The Canadian Century?

[Keepitsimple]

The Canadian century?

by Nathan Vardi, Forbes.com

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

provided by

In 1904 Canadian Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier made this prediction: "The 19th century was the century of the United States. I think we can claim that it is Canada that shall fill the 20th century."

Maybe Laurier was just a man 100 years before his time. As the world assembles in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics, the 21st century is shaping up great for Canada.

For starters, Canada has avoided many of the problems that currently bedevil the U.S.—mountains of public debt, a banking system in crisis, the housing debacle and a weakened currency.

Canada's banking system, essentially made up of the Royal Bank of Canada and four other big banks, remained strong during the global credit crisis. With no bailouts, it is the soundest system in the world, marked by a steady and responsible continuation of lending and profits. "Canada has shown itself to be a pretty good manager of the financial system," U.S. President Barack Obama said amid the financial crisis. Was that a touch of envy in his voice?

And it is not just banks that have remained solvent. Canada, with its relatively small population of 34 million, has the lowest debt burden of any G8 country and less than half the per capita debt burden of the U.S.

................more to read

Link: http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/article/forbes/1427/the-canadian-century

[bush_cheney2004]

So if the 20th century was not the century of Canada....which nation filled that "predicted" role?

[Moonbox]

Communist Russia?

[eyeball]

I think there's a lot to be said for keeping a low profile in today's world.

It seems to me that countries that try to claim center stage and attract the limelight attract a whole lot of trouble along with it.

The best places are usually those rare places that are off the beaten path.

[M.Dancer]

So if the 20th century was not the century of Canada....which nation filled that "predicted" role?

It was shared....

1900 -1918 Great Britain, Germany

1918 -1939 Great Britain, Germany, Soviet Union, Japan

1939 -1991 USA, Soviet Union

1991 -2000 USA, Japan

[bush_cheney2004]

It was shared....

Looks like Canadian Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier should have taken lessons from you.

[M.Dancer]

Now there's a chant I hope the protestors use when they cross the line at the next G meeting...

The World is Noticing!

The World is Noticing!

The World is Noticing!

[M.Dancer]

Looks like Canadian Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier should have taken lessons from you.

He would have been right had it not been for the world glut in beaver pelts

[Moonlight Graham]

Canada is in a great situation. The U.S. and Russia can have its giant bombs and go flying around the moon all it wants, China can have its fancy Olympic opening ceremonies etc. But i'll take Canada's high life expectancy, quality of living, low crime/ violent crime rates, resilient economy, and international respect etc.

Other countries may have been/may be much more powerful than Canada, but it looks like we, along with states like Australia, Japan, and the Scandinavian countries, are the smart ones.

CANADA #1 BABY WOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

[Guest American Woman]

China can have its fancy Olympic opening ceremonies etc.

Speaking of China, from what I've seen, that's who most say the 21st Century will belong to.

[bush_cheney2004]

Canada is in a great situation. The U.S. and Russia can have its giant bombs and go flying around the moon all it wants, China can have its fancy Olympic opening ceremonies etc. But i'll take Canada's high life expectancy, quality of living, low crime/ violent crime rates, resilient economy, and international respect etc.

International respect? Better check on the Vancouver Olympics....even the locals are pissed off about that!

[xul]

So if the 20th century was not the century of Canada....which nation filled that "predicted" role?

Dalai Lama's nation.

If the continents sinking just as the hollywood fantasy named 2012 showed, Dalai Lama's temple would be on the last high ground.....Maybe that Harper, Bush and Obama kind are so desirous to meet Dalai Lama is just for booking some tickets for their billionaire and billionairess funders.

If there is something which should be concerned, it is that in the movie, Dalai Lama's kind even have to be aboard the ship via a gear chamber.....It is a pathetic world, isn't it?

[dizzy]

Canada is in a great situation. The U.S. and Russia can have its giant bombs and go flying around the moon all it wants, China can have its fancy Olympic opening ceremonies etc. But i'll take Canada's high life expectancy, quality of living, low crime/ violent crime rates, resilient economy, and international respect etc.

Other countries may have been/may be much more powerful than Canada, but it looks like we, along with states like Australia, Japan, and the Scandinavian countries, are the smart ones.

CANADA #1 BABY WOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

I don't see a lot to aspire to in economically conservative Japan or the culturally conservative scandinavian countries, but I do see a lot of common bonds with australia. Both have incredibly strong economies. Both enjoy and benefit from multicultural societies. Both have very high quality of lives (I believe that 7 of the top 10 cities in the world were in either of our countries - The Economist). Both have passports that are well regarded around the world. Life's good.

Edited February 19, 2010 by dizzy

[msj]

I think in a few years the world won't notice that Canada isn't all that different.

Look at our family finances:

Link to PDF: http://www.vifamily.ca/library/cft/famfin09.pdf

Our provinces, municipalities and federal government are facing deficits for years (and many of these are structural despite the denial).

At best, Canada is the one-eyed man in a world full of blind people.

Whoop dee do.

[Thomas Kwon]

I don't see a lot to aspire to in economically conservative Japan or the culturally conservative scandinavian countries, but I do see a lot of common bonds with australia. Both have incredibly strong economies. Both enjoy and benefit from multicultural societies. Both have very high quality of lives (I believe that 7 of the top 10 cities in the world were in either of our countries - The Economist). Both have passports that are well regarded around the world. Life's good.

Multicultural? Isn't 90-something% of Australia white???????

[dizzy]

Multicultural? Isn't 90-something% of Australia white???????

Excuse the wiki reference but, no. And remember that multiculturalism does not refer exclusively to nonwhites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiculturalism_in_Australia

[Thomas Kwon]

...

Edited July 3, 2015 by Thomas Kwon

[Michael Hardner]

I'm always confused as to why Australians talk about "Lebanese". There are different groups within Lebanon - some Christian, some Orthodox, and some Muslim. It's kind of multicultural.

It would be as if Australia listed Canadian as a heritage. Sounds crazy, eh ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon

[dizzy]

Ancestry:

* Australian (37.13%)

* English (31.65%)

* Irish (9.08%)

* Scottish (7.56%)

* Italian (4.29%)

* German (4.09%)

* Chinese (3.37%)

* Greek (1.84%)

* Dutch (1.56%)

* Indian (1.18%)

* Lebanese (0.92%)

* Vietnamese (0.87%)

* Polish (0.82%)

* New Zealander (0.81%)

* Filipino (0.81%)

* Maltese (0.77%)

* Croatian (0.59%)

* Australian Aboriginal (0.58%)

* Welsh (0.57%)

* French (0.5%)

* Serbian (0.48%)

* Maori (0.47%)

* Spanish (0.42%)

* Macedonian (0.42%)

* South African (0.4%)

* Sinhalese (0.37%)

* Hungarian (0.3%)

* Russian (0.3%)

* Turkish (0.3%)

* American (0.28%)

more than 90% are white.

white "multiculturalism". hahahaha

About 84% of canadians are white. Look at current/recent year migration stats. It takes awhile to 'counter' generations of whites only migration.

Edited February 19, 2010 by dizzy

[Guest TrueMetis]

more than 90% are white.

white "multiculturalism". hahahaha

I'm not sure where you got that but the whites alone add up to 101.26%, 123.21% total. I think you need to repeat basic math.

Also if you think there is only one white culture you need to visit Europe. Or hell even go to America.

Edited February 19, 2010 by TrueMetis

[Moonlight Graham]

I don't see a lot to aspire to in economically conservative Japan or the culturally conservative scandinavian countries, but I do see a lot of common bonds with australia. Both have incredibly strong economies. Both enjoy and benefit from multicultural societies. Both have very high quality of lives (I believe that 7 of the top 10 cities in the world were in either of our countries - The Economist). Both have passports that are well regarded around the world. Life's good.

Check the UNDP's 2009 Human Development Index rankings: http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/

Canada is 4th, Scandinavian countries are all over the top of the list, along with east europe, Japan, and Australia also, among others.

[dizzy]

Check the UNDP's 2009 Human Development Index rankings: http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/

Canada is 4th, Scandinavian countries are all over the top of the list, along with east europe, Japan, and Australia also, among others.

The HDI is a feel-good tool that provides a rough sketch of wellbeing. I wouldn't bring it up in a discussion where people have already moved onto specifics.

[Bonam]

Canada is a good place to live. That hardly makes it the "Canadian Century". The history of the first half of the 21st century at least will still be driven in large part by the US, just as the 2nd half of the 20th century was. Whether the US manages to continue in its role of relative dominance or whether it declines and is overtaken by another nation, the events associated with that will play a huge role over the next few decades.

[xul]

Speaking of China, from what I've seen, that's who most say the 21st Century will belong to.

Hoping it is not due to some CPC dictator's stupidity which messes things up like his Russian comrade's did before and makes Chinese refugees flooding all around the world, so the world looks like a Chinese world...

If the energy, natural resources and environment were sustainable to the development, I would say the 21st Century will belong to China and the 22st Century will belong to Indian, for there are reports saying that Indian population will overtake China in a decade or two. But up till now I can't see any scientific or technical solutions to overcome the three negative factors which will slow down the economic development in a certain point.

If the economy is slowed down, it will be the real ordeal to Chinese people, though the agricultural bassed culture and civilization may contribute some positive factors---which has showed helpful to deal with national natural disasters, it may also be helpful to deal with economical and political crisis.

Since oil will be run out in several decades or a century, as a country with less population and richer natural resources, scientifically and technically, or exactly book-correctly, Canada does have the advantage over other nations. The only question is---just as the film 2012 showed, considering Dalai Lama's homeland obviously could not contain all people in the world,if the continents was sinking, would all these desperate people in the sinking lands be patient enough for Dalai Lama issuing them vises?

[dizzy]

Canada is a good place to live. That hardly makes it the "Canadian Century". The history of the first half of the 21st century at least will still be driven in large part by the US, just as the 2nd half of the 20th century was. Whether the US manages to continue in its role of relative dominance or whether it declines and is overtaken by another nation, the events associated with that will play a huge role over the next few decades.

Actually, I agree. Just look at our perceived national virtues: tolerance, diversity, equality, healthcare, international peacekeeping, low crime, etc... These are great foundations on which to build a society, but they don't suggest a people who are looking to make a big splash on the world scene. Add to that, we are the land of milk and honey from a resource perspective, so much of the nation's wealth comes without much drive or effort.

At our best, we are a receptacle for the the best the world has to offer, with minimal ethnic chauvinism. But we also lack innovation, overt self-celebration and, frankly, motivation... we don't really have the character ingredients to be world leaders.

FWIW, I think our lack of leadership potential is one of the reasons why Canada is such a great place to live.