…in perfect harmony.
I’ve generally been an optimist. With a positive view of humanity. In spite of all the horrors of wars, genocide, greed, power seeking, and self-serving events in our long and tortured history. In university, I had what I call my “crisis of faith”. I studied Political Science and I realized that what has historically driven politics is power. And fear, to get and maintain the power. Machiavelli was right in many ways.
Of course there have been great icons of goodness. Jesus, Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., and many, many people who work tirelessly to make their communities a better place for everyone.
I couldn’t maintain my image of humanity as cruel and selfish, it was too depressing. I had to look at those around me who are loving and kind people, who really care about others outside of their own sphere. There are many.
What people need is love and respect. Our job as parents is to provide that for our children. Our job as citizens is to demand a government that loves and respects and cares for it’s people. When I say love, I mean that is helps those who are less fortunate to get a leg up, rather than condemning them to a life time of misery. Encouraging all to work collaboratively toward a better society. What could be more important than treating each other with compassion. The only way to change this world is one compassionate and loving act at a time. Eventually, all those acts add up to a gentler, more loving world. I know, this is a utopian view but we can certainly do better than we are now.
Countries like Finland manage to do it. I know they’re not perfect. There are problems in Finland. Their society is more homogeneous than ours, which makes it easier to be collaborative. But, they manage to be a much more collaborative society. Their values are collective, not strictly individualistic. Canada used to be more collectivist, but we’re becoming more and more like the US. Especially under Harper. Believe it or not, Finland’s tax rates are not higher than ours.
What I’m getting at here is that we all have a choice to make tomorrow. A choice about our country. A choice to be caring about all of the people in Canada. A choice about being stewards of our land.
Here’s what influences my choice:
Helping families raise their children.
- Making child care available and affordable for those who need it.
- Helping families have a parent stay home, if that’s what they want. Income splitting doesn’t cut it for families that make less than $50,000 per year. And doesn’t help that much between $50,000 & $80,000.
- Allowing families spend more time together. Sadly, families have to work 200 hours more to maintain a middle class income now than they did 20 years ago.
Helping people stay healthy, physically and mentally.
- More emphasis and help with preventative health care. Make healthy foods more affordable and help people learn to prepare them. This should involve the food industry.
- More family physicians.
- Better mental health care. Counseling that is free and available to all who need it. Including addiction counseling.
Meeting the educational needs of all.
- Developing a public education system that meets the needs of all the students. A system that includes developing emotional intelligence (to help relational skills and to prevent bullying – including spousal abuse) We can start by looking at Finland’s system.
- Early education. Through early years centres where kids can be dropped off when parents need a break, parenting programs, non-threatening home visits to high risk homes, flexible schedule pre-schools.
- State funded post-secondary education, including trade apprenticeships.
Environmental Stewardship
- Taking care of our resource. Period. That means not selling our water. Sustainable development. Investment in green energy.
And lastly, no more inept and corrupt boobs running Ministries and Departments.
I’m asking a lot. Do you think I’m an idealist? What do you envision for Canada and the world?
Karen,
Sent you an email – just making sure it doesn’t go into junk!
Karen,
I’m so glad to have you commenting again! I agree with you about the environment, it wasn’t last for any reason. It should have been first.
As for choice, I think that some people do have the choice but many don’t due to poverty and lack of education. It’s not really about a middle class lifestyle. Although I would prefer to homeschool my kids, I do think the education system is pretty good, and necessary. I see kids who really, really need it. For many reasons. Sometimes, it is their only hope for a decent future.
I absolutely agree with you about of overly consumptive society. I really do. The life you describe is so appealing to me. It’s what I want for our family. We are thinking of ways to make it happen. But, it’s not easy. I’m the sole income earner. And the one organized enough to keep the home front going. I could not do both. It’s already really hard and stressful. So, we’re thinking of ways for me to work part time, sell our house, buy a cheaper one. We already do the thrift or consignment store life. We could do better than we are with budgeting but we’re working on it. OK, I’m veering off into talk about me instead of issues…oops.
As for your last statement…I think the government should intervene with some things. Like the food supply. Monsanto, and other big corporations who are controlling and destroying our food. Not all families are peaceful, in fact many, many are not. It’s so tough. I understand your desire for choice and less government but I think that we should work together as communities, provinces and a nation to help everyone.
Alice,
We’ll see how much influence the NDP has. The silver lining for me is that Elizabeth May won her seat. I like the NDP also, but Elizabeth has the most integrity IMO. And I’m a little leery of the 19 year old elected in Quebec. And the one who went to Vegas during the campaign.
Kelly,
Ah yes, systems theories. I believe they take over and the individuals within become just cogs in the machine. 🙁 Depressing isn’t it, I have to repress these beliefs.
I haven’t read those two books. I’ve been meaning to read Shock Doctrine for a long time, I should get it on audio and listen to it on my commute!
I am also often discouraged by my school board for many reasons. One of which is that they move me around so much that I never feel like I’m doing a really excellent job. I’m doing my best, but it takes a few years to get really good. In 8 years, I have not taught the same split or the same grade two years in a row.
I voted Green – and then, yikes, the liberal lost to the conservative by 14 votes. I regretted not voting strategically. Le sigh, as Tracey would say.
Still, I work toward making the system better within my school, as much as I can. I’m going to a symposium sponsored by OTF called C4C21. Creativity, community, citizenship and critical thinking in the 21st century.
It sounds like you are doing your part quite well too! Thanks for the comment. I love the discussions.
Hi Erin
I think your list is a fabulous starting point – although for me I think the basis for any true progress has to be environmental. None of the rest of this will matter if we can’t turn the ship around. That is where I think the government needs to be focused – on things we can’t do alone or for ourselves. Many of the other items on your list are places where people have a great deal of choice and personal responsibility – food, healthcare, education, even family economics to a large degree. The environment is where we need real focused leadership.
I don’t disagree that there has to be systems in place to allow people to access healthcare, education etc. But I don’t know that the federal or even provincial governments are the best ones to ensure people are educated about their food choices, or who needs to be inserting themselves into character education for our children. I think (and I cringe to think I might sound like a conservative here because that is so not who I am) I think at this stage the game the government should be focusing on larger scale issues – a sound environmental and energy policy, sound economics policy within that framework, good healthcare with a strong selfcare/wellness care component, ensuring local access to quality food and water systems and reducing our reliance on overseas resources. I don’t think the government can or should at this point be worried about helping families achieve a solid middle class lifestyle. We need to rethink what our lifestyle means to our environment and start preparing for the fact that that lifestyle is no longer sustainable. I’d far rather live with less now and have the government dedicate my “middle class lifestyle” to making sure that in 20 years we can still produce the insulins that keep my child and 1000s like her alive.
So much of the problems we face today – mental health issues, bullying, lack of family time or choices are a product of the fact that we think we need more things than we really do. I can’t tell you how many homeschooling families I know who live on literally next to nothing with lots of kids. They have a house yes, and a big garden which helps feed them, one older vehicle and no tvs. They wear hand me downs and thrift store items. They play hockey with friends on the pond, and soccer at the park rather than join expensive leagues. They walk or bike places because it saves money, they have the time, and it keeps them connected. They eat healthy local food, much of it they produce, can or preserve themselves. All the kids learn to play piano from a neighbour on the piano some long lost aunt gave them. They read books and watch movies borrowed from the library and dedicate themselves to forming a community. They choose a life with less stress and more connection and are so much healthier for it. I take a look at their examples and think that the rest of us is missing a lot.
I think if we could rely on our government for the truly important things we can’t do alone and create space to let families choose how to take care of the rest we might find a more peaceful way forward.
Just my thoughts.
I think you need to have a vision of what you ideally want if you’re going to work towards any change. While I’m not thrilled with the results, I do think it’s a great thing to have a strong NDP opposition, in hopes that the conservatives will have to moderate themselves a bit – fingers crossed that it makes things a bit closer to centre, at least!
Hi Erin,
Yep, I share your views even though I have read Naomi Klein’s “Shock Doctrine” and “A Short History of Progress” by Ronald Wright. Systems can be alienating and most times are. I too, have had many moments of doubt over it all. But here we are, and as mother’s we can ill afford apathy.
I’ve heard it put that there are no systems, just people who make the systems. THe systems are only as good as what we put in. For example, not bitching about jury duty, just showing up, being as just and civil as I can and leaving. Do my part to make it better. It won’t change the way it is but I’ve done my part. It is all you can do to. Your part, and it seems like you are doing that quite well.
I vote Green, not a wasted vote but my vote. I teach, show up, I try. I am very discouraged by my school board but I realized they are not in my classroom. My students and I need not be concerned about the money problems they have. I’m there and I’m committed. We can only do our part. Now, as for those not doing their part, well, that’s
the sticky little thorn, isn’t it?
Dream big right? And then, do something to work toward the dream.
I think it is asking a lot, but if you can’t visualise a dream, then there’s really no way of ever having it, is there? You have to dream big. It’s important. And it’s a great list… I don’t see why we can’t have all these things over time – it’s tough trying to figure out which are most pressing. I’m all about education and healthcare – every person passes through these portals at some point, whether they have children or not.
And our environment NEEDS to be sustained. This is imperative, or it won’t matter how our children get educated or what kind of health care we can offer – once the clean water is gone, and the air is completely foul (ending life for everything that depends on it) we will all realise that we cannot eat money. That time might be here sooner than we think if we don’t make a collective effort to make serious changes. Now.