The focus for ‘Notes from the North’
In Canada, the federal level of government has very specific defined responsibilities:
They are:
- national defence,
- foreign affairs,
- employment insurance,
- banking,
- federal taxes,
- the post office,
- fisheries,
- shipping, railways, telephones, and pipelines,
- Indigenous lands, and rights,
- criminal law.
Other responsibilities in Canada are Provincial.
The Federal government should be working on these subjects every day. There should be plans and projects within these subjects, that will cause Canada to grow technically, economically, strategically, and geopolitically. ‘Notes from the Cabin’ will focus on commentary about whether the federal government is doing an effective job as defined by the list above. Comments may touch on some things that are not on the list, like the CBC, daycare, healthcare, parental leave and environmental controls in the context of the extent that specific issues are tied to the subjects listed These other issues are certainly important, but, according to Canada’s constitution these are provincial responsibilities. ‘Notes from the North’ will try to fairly and factually point out when federal politicians start trying to do everyone else’s job and are delinquent in doing their own. And meanwhile, we will provide comment on what is happening to the files that the federal politicians are paid to address?
Military Procurement
New military equipment, needed for the nation’s security, typically languished for decades in bureaucratic sinkholes. Canada’s air defence fleet was first procured in 1980, making our front line aircraft over 40 years old. Canada’s new navy ships won’t be started to be built until later in the 2020s and the new fleet won’t be built until the 2040s
Ports and Railroads
Canada hasn’t developed a new port facility, or a significant railway development in decades. In 2021 the Port of Quebec scrapped its plan to build a C$775 million container terminal after the federal government blocked the project. High speed rail lines have been proposed for Edmonton – Calgary, Montreal- Toronto, and Montreal – New York, Vancouver – Portland and others. And, while the Liberal government has supposedly endorsed and prioritized investing heavily in national and provincial infrastructure projects, none of these projects has a defined plan, a start date, or a planned completion date.
Indigenous Issues
Indigenous issues are a mess. Disease, water quality, housing, prejudice, self-determination and land disputes continue in an unending cycle of mismanagement. No, unified, meaningful policy to provide indigenous people with the quality of life they want and deserve is planned, being planned or being implemented.
This is a taste of the focus for ‘Notes from The North’. Is this conservatism or liberalism or simply a common-sense expectation for Canada’s federal government to do their job. ‘Notes from The North’ will provide criticism when criticism is due and suggestions when suggestions my help. Our overall goal is to support a stronger more independent, more effective Canada.
