Thanks for writing, Dan. The message is clear and urgent. The lessons learned from other countries are important. Your study of big projects should be on everyone ‘s desk in Ottawa. Wishing you health and happiness. Kevin Page
Dan this is just terrific. Zsuzsanna handed your piece to me and said Read it or else!. A really excellent riff on the theme that necessity is the mother of invention. Canada is now feeling the full pressure of necessity. I hope we respond with invention.
This powerful piece touches on what I think many of the most driven Canadians feel but can't quite put their finger on.
We're a nation stuck in the cultural-psychological cage of Mediocracy because 1) we were fashioned to be a subservient cog of greater powers (London, and then Washington), and 2) our history and geography ensured that we've seldom actually had to work for our success.
All of this is now changing. "Easy-mode" nationhood is no more. Can our mindset adapt?
I once met a German engineer who worked for Bombardier on the C-Series (look it up).
He was so proud of what they had accomplished together, and saddened by what became of it: "It is a fantastic airplane. Canada produces some of the best aerospace engineers into the world. And yet: When Angela Merkel goes on a state visit, she has the captains of German industry lined up behind her, and she is a tough negotiator. But the Canadians are simply too nice for their own good. And now Airbus owns the C-Series."
I have been saying some flavour of what you have written in this piece, Dan, for the last twenty years. But it has not made me popular. I have been accused of shitting in the nest.
Canadians are often quickly offended, especially when faced with unpleasant truths about which they've been in denial.
Well... either we get over it, or very soon we won't have a country to be offended about.
Probably the most impressive and realistic piece I've read this year.
We might have to suffer and scrimp to get out of this mess -- if we can get out of it at all. We might need to take risks. We are nowhere near the place where Canadians are willing to even entertain that discussion, and we might never get there. In Canada, getting a job and being comfortable -- the seitgeist of Ottawa -- was always the goal. It was the natural progression of Quebecois farmers whose families spent generations under feudalism and Anglo descendants of impoverished Scots and Irish who see the world through American TV. In 1940, we had a mission that much of the country bought into. Unless that happens again, we're going to be whatever the Americans want us to be. And America is not a benign power.
You're absolutely on point when you say that Canada lacks a national mission or raison d'être. The civilizational extensions of the great powers of our present and recent past all have defining purposes that animate the aspirations of their populaces: America's Shining City, China's Middle Kingdom, Russia's Third Rome. What is ours?
With the greatest respect, that is the aspiration of a self-consciously small/middle power that talks in clichés about "punching above its weight" because it knows full well that its weight doesn't amount to much.
"Peace, order, and democracy" are the values of Nice Canada. They are not the values that will transform us into Strong Canada.
We need a far more audacious civilizational vision. One befitting what may in fact become one of the world's leading powers in a century's time (population 100 million+, a top 5 or 6 economy, etc.).
Saving liberal democracy and the liberal values it expresses and the human flourishing it enables is “small?” I find that assertion … hilarious.
As to “a fresh new telos,” I know of no instance in history when people simply invented a new one the way you might brainstorm a new brand name. I do know many that emerged from experience, however. Which suggests that treating this as a branding exercise is unlikely to do much good.
Peace, order, good government, and liberal values are admirable. They served us well over the past 150-200 years when we were insulated from the world and could lean on the benevolence of Britain and America.
But those philosophies alone can't provide sufficient impetus to power the aspirations of what will have to be a much more muscular Canada in a much more difficult world. This new Canada needs to be a *striving* civilization, not just a *moralizing* one. Just my two cents.
I agree with you that a new national telos can't simply come from top-down official decree. It'll have to be much more organic. I hope it emerges eventually.
Seems to me that Canada has a longer history of innovative problem solving and entrepreneurship than it does of complacent reliance on our neighbour. We enjoy visiting the small local history museums when we travel, and they always impress with stories of determination and collective knowledge-how to overcome the inevitable problems of living in a sometimes harsh land.
With the US having renounced its commitment to being a world leader, many look to Canada for welcome and leadership. Facing forward, Canada has a tremendous opportunity to solve big problems through a multicultural community of innovative thinkers. It may be easier for the North European countries you mention to gain consensus, given their homogeneity, but diversity enhances creativity.
Excellent article and inspiring shot in the arm we need. I agree that we need to be bold and not afraid to take risks, which will take time. Agree wholeheartedly that Carney is pointing us in the right direction and criticizing him for not moving faster is asinine. Congratulations on the success of your book!
A painful read of our collective lack of imagination and industry. We have allowed corporate Canada to whine, be complacent and to sell out for the quick buck. Time to shut up, do the hard lifting to innovate and turn aspiration into a global reality.
Great article. I’ve been to all of Iceland, Norway, Denmark and Dubai, and agree fully on your analyses. And I live in Port Hope, “Home of the uranium processing plant!” My only caveat — I’m not so bullish as you are on Carney. To be clear, I don’t think of myself as partisan, and I don’t think any of the other party’s options are to be counted on, it’s just that Carney bought the election by saying we are in an existential crisis, “Elbows up” and all that, and instead kow-tows to Trump as well as Xi, instead of creating the conditions for Canada to succeed in the way you describe to punch above our weight. But Carney is the Prime Minster we’ve got. I anxiously await him proving me wrong — build those pipelines, dig that Ring of Fire, etc, etc.
When working in China, a senior Vice Minister confided in the me that his concern that the Canadian Business men on trade missions led by the PM needed to better understand the global trade rules of that time. Their ignorance did not enhance their attraction as possible trading partners. Hopefully this has changed as hard as it is to fathom what rules matter now.
Thanks for writing, Dan. The message is clear and urgent. The lessons learned from other countries are important. Your study of big projects should be on everyone ‘s desk in Ottawa. Wishing you health and happiness. Kevin Page
Dan this is just terrific. Zsuzsanna handed your piece to me and said Read it or else!. A really excellent riff on the theme that necessity is the mother of invention. Canada is now feeling the full pressure of necessity. I hope we respond with invention.
This powerful piece touches on what I think many of the most driven Canadians feel but can't quite put their finger on.
We're a nation stuck in the cultural-psychological cage of Mediocracy because 1) we were fashioned to be a subservient cog of greater powers (London, and then Washington), and 2) our history and geography ensured that we've seldom actually had to work for our success.
All of this is now changing. "Easy-mode" nationhood is no more. Can our mindset adapt?
I once met a German engineer who worked for Bombardier on the C-Series (look it up).
He was so proud of what they had accomplished together, and saddened by what became of it: "It is a fantastic airplane. Canada produces some of the best aerospace engineers into the world. And yet: When Angela Merkel goes on a state visit, she has the captains of German industry lined up behind her, and she is a tough negotiator. But the Canadians are simply too nice for their own good. And now Airbus owns the C-Series."
I have been saying some flavour of what you have written in this piece, Dan, for the last twenty years. But it has not made me popular. I have been accused of shitting in the nest.
Canadians are often quickly offended, especially when faced with unpleasant truths about which they've been in denial.
Well... either we get over it, or very soon we won't have a country to be offended about.
Thanks for writing. I’m investing in Canada for many of the reasons you outlined
Probably the most impressive and realistic piece I've read this year.
We might have to suffer and scrimp to get out of this mess -- if we can get out of it at all. We might need to take risks. We are nowhere near the place where Canadians are willing to even entertain that discussion, and we might never get there. In Canada, getting a job and being comfortable -- the seitgeist of Ottawa -- was always the goal. It was the natural progression of Quebecois farmers whose families spent generations under feudalism and Anglo descendants of impoverished Scots and Irish who see the world through American TV. In 1940, we had a mission that much of the country bought into. Unless that happens again, we're going to be whatever the Americans want us to be. And America is not a benign power.
You're absolutely on point when you say that Canada lacks a national mission or raison d'être. The civilizational extensions of the great powers of our present and recent past all have defining purposes that animate the aspirations of their populaces: America's Shining City, China's Middle Kingdom, Russia's Third Rome. What is ours?
The last, best hope for liberal democracy.
North Star of the New World: https://open.substack.com/pub/0sfnsfn0/p/the-polarian-vision?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=4u7s25
The Scandinavians and Russians are also Northern. The rest of the Americas is also the New World.
But only Canada, and Canada alone, is both Northern *and* New World.
Let's capitalize on that to build a fresh new national telos.
With the greatest respect, that is the aspiration of a self-consciously small/middle power that talks in clichés about "punching above its weight" because it knows full well that its weight doesn't amount to much.
"Peace, order, and democracy" are the values of Nice Canada. They are not the values that will transform us into Strong Canada.
We need a far more audacious civilizational vision. One befitting what may in fact become one of the world's leading powers in a century's time (population 100 million+, a top 5 or 6 economy, etc.).
Saving liberal democracy and the liberal values it expresses and the human flourishing it enables is “small?” I find that assertion … hilarious.
As to “a fresh new telos,” I know of no instance in history when people simply invented a new one the way you might brainstorm a new brand name. I do know many that emerged from experience, however. Which suggests that treating this as a branding exercise is unlikely to do much good.
Peace, order, good government, and liberal values are admirable. They served us well over the past 150-200 years when we were insulated from the world and could lean on the benevolence of Britain and America.
But those philosophies alone can't provide sufficient impetus to power the aspirations of what will have to be a much more muscular Canada in a much more difficult world. This new Canada needs to be a *striving* civilization, not just a *moralizing* one. Just my two cents.
I agree with you that a new national telos can't simply come from top-down official decree. It'll have to be much more organic. I hope it emerges eventually.
"It was easy. That’s why we did it. We did it because it was /easy./"
1000 times this.
Wow, what a deep dive and great analysis. Thank you for sharing your insights and hopes.
Excellent analysis, Mr Gardner. No wonder your book is doing so well. Keep up the good work.
Seems to me that Canada has a longer history of innovative problem solving and entrepreneurship than it does of complacent reliance on our neighbour. We enjoy visiting the small local history museums when we travel, and they always impress with stories of determination and collective knowledge-how to overcome the inevitable problems of living in a sometimes harsh land.
With the US having renounced its commitment to being a world leader, many look to Canada for welcome and leadership. Facing forward, Canada has a tremendous opportunity to solve big problems through a multicultural community of innovative thinkers. It may be easier for the North European countries you mention to gain consensus, given their homogeneity, but diversity enhances creativity.
Great Sunday read today, Dan. And you hit the nail on the head, waking us up from our intellectual somnolence.
Excellent article and inspiring shot in the arm we need. I agree that we need to be bold and not afraid to take risks, which will take time. Agree wholeheartedly that Carney is pointing us in the right direction and criticizing him for not moving faster is asinine. Congratulations on the success of your book!
A painful read of our collective lack of imagination and industry. We have allowed corporate Canada to whine, be complacent and to sell out for the quick buck. Time to shut up, do the hard lifting to innovate and turn aspiration into a global reality.
Great article. I’ve been to all of Iceland, Norway, Denmark and Dubai, and agree fully on your analyses. And I live in Port Hope, “Home of the uranium processing plant!” My only caveat — I’m not so bullish as you are on Carney. To be clear, I don’t think of myself as partisan, and I don’t think any of the other party’s options are to be counted on, it’s just that Carney bought the election by saying we are in an existential crisis, “Elbows up” and all that, and instead kow-tows to Trump as well as Xi, instead of creating the conditions for Canada to succeed in the way you describe to punch above our weight. But Carney is the Prime Minster we’ve got. I anxiously await him proving me wrong — build those pipelines, dig that Ring of Fire, etc, etc.
When working in China, a senior Vice Minister confided in the me that his concern that the Canadian Business men on trade missions led by the PM needed to better understand the global trade rules of that time. Their ignorance did not enhance their attraction as possible trading partners. Hopefully this has changed as hard as it is to fathom what rules matter now.
In a globalized world, 70% of countries are tied to dictator Trump, even though they pretend not to be.