Lost Opportunity

Governments the world over seem to buy into the economic theory that they can spend their ways out of a recession. Having been chastised by my first-year economics professor for talking in class, I know that I don't have a degree in economics (I should note, that I was explaining a concept to a friend that he had made a particular mess of). In any case, I'm not going to say I know better than the teams of economists that our government, and many others employ. I am though, concerned of with the short-comings in Canada's most recent budget. Sure, there's infrastructure funding, money for social housing, support for First Nations and more. All good things. But where's the forward-looking money? As Obama trumpets the opportunities of a "green" economy Canada cuts funding to scientific research and doesn't look to updating things like our utility distribution networks to better support new approaches to technology like networks to support plug-in hybrid cars. We may/will still come out of the recession, but I think it will leave us structurally behind other countries. Why be short-sighted? If you can immediately influence the economy while seeing long-term benefits, why not do it?

A new hope

Barak Obama is now the President of the United States (in case you live under a rock). His initial efforts and words have related to increasing transparency of government and doing what was promised. That is extremely heartening to me. I may not be American but I believe his approach to governing the U.S. will influence us all.

As people develop a taste for governance that serves the people, that is not explicitly partisan, that wants to remove the curtain behind so much political action takes place, people may come to expect more from their own leaders. This is an opportunity for Canada's politicians to scoop some of the hope inspired by Obama's inauguration. I also hope that if they choose to continue to obscure and fight, that we, the people, will react with the strength seen in the United States.

What kind of a system have we created? An economy that relies on continued growth. Where steady-state is underperforming and where saving money can be a problem.

Sometimes reality is more interesting than fiction: "Porn Industry Seeks Federal Bailout"

Happy start to 2009!

As years end and other begins there is much looking back and fore at what has come and what may yet come to be.

One chance to not only look back, but also to learn is BBC's 100 things we didn't know last year.