I do do find our legacy media spends too much time dwelling on the negative and zero time telling Canadians about the positive things happening across our country.
Look at some of the major investments and projects underway: mine expansions in Ontario, B.C. and Saskatchewan; Volkswagen’s multi-billion-dollar investment in Ontario; the Wind West project; and the Genesis fertilizer supercentre in Saskatchewan. They still see a negative side to building the Saab Gripen here at home.
These are significant investments in Canada, creating jobs, expanding our industrial capacity and showing that companies are willing to invest here.
Of course, projects deserve scrutiny but why does every major Canadian project seem to be presented primarily through the lens of what could go wrong?
Canadians deserve to hear about the challenges—but we also deserve to hear about the opportunities, the investment and the progress. There is a lot more happening in this country and the daily dose of bad news just pisses me off.
I feel Canada has been incredibly HONORED by the European Union offer...puts us at the TABLE, where we can be part of building a Better country and world, not scrambling for the crumbs of entitled idiots!
Well put. Fred. I follow a few US posters on Substack. I find that posts written by Robert Reich, Paul Krugman, and Heather Delaney Reese, as examples, tend to focus on providing detailed analysis on issues facing Americans. This isn't meant to imply that their mainstream media disseminates "fake news." Quite the contrary! It's just that many of us like to dig deeper on topics of interest. They also do what you do, day in and day out, for us Canadians. And thanks for doing it!
Good post today Fred. I do have a suggestion for a future post; amidst all of this industrial expansion and vertical integration happening in Canada, where is the caution regarding how we treat our environment? Especially here in Northern Ontario, where many of the valuable minerals are buried, where is the thoughtful second thought about how we utilize those in an environmentally responsible, sustainable way? We need to VASTLY improve our recycling efforts. Much of what is needed for new industries has already been 'harvested' and needs to be recycled. I would really hate to see Northern Ontario, and Canada, turned into a minefield of deep holes caused by mining for minerals. Or clear-cut in order to obtain desired timber products. I applaud Carney's move away from relying on the US (they are, plainly put, NOT reliable), and the broadening of our trade relationships. I also applaud using our natural resources for ourselves, in terms of building the value-added products ourselves instead of practically giving away our natural resources to have another country build those value-added products, and then buying them back. But our climate is already signalling to us that we are harming the planet horribly. We absolutely MUST tackle climate issues as we do all of the above. Otherwise, we imperil the survival of the human species itself.
Wonderful! I used to teach Environmental Biology at the local university, and I tried to instill the sense of environmental need in my students. I recycle what I can, compost what I can (and feed that to my gardens), and try to re-use #5 plastic containers that my community does not yet recycle (grrrrr). Then, after 13 years at the university, and only ever getting part-time status, an opportunity arose at the local college and I was hired on a full-time, permanent status. That's what I call the 'cash for life' job since it was full-time, salaried, benefits, and a pension (which I paid a lot into, but was also matched by my employer). Some of my friends like to tease me that I am a 'government wanker' since my job is, indirectly, paid for by the government (but also through tuition costs to students). All the same, I worked hard there over the past 25 years, and I am very happily retiring at the end of this year.
Great summary Fred, thanks for posting.
I do do find our legacy media spends too much time dwelling on the negative and zero time telling Canadians about the positive things happening across our country.
Look at some of the major investments and projects underway: mine expansions in Ontario, B.C. and Saskatchewan; Volkswagen’s multi-billion-dollar investment in Ontario; the Wind West project; and the Genesis fertilizer supercentre in Saskatchewan. They still see a negative side to building the Saab Gripen here at home.
These are significant investments in Canada, creating jobs, expanding our industrial capacity and showing that companies are willing to invest here.
Of course, projects deserve scrutiny but why does every major Canadian project seem to be presented primarily through the lens of what could go wrong?
Canadians deserve to hear about the challenges—but we also deserve to hear about the opportunities, the investment and the progress. There is a lot more happening in this country and the daily dose of bad news just pisses me off.
Exactly, John.
Scrutiny is healthy... pessimism as the default setting isn’t.
There are billions being invested, things being built and jobs being created across this country.
Canadians deserve to hear that story too.
I think you’ve just handed me another article idea. 😉
that may be because our legacy media is USA owned and influenced.
There are certainly plenty of outside influences on Canadian media, Jim.
I think the bigger issue for me is simpler... bad news gets attention.
Meanwhile, a billion-dollar investment or a new Canadian project can barely get a headline.
That’s the imbalance I’d like to see change.
I feel Canada has been incredibly HONORED by the European Union offer...puts us at the TABLE, where we can be part of building a Better country and world, not scrambling for the crumbs of entitled idiots!
That “seat at the table” is the part that matters to me, Bernie.
Canada having more serious partners and more places to do business means more choices...
and fewer crumbs from anybody’s table.
Well put. Fred. I follow a few US posters on Substack. I find that posts written by Robert Reich, Paul Krugman, and Heather Delaney Reese, as examples, tend to focus on providing detailed analysis on issues facing Americans. This isn't meant to imply that their mainstream media disseminates "fake news." Quite the contrary! It's just that many of us like to dig deeper on topics of interest. They also do what you do, day in and day out, for us Canadians. And thanks for doing it!
Thanks, Jerry.
That’s exactly what I’m trying to do...
dig past the headline and figure out what the hell it actually means for ordinary Canadians.
There’s plenty of good journalism out there.
Sometimes we just need somebody to sit down with a coffee and connect the dots. ☕
Good post today Fred. I do have a suggestion for a future post; amidst all of this industrial expansion and vertical integration happening in Canada, where is the caution regarding how we treat our environment? Especially here in Northern Ontario, where many of the valuable minerals are buried, where is the thoughtful second thought about how we utilize those in an environmentally responsible, sustainable way? We need to VASTLY improve our recycling efforts. Much of what is needed for new industries has already been 'harvested' and needs to be recycled. I would really hate to see Northern Ontario, and Canada, turned into a minefield of deep holes caused by mining for minerals. Or clear-cut in order to obtain desired timber products. I applaud Carney's move away from relying on the US (they are, plainly put, NOT reliable), and the broadening of our trade relationships. I also applaud using our natural resources for ourselves, in terms of building the value-added products ourselves instead of practically giving away our natural resources to have another country build those value-added products, and then buying them back. But our climate is already signalling to us that we are harming the planet horribly. We absolutely MUST tackle climate issues as we do all of the above. Otherwise, we imperil the survival of the human species itself.
That’s a fair challenge, Leslie, and worth digging into.
Building more in Canada can’t simply mean digging more holes and calling it progress.
The real question is whether we can develop our resources, build the value-added industries here AND do it responsibly...
including getting much better at recycling what we’ve already pulled out of the ground.
I’m putting this one on my article list.
Wonderful! I used to teach Environmental Biology at the local university, and I tried to instill the sense of environmental need in my students. I recycle what I can, compost what I can (and feed that to my gardens), and try to re-use #5 plastic containers that my community does not yet recycle (grrrrr). Then, after 13 years at the university, and only ever getting part-time status, an opportunity arose at the local college and I was hired on a full-time, permanent status. That's what I call the 'cash for life' job since it was full-time, salaried, benefits, and a pension (which I paid a lot into, but was also matched by my employer). Some of my friends like to tease me that I am a 'government wanker' since my job is, indirectly, paid for by the government (but also through tuition costs to students). All the same, I worked hard there over the past 25 years, and I am very happily retiring at the end of this year.
No trust. Harper fired him, then the UK. I doubt he’s smarter than he is ethical.
Fair enough if you don’t trust him.
But “Harper fired him, then the UK” are factual claims, not opinions.
If you’ve got solid sources for those, post them here.
I’m always happy to look at the receipts.