To Lin Su
Dear Su,
Canada is a nation of losers. Are you shocked to hear that? You’ve just become a citizen of Canada and here I am – someone who was born here and lived most of my life here – telling you that your new home is a collection of washouts! Now that I have your attention, allow me to explain what I mean. Hugh MacLennan, one of our country’s great novelists, came up with that phrase. (You should read his novels. Every Canadian should. His stories and characters give a powerful sense of who we are as a people. His most famous is Two Solitudes, but I have a soft spot for his last novel, Voices in Time.)
MacLennan was being playful and provocative when he wrote those words. He didn’t mean them in a demeaning or disrespectful sense. He meant that generations of Canadians came to this country from abroad to take hold of the opportunities available to them here and make better lives for themselves and for their families. They included Americans who were loyal to the British Crown and thus were persona non grata in the new republic; Scots who left a land where, for a time, sheep were considered more valuable than people; Irish starved out of their homeland as a result of the potato famine; Eastern Europeans and Russians who fled political and religious persecution; Western Europeans who sought better lives in the aftermath of the most destructive war in human history; people from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East who escaped violence and poverty. Over many centuries, these so-called losers who came with nothing more than a fierce determination that life should be better for their children – together with their native-born compatriots – built a very special country.
How were so many able to succeed here in Canada when they met with mostly disappointment and defeat in their countries of birth? Inclusiveness. This country is an economically prosperous and socially cohesive country because we Canadians have built political and economic institutions that are inclusive. Inclusive economic institutions are the right to hold private property; an unbiased system of law that enforces contracts; public services that create a level playing field on which people can exchange and contract freely and fairly; and commercial and labour markets that enable new businesses to enter and compete with others, and make it possible for all people to choose their careers. Inclusive political institutions are those that allow power to be distributed broadly in society and that constrain the powerful from exercising their authority arbitrarily or undermining the foundations of inclusive institutions. They are also institutions that have created public education systems that are accessible, affordable, and of high quality, which more than anything else show that these societies cherish equality of opportunity and excellence, too. Countries fail when their political and economic institutions become extractive. Extractive institutions concentrate political power and economic opportunity in the hands of a few select people or groups and thereby make not only poverty endemic, but also famines, epidemics, civil wars, and mass displacements of people more likely. History is replete with examples of ancient societies and modern nations that have failed – or are failing – because of their extractive politics and economies. Think only of North and South Korea over the past sixty years to see an example of both sides of this coin.
My views on the value of inclusive institutions and the destructive influence of extractive ones are informed by and reflected in a book called Why Nations Fail. It’s the work of Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist Daron Acemoglu and Harvard University political scientist James Robinson, and is another book I recommend you read. It’s a product of the interdisciplinary research on complex world problems led by an extraordinary Canadian innovation – the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. The acronym – CIFAR – communicates its ambition when you say it out loud with a soft C. The authors’ perspective runs counter to flawed views about growth and development based on determinants such as culture, geography, and ignorance. When we approach the success or failure of societies and countries from the perspective of inclusiveness, we go a long way toward uncovering answers to pressing questions about the fates of countries throughout the world: Is China’s rapid economic expansion at odds with its authoritarian government? Is the broadening gulf between rich and poor in the United States sustainable? Is increasing amounts of money transferred from developed countries the most effective way for the world’s poorest nations to rise from crushing poverty?
We can also use this perspective to understand precisely why we in Canada have been so successful. All Canadians can access quality health care services regardless of where they live and their ability to pay. Women enjoy the same rights and are able to take advantage of the same opportunities as men (although there is always more that can be done). Most young people in our country can get a quality education regardless of their income, religion, and class. These aspects of inclusion unleash, empower, and protect the full potential of each citizen – man or woman, young or old, immigrant or native-born – to develop in his or her own way. Inclusiveness is not assimilation or even perfect equality. It does not make us all the same. It frees each and every one of us to be exactly who we wish to be – if we work hard enough, study long enough, dream big enough. Canada is far from perfect. Yet our country is a glowing example of what kind of country people can build when the institutions they create are designed to enable our country’s citizens to reach their full potential, experience the fullest degree of freedom, and enjoy lives that are rewarding, fulfilling, and meaningful.
As a student, teacher, and university executive, I’ve seen and experienced the power of quality public education in particular to transform lives and enrich our country. Most of the successes I’ve enjoyed in my life spring directly from the high-quality education that I received. Public education is a direct product of Canada’s inclusive political and economic institutions and is a key engine in our country’s prosperity. The great thing about Canadian education is how inclusive it is – from kindergarten to post-secondary school. We as Canadians – and our ancestors for generations before us – made a deliberate choice. We chose not to use education to perpetuate elite groups or a ruling class. We believe we make all our citizens stronger by holding open opportunities – especially opportunities to learn – as widely as possible, and we expand to the full the talent base from which the nation can draw.
I talk about inclusiveness and the political and economic institutions that actively encourage it when I meet with foreign leaders here in Canada and while travelling around the world. I talk with presidents, prime ministers, and ambassadors about what they can learn from Canada’s experience and vice versa. My conversation with German chancellor Angela Merkel stands out. During her visit to Canada in 2012, we met and talked about both our countries’ efforts to become more inclusive. The conversation began with her question “How do you make this crazy quilt of diversity work in Canada?” She pointed out that Germany’s current leaders had learned much from Canada, especially the steps we take to make sure newcomers can reach their full potential and thereby make meaningful contributions for the benefit of all in our country.
I was heartened by her observations. I also took it as a challenge. We Canadians must do an even better job to reward innovation in all aspects of life; to create new incentives for people to contribute to their country; to expand the educational, career, and business choices open to people; to make our governments and public institutions more accessible, responsive, and accountable to the people they serve. It is a challenge I pass on to you and ask you to fulfill as well. I ask you to embrace the inclusive nature of your new home. Take advantage of the opportunities that are available to you to reach your full human potential, and do everything you can to make sure these opportunities and more are available to today’s Canadians and those to come. While we cannot create a perfect future for ourselves and our country, we can influence and enhance that future by pushing ourselves and our country in a particular direction. For us in Canada, that influencing process means making our institutions more inclusive.
That’s what I ask of you. Oh, and one last thing: Welcome to the nation of losers!
Inclusively yours,
David
Lin Su is the altered name of a woman who has just become a citizen of Canada. She represents all the men and women who will soon become Canadian citizens. She was selected for two reasons. First, China is today the source of more immigrants to Canada than any other country. When translated to English, Lin Su means beautiful forest – a perfectly fitting name for one of the newest Canadians. Second, the Johnston family sponsored a young woman to come from China to Canada to further her education. She earned a Master of Education degree at McGill University and a Master of Business Administration at Concordia University. She then started her own translation business in Montreal, becoming an outstanding language teacher. She was a close friend of the Johnstons’ second daughter, Alex, who held a scholarship to learn Mandarin at the Beijing Language Institute in the Chinese capital. This young woman was one of Alex’s teachers, who as a result of this association decided she wanted to come to Canada.