Is Canada the most successful country in the world?

[Tennis]

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/comme...orld-gwyn.html

These days, our embarrassment at doing so well is well on the way to becoming acute


As is a universally known fact, the response of any Canadian to someone stepping on their shoe is for them to apologize profusely.

Day after day, though, this self-abnegation is becoming harder and harder to sustain.

Instead, a terrible truth can no longer be denied. Its starting point is that for some time now it’s been obvious that Canada is one of the most successful countries in the world.

Precision in such a matter is impossible. But most international surveys of topics ranging from, as examples, education to social progress, include in their Top 10 choices the Scandinavians (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway); the well-run Europeans (Holland, Switzerland, Austria); and the one-time British colonies (Australia, Canada, New Zealand).

Most of these countries, though, have the advantage of being small and homogenous. Among them, only Australia is about as large as us, while none of the others deals with a population anything like as diverse.

These days, our embarrassment at doing so well (which isn’t at all to say we don’t botch a fair number of the challenges that confront us) is well on the way to becoming uncomfortably acute.

Suddenly, we are becoming a kind of global loner.

Once, we could count on being able to figure out the best decisions to make by copying two sources of immense experience and accomplishment.

What, though, has the Canada of today got to learn from a Europe that for so long was our tutor on everything from culture to style? And what does this country have to learn now from the United States, for so long so dynamic and so original?


That politics in the U.S. has long been dominated by money and lobbyists and empty rhetoric has become self-evident. Today’s American politics is a pitiful joke. One presidential contestant, Senator Marco Rubio, summed up brilliantly his nation’s condition by remarking: “who wants to live in a country where everybody hates each other.”

Much of the blame for this derives of course from the racism and anger unleashed by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. But he alone has given a “voice” to American working men until now ignored while they struggled to deal with lost jobs, lost salaries, lost hope.

Europe’s condition is still worse. From the botched Euro currency that has bankrupted member-states such as Greece to the chaos of first attracting refugees from Syria and then of installing barriers against them, Europe now functions as an empire as inept as the old Ottoman Empire.

A possibility exists that this European Union may unravel entirely, a process that will become irresistible if the British vote to leave in their June referendum.

We aren’t, of course, a perfect little tribe. Curing the harm done to indigenous people will take a great deal of time and money and of tolerance, on both sides.

But we, just about uniquely, now belong to the 21st century rather than times long past, and to the global economy and culture rather than to the creeds of nationalism and ethnic separation.

Steps already taken, as of creating space here for 35,000 or more Syrian refugees and of transforming into gender-equal a key institution such as the cabinet, reflect a new attitude, a new view about the way people should relate to each other, and to their society.

Others have begun to recognize this. According to a survey by the Reputation Institute based in New York and Copenhagen, the world’s most respected country, just ahead of Australia and Switzerland, is, well, guess …

Came across this really interesting article in the newspaper.

I have to say that I really agree with a lot of what the author says. What about you?
There's a lot of truth to it I think. "I'm moving to Canada" is certainly a phrase a lot of foreigners use.

[breadisfunny]

i agree canada #1 country in the world.

[Independent voter]

I think so.

[Tailswipe]

I would still say that it is Sweden or one of those tiny Nordic nations.

[Collegeguy]

You've made this thread multiple times already.

[Jotaux]

I think we are lagging behind a bit in healthcare and we don't have free tuition yet.

[Alcan]

I hear there is oil in Canada.

what where?

[ItachiZaku]

They have a lot of hot chicks and my reservation is up there. I'm pretty ok with Canada. And their fry trucks.

[zenkai]

I wouldn't want to live there

[Aggrophobic]

So... Australia and Switzerland is more "successful" then?
And how do you messure how successful a country is? The US has been one of the most dominant countries in world politics for a good 80 years now but I very rarely hear much about Canada. Unless there's some big hockey tournament, you guys know your hockey.

[Thimagryn]

depends on what you gauge as being successful. Seems like a pretty subjective topic.

Canada has lots of social stability and growth, but is that really 'success'?

[Tennis]

I would still say that it is Sweden or one of those tiny Nordic nations.

You could make the argument till you consider Canada's size and diversity.

[Deleted]

The one and only time I went to Canada, the border control personnel were such massive assholes, it has forever tarnished their reputation.

And they didn't even say sorry, if you can believe it.

[zenkai]

depends on what you gauge as being successful. Seems like a pretty subjective topic.

Canada has lots of social stability and growth, but is that really 'success'?

I guess they think being in a recession means they are successful

[Independent voter]

I guess they think being in a recession means they are successful

Once the price of a barrel of oil goes back over $100 a barrel they'll be rich.

[Rendark]

I don't know if we are the most successful in the world, all i know is i wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

[Release]

I like and respect Canada but Tennisace lives there so if I ever become a national leader i'll be threatening to nuke it into annihilation until he's handed over by the Canadian government for crimes against the internet.

[Kreo]

what where?

Mostly in Alberta's oil sands, by happy coincidence I work there.
As for calling Canada most successful country in the world...We're pretty much own by US, especially in energy sector, like oil sands.
Every big player here is belong to US, and they getting our cheap crude, telling is its "not highest quality" so they can pay A LOT less than market price, then ship it to US, upgrade it and sell it right back to us using MARKET price.
In the last few month hundreds of thousands of people lost their job, and quite a few of them came from eastern provinces like Ontario or newfies.
So, maybe successful in the past, but Trudeau is getting us into oblivion atm.

[Tennis]

what where?

Is this a joke? You do not know this?

[Jotaux]

So, maybe successful in the past, but Trudeau is getting us into oblivion atm.

The decline in oil is not related to Trudeau at all. It became an issue before he was even in power.