A Gifted Population
Canadians are almost
without exception leaders in their own spheres of activity and
communities. Providing leadership to a vast army of leaders is an
interesting challenge that requires respect and tact.
Who can provide leadership
that can pass the scrutiny of Steve Paikin, Andrew Coyne, Michael
Coren, David Mainse, Christine Williams, Sid Ryan, Elizabeth May, John Gormley, Andrea Horwath, Evan Solomon, Gilles Duceppe, Justin
Trudeau, and the diverse network of humanity and
opinion that has grown up in this land of freedom?
We have no
shortage of genius and leadership in this country – which is a
great blessing ripe with potential in a world steeped in chaos. This
is no small challenge.
Abundance of Leaders
Leadership also runs deep
under these top level and more visible personalities. They represent
communities which are in turn comprised of leaders. Every teacher in
every classroom in every school and the children they nurture, every
manager and foreman and high fashion model and designer and bosses on
the shop floor, fishing boat, mining project, construction or power
project.
Bankers, businesspeople,
bullies and blowhards. First Nations chiefs, mayors, fire and police
chiefs and military commanders - they are all Canadian leaders in
their own right as are those whom they lead...and they each and
collectively in turn need leadership. Life is complex and difficult
for all people.
The Challenge
So this is the challenge –
to provide leadership that speaks comfort, hope and meaning with
clarity to the entire community – in at least two official
languages. Yet there are other factors at play aside from our
diversity and our inclusiveness. We hold different beliefs –
religious, scientific, political, social, cultural, and so on.
Moreover we live in
far-flung communities where equality is rare and justice is in need
of support – from Attawapiskat to Rosedale and from Smithers to
Westmount and Cornerbrook and Halifax there is suffering and sorrow
and human need for assurance that things can be made right, made
better, safer, more profitable in every way. In short people need
hope.
Scrutiny and Integrity
Any proposal must pass the
heartless scrutiny of Rick Mercer, Guy A. Lapage and Ron James, all
thirteen premiers and cabinets, a vast community of diverse artists
in all fields and creative people in all places and occupations AND
the Media. This number must also include an unelected Senate, an
appointed judiciary and a battery of lawyers too large and smart to
comprehend.
There is a world class
community of scholars and scientists and engineers and professionals
in all vocations – in field, forest, factory, office, classroom and
store front. Even our waiters, cab drivers, labourers, unemployed
and stay at home parents are brilliant, educated and caring.
Neither can any plan
offend our diverse faith communities and those who claim no such
beliefs - all at the same time. It must meet the standards of the
Constitution, Charter, Law, Supreme Court, business communities,
social communities, activist communities, organized labour and
rocking chair politicians of every description and stripe.
Then
there is the international community and an intricate network of
treaties, agreements and detente and a list of vested interests and
powerful dynamics. First Nations and ALL nations will look for their
share in the plan. This is one TALL order. Lol
Perspective and Reality Check
So let me quote something
here that I read this week somewhere, “The dream never matches up
to the reality that follows when we reach for it.” In other
words, “Don't get your hopes up!”
But my hopes are already up
because I see the extraordinary people with whom I share this country
and this planet and the plans THEY have for a meaningful and hopeful
future. This makes me hopeful and optimistic about the future I
dream. Their dreams – your dreams – are my dreams – shared
dreams.
Sadly this crude
paraphrase accurately communicates a pessimistic view of a common
phenomenon – dreams – waking and sleeping, hoping and fearing.
And many dreams do fail and falter and prove futile or false.
Yet I
often find the opposite to be true – the result by far outstrips
the dreams and plans I carried into a situation – by unimaginably
large magnitudes. I often stand amazed. Going to university gave me
that experience.
Canadian Wealth
It is our rich Canadian
culture that enriches us and the world beyond our borders through
many programs, relationship and opportunities in business, education,
friendship, art, trade, science, diplomacy and in every way.
This
Canadian Culture has evolved in the warmth of Canadian hospitality
like that which helped America air passengers on 911 in Gander or the
assistance sent to Haiti after their earthquake and a thousand other
points of sustainable light.
Canada is a unique and
amazing place that is full of leaders in every area and in every
occupation and position in society - from school children to Members
of the Privy Council to global artists and NGOs. We have a collective
opportunity and responsibility to reach out to the world before the
world closes in on us. This action must cut mustard with the
intelligence community, the law enforcement community, the armed
forces community, and citizens of all kinds, origins and
descriptions.
This is the kind of
democratic leadership that I'm proposing in the Plan of Hope. It has
a democratic spirit and employs democratic values, practices and
methods within the traditions of democracy in Canada and inside the
institutions and processes we have built and nurtured with which to
govern ourselves together democratically.
Tools for the Job - The Long View
We do NOT have to reinvent
the wheel of Liberty. It's in our documents – Constitution, Charter
of Rights and Freedoms, society and a history of case Law stretching
back more than a thousand years to a time of kings and Magna Carta.
This plan takes the
diligence and creativity, the sense of justice with compassion of
many great Canadians and imports this work for all to see, help with
and benefit from. By supporting others I propagate democracy –
your ideas and dreams and aspirations matter to me and to the
national community. The Plan of Hope is evidence that I recognize
that and that I listened and took notes.
I believe that this
diverse community of leaders need leadership that empowers them and
enables them to do the impossible in an age when nothing less will do
to face our current complex set of challenges. I believe that I am
that leader because I have been doing this work for a long time with
results that are not obvious to most.
The ancient Chinese
philosopher Lao Tzu – whose work I read many times in both English
and Classical Chinese beginning at the age of fifteen – claimed
that “When the best kind of leaders complete their work the people
say - We did it ourselves.”
Working with this model
and implementing what I see as a gift for democratic political
leadership and action I have quietly and patiently stood up for,
fought for and worked for Canada and Canadians in many important ways
- both on our soil and abroad.
A Modest Proposal
Now I propose that we take
our collective goodwill, intelligence, skills and resources and build
a hopeful world together along with global neighbours everywhere.
“Come all who will for an alliance of the good-willed.”
The Math – calculations
and analysis - tells me that we have all that we require to build
another Canadian century of prosperity, Liberty and responsibility
that will benefit people everywhere and build warm and lasting
relations among nations as we all address this macro-crisis together.
The Chinese word for crisis means 'danger and opportunity'.
In this way we will be
better able to help allies and neighbours alike in an age of
limitations. Who better to lead the world than a community of
leaders!? Our best years lay ahead.
Daring Resolve
“As
in the time of Sir
Walter Scott, we are in need of “...people of daring resolve”.
We are best when we harness and embrace those people of genius in our
midst - in all sciences and branches of learning and research and
endeavor. Science needs time to expand and space in which to grow.
This requires political will that delivers responsible and reliable
funding.
This
is the respectful and sensible approach I have taken in compiling The
Plan of Hope. I've consulted Canadians in the process of
assembling a wholly Canadian plan for a healthy, confident,
successful, sustainable Canada – a priceless inheritance for our
children.
We
deserve government that respects us as the extraordinary people we
are. Canadians are unlike any people who have ever lived anywhere at
any time in human history. We deserve better and we can DO better.
Stephen Harper is shortsighted and heavy handed and we need
leadership that is warm hearted and able to recognize and respect the
amazing qualities of the Canadian Citizen.”
CANADA – Stand
alone and work together!
…
..
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