Canada: the little country that can't

The rank incompetence of our leadership class is a terrifying wonder to behold. Apparently we want to be a global leader in EV technology. To that end, we’ve promised tens of billions in subsidies to various foreign companies to manufacture EV batteries in Canada. And yes, we do in fact have substantial critical mineral resources to build those batteries – in the ground! A lot of those mineral reserves are in the “Ring of Fire” zone in northern Ontario. An outfit called Noront Mining first proposed to develop the area in 2003. Step one is the construction of a road. Twenty-one years later there is no road. Recall that this is a country that was able build a coast to coast cross-country railway in about ten years… but that was a century and a half ago! That’s “progress” for you! And nobody’s more progressive than Team Trudeau. But don’t blame the Liberals. Ineptitude within our ruling elite is a bipartisan affair. Don’t get me started on the train wreck that is the Canadian Armed Forces. Forget about manufacturing our military needs here in Canada. The political leadership can’t even figure out how to buy equipment, never mind building it. That was evident in the Big Steve era, but it’s exponentially worse under PM Fluffy. I suspect a big part of the reason is because, since 2015, the politicians in charge have made Job 1 “changing the culture” of the CAF rather than ensuring we have a competent and well-equipped military. I could go on and on; the made-in Ottawa housing crisis, the years-long debacle of a non-functional federal payroll computer system, the $54 million Arrivecan ap that was budgeted at $80 thousand, the doctor shortage, nursing shortage, teacher shortage… Strategic ineptitude by our technocrats in Ottawa is over the moon! That why the funniest thing I read in my Globe all week was a Thursday op-ed by Canadian political heavyweights Allan Rock and Lloyd Axworthy; “Canada can help establish an international protective force in Gaza.” Here’s the money quote; “Even if we cannot contribute Canadian personnel (which we cannot), we can provide valuable help with planning, logistics, communications, and equipment.” Hilarious!