The ability to get big things done is not simply the result of effective technocrats being given the space to execute like experts. It requires the clarity of vision that comes from bold, risk-taking leadership.
By now, 14 months into the pandemic, we’re treating ourselves to a wine that costs a little more at home once in a while. The challenge, then, is to find a wine to go with dinner, a bit more than our everyday ceiling of $20, but that’s also ready to drink and enjoy this Friday night.
Why not let the market decide? Canadians can decide what they want to eat and farmers can sell their products without billions in subsidies and we will see who is willing to pay the true cost of meat.
When it comes to big decisions, governments are pulled in different directions all the time. Our leaders know they have to quash the COVID-19 virus, but they do not know the best way of getting there.
Canada’s post-secondary sector has so far managed a history of continued expansion, which is largely good news for Canada. However, that continued growth masked underlying issues with programming relevance and revenues.
By identifying widely-accepted principles as “characteristics of white supremacy,” the government may inadvertently trivialize and even perpetuate the abhorrent reality of racism itself.
In a culture that sees social expectations as a form of oppression, can we really expect everyone to wake up in the morning of our pandemic present and suddenly agree that we are all in it together?
Overcoming vaccine hesitancy in a democracy will take patience, honest information about the risk-benefit of choices and the advice of trusted friends. Some people will overcome their fear for altruistic reasons and others because the alternative is less attractive.
The likelihood of program spending remaining within the government’s projections would require a degree of spending control that we have not seen since 2014-15.
By injecting dollars into provincial programs prior to reaching agreements with the provinces, Ottawa has gotten things a little backwards. Still, there are good reasons to think we can muddle towards a better outcome if they really want to do so.
