle: what is to persuade the government that versus what could be. As a society, we new players shouldn’t be allowed, it want the people who are trying to do limits consumers’ choices and stifes something new and diferent to win innovation. Worse, entrenchment of more than they lose.

“Those choices matter. They add up. And they lead down two totally diferent paths.”

What important We face constant challenges when it Trans-Pacifc Partnership, you’ve got comes to how open to the world we’re to decide: are you going to take a bit of decisions do we prepared to be on issues such as im- a gamble, engage with the world, risk have to make? migration, trade, investment. Canada a few losses for the sake of the gains? talks about being internationalist, and Or are you going to hold back, avoid many people identify with that aspect risks, and try to keep things the way of our history. The question is, when they are? Those choices matter. They you’re looking at a particular issue, add up. And they lead down two totally say freer trade with Europe or the diferent paths.

What would you want Most people are motivated by a vision It’s like clearing brush—when you start of society where tomorrow is going to of, you often wonder how you’ll get your epitaph to be? be better than today. If you can fgure anywhere. So you begin by clipping out how to solve that next problem a few branches. Once they’re out of so you’re one step further along, the the way, you can see a bit farther. I’m a person who comes after you is going to branch clipper. be able to see that much further ahead.

115 Janet → Janet Rossant, Chief of Research at the Hospital for Sick Children, was interviewed on Rossant on November 12, 2014 by Brenna Atnikov

CREATING A HUB of Creativity: “When people come here, they are always amaze by the culture of collaboration and ‘cooperativity’.”

ATNIKOV ROSSANT

What keeps you With our aging population, we have Healthcare costs continue to rise. to relook at how we deliver health- Today, they are running close to 50% of up at night? care. Among other things, we have to provincial budgets. As researchers, my develop a more integrated model that colleagues and I have to look quite hard moves healthcare back into the com- at what we do, because the healthcare munity and into the home. Treating system has only restricted dollars to be chronic diseases at home can ofer a able to invest. We have to look at the much better quality of life than doing business case of whether what we are so in a hospital, and the cost is less. But developing is going to be something to do so, we need strong homecare sys- governments will pay for. They’re going tems to provide appropriate support to ask, “Is this treatment really going for patients and their families. to save us money? Is it so much better than anything done before that it’s worth the investment?”

If things turn out well We will start to see technological ized approach out across many difer- changes in health delivery that are not ent diseases, it will reduce our overall in Canada over the next necessarily going to cost more than costs, improve treatments, and make 20 years, what would we currently spend, including new for a healthier society. drugs and one-time curative treat- have happened? ments. A whole new area will be pa- Canada will be considered a hub of tient-specifc medicine, for example, creativity and not the Canada of old identifying the genes that are wrong in that digs coal and makes cars. We have a cancer and using a particular drug to harnessed the concept of urban cen- treat it. You’re saving money because tres as being the driver for Canadian you’re only treating the right people success and have invested in our in- at the right time with the right drug. frastructure. Canada has become the Patient-specifc stem cell therapies place of choice for the most creative will be available to cure diseases like and innovative people in the world. diabetes, Parkinson’s, and vision loss. When we spread that sort of personal-

116 If things turn out badly We made it difcult to bring creative future and build on our strengths, we people here. We need to be open to will become a so-so nation. We will not in Canada over the next people coming to and going out of achieve the impact that we can across 20 years, what will the Canada. We failed to invest in funda- the world in the arts, science, busi- mental research, innovation, and the ness, fnance, and politics. story have been? creative force. If we don’t focus on the

What energizes you We are a multicultural country that SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH WILL BE accepts and embraces people from AN IMPORTANT DRIVER OF THE about Canada? all over the world. People come here ECONOMY OF THE FUTURE. IT for many diferent reasons, and that WORKS BEST IN ENVIRONMENTS mixture of skill sets and viewpoints AND CULTURES THAT SUPPORT gives us huge opportunities. We have COLLABORATION AND COOPERA- vibrant urban centres that continue to TION—SOMETHING THAT WE OFFER grow. When you bring people into close IN CANADA. When people come here, proximity and provide the right infra- they are always amazed by the culture structure, you can cause interactions of collaboration and “cooperativity.” that lead to new ideas and inventions. Some say that, to be the best, we have At the same time, vibrant urban centres to be competitive. But by collaborating, almost always have an underclass. We we can bring new ideas to the table and have to provide stepping stones for also pragmatically share our limited people to move through the system resources in order to make an impact and a social net to support them when beyond the dollars that are invested. they can’t. If we don’t enhance our urban centres, then we stand to lose against the rest of the world.

“When you bring people into close proximity and provide the right infrastructure, you can cause interactions that lead to new ideas and inventions.”

117 Gabrielle → Gabrielle Scrimshaw, Co-Founder of the Aboriginal Professional Association of Canada, was interviewed Scrimshaw on on September 16, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

LEARNING from Our Past: “There’s a tremendous amount of empowerment.”

POHLMANN SCRIMSHAW

Why do you I’ve always felt a responsibility to the embarrassed that this guy thought I was next generation of Indigenous youth. worth shooting, and I didn’t want to stir do what you do? When I was 19, I had a summer intern- up trouble with an argument. A month ship in Regina. Late one evening, about later I told my sister about the incident. ten of us were at a friend’s house. One She told me, visibly shaken, “Who cares of the guys was enthusiastically tell- what you felt in that moment? What if ing the group that his dad, uncle, and that guy does become an RCMP ofcer brother were RCMP ofcers, and how and the Native he decides to shoot is he was applying to become one too. In Ethan?” Ethan is my nephew who was a a moment that will stay with me for the year old at the time. In that moment I re- rest of my life, he said, “I can’t wait to alized that the things I said and did made become a police ofcer so I can shoot a diference, but just as importantly, some f-ing Indians.” There was absolute the things I chose not to say also had a silence. About fve or six people in the consequence. I decided to summon my room knew that I was First Nations, courage to try to make a diference, and and no one said anything. But perhaps I promised myself that I would always more unjustly, I didn’t say anything. I stand up for what I believed what right. just remember feeling ashamed and

What keeps you The relationship between Indigenous youth are going to enter the work- and non-Indigenous people in this force. Three out of every 10 Aboriginal awake at night? country. When Canadians travel people are under the age of 14. We around the world, we say, “We’re the have a tremendous opportunity to land of opportunity.” I believe that’s educate and equip these young people who we want to be, but it doesn’t from a place that’s culturally centred. actually refect who we are today. The If we don’t talk about this opportunity truth is there are a lot of people who now and work to get it right, we’ll be have been left behind, who are living in living with the consequences of our our own backyard. My hope is that Ca- inactions for generations to come. nadians can sincerely begin to engage with Aboriginal people across this Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Laureate country. Why is this important? The and the founder of Grameen Bank, Aboriginal population is the fastest- uses a great analogy. He says, if you growing demographic in Canada. put one seed in a large pot and one By 2026, about 400,000 Aboriginal seed in a small pot, of course the

118 seed in the larger pot will grow to be smaller pot. We invest 40% less in much bigger. The same can be true their education than for other kids, with children, because each child is then we say, why aren’t you growing? equal and born full of potential. The What’s worse is that we consistently smaller pot is poverty and less access use antiquated methodologies for try- to education. In Canada today, young ing to come up with solutions to help Indigenous people are born into the address this gap.

What energizes you? AS I TRAVEL ACROSS CANADA, Quebec re-tweeting it. There’s a tre- I HEAR A LOT OF INDIGENOUS mendous amount of empowerment YOUTH SAYING, “I AM AN ACTIV- through that process—the youth are IST” OR “I WANT TO GO TO LAW engaging in a conversation and getting SCHOOL, BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP their voices validated by their peers. OUR COMMUNITIES.” BECAUSE THE In the Aboriginal community, our 17 YEAR OLDS ARE FIGHTING FOR generation is what some consider the WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS RIGHT, OUR eighth fre, which is the generation COMMUNITY IS IN GREAT HANDS. that’s going to change everything. I Idle No More was also a unique force get goose bumps when I think about it for our community. With it you had because I believe it. I can see the tides a youth tweeting from northern starting to shift. Saskatchewan and somebody from

“The truth is there are a lot of people who have been left behind, who are living in our own backyard.”

If you look at where We wouldn’t be facing a lot of the chal- understand the legacy it has for Ab- lenges we face and be making a lot of original people. If more people under- Canada failed in the the decisions we’re making if we actu- stood how Canada was colonized, I past, what can we ally taught our true past and learned believe we’d be a bit more reluctant to from it. For over 100 years, Aboriginal celebrate our nation’s founding. For learn for the future? children were put through residential myself, why would I want to celebrate schools, whose mandate from the gov- John A. Macdonald when I understand ernment was to “get the Indian out of how he colonized Aboriginal men, the child.” Kids were taken away from women, and children? He made deci- their parents, separated from their sions that led to the mistreatment and siblings, and not able to speak their deaths of thousands of people, but we language. Many sufered physical, generally don’t teach that in our his- mental, and sexual abuse. It’s because tory classes. If we really want to hon- of the residential schools that I grew our the past, I believe we should learn up without a mother. I’ve never known from it. If we avoid it, we’re simply hid- what it feels like to come home after a ing behind our own ignorance. Do we bad day and cry into a mother’s shoul- want future generations to say that we der. I don’t speak my language. I live avoided something because it made us with the legacy of residential schools uncomfortable, or do we want them every single day. to say that we moved past that feeling so we could make informed decisions In 2014, half of Canadians still don’t for the future? know what a residential school is. If you don’t know what it is, you don’t

119 Khalil → Khalil Shariff, Chief Executive Officer of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, was interviewed Shariff on on September 5, 2014 by Adam Kahane

THE VIRTUE of Pluralism: “Canada has developed a kind of civic intent to make diversity work.”

KAHANE SHARIFF

Is there something Canada has developed a kind of civic The fact that the secular charter was de- intent to make diversity work. In our bated in the Quebec election campaign, about Canada that society, there is a broad sense that we’re for example, where the stakes were high you think is distinctive not willing to indulge in the political op- and the positions were clear and strong, portunism of division in any serious way. and yet we just worked through it, is in a in the world today? certain way shocking. It didn’t escalate! Like every country, we face challenges, In some way, our institutional, cultural, difculties, and sources of division, historical, and political environment some of which are natural and some of channelled everyone’s anxieties. To me, which are open to exploitation. What’s the expression of values that this event interesting for us to understand is how brought to light is unique in the world. It our country responds to these kinds suggests something fundamental about of shocks—and what it would look like Canada, which is that Canadian plural- if the same shocks happened in other ism has very, very deep roots. kinds of settings.

Why is pluralism In the world as a whole, the notion of if the capacity for pluralism might be homogeneity is quickly disappear- the source from which all others stem. so important? ing for two reasons. First, we’re more aware of our individual diferences— IF YOU CAN BUILD THE SOCIAL our “selfness”—than ever before. CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH PLURAL- Second, we have experienced demo- ISM, THEN YOU CAN DEAL WITH A graphic movements that historically HOST OF OTHER QUESTIONS. You were unheard of. These two factors can’t sustain a vibrant pluralist society mean that the idea of managing dif- if you haven’t thought hard about the ference and being able to live in some nature and structure of your economy. kind of common framework might be Large economic inequities or exclusivist fundamental for any society today. or extractive institutions are incom- patible with pluralism. So in order to Someone once told me that, for an in- underwrite pluralism, you need to have dividual, humility is the king of virtues. a certain kind of economic system. What is the king of virtues for a soci- Political institutions and the ability to ety—the virtue from which all other respond to the great diversity of human virtues and capacities stem? I wonder needs, aspirations, and identities are

120 big drivers of pluralism. You can’t have a certain kind of cultural life that bal- political institutions that are bent on ances unifying themes with lots of room divisiveness or that pit people against for individual cultural expression and each other: things will fall apart. And to creative cross-cultural collaborations. sustain a pluralist society, you also need

Are Canadians actively The last thing the fsh talk about is the us. We see it most starkly in Canadians water that they’re in: it’s invisible. The working abroad. Canadians are able to aware of the importance scafolding of Canadian society—this operate in a lot of diverse and difcult of pluralism to our commitment to pluralism—is invisible places, and I think that’s because we to most Canadians. We don’t always un- have a certain sensibility for how things society? derstand it explicitly, and we might take work in a pluralistic society. it for granted, but it is embedded in

So pluralism is one I believe so, at least underappreci- somehow shielding you from assuming ated by Canadians themselves, if not responsibility for sharing it. Of course, of our untapped or by others. There’s a danger both in pluralism is not just a Canadian asset. underappreciated Canadians not being humble enough It’s an asset in Canada or of Canada, but and in being too humble about our it’s also a global human asset. We’re just assets? pluralism. No one wants a bunch of custodians of that asset for the world. arrogant pluralists running around; on What does it mean for us to use this as- the other hand, being too humble can set with the world as a benefciary? serve as a way of devaluing an asset and

“No one wants a bunch of arrogant pluralists running around; on the other hand, being too humble can serve as a way of devaluing an asset and somehow shielding you from assuming responsibility for sharing it.”

What would you want “He made a small Canadian contribu- Jennifer Welsh, in her book At Home tion to the great issues of the day.” in the World, said that we shouldn’t be your epitaph to be? For me, the Canadian element isn’t a a middle power, we should be a model sloganeering notion; it isn’t about the power. She suggests that the best con- maple leaf. It’s really about encapsu- tribution that Canada could make is to lating a certain portfolio of ideas and be excellent at being Canada. So there’s ideals that this country has come to a sense, I suppose, in which what we’re represent and using that as a platform seeing is a Canada-shaped hole in the for making a contribution to the world. global puzzle.

121 Janice → Janice Gross Stein, Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, was interviewed on Gross Stein on September 16, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

SMUGNESS: “Comfort is our biggest enemy.”

POHLMANN STEIN

What keeps you Canadians aren’t change leaders. We’re private sector—the insurance industry deeply, deeply risk averse. If you give and the energy sector. As soon as the awake at night? us a choice, we prefer the status quo, insurance industry starts to create a because we think it’s less risky. What marketplace around environmental we don’t understand is the cost of inac- risk, we’re going to move on this issue tion. Most of our public sector institu- much more quickly than we are now. tions are buried in process. In the last The energy sector is the one saying that year, minute scandals about minute we need environmentally responsible amounts of money have consumed policy, because it’s overwhelmingly in the public agenda. It’s all about the their interest. evaluation of process as opposed to a conversation about what we want to We need more entrepreneurial spirit accomplish together. We don’t use pro- in this country, most of all in the public cess to enable, we use it to obstruct. and not-for-proft sectors. We have to Process also drives you to the middle. If look beyond government for doers. you’re unwilling to ofend anybody, you The not-for-proft sector is getting don’t get imaginative, innovative solu- more and more entrepreneurial all the tions. Ultimately, that approach could time. Part of what is driving its innova- degrade our quality of life. tive activities is that there is so little money and so much ambition. Under The corporate sector is the least risk these circumstances, you’re driven to averse. It has a better-developed sense fnd new ways to do things. The good of risk and understands that the status news is that we have a greater capacity quo is not sustainable. If you look at for self-organization in this country where real environmental leadership than we give ourselves credit for. is coming from in this country, it’s the

What energizes you? Young people! I’ve spent my life skills, have a global view, and are not working with young people, and this risk averse. Our students in the Munk is the most adventurous, clear-eyed, School of Global Afairs are starting hard-nosed generation I’ve met. They start-ups! They have the capacity and depend on themselves, are single- the confdence to move out from un- minded in their desire to get the best der the big, cumbersome institutions.

122 If things turn out We would have failed to keep our and self-satisfaction. Otherwise, we young people. They will go where the are not going to push ourselves hard badly over the next work is interesting and challenging, and enough and will ultimately slide into 20 years, what would where they can contribute. That will mind-numbing mediocrity. The rest of be a huge loss. If we don’t reorient our the world is changing faster than we have happened? institutions to make them hospitable are. Look at what China was 50 years to members of this generation, they ago and what China is today. Unimagi- will just walk right around them and do nable! Look at the social experiments other things. Our institutions will atro- going on in Brazil. We have a lot to phy, because they won’t have people to learn. What’s missing here is urgency. shake things up and say, no, we’re not Comfort is our biggest enemy. The going to do it this way anymore. leaders of our established institutions have to wake up and understand what We will also fail if we do not recover is going on in the world. from our terminal illness of smugness

If you could ask a Will we be able to leverage the enor- benefts of innovation are evenly distrib- mous intelligence and creativity we uted, and in some societies, they’re not. clairvoyant anything have in this country to enrich the quality If, in our society, those who innovate about Canada’s future, of innovation? My colleagues and I are are hugely rewarded but those who looking at what policies governments are outside of that process are hugely what would you and the private sector can use to en- disadvantaged, we will not have the kind want to know? hance the benefts of innovation as you of Canada that we want. And how can go through the innovation frontier. The you involve minorities, including young question of who benefts from innova- Aboriginal people, in a vibrant innova- tion and who doesn’t is really going to tion economy and society? These are matter. In some innovative societies, the important policy questions.

“I’ve spent my life working with young people, and this is the most adventurous, clear-eyed, hard-nosed generation I’ve met.”

What important WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME HARD DE- at it, but again, there’s a risk of smug- CISIONS ABOUT WHO WE ARE GOING ness. We know from good research decisions does Canada TO BE AND WHAT WE’RE GOING TO that our big cities are not doing as well have to make? DO IN THE WORLD. WE ARE A SMALL in opening doors to employment and COUNTRY AND WE CANNOT DO advancement to immigrants as they EVERYTHING. IN THE ATTEMPT, WE were two decades ago. Yet if we’re WEAKEN OUR IMPACT EVERYWHERE going to thrive, we have to attract WE GO. We have to have this debate, even more immigrants than we have and in the process, we will make in the past. To many people around Canadians proud instead of angry. the world, we are the most attractive country to come to. We have to live up We are wholly dependant on immigra- to that record. tion for our future. We’re very good

123 Art → Art Sterritt, Executive Director of the Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative, was interviewed Sterritt on on October 7, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

SUSTAINABLE Economies: “It’s time for people to begin to control what we do in this country again.”

POHLMANN STERRITT

What about your I grew up in a very rich area in the up- the coast 47 years ago, First Nations per Skeena at a time when most of the were running all of the fsheries. First background shapes logging in the area was done by First Nations were operating seiners, gill- your perspective? Nations. My grandfather and uncle had netters, trollers, packers, the shellfsh a sawmill, as did other First Nations industries, and the halibut fshery, people. First Nations basically ran all of including black cod. Forty-seven years the industry in the area, and there was ago, all of the fsheries were sustain- no unemployment. There were strict able. Then the corporations began to rules about what we were to take from rationalize these fsheries and push the the natural environment. My father and First Nations aside. As they did this, the his cousins and most of his friends had natural capital that sustained us for mil- licences for logging that were called lennia was beginning to be wiped out. “limits”—they were limited as to how much they could take. After the large Before, there was no unemploy- corporations moved in with tree farm ment. Our social safety network was licences assigned to them by provincial our place! If anybody needed a job or government, I remember going to a food, it was there for them. But over clear-cut area, and I was horrifed by the last 30 years, the corporatization what I saw. Trees that were maybe a of the coastal economy has eroded foot around were lying on the ground our place. Today, people often look at rotting; they had been cut down just First Nations people as some kind of because they were in the way of the impoverished race. Don’t ever make logging. When trees were gone from the mistake of looking down your nose the area, the companies then shut at us! We have lived well and have sus- down the sawmills. tained ourselves forever. We know it is possible for us to return to the great The same thing happened on the coast riches we once enjoyed. of British Columbia. When I arrived on

What energizes you? EVERYWHERE YOU GO WITHIN THIS SHIPS WITH EVERYBODY WITHIN PROVINCE, YOU FIND FIRST NATIONS OUR REGIONS: CORPORATIONS, PEOPLE FIGHTING TO SUSTAIN THE UNIONS, MUNICIPALITIES, AND IN- ECOSYSTEMS AND TO CREATE SUS- DUSTRIES LIKE SPORTS FISHING AND TAINABLE ECONOMIES BASED ON MINING. Local non-Native people em- THEM. WE’VE CREATED PARTNER- brace us, because they understand that

124 we have to protect the place so that the chiefs always talk about making sure air and the water and the land can con- that we share everything, sometimes to tinue to support us all. When I grew up, our detriment. I see a future where we there was no “them” and “us.” Our old all work together again.

If things turn out Canada would have used a fraction of now at a point where we need to protect our non-renewables to create a more those resources. Our natural environ- well over the next sustainable society. That’s the respon- ment always used to look out for us. 20 years, what would sibility that we have. We have spent the Now we have to look after it. That’s the last 40 or 50 years taking non-renew- kind of Canada we are going to look to in have happened? ables out, with total disregard for the the near future. natural capital and the region. We are

“It’s time for people to begin to control what we do in this country again. It doesn’t take a great deal of intelligence to know the diference between right and wrong, but it does take a lot of courage to choose between doing right and doing wrong.”

What important We have to get rid of this idea that we as we’ve sent raw resources and the are just hewers of wood and drawers energy we could use to process them decisions do we have of water, and that we don’t have the to other countries. Instead of depend- to make as a country? intelligence to create secondary and ing on others, we should be a lot more tertiary industries. We can’t continue intelligent about how we use our to export every asset we have. I’ve natural resources to enhance the lives watched for too many decades now of people in this country.

What lessons do we Some companies are saying, we don’t necessarily want to keep taking and have enough people to do what we need taking. They’re looking for sustainability need to learn from to do, so we’ve got to bring them in from and for a good quality of life. our past failures? other countries. Why do we need to take more than we have people to do it with? We’ve had about three decades of The only purpose for that is to enrich corporations taking control and draw- corporations. If we have enough people ing down our natural capital. It’s time to sustainably catch 300,000 fsh a year, for people to begin to control what we we could do that forever. But corpora- do in this country again. It doesn’t take tions say, let’s double our workforce so a great deal of intelligence to know the we can take twice as much. But that will diference between right and wrong, but only be sustainable for the next 30 years. it does take a lot of courage to choose People who live in these regions don’t between doing right and doing wrong.

125 Catherine → Catherine Swift, Chair of the Board of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, was interviewed Swift on on August 1, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

WHAT BUSINESS Needs: “Every special interest group now seems to have the ability to stop major economic development projects.”

POHLMANN SWIFT

Every special interest The extent to which organized labour more than they should be paid. When dominates our agenda. We’re the only government becomes increasingly ex- group now seems to country that still forces every em- pensive, you can efectively bankrupt have the ability to stop ployee in a unionized workplace to pay an economy. We’ve seen it happen in dues. The unions have an enormous Greece and in Detroit. major economic amount of money, and they can use development projects? these dues however they want. I heard I also worry about this from a sociologi- they spent tens of millions of dollars cal standpoint, because our education in the Ontario election on advertising system is heavily dominated by orga- alone. That’s way more than any politi- nized labour. Teachers fght having cal party spent. And just last week, the their performance evaluated, but ev- postal union marched with Hamas in erybody else on the planet has to meet Ottawa. That kind of thing wouldn’t be some kind of performance goals. In a permissible in other countries. union-based workplace, promotion of people is based on seniority and not on Ultimately it’s a fnancial issue. Here accomplishment. When the bad actors in Ontario, our public servants are don’t face consequences and the good paid excessively high wages. The same ones don’t get rewards, what incentive job in the private sector would not is there to excel? have anywhere near the same wages and benefts. Unions give people

If you could ask a What is our new middle class going to are going to be needed in the future be? Because it certainly will not be the economy. We need to be better at clairvoyant any old version—the kinds of fairly low- anticipating where jobs and opportuni- question about the skilled but high-paying jobs we’ve lost ties will come from and providing our to technology and globalization will not young people with the training and future of Canada, be coming back. education they need. what would you ask? Our education system is not well suited I would also want to know if we will fnd to help students develop the skills that some way to deal with all the

126 opposition to making the most of our major economic development projects resources. HAVE YOU HEARD THE from going ahead. Another country TERM BANANA? BUILD ABSOLUTELY would think, Wow, you are lucky to NOTHING, ANYWHERE NEAR ANY- have all these wonderful resources! THING. Every special interest group Here, the message is, No, you can’t now seems to have the ability to stop develop them!

As a country, what We should be paying more atten- We need highly educated people, but we tion to where we’re going to fnd our also need unskilled workers. should we be talking workers. Right now, many businesses about that we are not? are crying for help, saying, “We’ll train Canada has one of the world’s most dis- them, we’ll pay them well, we’ll do proportionally large baby-boom popula- anything to fnd workers!” tions, and people aren’t having kids like they used to. When you have a popula- Even if we crank up immigration, we tion that’s aging, it means that people can only reasonably bring in around will be leaving the workforce, not buying 200,000 to 250,000 people a year. as much, not stimulating the economy. Part of the problem is that our current These trends mean we could end up immigration policy is biased almost ex- with a stagnant population, which al- clusively towards the highly skilled. We ways leads to a stagnant economy. Once bring in people who are relatively highly you have a declining population, which educated, but then we often make it Japan is facing now, it takes you a very difcult for them to work in their feld. long time to recover from it. As a result, you get PhDs driving taxis.

What energizes you We have way more entrepreneurial we compare unfavourably is in the energy than people give us credit for. amount of red tape put in the way of about what’s going on? The US is usually held out as entrepre- businesses and in the demonization neurialism writ large. But we’ve done of business. You don’t see that in the research showing that, in terms of its States. Here, there are still people propensity to start businesses and who think business is evil. Without other indicators, Canada is very much proft, we wouldn’t have anything, neck and neck with the US. Where folks! Including government.

“We have way more entrepreneurial energy than people give us credit for.”

What is the legacy that I would hope to leave Canadian small come out of school and say, “I want my businesses in a better state of af- own business.” That’s part of moving you hope to leave? fairs than they would otherwise be in. public opinion: making it a more re- There’s data that shows that a higher spected choice of profession. proportion of young people today

127 Peter → Peter Tertzakian, Chief Energy Economist and Managing Director of ARC Financial, was interviewed Tertzakian on on September 11, 2014 by Brenna Atnikov

OUR GREAT Energy Industry: “The people who spend the most time beating up Canadians are Canadians.”

ATNIKOV TERTZAKIAN

What is happening in The oil and gas industry is undergo- Since the Model T, we’ve been shackled ing its biggest change in 100 years. to a petroleum-based system of driving. Canada that is catching Environmental, political, resource, and That’s set to change in a meaningful way. your attention? demographic issues are all colliding at The cumulative introduction of things once to transform the way we supply like electric vehicles, hybrid electric ve- and consume energy. It’s true that the hicles, and diferent modes of transport oil and gas business has been compla- will be consequential to the Canadian cent: the industry knew that people oil and gas industry. No one thing on its were addicted to the commodity and own is an oil buster, but together, they so didn’t innovate. Since 2008 or 2009, will be signifcant enough to take the though, the level of innovation has been edge of the unsustainable levels of oil profound. We’re going to continue to demand growth that the world has been see innovations all the way through the witnessing over the past decade. middle of the next decade.

What keeps you We’re not in an era anymore in which At the same time, it is frustrating that we can simply wait for energy prices the industry gets a bad rap and is not up at night? to go up. We have to assume prices are recognized for its achievements. In going to be steady or potentially even fact, the people who spend the most go down. The way to compete in a cut- time beating up Canadians are Canadi- throat market is by ofering a better ans. However, because of our regula- product at a lower cost than others. tory standards, rule of law, and the The Canadian energy industry woke way we operate, Canada is one of the up to this fact a few years ago, and top fve energy-producing countries we’re getting good at it. But if we don’t in the world. It does not make sense start addressing environmental issues, that a lot of efort and money is going if we don’t continue to be disciplined into diminishing our role. If you want about containing costs, and if we don’t to make the world a better place, why start making relationships with new would you want to shut down one of customers and adapting to new sys- the top producers? tems, we’re not going to make it.

128 If things turn out When you walk around downtown Cal- say, “I don’t want a wind turbine in my gary and travel in this great province, backyard, I don’t want this hydroelec- badly over the next you sense the prosperity. We’re often tric plant on my river, I don’t want 20 years, what would ranked in the top fve or 10 of the great- solar panels taking up that acreage.” est places to live. That’s the good news. At the same time, you’re telling me you have happened? The bad news is, if we’re not careful, we want cheap energy. Everybody has to really have only one way to go, which is accept some sense of burden, even if it down. The sense of polarization around means having a power line not too far wealth creates animosities. from you. That may be the thing you have to accept for the greater good of WE’RE IN REAL TROUBLE IF WE the country. The fact that small groups START LOSING TRUST IN UNBIASED, of people can circumvent the institu- THOUGHTFUL INSTITUTIONS LIKE tions that help make our country great THE NATIONAL ENERGY BOARD. is a national problem. The other end Historically, these institutions had of that spectrum is authoritarianism, the fnal word on various decisions, which we don’t want either. I always but today, through social media and felt that we had a nice balance, but other communication techniques, an now I am getting a little nervous about incredibly small minority of people are where we’re headed. able to hold up projects. They might

“The bad news is, if we’re not careful, we really have only one way to go, which is down.”

129 Michel → Michel Venne, Director General of the Institut du Nouveau Monde, was interviewed on June 27, 2014 Venne on by Adam Kahane

PARTICIPATION: “Decisions are made by a small group of privileged people who protect their own position and power.”

KAHANE VENNE

Is there something in In 1971, when he was 48 years old, my information is power. I always thought father died of cancer. The Quebec of my role as follows: look for informa- your own history that Health Insurance system had just been tion, make it accessible, and deliver it illuminates what it is created and the Quebec Pension Plan to those without power so that they was very recent, and his death plunged can have more power. that interests you? my family into poverty. We quickly went from middle class to disadvan- I ultimately came to understand that taged. It doesn’t take long to realize yes, information is power, but the that when you are poor, you are ex- real power is through participation. cluded—you aren’t playing the game, When I talk today to business people you’re not even on the playing feld, or politicians about the importance of you’re nothing more than an observer. participation, I tell them that partici- I chose journalism as a career because pation means sharing power.

Is Quebec an We are the most egalitarian society in THIS DOLLAR ISSUE CONCERNS North America. But compared to 20 ME, BUT I AM MORE INTERESTED egalitarian society? years ago, there has been an increase IN THE ACCESS TO POWER. Poor in income inequality. It’s increasing people and young people tend to vote more slowly than in other regions in less than other groups. This has an the world, but it is increasing nonethe- infuence on the way government poli- less, especially between the richer and cies are made. When you have fewer the rest of the society. We have also and fewer people voting in elections, seen other gaps growing—a smaller decisions are made by a small group part of the population goes to con- of privileged people who protect their certs and museums, sends their kids own position and power. to private school. Who drops out of school? It is not rich people.

What do you see as If we continue as we are today, in 20 integrated society. So it is not about or 30 years Canadian society will be unanimity, because unanimity would the long-term impact even more fragmented along eco- lead to dictatorship. But we need at of this trend? nomic, social, and cultural lines. I am least a common core, things that bring not a maniac of consensus, because us together. it is possible to have debate in an

130 Why do we allow for a good portion of we don’t trust the people with power, our salary to be taken from us? To pay and we don’t trust those without pow- for collective services. When we are er. We live in a state of insecurity. And unaware of the link we have to others, when we are insecure, we can decide and we don’t trust that those around either to turn our backs on each other us are going to play their part, and we or to stick together. I hope that we in lose faith that we are all going to help Quebec and in Canada will choose to each other, then we reject things like stick together. paying taxes. In our society right now,

What are some of the A bad scenario would be one where all see the same pages. The million universal education no longer exists, people who watched the news every forces that could drive where everyone decides on their evening were all subject to the same us farther apart? own what they are going to learn. We discourse. These media sources were would lose a shared understanding of like a public plaza where we gathered the world based on a compendium of to share and debate the issues of the knowledge that has been accumulat- day. Now, I read La Presse on my iPad, ing for centuries. and I look specifcally for articles I want to read. My neighbours do the The way we consume information is same but don’t read the same articles. also a factor. Before the rise of the This segmentation again undermines Internet, the 350,000 people who read our sense of being part of a collective. La Presse in print each morning would

What impact might I see our parliamentary form of gov- ones. For me, the real challenge is how ernment cracking, but I do not yet see will we make decisions in ways that fragmentation have on what will replace it. Institutions were continue to serve our common needs. our political system? made to die and be replaced by new

“I see our parliamentary form of government cracking, but I do not yet see what will replace it.”

What have we learnt In 400 years of human civilization, we of recreating the aristocratic elites that went from a time when kings were the monopolize power. Fortunately, we from the past that sole owners of a power that, they said, have a strong sense of the past, and we might be useful in came straight down from God, to the are capable of turning trends around. rise of democracy with power coming This is why I do not lose sleep. But we the coming years? from the people. This proves that it is need to persevere, and from time to possible for humanity to overcome bar- time, we need to get mad. barism. We are, however, in the process

131 Annette → Annette Verschuren, CEO of Energy Storage Company NRStor, was interviewed on Verschuren on October 7, 2014 by Brenna Atnikov

ECONOMIC Innovation: “Why can’t we be the country that most responsibly produces fossil fuels and minerals?”

ATNIKOV VERSCHUREN

What keeps you The discussion of the economy versus THERE’S NOT ENOUGH CON- the environment. We’re never going CERN IN OUR COUNTRY ABOUT up at night? to create innovation if we polarize our- THE ECONOMY. THE JOBS AREN’T selves on these two issues. Why can’t THERE, THE PENSION FUNDS we both add value to our industries and AREN’T THERE, PEOPLE AREN’T LIV- take greater responsibility for manag- ING HAPPILY EVER AFTER. Maybe ing our natural resources? It’s healthy we haven’t hit the wall hard enough. I to have diferences of opinion, but not am worried about where the new jobs when we reduce issues to black or white. are going to come from and that other When you’re too far to the right or to countries are going to steal them away. the left on an issue, you very rarely suc- The clean technology that’s happening ceed in solving problems. The gray area in Korea, China, Japan, and in parts of is where the resolutions happen. Right Europe is so advanced relative to what now, we’re fghting on the details and we’re doing. We’ve got to catch up. not on the big issues. We have to fnd more things we can all agree on.

If things turn out well The new economy is going to come cancer diagnostics. We also have some from fnding more productive ways great stuf happening in information over the next 20 years, to produce food and energy, to use and communications technology, in what needs to happen? water, to extract and refne oil and gas, data management, in big data analytics. to extract minerals. Why can’t we be With our educated workforce and the the country that takes on the chal- myriad of research facilities across the lenge of reducing the carbon footprint? country, we have enormous potential to Why can’t we be the country that most solve all kinds of problems. responsibly produces fossil fuels and minerals and the like? We’re really good I would love the story to be that Canada at so many things! We’re one of the lead- was a little bit stuck for a few years on ers in the world at brain research and where it was going, but look at what it

132 did. It reduced its energy footprint. It’s take a longer-term perspective; we can’t got the best cities and transit systems. just wait for the next quarter and see For these things to happen, we need to what the results are.

What important Canadians have to rethink what we is describing what that future is. Lead- want to be and how we want people to ership can really create change, and upcoming decisions see us. We’re not putting the right in- people will follow behind a sensible does Canada have vestment in the right places, because vision for the country. If the vision is we don’t know where we’re going. We clear, we will fnd a way to get there. to make? have to be more optimistic and fnd We need inspirational leadership— ways to move our society towards from unions, First Nation, business, creating value. People want to rally be- government—to take us to that point. hind a future, and right now, nobody

“The gray area is where the resolutions happen.”

133 Tamara → Tamara Vrooman, President and CEO of Vancity, was interviewed on September 25, 2014 Vrooman on by Monica Pohlmann

ECONOMIC Democracy: “Debates are becoming polarized and institutional rather than engaged and personal.”

POHLMANN VROOMAN

What keeps you We’re becoming passive and run the risk opportunities for individual voices to of taking for granted the many things be cultivated and nourished. I worry up at night? that have made Canada the tolerant, that in our race to get things right, to open, diverse, and welcoming society be competitive, to be efcient, we’re that we’re privileged to live in. Our making decisions that are not inclusive, greatness didn’t happen by accident. If are short term, and don’t beneft from we don’t work at it enough, we are at risk the perspectives of many. It may feel like of diminishing and losing it. Then what we are making a decision and getting on kind of country will we leave for our with things, but ultimately, we will regret children and our grandchildren? not including the many voices, because we won’t have made the best decisions. We have a tradition of working together, In the end, then, this approach will talking about things, and being tolerant slow us down and will cost us money, of diferent opinions. But we don’t see a time, social capital, and natural capital. lot of that anymore. Debates are becom- We need to go back to our tradition of ing polarized and institutional rather engaging, consulting, debating, listening, than engaged and personal. There aren’t and refecting.

What energizes you Relatively speaking, we’re a very diverse I’m energized by the fact that we’re nation and society. That contributes starting to have a long overdue conver- about Canada? tremendously to our strength, and sation of reconciliation with Indigenous our ability to see things diferently and and Aboriginal people. Non-Indigenous create a diferent future. In Vancouver, people are only beginning to understand 75% of young people 17 and under have a what a gift it is to share a country with In- parent who’s not from this country. That digenous people, who have lots to teach brings a tremendous sense of renewal, us. The wisdom of Indigenous people is energy, tolerance, and creativity for a tremendous part of our history as well what’s possible. as our future. I’m just so impressed with how the reconciliation efort is being taken up across the country.

134 What are important It’s hard to judge the actions of others example. Aside from the obvious racism who operated in a diferent context, and personal sufering for which we’re lessons from the past but in retrospect, when things have not responsible, we missed out on a whole that you think we gone well, it is because we failed to listen generation of opportunity to learn and to, understand, and collaborate with grow together. It was a huge loss of hu- should be refecting others. The residential schools are an man capital, of human potential. on as we move ahead?

What do you aspire to IT’S HARD TO HAVE POLITICAL may not have access to bank accounts DEMOCRACY AND ENGAGEMENT and things that you or I would take for contribute through IF WE DON’T HAVE ECONOMIC granted. We’re increasingly hearing your work? DEMOCRACY AND ENGAGEMENT. about income inequality. To think that The work I do is about making sure that economic democracy and income people have access to information and inequality are unrelated would be like support so they can make informed saying that the right to vote and use of decisions. We’re also looking for ways universal sufrage were unrelated. Of to include more people in the economy course they’re related. and in the fnance system—people who “When things have not gone well, it is because we failed to listen to, understand, and collaborate with others.”

135 Sheila → Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Former Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, was interviewed Watt-Cloutier on on October 14, 2014 by Adam Kahane

THE RIGHT to be Cold: “The resource development companies are basically like the missionaries and fur traders were.”

KAHANE WATT-CLOUTIER

What keeps you Canadians hear about the high rates of It’s easy for governments to come suicide, addiction, and violence in the in and dangle the carrot of resource up at night? Inuit population. They look at these development with the promise of symptoms, but they don’t under- alleviating poverty by giving every- stand the context, so they formulate body jobs. But when they continue to judgments about our people. It’s perpetuate the same model of saying, that whole issue of the “other.” They “We know what’s best for you,” they just can’t get with the program, they still haven’t gotten it. When the re- don’t know how to do this or that. source development companies come Adaptation is one of the strengths of in, they are basically like the mission- Aboriginal peoples, so it isn’t about us aries and fur traders were. The mis- not adapting; it’s about the speed with sionary approach says, “If you do what which things happened, the historical I say, you will be saved.” With these traumas and the policies that created new institutions, it’s the same. dependencies and led us to lose a sense of who we were. Nobody cared about the Arctic until the ice started to melt, but now that WE GAVE UP OUR WISDOM AND the resources are going to be exposed CONTROL TO A POWER THAT WE and easier to access, planeloads of FEARED. That’s why it’s important to people are coming up. Some com- empower people to make the choices panies are ofering good money to we feel are good for us in terms of the Nunavut education department alleviating the problems we face, to start developing programs for whether it’s addressing addictions and children as early as Grade 3, so they joblessness or fxing our health and can eventually be streamed into work- education systems. My book is called ing for them. But what happens after The Right to Be Cold. It’s not that we the mining has pulled out? Are those want to be cold and shivering; it’s skills transferrable to other situa- about what it means for the people of tions? These companies have come the Arctic to defend our right to make and gone in other places in the world, our own choices by protecting our leaving devastation for communities. environment and hunting culture that I am concerned that digging the land depends on the cold. we have held sacred for millennia and dangling the money and jobs card will deepen the struggles we face.

136 If you imagine a future It’s not too hard to interview compa- create sustainability in our communi- nies, choose which you want to come ties. My own people are moving in the where things have in, and sign on the dotted line. But it’s direction of developing businesses gone well, what would much harder to think through and re- around the mining and of fnding ways ally plan how we’re going to do this for to empower themselves though that that story be? our communities. It’s important for us process. They’re taking on the skills to not feel trapped by this one avenue to be able to control how they will that is being dangled in front of us. We survive and thrive in the kind of setting can tap into Inuit ingenuity, creativity, that’s coming our way. and wisdom to fnd other means to

What are you paying When Canadians think about resource a hunting culture teaches. The land, development in the north, they sel- ice, and snow is a training ground for attention to these days? dom consider the human dimension. developing your sense of self and The current government sees the your character. You’re being taught Arctic as an opportunity for the great patience. You’re being taught how to energy superpower to feed the world, be courageous and bold at the right but in doing so it fails to recognize time. You’re being taught how to not that Inuit families trying to feed their be impulsive, because impulsivity families are going to be negatively can put you and your loved ones at impacted by environmental degrada- risk. You’re learning how to withstand tion. People don’t quite get why we stressful situations and to have sound would still want to hunt and eat seals judgment and wisdom. You’re not only rather than go to the supermarket learning how the world works, but to buy chicken and pork chops. They you’re learning about how you work. don’t understand the importance to In institutionalized schooling, those our communities of continuing to things are very separate, but in a hunt- respect and take in the wisdom that ing culture, they’re holistic.

“They’re taking on the skills to be able to control how they will survive and thrive in the kind of setting that’s coming our way.”

What can other people Few people know and appreciate that thrive in an environment in which most Inuit are the inventors of the qajaaq, people would die within an hour. learn from the Inuit? which is the best-engineered boat in the world. We are the architects of a snow We know a lot about sustainability. In house warm enough to sleep in naked hunting cultures, the main pillars are with fur. We know how to read the respect nature, respect one another, weather conditions and to travel using share, and take only what you need. constellations as our guides. All of the These are all the pillars of a sustain- ways in which we’ve been able to not just able world. Inuit culture can serve as survive but thrive in the Arctic is inge- a model of a sustainable Arctic and a nuity at its best! We have been able to sustainable planet.

137 Joseph → Joseph Wilson, Education Advisor at MaRS Discovery District, was interviewed Wilson on on August 2, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

LEARNING: “When we go to New York or Silicon Valley or London, people are envious of what we’re doing in education.”

POHLMANN WILSON

What keeps you We’re known around the world for education innovation in the world. We our education system. Public educa- have a high-quality university system up at night? tion is a respected institution; we pay and talented people coming out of our teachers relatively well; we do universities. When you unleash them well on standardized assessments; on a messy problem like education, and the equality gap here is not huge. you get some really interesting stuf. Canadians value our education system For example, MOOCs—Massive Open in a similar way to how we value our Online Courses—are everywhere healthcare system. That leads to pres- now, but they were invented in Cana- sure to innovate, from both the pri- da. When we go to New York or Silicon vate and the public sectors. Toronto is Valley or London, people are envious home to perhaps the largest cluster of of what we’re doing in education.

What concerns The lack of attention to Aboriginal funded female entrepreneurs at the education is shameful! It’s going to same level as we fund male entrepre- you about Canada be one of those things we’ll look back neurs, it would create 6 million jobs these days? on and say, I can’t believe that in 2014, over the next fve years. Venture capi- Aboriginal education was so under- talists tend to favour people they un- funded! The latest proposal from the derstand, which is mostly White men. federal government on Aboriginal But some of the best ideas we see, es- education failed, and I worry that it’s pecially in education and social inno- going to be another 10 years before vation, come from women. If they’re there’s an opportunity to truly ad- getting shut out of the traditional kind dress this issue again. of funding, that’s a problem, not just ethically but for our economy and for Sexism is still endemic in society. I job creation. heard a stat the other day that if we

138 What energizes Our young people. It’s unfashionable familial, and economic institutions to to defend teenagers, but they give me a place of reverence that they don’t you about Canada hope. Young people are creative and deserve. We need our kids to ask hard these days? subversive and tenacious and fearless. questions about where these systems We can learn from them how to get came from and why they are the way angry instead of being complacent in they are. We need them to dig and not the face of injustice. We adults tend to to be satisfed with the status quo. elevate our governmental, religious,

If things turn out THERE’S A HUGE DISCONNECT don’t have the intellectual and creative RIGHT NOW BETWEEN WHAT WE capital to solve our massive problems.” badly over the next KNOW WE NEED FROM OUR EDUCA- 20 years, what would TION SYSTEM AND WHAT OUR EDU- In 20 years, our healthcare system CATION SYSTEM IS SET TO DELIVER. may be completely overburdened. We have happened? In 20 years, we might look back and say, are heading towards a kind of perfect “We knew we had to double down on storm with an aging population and an innovation and creative thinking for the already stressed healthcare system. sake of the economy and for solving The stress may create a more unequal complex problems. Instead, we insisted society. New immigrants, Aboriginal that everybody learn the same baseline people, and at-risk populations may not knowledge, and we basically drilled get the healthcare they are entitled to. creativity out of kids. As a result, we

And if things turn You cannot start to embed a culture of including communication, resilience, entrepreneurship with 25-year-old grad and teamwork. Entrepreneurs who out well over the next students. We’re teaching entrepreneur- work alone don’t get funded. It’s always 20 years, what would ial thinking in middle school and high teams, and those teams need to show school and more recently in kindergar- that they can work together, deal with the story be? ten. The habits of mind of good entre- adversity, and know their weaknesses preneurs closely match the 21st-cen- and strengths. These are skills you start tury skills taught in elementary school, to learn in kindergarten.

“We need our kids to ask hard questions about where these systems came from and why they are the way they are.”

What lessons do we The continuing plight of Aboriginal self-righteousness that comes with people and the inability of many new success can be used as a tool of oppres- need to learn from our immigrants to fourish here is a moral sion. Unfortunately, the arrogance of past failures? and economic failure. All of that un- imposing your structures and systems tapped potential and creativity is a on somebody else doesn’t seem to be a tremendous loss to our society. We lesson we’ve learned very well. need to acknowledge that the kind of

139 Yuen → Yuen Pau Woo, Former President and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, was interviewed Pau Woo on on September 4, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

OUR RELATIONSHIP with Asia: “We overlook the fact that China saved Canada from a more severe recession.”

POHLMANN WOO

What keeps you Complacency. Canada has been there is no sense of urgency or long- blessed with numerous natural en- term strategy on how to catch up with up at night? dowments and political and institu- the competition. This complacency tional assets. But we are slipping on is partly due to an underappreciation many indices, and our position in the of the shift in economic and politi- world could deteriorate sharply. cal gravity across the Pacifc. While Canadians may have legitimate reser- The usual story for why Canada didn’t vations about all kinds of challenges fall into a more severe recession in in China and other Asian countries, it 2008 is that we have strong banks and would be naïve not to recognize that a good fnancial regulatory system— an important shift is happening and for example, that we didn’t have a that Canada has to engage vigorously sub-prime mortgage problem like the with the global power shift in order US. That’s all true. But we overlook the to remain relevant. For example, it fact that China saved Canada from a would be a mistake to assume that more severe recession. If you look at with the US recovery now underway, what kept growth from falling even Canada can return the pre-2008 sta- further between 2008 and 2011, the tus quo ante and forget about market answer is Chinese demand. Exports diversifcation. The US economy is from Canada to China doubled be- undergoing structural change, with tween 2008 and 2013. Exports from the emergence of US shale gas and oil Canada to the rest of the world, in- just one factor in a changing economic cluding to the US, still have not caught environment that will impact Canada up to the levels they were in 2007. negatively. There is a strong tendency on the part of our political and busi- We can do much better in our rela- ness leaders to yearn for a pre-2008 tionship with China. We’re under- world and not make the efort to performing relative to our peers, but become more globally oriented.

What energizes you Canadians who realize that their our institutions, structures, and laws, future, and hence Canada’s future, is which discourage Canadians from go- about Canada? about being connected to the world. ing global. There is a lot of reluctance However, there’s a discrepancy to embrace Canadians who live abroad between individual Canadians who and see them as part of a globally con- have global aspirations and many of nected strategy for the country. For

140 example, Canadians who have been liv- Whenever I talk about the need to ing abroad for more than fve years are become more globally oriented, a typi- ineligible to vote in an election. THIS cal response is, well, just walk on the LAW IN EFFECT SAYS THAT A CANA- streets of Vancouver or Toronto and DIAN WHO IS LIVING WITHIN THE you’ll see 30 diferent nationalities GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OF THE and ethnic backgrounds in the space COUNTRY IS MORE OF A CITIZEN of one city block. The implication is THAN A CANADIAN WHO IS LIVING that since we have multicultural cities, OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY. We should we can get our “globalization” without be proud of Canadians pursuing excel- leaving the country. lence in their careers and other pur- suits abroad, and make Canada’s international footprint a positive as- pect of the country’s global brand.

If you could ask a As the most Asian city outside of Asia, cultural ties with Asia? A lot of people how will Vancouver evolve? About say to me, “I’m okay with immigrants, clairvoyant about the 45% of the population of the census as long as they become Canadian.” future of Canada, metropolitan area of Vancouver today Indeed, immigrant integration is a very is of Asian ethnic descent. Within 10 important issue and one that we have what would you ask? years, Vancouver will be a majority to constantly work on. But what is the “Asian” city. Will that lead to a shift in defnition of being Canadian? Is it fxed? terms of trade, business, and popular Can newcomers over time shape what culture? Will Vancouver plug into being a Canadian means? The answer the dynamism—and challenges—of surely is yes, but how will it happen, contemporary Asia and serve as a con- and what will be the trade-ofs? To take nector across the Pacifc, or will Van- a simple example, shouldn’t there be couver settle into a more typical North more teaching of Asian languages in American trajectory—becoming a city Vancouver schools when so much of with lots of Asian people, but one that the population is of Asian descent? does not have deep commercial and

“There is a strong tendency on the part of our political and business leaders to yearn for a pre-2008 world and not make the efort to become more globally oriented.”

What important We have to fgure out our energy an Asian perspective, their need for a relationship with Asia. Asia is invest- secure source of energy supply is a per- decisions do we ing massively in renewables, but in the fect match for our need to have securi- have to make? meantime, those countries are going ty of demand. They see it as a marriage to need to get oil and gas from some- made in heaven and cannot understand where. They would much rather get why we have so much difculty mak- it from Canada than from the Persian ing it happen. If we are in fact unable to Gulf. Asian countries understand our make trans-Pacifc energy trade a real- situation very well: we have stranded ity, our Asian friends are naturally going assets that are worth very little unless to wonder, “Well, what can you make these assets can make it to market, happen?” And that will in turn afect which today increasingly means Asia the broader Canada-Asia relationship. rather than the United States. From

141 Armine → Armine Yalnizyan, Senior Economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, was interviewed Yalnizyan on on September 11, 2014 by Monica Pohlmann

SELF-DEFEATING Policies: “We are becoming a corporatocracy, a state that serves the interests of corporations frst and foremost.”

POHLMANN YALNIZYAN

What keeps you The way we are transforming our economy as a whole. Wages and taxes views about immigration in Canada. are never low enough for businesses. up at night? In the coming decades, nation states Their job is to maximize profts. But will be competing to attract people, the continuous drive to lower wages not just capital. Population aging is and taxes erodes the economic heft of occurring in all advanced industrial- a country. The message to workers is ized nations. Without newcomers, the “expect less,” even when companies Canadian labour force would start to grow and profts rise. The idea that shrink in the next year or two. An un- labour is simply a cost, rather than the settling trend has emerged in Canada. essential building block of perfor- Public policy now favours a rise in mance, is destructive nonsense. temporary foreign workers over permanent economic immigrants. Middle-class jobs are being cut, re- When companies say they face a skills placed by more low-paid and some shortage, all too often the solution is higher-paid work. Wages aren’t keep- bringing in a foreign worker temporar- ing up with costs for most people, ily for what is often not a temporary and savings rates are falling. A rising shortage. These workers are tied to proportion of Canadian households their employer and can get deported if don’t have enough funds to last a they complain about anything. month should they lose their pay cheques. We pay tribute to a large The problem arises from a common and resilient middle class as the mark view that low wages and low taxes of a fourishing economy around the are “good for business.” What may world, but our own middle class is be- be good for an individual business is ing squeezed in every way, ironically in a dead-end path for society and the the name of economic growth.

Do you see any positive There’s a growing awareness that collapsing, and sewers and pipes built tax cuts are not the solution to every 100 years ago need to be repaired. shifts happening? problem. In the public sphere, people We’re awash in easy money but oddly are beginning to recognize that what have no money for these essentials. we’re facing is less a spending problem But we’re paying a bundle privately than a revenue problem. Bridges are to repair our homes and cars from

142 the damage caused by deteriorating oral care for all school-aged children, infrastructure. Some communities to improve health and reduce costs are putting their money where their down the road. mouths are, investing in preventive

What’s your sense We have a troubled relationship with Business groups write legislation, our democratic institutions. We need lobby, use campaign fnance to shape of the state of our to get over the idea that government the public sphere—how big it is, what it democracy? is something and someone else. The does, who it serves. This is the biggest government is us. The idea that govern- test democracy faces today. ments are largely useless, that they’re more likely to make a mess than fx There is the beginning of a pushback, things, is exactly what corporations an awakening that began with the Oc- would like us to think. It gives them cupy movement. It’s not very efective more freedom to use the enormous yet, but I don’t think it’s going away. power of the state to their advantage. Hundreds of years ago, people decided to separate the church from the state. We are becoming a corporatocracy, a Now, we’re looking for ways to sepa- state that serves the interests of corpo- rate corporations from the state. rations frst and foremost.

What energizes Business is the most powerful force in to miraculous medical breakthroughs society right now. Given what I just said, to the Internet of things. Canada could you about Canada this may seem strange, but I think, with provide leadership on how innovations strong democratic institutions in place, get applied. It starts with making sure we that power could be harnessed to make have all hands on deck, so we can make a better world. We’re on the edge of an the most of the ingenuity that resides in explosion of technological change— our population and build their capacity from artifcial intelligence to biomimicry to put good ideas into action.

“We have a troubled relationship with our democratic institutions.”

What important Resource extraction and exportation We live in a cold climate and have to is such a 19th-century game plan for travel long distances. We should be decisions do we growth, complete with a 19th-century world leaders in maximizing energy have to make? distribution of benefts and calculation efciency, whatever its source. Instead of costs. We need another plan. Not of Energy East, think Energy Least. a Plan B, because there’s no Planet B. Climate change is forcing every society CANADA’S PLAN A SHOULD HELP US to address this challenge. Nations can’t BECOME A 21ST-CENTURY ENERGY succeed on a planet that fails. SUPERPOWER BY DEVELOPING THE WORLD’S MOST ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOMES AND FORMS OF TRANSIT.

143 PROJECT PARTNERS & STAFF

Partner Organizations

Community Foundations of Canada The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation The Globe and Mail imagiNation 150 The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation The Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation Maytree Mindset Social Innovation Foundation Reos Partners The Rideau Hall Foundation Tides Canada

Project Staf

Adam Kahane, Director Mitch Anthony, Communications Brenna Atnikov, Interviewer Danielle Choquette, Translator Aaron Haesaert, Designer Janice Molloy, Interview Editor Elizabeth Pinnington, Interviewer Monica Pohlmann, Interviewer Manuela Restrepo, Transcriber Maureen Sullivan, Communications

Published by: Possible Canadas Possibles 925 Boul de Maisonneuve Ouest #212, Montréal, Québec H3A 0A5, Canada ISBN 978-0-9940562-0-7

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