加拿大的政治正遭受分析癱瘓和行動幻覺的困擾

我們的政治正遭受分析癱瘓和行動幻覺的困擾

作者：Goldy Hyder，2019 年 5 月 13 日最初發表於《環球郵報》。

加拿大不是誕生的，而是建立的。對於許多加拿大人來說，團結並不是沿著革命之路而來，而是沿著鐵路而來。曆史提醒我們這些教訓，但許多加拿大領導人並不認為自己是真正意義上的國家建設者。

加拿大永遠是一項正在進行中的工作，一個未完成的傑作。 在我們周圍，我們看到國家基礎設施（包括社會基礎設施）迅速老化的跡象，我們認識到其原因和後果是嚴重的。

需要明確的是，這不僅僅是石油和天然氣管道停滯的問題，而且是迫切需要的——盡管它們肯定是問題的症狀。問題是我們現在批評的欲望超過了創造的欲望。 這就是我們國家現在麵臨的危機。

嚴峻的挑戰即將到來，每一個挑戰都要求我們對我們想要留給子孫後代的國家做出選擇——關於經濟、環境、教育、創新和移民的選擇。

長期以來，我們一直避免做出真正艱難的選擇。相反，我們選擇研究這些問題，然後，為了更好的措施，再次研究它們。我們患有分析癱瘓。唯一創造的就是行動的幻覺。

國家建設的缺乏並不是因為缺乏計劃。每個政府和無數的私營部門實體都擁有裝滿計劃的圖書館，其中許多計劃的標題中都包含“2020”。距離2020年隻有八個月了。

國家建設的缺失是由於缺乏政治意願。這不是黨派評論，因為每個黨派都發現自己處於同樣的立場。這是一個係統性問題，因為政治家不再有能力行使其政治權威。

如今，任何選民都可以與其他人（包括決策者）交談、發短信或交換推文。 這已將權力從機構轉移到個人手中，即使在更廣泛的公共利益應取代個人偏好的問題上也是如此。

我們設置的程序障礙使少數人有可能阻止大多數加拿大人認可的倡議。重要的項目、計劃和政策可能會被推遲，直到支持者放棄並繼續前進。

平心而論，有時會有一小群人提出必須得到解決的真正合理的關切。當這種情況發生時，我們應該停下來考慮一下基於其優點提出的善意論點。

然而，政治鍾擺已經過度偏向一個極端。為了國家的利益，它必須回到機構和個人之間可以發生合理和理性妥協的地步——或者被強加和執行。

這是否意味著有些人不會如願以償？ 絕對地。這是否意味著每個想法都應該付諸實施？ 絕對不。會有贏家和輸家，雖然這看起來不公平，但這就是現實世界的運作方式。

加拿大隊正在參加全球聯賽中最艱難的分區——20國集團。在國際經濟舞台上，國家不會因為參與而獲得積分，也不是每個人都能舉起獎杯。

我們現在進入了季後賽，就像坦帕灣閃電隊和卡爾加裏火焰隊一樣，加拿大不能認為其過去的表現將保證我們進入下一輪。 中國、印度、俄羅斯、巴西和其他國家都想把我們淘汰。

就像在曲棍球比賽中一樣，我們需要所有明星齊心協力，在棋盤上得分。這不僅包括公共和私營部門，還包括省長和總理。我們沒有時間在更衣室裏上演戲劇。

我們必須共同努力建設所需的基礎設施，以充分利用我們在最近的貿易協定中獲得的優惠準入。我們需要創新和移民戰略來幫助建設未來的經濟。

加拿大通過努力取得了世界地位，但我們似乎已經放下鏟子休息一下了。加拿大人需要讓我們的領導人承擔責任。我們必須要求我們的國家領導人再次成為國家建設者。

Goldy Hyder 是加拿大商業委員會主席兼首席執行官，代表 150 家領先公司。 該委員會最近成立了加拿大經濟未來工作組，邀請加拿大人在 www.itsaboutcanada.ca 發表意見。

Our Politics is suffering from analysis paralysis and the illusion of action

by Goldy Hyder ,May 13, 2019  originally published in the Globe and Mail.

 

Canada wasn't born, it was built. For many Canadians, unity didn't come along the road to revolution, but along a railway. History reminds us of these lessons, and yet many Canadian leaders don't consider themselves to be nation-builders in a literal sense.

Canada will always be a work in progress, an unfinished masterpiece. All around us, we see signs of rapidly aging national infrastructure – including social infrastructure – and we recognize that the cause and consequences are serious.

To be clear, this is not just about stalled but urgently needed oil and gas pipelines – though they are certainly symptoms of the problem. The issue is that our desire to critique now exceeds our desire to create. This is the crisis that now confronts our country.

There are serious challenges on the horizon, and each requires us to make choices about the kind of country we want to leave to our children and grandchildren – choices about the economy, environment, education, innovation and immigration.

For too long, we've avoided making the truly hard choices. We've instead chosen to study the problems, and then, for good measure, studied them again. We suffer from analysis paralysis. The only thing created is the illusion of action.

The absence of nation-building isn't attributable to a lack of plans. Every government, and countless private-sector entities, have libraries full of plans, and many of them have “2020” in their titles. Well, 2020 is now just eight months away.

The absence of nation-building is due to a lack of political will. That's not a partisan comment, as every party finds itself in the same position. It’s a systemic problem, in that politicians are no longer capable of exercising their political authority.

Today, any voter can talk, text or exchange tweets with anyone else – including decision-makers. This has shifted power from institutions to individuals, even on questions where the broader public interest should supersede personal preferences.

The procedural obstacles we’ve put in place make it possible for a handful of individuals to hold up initiatives endorsed by most Canadians. Important projects, programs and policies can be delayed until supporters give up and move on.

To be sure, there are times when small groups of people bring forward genuine and legitimate concerns that must be addressed. When this happens, we should pause to consider good-faith arguments advanced on their merits.

Yet, the political pendulum has swung too far to one extreme. For the good of the country, it must swing back to a point where reasonable and rational compromises between institutions and individuals can occur – or be imposed and enforced.

Does this mean that some people won’t get their way? Absolutely. Does this mean that every idea should be acted upon? Absolutely not. There will be winners and losers, and while that might seem unfair, it is how things work in the real world.

Team Canada is competing in the toughest division of the global league – the Group of 20. In the international economic arena, countries aren’t awarded points for participation, and not everyone gets to hoist the cup.

We’re in the playoffs now and – like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Calgary Flames – Canada can’t assume that its past performance will guarantee us a spot in the next round. China, India, Russia, Brazil and others want to knock us out.

As in hockey, we need all of our stars working as one team to put points on the board. This includes not only the public and private sectors, but also provincial premiers and prime ministers. We don’t have the time for drama in our locker room.

We must work together to build the infrastructure required to take full advantage of the preferential access we have secured in recent trade agreements. We need innovation and immigration strategies to help build the economy of the future.

Canada achieved its standing in the world through hard work, and yet it looks as though we’ve put down our shovel to take a break. Canadians need to hold our leaders to account. We must demand that our national leaders become nation-builders again.

Goldy Hyder is president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, representing 150 leading companies. The Council's recently launched Task Force on Canada's Economic Future invited Canadians' views at www.itsaboutcanada.ca