Canada looking forward to 2024

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East The year just beginning could be an interesting one, with turning points in politics, economics and culture, provided that common sense and moral clarity will prevail both here and abroad. Frankly, the geopolitical situation in the world is most concerning. The two regional wars in Ukraine and Gaza have the potential to spread, provoking direct confrontation between NATO and the western democracies in general, versus Russia, Iran, North Korea and China. Ukraine now stands to lose significant international interest and support. In the United States in particular, it has become a distant second (and increasingly third or lower) policy priority. The conflict is likely to escalate with unforeseen consequences. In the conflict between Israel and Hamas, there is no obvious way to end the fighting. Whatever the military outcome, a dramatic increase in radicalization is a certainty. On the one hand, the Israeli Jews feel globally isolated and even hated after facing the worst violence against them since the Holocaust. On the other hand, the Palestinians face what they consider a genocide. With no opportunities for peace and no prospect of escape, this situation has the potential of developing into a wider conflict in the region. Deep and dangerous political divisions over the conflict permeate the Middle East and run across over one billion people in the broader Muslim world, not to mention the United States and Europe. Some new and problematic situations are developing in the Arabian Sea, in South America between Venezuela and Guyana, not to mention the increasing tensions in the South China Sea. None of these major military conflicts has adequate guardrails preventing them from getting worse. Most problematically, none of the belligerents agrees on what they are fighting over. Upcoming elections in 2024 pose additional challenges. Fully one-third of the global population will go to the polls this year. However, in terms of world security, stability and outlook, the unprecedentedly dysfunctional US election will be the most consequential by far. The outcome will affect the fate of 8 billion people, and only 160 million Americans will have a say in it. The winner will be decided by just tens of thousands of voters in a handful of swing states. The losing side, whether Democrat or Republican, will consider the outcome illegitimate and will not be prepared to accept it. One of the most powerful countries in the world faces critical challenges to its core political institutions: free and fair elections, the peaceful transfer of power, and the checks and balances provided by the separation of powers. The political state of the union is troubled indeed. In the face of all this turmoil, Canada has generally been missing in action on the international scene. Even worse, our country has sometimes undermined its own international standing. To sit at the international table requires a moral compass, professionalism, determination and not being a military free-rider. Canada’s decision to act as a self-important virtue-signaller irritates allies who must shoulder our share of the burden, as well as third-world countries who see Canada’s posturing as post-colonial arrogance. On the domestic scene, Canada is facing a challenging year both economically and politically. There is a real prospect of recession and a future depreciation of the standard of living if no measures are taken. It seems that the Liberal government has lost its direction; overwhelmed by the issues, it seems to have no solution for upcoming events, and continues to be influenced by the policies of the World Economic Forum (WEF). The World Economic Forum, which will meet in session in mid January, continues to try to influence global governmental, industrial and social agendas. Its “Great Reset” envisages a new economic and social order based on a futuristic globalist approach that would reduce national interests through pervasive oversight mechanisms, including central bank digital currencies. In essence, it is encouraging woke social and economic policies in order to implement a new futuristic globalist world order following a trend in line with “deja vue” Marxist theories but certainly more sophisticated and deceiving. Forum chairman Klaus Schwab assured elite Davos attendees that “The future belongs to us”. Comforting words for those jealously guarding their influence and accustomed to ignoring rules that apply only to the plebe. Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney are on the WEF board of trustees and Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party certainly reflects its centre-left technocratic view. On the economic front, Canadians’ personal prosperity, as measured by GDP per capita, is projected to decline this year by more than two per cent. To address affordability and the dismal outlook for long-term productivity, the federal government needs to shift focus from identity politics and climate obsession to economic growth, fiscal responsibility and raising Canadians’ standard of living. In the hope that this year will be a better one and our politicians will put the national interest and the wellbeing of our citizens in the forefront, let us be optimistic. The year has just started. I hope you will take all these thoughts in the spirit they are intended: We have entered a year of grave concern, but supported by the hope that tough times bring out the best in us. Happy New Year 2024!