Intriguing, yet sobering piece in today's New York Times by their level-headed Canadian correspondent, Clifford Kruass, about various Canuck thinkers who believe Canada is increasingly rudderless and in decline. Worth reading.
According to Krauss, these pessimists "see themselves as part of an informal school that has no name or single mentor, but all are writing the same assessment: Canada is in decline, or at the very least, has fallen short of their aspirations."
Quoted are such familiar names as David Bercuson, Michael Bliss (who rather drearily proclaims,"I'm in almost total despair...You have a country, but what is it for and what is it doing?''), Jack Granatstein and Andrew Cohen.
Thinkers who promote this view are often associated with the Right, although it is spreading to all corners of the spectrum.
I count myself in this school, and am constantly thinking about how to reverse current trends. Canada is similar to a frog in a kettle of slowly-warming water: it doesn't realize its dead until its too late.
I've often wondered how much sympathy this view has with everyday people, or whether most people even think about it at all. Given recent voting patterns, I suppose not much.
(Hat tip: David Mader)
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 8:01 PM
