A Hopeful Future for Canada - in Five Parts

Copenhagen and The Culture of Entitlement – Part 1 of 5

The last Liberal government was defeated under the shadow of them believing that they were entitled to some things. They were perceived as believing that they had an historic 'right' to govern; that they are “the natural governing party of Canada.”

They were caught up in the Sponsorship Scandal and after the subsequent inquiry the public came to the conclusion that a culture of entitlement had eroded the Liberal Party and the Liberal Government of Paul Martin.

Sadly on this day when the environmental treaty discussions in Copenhagen sought and failed to arrive at a global environmental and emissions agreement, the truth about the Canadian culture of entitlement has been laid bare. It was not Paul Martin's Liberals who invented this misapprehension of democracy. It is not only Stephen Harper's Conservative Government that now exercises the assumed 'rights' of the entitled.

The entire nation is being put under the spotlight of international media scrutiny and under an indictment of selfishness, self-indulgence, greed, carelessness, irresponsibility and waste that is rapidly eroding hope for the more vulnerable nations of the world.

But we will soon join them in their suffering and despair if we cannot abruptly abandon this misconception about our own worth and importance in the world context.


Environmental Criminals - Part 2

This week the world has branded Canada and Canadians as “environmental criminals” and sadly I fear they are right. I have tried to do my part to alert Canadians about this looming crisis, only to discover that the “culture of entitlement” does not begin with our governments.

Rather governments are a reflection of a population and we get governments like our selves. We are getting the kind of government we want and like. We are getting government that expresses who we really are - environmental criminals selfishly consuming the world's resources at an extraordinary rate while feeling jolly about ourselves.

This destructive culture is seen in the lifestyles of people who live frivolously in the fast lane, indulge themselves in the distractions of our culture, enter into business ventures that have little or no place in the real world...like Christmas tree farms! These people are out of touch with the Crisis that is threatening to destroy them, their families and all that they know about in their entitled place in the world. They are out of touch with Reality!

Canadians must change if we are going to get the kind of government we want going forward. For democracy is government of the people, for the people, by the people.

Canada has slid fast and hard into the gutter of history and into the bad books of our international neighbours. We have gone from first to worst in the environmental area after a few short years of Mr. Harper's Conservative government.

We are wasting away the hope of the world while we play video games, watch movies, acquire TOYS, grow fat on fast foods that give no nutrition and tell ourselves how wonderful [and deserving] we are.


The Roots of Entitlement - Part 3

Stephen Harper's Government did not create this problem, They simply represent Canadians in the way Canadians want and believe they deserve at this point. “They” are not the problem. “We” are the problem.

But we can also change and solve this historic problem. Canadians can rise up and confront this challenge. We can become part of the Solution rather than the poison tip of the arrow that kills millions without consciousness or conscience.

Almost all Canadians share this attitude of entitlement. Perhaps there are a few [like David Suzuki] who understand how the rest of the world must live in distress in order to support and sustain our greedy lifestyle and sense of entitlement. We must all reflect carefully or live with the dire consequences that will come from inaction.

This Culture of Entitlement is widespread in Canada and it blinds Canadians to the suffering of others...in spite of our compassion and reputation for generosity. We are an oil ghetto and we think we can afford to be generous. But we are causing some of the big problems that we so generously try to help relieve after we have done the damage.

Democratic Representation - Part 4

The tar sands of Alberta is one example of the blight we are creating that touches all people everywhere. Canadians have an environmental foot print that is twenty times bigger than most people who live on the planet.

We are using more than our fair share because we believe we are entitled to it. What exactly makes it so and what makes us believe this nonsense? Is it the Invisible Hand of the Market? LOL No it's irresponsible choices!

Also, Stephen Harper IS representing his constituents. Calgary Center is the home of some of the big oil companies' head offices. He seems to think that since THEY elected him he should do as they please. It actually makes democratic sense at some twisted primitive level.

Here is a comment from the Polaris Institute about that. "Mark Rudolph, a 20-year veteran lobbyist who represents Suncor Energy Inc. and Shell Canada Ltd. in Ottawa, said that lobbying the province of Alberta is virtually unnecessary since, he said, the government is entirely on the industry's side. Alberta, in effect, represents the single most powerful lobby in Ottawa, according to Rudolph." from Big oil's relentless lobby

I believe that much of this attitude about entitlement derives from our colonial history. In large part we have attempted to transcend this sad backdrop to our present prosperity. Our First Nations peoples have felt the hot whip of European and others peoples' sense of entitlement and often still do.

Repentance and Change – Part 5

We need to quickly embark in a different direction. In my Christian faith we call this kind of directional/behavioural/ethical change of direction Repentance. Canada, which sometimes fancies itself a “Christian nation”, should stop, look, and repent. We must change direction 180 degrees for the sake of our brothers and sisters and our human family of today and tomorrow.

I hope you will join me in building The Canadian Dream of sustainability in all things, coupled with freedom, justice, compassion and prosperity in the new emerging economy of environmental responsibility. We can do this but we can only do it together. Once we begin the world will line up to help us.

We obviously need a change of direction and this will require a change of government. Canada and Canadians need new leadership that is appropriate for the realities of the 21st Century. See my other blog posts linked below about the kind of Leadership I believe we need in this dark and desperate hour in history.

This is Urgent stuff that shapes our actions and reputation in the world.

Peace Pays!


"Don't keep the peace...pass it on."

Building The Canadian Dream blog - three Leadership post links


http://thecanadiandream.blogspot.com/2007/10/how-to-survive-leadership-2.html

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Break! Spend! Use! Consume!

There is a great stampede to accomplish this short list of human consumer activities. We are more intent upon spending and using up than we are about conserving and living sustainable lives.

Whether at home in our cozy Canadian housing, at work, in stores or at school, we want to use everything up as quickly as possible. Why? There is no possible rational explanation. But here is an [irrational] explanation.

First let us remember that this type and rate of consumption is criminal and unjust to those who suffer wont - those who are hungry and homeless and helpless in the face of a harsh economic climate. We are using the resources that are needed for a sustainable global future. If we do not cease then we will perish.

We are already robbing our brothers and sisters in all nations so we can live lavish and self-indulgent lives while they starve along with their children and parents. Their suffering feeds our greed in our “open market system”.

So why do we consume at what is likely the highest rate of any people of any nation in the world or in history? The sad news about that is that we are all caught up in a frenzy of consumerism that is perpetrated by large corporate industry.

This is driven by advertising and marketing that cares only for profit and nothing for the future or for environmental responsibility. [Think about the plots and characters of television's Mad Men.] They need and want us to spend spend spend.

This is what drives corporations – sales. In this way they grow stronger and bigger and richer and more powerful. This happens at the expense of the vulnerable and the Earth. And the rate of consumption is destroying the earth, the water, the air, all creatures great and small, the Earth's atmosphere, our health and any hope for a happy and safe future.

How can we make it stop and change? By simple self control in our lifestyle habits! Be thrifty with money and resources and time. Think about how much water and food you use and how much garbage and compost you produce. Some communities do not produce any garbage and prove that our wastefulness is unnecessary. Always do the math.

We can change the world one small decision at a time. We must always consider our children's future when we break, spend, use and consume everything. We are sentencing them to a very bleak future and they want us to stop.

But we ask ourselves, “What could children possibly know that we adults do not?” The answer is quite simple. They know that they will perish if we do not cease and desist in these destructive and self-destructive behaviours.

Search your conscience and ask yourself whether you really want to destroy the hope and opportunities of every future generations of humanity. I know I don't. So I have been modifying my behaviour with my children and grandchildren in mind, and with their help. I hope you will do the same.

Be economical in everything. Use less and want less. Prudence and economy were considered to be virtues for several thousand years prior to our consumer age. We should redeem and embrace this heritage of sustainability in all things and teach it to our children as a desirable character trait and as a social virtue.

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