Monthly Commentaries

Changing the way we effect change. – December, 2005

The eve of an election in Canada is an appropriate time to consider what we can realistically expect from a government of federally elected parliamentarians in a rapidly changing globalized society. At the expense of sounding cynical, governments have been exposed by the impact of globalization. Advances in technology, transportation and communications coupled with open access to information via the web have precipitated a wave of global competition and deregulation. Governments have lost the ability to control - be it through censorship, trade or capital market barriers or the sheer imposition of bureaucracy – and are being relegated to facilitators of public services such as defence, policing and the collection of taxes. Compounding the problem is the declining calibre of candidates standing for election to public office. The individuals themselves lack vision, eloquence and in many cases, ethics, while the political parties simply pander to the polls without principle. The consequences are total policy rot and an abject failure to expand our national horizons beyond the next minority government. Peering beneath the surface, private citizens shoulder some responsibility for these trends – we have little trust or respect for elected officials and we aspire to less government interference in our daily lives.

So, how will this untenable situation change? In my opinion, the vacuum in leadership will be filled by think tanks, business leaders and individuals forming special interest groups to effect long-term change. As global competition to reduce tax rates diminishes government coffers and private sector profits surge, we shall encounter more public/private sector partnerships developing long-term, high cost infrastructure and maintaining efficient and competitive public sector services. It’s all about the balance of achieving meaningful long-term national goals financed with a combination of taxes and user fees. The current system has neither the goals nor adequate means of finance. As a favour, prepare the candidate in your riding for impending extinction. Best wishes for health and happiness in 2006!

Peter Sacks Managing Partner