I have enjoyed Geoff's writing in the past, and this essay raises the bar even higher.
Sadly, many of the things captured in this discussion could be easily said about Canada, Herself.
How many times must it be written that we are the authors of our own fate, that our choices have consequences, and that our collective trajectory is dependent on our dynamism, or our apathy?
Great article, Geoff. I highly recommend subscribing to Without Diminishment to continue to enjoy quality articles like this.
Growing up as a boy in the ‘70’s to the early ‘80’s I spent summers on Beach Avenue Vancouver with my grandmother. Each summer we would travel the coast and interior of BC as well as Washington, Oregon and California. Those summers planted within me a desire to make BC my home. The summer I turned 20 I just moved to Vancouver from Ontario and got a job working at Expo86. It was a summer full of confidence and forward looking ambition for BC. I was there and I could feel it. It was in the air. It seemed at the time that 2/3rds of the people around me were from out of province. Lots of young people. That fall I made the wise decision to leave behind BC and return to Ontario. Even then I could sense that BC despite it's wealth, talent and opportunities did not have the political will and cultural capacity to fully flourish. In my 20 year old mind at the time BC politically both on the right and on the left lacked maturity. I would counsel any young person today with only one life to live to move out of BC to another province or emigrate altogether.
Some folks say you can't form opinions or make policy based on anecdotes, but what is Big Data if not a collection of anecdotes?
It is sad that such a prosperous, intelligent, and capable populace chose to allow money laundering and drug trafficking as the paths to its ruin, rather than resource development & tourism.
In a generation all of the hope, potential, & enthusiasm seems to have been wrenched out of our futures.
Had I known then, what I know now, my wife and I would have left Canada in the 80s and never looked back.
Thanks again for the insightful post, and my best wishes to you.
Brilliant and eloquent analysis. Much gratitude
I have enjoyed Geoff's writing in the past, and this essay raises the bar even higher.
Sadly, many of the things captured in this discussion could be easily said about Canada, Herself.
How many times must it be written that we are the authors of our own fate, that our choices have consequences, and that our collective trajectory is dependent on our dynamism, or our apathy?
Great article, Geoff. I highly recommend subscribing to Without Diminishment to continue to enjoy quality articles like this.
Well-done, folks.
Growing up as a boy in the ‘70’s to the early ‘80’s I spent summers on Beach Avenue Vancouver with my grandmother. Each summer we would travel the coast and interior of BC as well as Washington, Oregon and California. Those summers planted within me a desire to make BC my home. The summer I turned 20 I just moved to Vancouver from Ontario and got a job working at Expo86. It was a summer full of confidence and forward looking ambition for BC. I was there and I could feel it. It was in the air. It seemed at the time that 2/3rds of the people around me were from out of province. Lots of young people. That fall I made the wise decision to leave behind BC and return to Ontario. Even then I could sense that BC despite it's wealth, talent and opportunities did not have the political will and cultural capacity to fully flourish. In my 20 year old mind at the time BC politically both on the right and on the left lacked maturity. I would counsel any young person today with only one life to live to move out of BC to another province or emigrate altogether.
That is a wonderful share, Paul.
I really enjoyed reading your story.
Nothing quite like a lived experience.
Some folks say you can't form opinions or make policy based on anecdotes, but what is Big Data if not a collection of anecdotes?
It is sad that such a prosperous, intelligent, and capable populace chose to allow money laundering and drug trafficking as the paths to its ruin, rather than resource development & tourism.
In a generation all of the hope, potential, & enthusiasm seems to have been wrenched out of our futures.
Had I known then, what I know now, my wife and I would have left Canada in the 80s and never looked back.
Thanks again for the insightful post, and my best wishes to you.
Thank you, Donald.
A pleasure.