As Prime Minister, I Would : Canada's Brightest Offer Innovative Solutions for a More Prosperous and United Country Vol. 4

Description

195 pages
$18.95
ISBN 0-7715-7628-5
DDC 971.064'8

Publisher

Year

1998

Contributor

Photos by Jill Proudfoot
Reviewed by Paul G. Thomas

Paul G. Thomas is a professor of political science at the University of
Manitoba and the co-author of Canadian Public Administration:
Problematical Perspectives.

Review

This is the forth volume in a series commissioned by the Magna for
Canada Scholarship Fund. The volume consists of 12 student essays and
nine articles by prominent Canadians from various backgrounds. Frank
Stronach, the head of Magna International Inc., writes a foreword in
which he declares that “politicians wield too much control and power
over the social and economic affairs of Canadians.” There are no post-
or present-elected politicians in the book.

The student essays were selected in a national competition by a
distinguished panel. It is a very accomplished group of young Canadians,
who are also fairly representative in terms of social and geographic
background. Not surprisingly, there are no separatists from Quebec. The
students’ ideas for political, economic, and social reform are fresh
and original. Most of the contributors see power as too concentrated in
the Ottawa policy process and would like to see both the House of
Commons and the Senate play a more important role. In terms of Canadian
federalism, the majority favor decentralization of power to the
provinces, but others believes Ottawa should assume more policy
leadership. The need for a more competitive economy, for job creation,
and for a meaningful response to poverty are other prominent themes. If
some of the student essays suffer from a naiveté about what is
feasible, they still tend to shine over the nine contributions from the
business and academic leaders. The ideas of these prominent Canadians
consist too much of boosterism and familiar panaceas for perennial
challenges faced by the country. Let’s debate the “kids’
options,” they are the more intriguing.

Citation

Stronach, Frank., “As Prime Minister, I Would : Canada's Brightest Offer Innovative Solutions for a More Prosperous and United Country Vol. 4,” Canadian Book Review Annual Online, accessed December 11, 2024, https://cbra.library.utoronto.ca/items/show/3170.