Important Conversation: Has Canada Lost Its Way?

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“Canada is a country without a center or purpose,” says Ken Coates.

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It’s a harsh statement, but “it describes the state of the country aptly,” says Coates, director of the Indigenous Affairs Program at the Macdonald Laurier Institute and chair of the Canadian Studies Committee at the University of Saskatchewan.

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“On some level, the idea that Canada’s future is uncertain seems absurd,” he says. “This country consistently ranks high in global comparisons.”

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But it masks the reality of a collapsing sector of the economy, declining investment in education and natural resources, and stagnating or stalled infrastructure projects.

“Canadians don’t seem to mind.”

Coates participated in conversations about the need for Canadians to pay attention to issues that can rise to the surface and dramatically change the quality of our lives.

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