Canada – Enroute to Prosperity
Preface
This book is dedicated to our political leaders, to encourage the introduction of long overdue changes. The turbulent Canadian political scene creates major challenges but equally tremendous opportunities. Our last year appointed Prime Minister Paul Martin and his minority government can relate to the new power players, like Dalton McGuinty, Jean Charest and others, along with their respective governments, in a co-operative way. Hopefully the opportunity will be utilized. This book is equally dedicated to the opposition members, who under the leadership of Steven Harper, Gilles Duceppe and Jack Layton have a historic opportunity to inspire and support change, whether as the official opposition, a coalition, or a supporting partner or future government. Once the political waters after the upcoming election have calmed somewhat, it may even induce some of the parties to get on board on this exciting voyage to an overdue political renewal and to new economic, social and cultural horizons. Ralph Klein’s Alberta government is in spite of their oil sand environmental dilemma leading on the renewable energy front, and its commitment to purchase 90 percent of its power needs in the form of renewable energy should be an inspiration to other premiers and particularly to the new future federal government.
Since the publishing of this book a year ago some very positive changes were introduced by McGuinty’s Government, which will create additional opportunities including very innovative educational and training policies, the Ministry of Health Promotion, the new Ministry of Innovation and the new “Energy Leadership Conservation Act”, which in spite of the inherited atomic power disaster still can help a turnaround. The newly appointed Ministers of Energy must possesses the necessary passion, commitment and leadership to make it happen.
In many countries, including Canada, it has been proven that under minority governments and coalitions there can be periods of increased change and innovation and more productive co-operation than under majority governments. While Canada may not have a rich history of forming coalitions over longer periods, sound coalitions in many societies have produced some of the best results that governments can achieve.
Section 1: Innovation for Canada
In creating an innovative Canadian approach, we could lead our nation and the world to an industrial, social, economic and cultural renewal.
We want to understand our key health care challenges as opportunities for introducing an increased focus on preventative medicine, improving lifestyles and teaching our youngest citizens these means of avoiding chronic illness, thus reducing the need for increasing services and escalating costs.
Dealing properly with energy use and the environment and focusing on renewable/green energy could lead to the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs.
Because of Canada’s size, transportation and communication of any kind plays a major role. We should therefore inspire and help the automotive, automotive parts, communications, IT and microelectronics industries to create new and innovative products. Because of our harsh climate, better-designed and -insulated homes should utilize alternative sources of energy. In particular, innovative management of water and waste water offers unlimited opportunities for expansion.
Access to education, training and skills acquisition should be created under the umbrella of provincial leadership, but federal policies and standards need to be in place so that all Canadians have the opportunity to show the world we can be competitive with other leading innovative industrial nations, like those in Scandinavia, Europe and Asia.
Canada is known for its friendly people and as a vast and beautiful land. We should not allow Canada to drift in the direction of mediocrity! Let us also make Canada known for being a leader in innovation and learning, where opportunities and development are linked to the whole population in a holistic way. Let us embrace innovation and renewal.
Section 2: Food for Thought
“Food for Thought” deals with parts of a revised and updated extract of my original book that was written in support of Michael Gorbachev’s reforms in the Soviet Union.
Perestroika, Our Environment and Food for the World was originally published in 1988 in Germany, Denmark and Russia, in German, Danish and Russian.
This includes an updated inspiration to “Canada Eat and Live Smart.” I renamed it “Food for Thought” after the translation into English and revision.
“Food for Thought” is a documentation of today’s challenges and opportunities. Pollution of the environment, the waste of energy, unnatural nutrition, lack of sport, civilization diseases and drug addictions are problems of our time. Hereto, I offer a few practical solutions.
This part is a basic introduction to an optimal nutrition and lifestyle to help you to improve and maintain your health. At the end of part two I share information and numerous personal recipes to get you going.
Have fun!