This week Hub readers discussed Canada’s neglected resource sector, the country’s brewing constitutional crisis, how unsustainable population increases won’t solve Canada’s underlying issues, and the completely overlooked tax increase the government just started.
The goal of Hub Forum is to bring the impressive knowledge and experience of The Hub community to the fore and to foster open dialogue and the competition of differing ideas in a respectful and productive manner. Here are some of the most interesting comments from this past week.
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Canada’s natural resources are a long-neglected ‘golden goose.’ It’s time to change that
Monday, May 13, 2024
“The need for Canadian energy in Europe and Africa is clear. Establishing a national corridor wouldn’t be a short-term project, but we need to start thinking in generational timescales. Negotiating a corridor and addressing environmental impacts would require time and no doubt cost money, but not incredible amounts.”
— Gord Edwards
Canada is careening towards a constitutional crisis in the Senate
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
“A bigger factor on the likelihood of some possible constitutional crisis sparked by intransigent senators is the increasingly nasty partisan nature of the political battlefield; elected officials and citizens alike. Perhaps this is just the natural ebb and flow of politics and nothing new.”
— Paul Attics
“We are faced with two major problems: an unelected Senate, and an activist Supreme Court. Both of them are capable and ready to overturn anything coming out of the House of Commons, regardless of the will of the people. Not a good look for Canada.”
— Greg Jackson
I am a former immigration minister. Unsustainable population increases won’t solve Canada’s underlying issues
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
“A shame that our immigration policy, once the envy of Western nations for its targeted approach and ts point system that addressed the actual needs of provinces and employers, has been set aside or watered down. Alarming too that it will drive down the standard of living of both Canadians and the very people Ottawa has decided to take in en masse. Providing an abundant, cheap pool of labour may be a desired outcome of businesses, but it produces consequences that run counter to the narrative of the Liberal/NDP coalition and their desire for ‘growing the middle class.'”
— RJKWells
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s more people or more electric cars, if you don’t have the infrastructure then you can’t support it.”
— Peter Byrne
Canada just started the largest tax increase you’ve never heard of
Thursday, May 16, 2024
“Only capitalism provides a sustainable economy that can support the government’s need for money, while also returning a profit on the investment and providing employment and a good standard of living for the citizens. In Canada, our economy has become inverted. The government is employing more and more people who create no monetary input to the economy. This is unsustainable.”
— Greg Jackson
“Narrow taxation changes for short-term political purposes is a huge ongoing multi-partisan roadblock to prosperous, stable, and fair tax regimes (federal, provincial, municipal). Alas, a tale as old as taxation.”
— Paul Attics
Canadians are witnessing the slow and relentless erosion of our economic freedoms
Friday, May 17, 2024
“No one wants to live in a city without zoning laws, or even very loose ones. Restrictions meant to preserve light and green space make cities livable, they don’t just block housing. Heavy restrictions on even modest density do probably unfairly privilege the interests of existing residents over potential residents, and it’s a harm to restrict the kinds of neighbourhoods and lifestyles people want even if it doesn’t result in aggregate unaffordability.”
— Valerie
“You’d think that with the high current prices housing construction would be booming in Canada, but there are too many financial risks and bureaucratic hurdles for developers to accept.”
— Michael B
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