It is not as if the signs have not been visible, but from a comfortable position they didn't seem as pertinent as problems in the rest of the world. I own a home, have a reasonable pension, live in Ontario and in many ways I am better off than young males..
One stress is regional, particularly with Alberta and Saskatchewan that feel ignored by the federal government and have discussed separation. There are still Quebekers who resent being part of Canada.
Another stress is inter generational. Today's youth is not better off than their parents, in fact too many of them still live with their parents as they cannot afford to go it alone. Young men often feel that the government treats women better and this causes a lot of social issues. They are vulnerable to anti-government arguments.
Canada, once admired and feared for our military prowess, now is not living up to their military commitments. We are not only more threatened over the Arctic, but Americans are mocking, and even threatening us.
Immigration has been a success, but now we have overreached and it is irritating Canadians. We cannot find housing for everyone and citizens feel foreigners are threatening our jobs and our culture.
One of the causes is that housing is un affordable for too many first time buyers and immigrants. The authors suggest we need to spread out our suburban areas. I draw the line at sprawl which they favor. There is a trade off between population and arable land and it is likely going to be a more difficult balance in the future. They do speak of bureaucratic paperwork and NIMBY attitudes that if overcome, the resistance to fourplexes and the like will be reduced.
Although we have improved our treatment with our indigenous there is still resentment, distrust and waste. Our history has for the most part fixated on assimilation, often forced. We have written treaties and then ignored many of them. Lately we have been going in the right direction, but need to work with them more. They have been friends of environmentalists while not much sharing in the mineral and oil wealth. Their education has mostly been inferior and needs to be upgraded. An early effort to improve their lot came from Paul Martin http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/03/paul-martin-under-appreciated.html
Alberta does have legitimate grievances, but with too much of their wealth built around oil; dirty oil at that. To my way of thinking climate change is the most pressing global issue (some would argue Nuclear war): see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/10/intervention-earth.html They will continue to mostly resist a transition to electrical cars and other environmental engineering. There is no easy solution, but as a starter I would suggest they be given a nuclear power plant or more that will help provide "clean" electricity. More federal government offices to provide not only jobs, but greater control. I know from personal experience that bilingualism is frowned upon and resented for job requirements.
Generational stress has caught some of us baby boomers by surprise, although we are concerned for our own offspring. The baby boomers in many cases have comfortable lives, but not all their children do. The authors suggest there ought to be transfers of wealth to the younger generations with taxes eased. The real cure is education. It needs to be more affordable and accessible, but also more targeted. Trades had been looked down upon, but reality points out they are needed and can provide a comfortable standard of living. At the same time as there is a stronger vocational aspect to education we also need to prepare for more leisure time, meaning physical fitness and appreciation for the arts.
Our military weakness seems to have developed since the 80's. It was pointed out that Lyndon Johnson admired how the Canadian military handled a crisis in Cyprus and may even have given us favorable terms with an auto pact. The Arctic has opened up from global warming and both the Russians and Chinese are taking advantage. We can build military bases in the north and also support northern urban settlements. The cost of living is much greater in northern Canada which is a deterrent for immigration to the area. Also the indigenous could be better supported.
Immigration is vital for our future. We do not produce enough babies to support the older generations or to generate sufficient economic activity. We are already relatively selective, but not as supportive as ideal. Many qualified professionals are blocked by a need for certification. We should also shift destinations away from the urban magnets of Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. For some immigrants a willingness to locate to lesser populated areas could give them preferential opportunities.
The media has been splintered with a variety of perspectives including extreme views. Online sources provide information for many people while trained journalists have difficulty getting a job. It is difficult to find trustworthy information.
Money is definitely needed to change for the future. Taxes are a touchy matter. Money is easily transferred from one jurisdiction to another with more favorable terms. By lowering taxes for younger workers trying to form families we all benefit. We need innovation which often means we need to attract money. Increased income is an incentive. The opportunity perhaps lies with the idle rich. They suggest a means criteria should be applied to old age pensions. How you might define them would be difficult and they would have clever lawyers to defend their interests.
The authors tell a history of political bungling involving all parties. They noted that when the conservatives merged with the reform party they gained power and were able to get things done. They suggest that the progressive parties, Liberals NDP. and Green should merge and stop splitting their votes.
I believe a two party system is going backwards. The voters are not all dumb, they get a mixed package at best. Many have figured out that unless they vote for the winner, their vote is wasted. Some adopt a strategic strategy choosing their second choice in order to block a hated rival. Bottom line, a lot of people do not vote at all and few really study the options. When a party has to co-operate with other parties to have any real power they are careful to avoid antagonism. Votes are not wasted so in Proportional Representative jurisdictions, more people actually vote thus signifying true values The authors threw out some examples of proportional voting countries that fail, but in fact there are far more where more people actually vote, more legislation sticks, the results are better for the country as a whole and most critically, scientific surveys suggest the citizens are happier, even though taxes are generally higher. Honest collaboration is one of the keys. Andrew Coyne pointed out that the voting system is the base for everything else. http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/09/the-crisis-of-canadian-democracy.html An earlier blog of mine gives more perspective http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/10/your-vote-neednt-be-wasted.html
Donald Trump has provided more incentive to get our act together. If we don't want to be American and risk having him as a dictator, we need to change. Sacrifices that were required in warfare may be necessary.
There are a lot of relevant ideas in the book and blog readers should bear in mind this post is an incomplete summary.
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