A good read, thank you Sean. A lot of thought and effort has gone into this piece. One point of clarification re: your comment: "So there it is: free health care, multiculturalism, indigenous reconciliation, and bilingualism. These are the four pillars, according to our new leader, of Canadian identity." I don't believe it was ever Carney's intention to suggest that these are the four defining characteristics, or "pillars" as you describe them, of Canadian identity. Rather they were provided as examples of (and there are many morw) Canadian policies and laws that reflect the underlying VALUES we share and hold dear as a people and a nation. It is these values that define and distinguish us as uniquely Canadian. A fine point but an important one, I believe, at this point in our history when we are being forced to take a long hard look at our values, examine the extent to which we as a people share those values, and are willing to hold onto and collectively fight for them.
You make a good point. "Values" can be a fuzzier thing to talk about than their concrete manifestations in policy, but they are what underlie everything we do, in politics and in life. What Canadian values do these policies Carney mentioned point to? I'd venture caring for others, being open to diversity, and compromise. I think Canadians also value following the rules, being law-abiding. We respect lining up, waiting your turn. We stuck with the British crown. Mexican folk songs celebrate outlaws, and in the US, Silicon Valley lives by the motto, "move fast and break things". All these values have their upsides and downsides. But a culture has to chose which ones they're prioritizing. I'm sure you could think of many more Canadian values. A good exercise to consider.
A number of writers over the years have examined how cultures and societies can be understood (and differentiated) in terms of their cultural values and identities. You may be familiar with this body of work Sean (e.g. the work of Geerhardt Hofstede and Fons Trompenaare and all that's come sibce). If not, makes for some interesting reading. One big one is the extent to which cultures are more individualistic vs. more collectivist, i.e. value family and community more, value cooperation and collaboration to achieve mutual benefit over competition where the goal is personal gain and individual achievement without a lot of thought to how this might impact others either positively or negatively. Canadians have definitely evolved to value family and community moreso than our neighbours to the south, and also to be more accepting and appreciative of differences. Perhaps because Canada was founded on three very different peoples who had to learn to get along and in order to survive together in Canada's harsh and unforgiving Northern environment. Our values are rooted in our shared histories and environment. And our survival as a nation, at least to date, is testimony to how much that spirit of community, helping each other out, looking out for each other has helped us become fairly decent, caring human beings, and to define us as Canadians. And in fact to grow and prosper as a nation. We are now in a crisis of values, I believe, and so does Mark Carney. Hence his focus on values in his book of that name and more broadly concepts such as "inclusive capitalism" that have emerged out of the global ether this past couple of decades, and which are now being discussed among many world leaders trying to navigate the challenges we face as nations and as a world. Something's got to change if we are to survive, and that's where our Canadian values and uniquely Canadian way of living and governing could shine an important guiding light not just for us, but for the world going forward. I just hope and pray that we stay the course, retain our unique culture and identity, as I think we have so much to offer as a nation both domestically and globally. It would be tragic to see those Canadian values, our identity and our nation be swallowed up by the "far from United"
States below the border that seems to be imploding faster than a black friday sale at Walmart. All that to say, the more conscious thought we give to what defines us as a nation and as a people, our values, our way of life, the better - and stronger - we will be. And that includes economically, and for all of us. Not just the top 1%- 2%.
Thanks again for undertaking and sharing your very thoughtful economic analysis. Great to see someone giving this topic the attention it deserves. It certainly helps to cut through the political rhetoric and all the disinformation that's out there.
🇨🇦 here. I have worked for 45 years, after paying my own way through University. I have luved in give provinces, and travelled in all 10. I was ajournalust for two decades, then started my own prpoerty development and general contracting company.
I applaud your exhaustive research and statistics. But you are missing a key element.
You parse the nature of being Canadian in the viewginder of the US, based on what you've been told in years past of we are not. This characterization of our national identity may be a bit outdated.
I, like many in my circle of family and friends, know exactly what it is to be Canadian. It has nothing to do with comparing ourselves to the US.
We are kind. We are generous. Our highest cultural values are fair play and fair chance to compete for all, and the opportunity to try for something better.
We are welcoming. Our default social interaction is to assume anyone we meet is a potential friend, until they indicate otherwise.
We value calm, over chaos, and effort in the attempt over finishing in first place. We draw strength from our ability to spend time in the natural world, appreciating the marvels of nature and how it shapes our lives.
We embrace the fair and reasonable addition of people of diversity, because it brings perspectives we might be enriched by.
We are proud of our history of clawing a society out of a wilderness, and of being one of the only countries in the world that negotiated, rather than warring, itself into existence. And we are fierce in any fight, if we have to be.
We are excellent at innovating, thinking outside the lines, and finding a way to do more with less.
And above all, we are unfailingly loyal to those who are loyal to us.
That is what I define as Canadian, which is so much more than your recitation of statistics and policy.
Very eloquently put. There are many angles to approach this issue from, and I don't claim the one I took to be comprehensive. Thank you for sharing your perspective.
This is excellent work Sean. A balanced and thoughtful approach to stats, and balanced attention to a complicated question that we Canadians are or should be asking ourselves. I'm so discouraged by certain Americans and their simple 'solutions' to messy problems! I'm also discouraged by this obsession with freedom without recognition of responsibility to others and the environment. I'm afraid we're not immune to this in Canada.
Although I beg to differ on a few of your points, you express a very real frustration the younger generation has in Canada on not being able to own a home, and give some generalizations in taxation, but then do not speak about or compare PROPERTY taxes in the U.S. versus Canada, nor the availability and cost of home insurance.
We do not lose our homes due to medical care. We do not go bankrupt from medical bills, but I would have to sell my home of many years in Canada if we had U.S. style property taxes.
Our property taxes, depending of course where you live, can be less than 25% of a similar home in the U.S. because our provincial and federal income taxes pay for infrastructure and education so that our municipal property taxes don't have to.
Property taxes and home insurance in the U.S. - assuming you can find an insurer at all willing to take the risk in some disaster prone areas - makes owning many homes there unaffordable, and definitely has an impact on the rental market. A similar home to mine (in the GTA) would invite 4 - 5 times the property taxes if it was located within the Greater Metropolitan Area (GMA) of a large U.S. city and at least twice the annual cost of home insurance, making my monthly expenditures unaffordable.
In other words, if I lived in a similar house on a comparable lot size in a GMA in the U.S., I would have to sell it because I can't afford the $40 - $50K U.S. on the annual property taxes, and cost of insurance required. And while most of U.S. homeowner's property taxes used to be tax deductible, the SALT cap was reduced in Trump's first term to $10,000.
There can be no reasonable comparison of the U.S. and Canada, and discussion of our housing market, without mentioning this very wide gap in monthly housing costs due to high property taxes in the U.S.
Wow, there’s so much research you’ve put into this! What an interesting read! I’m glad you mentioned income inequality in the US and also later mentioned countries such as Finland. It seems that Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark figured things out a long time ago with their high taxes going towards things that benefit everyone, creating happy societies where nobody is especially poor or rich. The happiness levels are highest in countries where everyone is doing about the same. The US is the opposite and only getting worse, laughably worse now, with the oligarchs taking over. Anyway, I really appreciated all these stats and your thoughts!
This is an impressive piece of work, Sean. A lot of research, an honest attempt to evaluate Canada's pros and cons and a reasoned conclusion. Well done!
A good read, thank you Sean. A lot of thought and effort has gone into this piece. One point of clarification re: your comment: "So there it is: free health care, multiculturalism, indigenous reconciliation, and bilingualism. These are the four pillars, according to our new leader, of Canadian identity." I don't believe it was ever Carney's intention to suggest that these are the four defining characteristics, or "pillars" as you describe them, of Canadian identity. Rather they were provided as examples of (and there are many morw) Canadian policies and laws that reflect the underlying VALUES we share and hold dear as a people and a nation. It is these values that define and distinguish us as uniquely Canadian. A fine point but an important one, I believe, at this point in our history when we are being forced to take a long hard look at our values, examine the extent to which we as a people share those values, and are willing to hold onto and collectively fight for them.
You make a good point. "Values" can be a fuzzier thing to talk about than their concrete manifestations in policy, but they are what underlie everything we do, in politics and in life. What Canadian values do these policies Carney mentioned point to? I'd venture caring for others, being open to diversity, and compromise. I think Canadians also value following the rules, being law-abiding. We respect lining up, waiting your turn. We stuck with the British crown. Mexican folk songs celebrate outlaws, and in the US, Silicon Valley lives by the motto, "move fast and break things". All these values have their upsides and downsides. But a culture has to chose which ones they're prioritizing. I'm sure you could think of many more Canadian values. A good exercise to consider.
A number of writers over the years have examined how cultures and societies can be understood (and differentiated) in terms of their cultural values and identities. You may be familiar with this body of work Sean (e.g. the work of Geerhardt Hofstede and Fons Trompenaare and all that's come sibce). If not, makes for some interesting reading. One big one is the extent to which cultures are more individualistic vs. more collectivist, i.e. value family and community more, value cooperation and collaboration to achieve mutual benefit over competition where the goal is personal gain and individual achievement without a lot of thought to how this might impact others either positively or negatively. Canadians have definitely evolved to value family and community moreso than our neighbours to the south, and also to be more accepting and appreciative of differences. Perhaps because Canada was founded on three very different peoples who had to learn to get along and in order to survive together in Canada's harsh and unforgiving Northern environment. Our values are rooted in our shared histories and environment. And our survival as a nation, at least to date, is testimony to how much that spirit of community, helping each other out, looking out for each other has helped us become fairly decent, caring human beings, and to define us as Canadians. And in fact to grow and prosper as a nation. We are now in a crisis of values, I believe, and so does Mark Carney. Hence his focus on values in his book of that name and more broadly concepts such as "inclusive capitalism" that have emerged out of the global ether this past couple of decades, and which are now being discussed among many world leaders trying to navigate the challenges we face as nations and as a world. Something's got to change if we are to survive, and that's where our Canadian values and uniquely Canadian way of living and governing could shine an important guiding light not just for us, but for the world going forward. I just hope and pray that we stay the course, retain our unique culture and identity, as I think we have so much to offer as a nation both domestically and globally. It would be tragic to see those Canadian values, our identity and our nation be swallowed up by the "far from United"
States below the border that seems to be imploding faster than a black friday sale at Walmart. All that to say, the more conscious thought we give to what defines us as a nation and as a people, our values, our way of life, the better - and stronger - we will be. And that includes economically, and for all of us. Not just the top 1%- 2%.
Thanks again for undertaking and sharing your very thoughtful economic analysis. Great to see someone giving this topic the attention it deserves. It certainly helps to cut through the political rhetoric and all the disinformation that's out there.
🇨🇦 here. I have worked for 45 years, after paying my own way through University. I have luved in give provinces, and travelled in all 10. I was ajournalust for two decades, then started my own prpoerty development and general contracting company.
I applaud your exhaustive research and statistics. But you are missing a key element.
You parse the nature of being Canadian in the viewginder of the US, based on what you've been told in years past of we are not. This characterization of our national identity may be a bit outdated.
I, like many in my circle of family and friends, know exactly what it is to be Canadian. It has nothing to do with comparing ourselves to the US.
We are kind. We are generous. Our highest cultural values are fair play and fair chance to compete for all, and the opportunity to try for something better.
We are welcoming. Our default social interaction is to assume anyone we meet is a potential friend, until they indicate otherwise.
We value calm, over chaos, and effort in the attempt over finishing in first place. We draw strength from our ability to spend time in the natural world, appreciating the marvels of nature and how it shapes our lives.
We embrace the fair and reasonable addition of people of diversity, because it brings perspectives we might be enriched by.
We are proud of our history of clawing a society out of a wilderness, and of being one of the only countries in the world that negotiated, rather than warring, itself into existence. And we are fierce in any fight, if we have to be.
We are excellent at innovating, thinking outside the lines, and finding a way to do more with less.
And above all, we are unfailingly loyal to those who are loyal to us.
That is what I define as Canadian, which is so much more than your recitation of statistics and policy.
*edit*
lived in 5 provinces,
and *a journalist* 🤣
Very eloquently put. There are many angles to approach this issue from, and I don't claim the one I took to be comprehensive. Thank you for sharing your perspective.
This is excellent work Sean. A balanced and thoughtful approach to stats, and balanced attention to a complicated question that we Canadians are or should be asking ourselves. I'm so discouraged by certain Americans and their simple 'solutions' to messy problems! I'm also discouraged by this obsession with freedom without recognition of responsibility to others and the environment. I'm afraid we're not immune to this in Canada.
Although I beg to differ on a few of your points, you express a very real frustration the younger generation has in Canada on not being able to own a home, and give some generalizations in taxation, but then do not speak about or compare PROPERTY taxes in the U.S. versus Canada, nor the availability and cost of home insurance.
We do not lose our homes due to medical care. We do not go bankrupt from medical bills, but I would have to sell my home of many years in Canada if we had U.S. style property taxes.
Our property taxes, depending of course where you live, can be less than 25% of a similar home in the U.S. because our provincial and federal income taxes pay for infrastructure and education so that our municipal property taxes don't have to.
Property taxes and home insurance in the U.S. - assuming you can find an insurer at all willing to take the risk in some disaster prone areas - makes owning many homes there unaffordable, and definitely has an impact on the rental market. A similar home to mine (in the GTA) would invite 4 - 5 times the property taxes if it was located within the Greater Metropolitan Area (GMA) of a large U.S. city and at least twice the annual cost of home insurance, making my monthly expenditures unaffordable.
In other words, if I lived in a similar house on a comparable lot size in a GMA in the U.S., I would have to sell it because I can't afford the $40 - $50K U.S. on the annual property taxes, and cost of insurance required. And while most of U.S. homeowner's property taxes used to be tax deductible, the SALT cap was reduced in Trump's first term to $10,000.
There can be no reasonable comparison of the U.S. and Canada, and discussion of our housing market, without mentioning this very wide gap in monthly housing costs due to high property taxes in the U.S.
Thanks for bringing that up. I didn't know that.
Hmmm, interesting. I was aware of other key economic indicators/comparators but did not know about the property tax issue.
Wow, there’s so much research you’ve put into this! What an interesting read! I’m glad you mentioned income inequality in the US and also later mentioned countries such as Finland. It seems that Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark figured things out a long time ago with their high taxes going towards things that benefit everyone, creating happy societies where nobody is especially poor or rich. The happiness levels are highest in countries where everyone is doing about the same. The US is the opposite and only getting worse, laughably worse now, with the oligarchs taking over. Anyway, I really appreciated all these stats and your thoughts!
This is an impressive piece of work, Sean. A lot of research, an honest attempt to evaluate Canada's pros and cons and a reasoned conclusion. Well done!