On the mood of Canadians and voters in other Western nations:
It really sucks right now. Like, everything sucks for people, even in Canada. We’re supposed to be polite and nice, but, man, people are mad. People are mad at governments because things aren’t going all that well and people are worried. So, yeah, it’s a tough time.
We know things are going to start getting better. Inflation is coming down. We think interest rates are going to start coming down probably middle of next year. We’re launching massive housing investments. Hopefully, people are going to start seeing things get better.
On the political consequences of that mood:
People are anxious because that promise of progress no longer seems to hold. A sense of optimism is gone right now — or it’s at least really strained. There are challenges that people are facing that are undermining our sense that our institutions, that our democracies are actually functioning well.
They’re falling into the trap that there are simple, easy answers that fit on a bumper sticker or in a TikTok video for any and all of these questions. And that’s where the populism comes through and the anti-enlightenment mistrust of experts and facts and science that is running rampant in aggressively populist circles. But it is a very compelling narrative to turn to. When you can’t put food on the table, when you’re scared to walk down the street, you’re more likely to vote for a strongman that says, ‘Everything’s going to be OK, even if I’m going to take away some of your freedoms or some of your rights.’
That’s the thing that worries me.
The way to solve that isn’t to come out with better slogans. It’s to actually solve the challenge of people being optimistic about the future and feeling: Oh, there is a path for me to be successful.
Housing is the tip of the iceberg. The cost of living has jumped across the board. It’s hard to get a family doctor in most provinces. Homelessness is endemic to most of our cities. Our real wages are falling.
And it doesn’t feel like any level of government is doing enough. They certainly don’t seem to be cooperating.
And yes, hOuSiNg/hEaLtHcArE Is A pRovInCiAl ReSpOnSiBiLiTy, but the feds have shown themselves adept at getting around that. The feds got the provinces to implement a carbon tax and $10/day daycare.
Of course, immigration and taxation are federal responsibilities, and aside from the GST credit on purpose-built rentals, the feds have done almost nothing.
Requiring post secondary schools to provide on campus housing for newcomers on academic visas would be a good start. Similarly, requiring medical residents studying in Canada to practice in Canada after their program completes would be another improvement.
On the taxation side, we should start asking whether tax exemptions for home owners are such a great idea when we’re trying to deflate the housing market.
It doesn’t feel like they’re doing anything at all other then continually fucking over Canadians for the interests of the wealthy and their cronies.
While I still believe very strongly in voting, all the current parties feel corrupt and not in our best interest. Time for revolution.
Time for revolution? What are you even suggesting here ? Do you even understand what you are implying?
Bottom up action from working class citizens, unionize, form collectives, protest, start doing and shit for what you believe is important and matters. Break things.
When was the last time you talked to your MP? If you haven’t given direction, there is nothing for them to do.
If you have spoken to your MP lately, what came of it?
When I email or call my MP, I get a form letter response.
You’re paying good money for an office for your employee. Technically you pay for two offices – one at home and one in Ottawa. Have you visited in person? As silly as it may seem, the boss showing his face tends to carry more weight than the boss who messages an employee from the golf course. The workers are only human at the end of the day.
I live in a rural area. My MP’s office is an hour away. I’m not taking two+ hours out of my workday to be told to come back later.
That’s fine, of course. The choice is yours. But you can’t reasonably expect results from your workers when you don’t care enough about your organization to pay attention your employees.
Nobody ever said democracy was easy.
I do get to talk to them and my MLA regularly as I’m on the board of a local business association which they or their representative attends. They will do on about a bunch of useless political empty talking points. Giving them any direction, they’ll thank you for your thoughts and say they’ll be taken into great consideration.