Most frequently people of faith have inspired government to become more fully engaged in social services throughout the 20th century. by Michael Van PeltCBC foreign correspondent Brian Stewart says his job involves reporting on the world's greatest human tragedies. Yet what he has found—and what he recently told Knox College's 160th convocation class—is that there is "no movement, or force, closer to the raw truth of war, famine, crises and the vast human predicament than organized Christianity in action."He continued, "I've never reached a war zone, or famine group or crisis anywhere where some church organization was not there long before me … sturdy, remarkable souls usually too kind to ask, 'What took you so long?' "When there are crises in our world, the people who move most swiftly to alleviate human suffering are almost always under the flag of a faith-based organization. The Salvation Army has been patrolling the streets of the world's cities and providing food and shelter to the homeless, the addicted, the mentally ill and anyone else who has fallen by the wayside for 140 years. Long before governments became engaged in the provision of social services, churches were opening their doors to the destitute. It was most frequently people of faith who inspired government to become more fully engaged in social services throughout the 20th century.It is worth recalling on this year's 200th anniversary of the abolition of the British slave trade, that the Christians were in the vanguard of the abolitionist movement. No matter what the current view of separation of church and state, the foundations of the compassion required to inspire the alleviation of human suffering can be found in the calling to "love your neighbour as yourself."So, how has it happened that we have now separated the foundation of social services from the state?The separation of church and state should not mean silence between these two great organs of society.Instead, if governments and citizens alike are interested in serving to enrich urban centres and restoring the broken and the downtrodden, a revitalized partnership between faith institutions and government is essential.And this isn't just in the downtowns of cities, where Brian Stewart and other correspondents might find concentrations of pain and headlines. Institutions of faith are unique because they connect people's most important beliefs locally, wherever they are. That's why cities such as Calgary, with booming housing industries and sprawling suburbs, need to pay close attention to the social and public space that faith institutions protect.Institutions of faith planted and flourishing in communities, especially suburbs, draw us out from behind our expensively mortgaged housing developments and into conversation with the land and the people around us. Planning for churches and other public spaces in suburbs is critical for the social future of these developments.In many ways, a lot of this is old news. Everyone knows about the Salvation Army, the downtown church that serves a bread-and-milk program, or the suburban church that brings in neighbourhood kids for sports and fundraisers. But why aren't city governments talking to these people, who have the local knowledge, support and motivation to make urban plans really work? Effective societies work to engage their various sectors to work for the greater good, not build walls between them. It's time to re-engage faith-based organizations in our changing social architecture to best serve those we find in need.Michael Van Pelt is president of the Work Research Foundation.

Calgary's long antipathy toward Toronto is not much different from similar sentiments held in, say, Halifax or Vancouver. Its roots are in the weariness of trudging to a distant and detached head office in a narcissistic city that assumes people from "out West" reside in Mississauga.From this perspective, Toronto's reputation as the city that unites Canadians in a spirit of shared disaffection is well deserved. Toronto, in turn, sniffs, tosses its head and confidently refuses to respond to such obvious peasant envy.This is what big cities do. Rural and mid-sized America feels the same about New York as middle Canada feels about Toronto. London has a similar impact on the Midlands and Yorkshire, as does Paris on the Bretons. Call it envy. Call it resentment. Whatever, these phenomena have always existed; no doubt, the Neapolitans felt the same about Rome.In Calgary, money isn't buying happiness these days. There is deep anxiety about the federal government's ideological DNA and lingering resentment over Premier Ed Stelmach's defeat of its favoured son, Jim Dinning, in last fall's Tory leadership campaign. The very idea that after 15 years of rule by a former Calgary mayor, Ralph Klein, Albertans might think it was time for someone else to have "a turn" is still viewed as preposterous. Edmonton's turn? Who says Edmonton gets a turn?Calgary's Liberal Mayor, Dave Bronconnier, is in a verbal war with Mr. Stelmach's Tory government over the latter's insistence on attaching accountability to a portion of its grants to the city. It would be easy to get the impression the city is in a state of crisis, were it not for the fact, pointed to by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, that since 1996 total federal and provincial grants to Calgary have increased from $43.4-million to $330.1-million. That's a 664-per-cent increase over a period of time during which the city's population grew by 28.7 per cent. Facts can be awkward things but in this case they don't seem to be getting in the way of a good story.Local commentators still bay in dismay over allegations of funding imbalances between the University of Calgary and Edmonton's University of Alberta, as if both should be treated equally within a socialist collective and not on traditionally valued Alberta criteria, such as need and merit. There is grumbling about the cutback in Calgary representation in the provincial cabinet. For a city enjoying one of the most prosperous moments in human history, there is certainly a lot being said about what Calgary "isn't getting." This appearance of brattiness doesn't go unnoticed elsewhere in Alberta; the resentment is, in turn, treated with a sniff, a toss of Calgary's head and a confident refusal to respond to such obvious peasant envy. It is becoming increasingly clear to Calgarians, or so the line goes, that these rural hicks in charge of the province simply don't understand how "special" are the needs of a big, modern, sophisticated, cosmopolitan city. No one seems to truly appreciate the depth of Calgary's genius and its "needs." Sound familiar? Calgary is now viewed by middle Alberta as Toronto is viewed by middle Canada - a narcissistic city. Outside the city walls, people can be heard referring to "Calgreedians" - a mocking reference to those too soon rich and too late gracious.Calgary is not the brash, pimply faced, testosterone-driven adolescent of yore. It is now an adult, albeit a young one that has grown faster than even it can comprehend. It has sophistication, culture and freedom. It has affluence, influence, power and independence. It is attractive and at the height of its sensuality.But being a grownup isn't just about the fun stuff. It also means being responsible. Being a leader, even at a young age, means bearing a burden with grace and finesse. Calgary is not lacking those traits. She can be a pretty city. She just needs to make sure she looks that way.PETER MENZIESPast publisher of the Calgary Herald and a senior fellow with the Work Research Foundation Work Research Foundation

Michael Zwiep of Christian Renewal covers Senior Fellow, Peter Menzies inaugural address on building a culture of aspiration.CALGARY - Peter Menzies, former editor and publisher of the Calgary Herald, was the keynote speaker at a public policy forum hosted by the Hamilton-based Work Research Foundation, Wednesday, April 11. Held in the coach house of historic Dundurn Castle, Menzies, a Senior Fellow with the Work Research Foundation, focused on the importance of civic aspiration in contemporary society, arguing for a return to the enduring Judea-Christian values that anchor Western culture. A number of key people were present at the forum, induding David Sweet, a local member of Parliament, broadcaster and columnist Lorna Dueck and Work Research Foundation President Michael Van Pelt and Vice-President of Research Ray Pennings. The Work Research Foundation is based on a Reformational understanding of labour, economics and public life. Menzies began his address by showing three photos on an overhead screen. The first, a photo of Alberta's 'Big Sky Country' with the Canadian Rockies in the background, reaching and yearning, Menzies noted, almost to be the sky itself. The second, a photo of the New York City skyline taken from the observation deck of the Empire State Building. "The sky is not as big as on the Alberta plains," Menzies remarked, "but the office towers, like the Rockies, nevertheless seem to stretch toward the clouds with a similar sense of yearning." The third, a photo of Ground Zero, now a construction site and memorial inscribed with the motto "Look back - move forward." Menzies pointed out St. Paul's Chapel in the background, a historic church rising from the ruins of Ground Zero. The house of worship contains the pew where George Washington prayed following his inauguration on April 30, 1789. Built in 1766, the Episcopalian church is Manhattan's oldest public building in continuous use. A haven for volunteers during the rescue efforts and cleanup following 9/1,. remarkably not one of the chapel's stained glass windows was broken. Called heaven's outpost, Menzies explained how St. Paul's served as a powerful illustration of the enduring foundation of Western culture - "The much maligned and incredibly unfashionable, and yet remarkably durable Christian faith." Menzies pointed out how all three photos depict aspiration. "The Canadian Rockies, the New York City skyline, and St. Paul's Chapel illustrate our collective yearning for the transcendent and hope for a better future," the well-spoken newspaper editor and publisher noted. A yearning and aspiration for something higher, argued Menzies, that not only infuses culture with a sense of optimism, but drives technological advance and rapid societal change. "Buffeted by the most rapid period of social change in history, humanity is at the vanguard of unimaginable technological revolution," Menzies observed. But at the same time, an advance that comes with a sense of anxiety and uncertainty. "The possibilities for change today occur more rapidly than our capacity to contemplate their meaning," Menzies noted. "We don't know, for example, if longstanding values such as kindness, hard work and ingenuity - values that have created the most prosperous society in human history - will survive the pace of change or what will replace them." Menzies pointed to a poignant example in Canadian history when cultural survival was pitted against rapid societal change. In 1877 Chief Crowfoot stood at Blackfoot Crossing in Central Alberta and said: "We all see that the day is coming when the buffalo will all be killed and we shall have nothing more to live on." Less than twenty years before, few of Crowfoot's people had seen a white European - and yet, a mere 20 years after Crowfoot's pronouncement, the Canadian National Railway and barbed wire fences crisscrossed the Prairies. Crowfoot's people survived. But their source of survival and culture were all but destroyed in less than a blink of history's eye. The Winchester and steam engine killed the buffalo. Today we see the day of the buffalo again as technology radically alters our culture, Menzies remarked, asking his audience if they were not standing in Chief Crowfoot's moccasins. From the cell phone to the Internet to the discovery of the genome to genetic engineering, our culture is experiencing a revolution of change. The key question we need to ask. argued Menzies, is whether culture's foundational values will survive the most rapid rate of technological change in human history. But the successful newspaper editor and publisher stopped short of blaming technological advance for destroying culture. 'Technology is just stuff," Menzies maintained, quoting fellow Albertan, David Goa, Director of the Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life at the University of Alberta: "Science has never claimed to be anything more than a method. It doesn't give you the tools of judgment - it doesn't have a worldview." Blaming technology for humanity's errors, Menzies argued, is akin to blaming the apple for Adam and Eve's eviction from the Garden of Eden. More importantly, Menzies added, blaming technology denies human responsibility. Instead of blaming technological advance for the destruction of culture, Menzies explained, we need to go beyond the realm of the physical. "We need to believe that culture is not temporary, that it doesn't die when the buffalo are gone. Life has an eternal dimension. And if human existence has an eternal dimension, then there is more to life than survival and reproduction. Life becomes a rare and precious gift with the potential for something of inconceivable wonder and beauty. Life will be filled with aspiration." Menzies defined the term "aspiration" by pointing to its Latin root "aspirare", which means "to instill or infuse an emotion or quality into a person or thing." In other words, he noted, "it means to breathe." Menzies recalled how the pioneers who built Canada, whether on the Alberta plains in big sky country or across Ontario's forests, rivers and lakes, could see the stars at night once the sun had set. 'They breathed in the natural wonder of creation and were filled with a yearning for the transcendent, for something greater than themselves," Menzies stressed. "In today's urban culture, we deny ourselves those natural moments of fear and wonder inspired by constantly coming face to face with the enormous reality of infinity." Menzies quoted Oxford University Professor of Historical Theology Alister McGrath: "The stars may evoke an unspeakable sense of yearning for something that seems unattainable - a sense of longing for something significant, which the night sky can heighten, yet not satisfy. Maybe the stars point to something mysterious, something unfathomable, which somehow lies beyond them. Something seems to lie beyond the whispering orbs of the night. But what? And how is it to be known?" Stargazing has always intrigued humanity, Menzies explained. "Maybe these are the musings of people who cannot cope with the sobering thought of mortality and meaninglessness," Menzies remarked. "Yet maybe we are meant to think such thoughts." Menzies pointed out how the brightness of progress and technological advance today hides the nightly reminder of eternity. 'The 21st century urban world cannot see the Light for the light. We cannot clearly hear the voice of aspiration. There is just too much noise." Menzies urged his audience to go beyond the city lights and noise. "Those of you who truly aspire - who seek something higher; who understand the need for spiritual and philosophical meaning in our existence - must find the light through the mask. You must listen for the voice amid the noise. And, because cultures are built and sustained from the top of the sociological order, you must lead." Cultural aspiration is not about thinking bigger, Menzies explained, but about reaching higher. Menzies argued that this aspiration is only found in the Judeo-Christian values that lie at the foundation of Western culture. "Todays society - the most prosperous in human history - was built for better or worse on a certain set of values that evolved in Western culture from a Christian worldview - something many, if not most Canadians have completely forgotten." The challenge for citizens and leaders is to build something higher than a sense of shared ambitions and understandings, Menzies stressed. "The challenge for our citizens and leaders is to aspire." Leaders may and do aspire, the former editor and publisher explained, pointing to a recent Calgary speech by Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Canada's role in the world and a 1905 speech by Liberal Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier on the occasion of Alberta's entry into Confederation. "Prime Minister Harper noted that Canada wasn't built by the services we use, but by the sacrifices we made," Menzies explained. "Canada, as a nation, is urged to aspire for the higher ethic of sacrifice instead of consumption" Menzies pointed out how Laurier, in his speech, issued a call for new immigrants to settle Canada's west. "We do not anticipate and we do not want that any individual should forget the land of their origin or their ancestors," Laurier said. "Let them look to the past, but let them also look to the future: let them look to the land of their ancestors but let them also look to the land of their children" Menzies pointed out how Laurier urged immigrants to not only honour their past, but more importantly, aspire for a greater future. The aspirations of both Prime Ministers are rooted in the best of what the Judeo-Christian tradition has to offer, Menzies argued - sacrifice and optimism for the future. The speaker concluded by referring back to St. Paul's Chapel at Ground Zero in the wake of 9/11. "While the release of hate and madness on 9/11 turned the symbols of our commerce quite literally into dust on one side of the street, this humble little church, a symbol of our culture's roots, survived," Menzies noted. "For the next eight months, while workers struggled through the horror of Ground Zero, St. Paul's Chapel became a haven. For 24 hours a day, seven days a week, St. Paul's doors were open to those who needed food, those who needed rest and those who needed comfort. People still seek comfort there. What happened at St. Paul's is that the very best of Christian values were released. People were being loved and cared for with wild abandon. A site of tragedy, pain and despair was turned into a place of hope and aspiration. It renewed the souls of broken people. This, then, is the challenge for citizens and leaders who understand the failure of relativism and how it pales against the beauty of the absolute when it is freely understood and released." Such an aspiration, Menzies explained, is for those who, like the mountains and skyscrapers, yearn for something higher - those who truly aspire. An aspiration rooted in the elevated virtues of the Christian faith. The event at the coach house ended with a stimulating question and answer period and the hope that those present would engage contemporary culture with only the highest aspirations of truth and virtue. Michael Zwiep is a Researcher for Crossroads Television's 'The Michael Coren Show', aired every weeknight at 8:00 PM, and a confessing member of the Vineland Free Reformed Church.

David Suzuki and Dennis DesRosiers have made the case in these pages for the imposition of an environmentally motivated tax on gasoline in Canada. The silence in response is remarkable. This could be due to the stunningly successful public relations campaign that has turned Al Gore into a rock star, heightened Mr. Suzuki's reverence and sent those who would take issue with them into hiding. No matter the reason, their proposal requires a second look.Their argument was accurately portrayed by the headline "It's time to think the unthinkable: Put a tax on gas." Yet, what is meant by "think the unthinkable" and put "a" tax on gas? Not only do Canadians already have "a" tax on gas, we've got lots of them.The Canadian Automobile Association reports that the average total of taxes on gasoline is 43 per cent. This includes a federal excise tax, provincial tax, GST, provincial sales tax and, in Montreal and Vancouver, a transit tax. Consider that the average oil company profit on the sale of gasoline equals 3 per cent of the pump price and it becomes clear that the greatest beneficiary from the purchase and sale of gas at the pump is not Big Oil but Big Government.And while the argument is made that Canadians have come a long way from the day when Joe Clark's government fell partly on its attempt to impose an 18-cent-a-gallon gas tax, there is considerable evidence that taxing Canadians on their gas consumption has done little to affect their consumption. Environment Canada, for instance, points out that, during the current era of 43-per-cent taxation on gasoline, this country's total transportation-related greenhouse-gas emissions grew by 27 per cent between 1990 and 2004.Further, while several European countries have imposed environmental taxes on gas in recent years, the European Union's record on the growth of transportation-related gas emissions appears to be significantly worse than Canada's.According to the EU's website, transportation-related greenhouse-gas emissions account for 28 per cent of the European total and are on track to increase by 40 per cent compared with 1990 levels. Europe's Kyoto commitment is to reduce emissions of six greenhouse gases by 8 per cent of 1990 levels by 2008-2012. So, despite the fact that Europeans have imposed environmental gas taxes and pay two to three times as much for gas as do Canadians, growth in transport-related emissions in Europe is at 40 per cent since 1990 compared to Canada's 27 per cent.Taxation doesn't stop people from doing things they need to do, such as heating their homes. If the purpose of taxation were to modify behaviour, then Canadians would have stopped earning income long ago (or never sought to earn any more once they hit the marginal rate) or investing.What excessive taxation does do is make people poorer by raising the cost of, and hence lowering, their standard of living. Employees suddenly faced with paying, say, $50 more a month in gas prices will look first to their employers for an additional $90 a month in income that, after taxes, will give them the $50 they need to keep level with the hike in gas prices. Those companies, in turn, will increase their pricing to consumers to maintain profitability. And so it goes.If the environmental movement is to find success in moderating the behaviour of Canadians, it needs to create 21st-century solutions to 21st-century problems. Looking back for discredited central planning solutions such as tax hikes is not the answer. If it were, the problem would have already been solved.PETER MENZIESPast publisher of the Calgary Herald and a senior fellow with the Work Research Foundation

Democracy, particularly as expressed through city councils, is an awkward, messy thing.Councils at the top of their game can display the collective wisdom typical of directors of a multibillion-dollar corporation. At their worst, they produce the frenetic philosophical inconsistency of an anarcho-syndicalist collective.Calgary City Council, for example, unblushingly produced a smoking bylaw a couple of years ago that banned smoking outdoors on pub patios but allowed it indoors. Puzzling even to council itself, this made Canada's second most powerful city the only one in the country, perhaps the world, in which people could be told, "Excuse me sir, I'm going to have to ask you to take that cigar indoors."Fairness demands clarity. These observations concern the actions and decisions produced collectively, not individually. Calgary's council is not much different from those that represent most big cities. It is comprised of hard-working people with inclinations that vary from conservative to socialist. Herding these cats is Mayor Dave Bronconnier, a capable leader who has built a solid reputation as a spirited fighter for more provincial money to bolster a transportation infrastructure overwhelmed by the boom.Still, this is the council that collectively decided, by an 8-7 margin, to proceed with implementing a curbside recycling program that involves a mandatory $8 (or so) monthly user fee for all property owners. Apartment and condo dwellers are for the time being exempt from this mandatory user fee that interestingly enough is applied regardless of whether you actually use it or not which makes it, well, a tax.Forcing Calgarians to do something that has come naturally seems unnecessary. We may well have a soft spot for rugged individualism, but have always had a healthy approach to the environment. Yes, the air above the city can have that rancid, yellowy-brown look with which Torontonians are all too familiar, but our commuter trains run on wind power and we have recycled our papers, bottles, milk cartons, cardboard, flyers, magazines, cans, glass, tires, etc., for a very long time.A strong sense of environmental stewardship has preserved the Eastern Slopes from resort development, ranchers pine for the preservation of open range and, yes, we have dutifully toted our stuff to community recycling depots for decades.Curbside/blue box recycling service, for shut-ins and those who prefer it, is handled by private operators for $10 or $11 a month.The only thing new about recycling in Calgary, despite expressions of delight that our "embarrassment" had finally ended, is that instead of it being executed by combining city resources with the volunteer labour of citizens and the entrepreneurship of the private sector, it will now be done exclusively by the public sector.The merit of this decision, according to the Sierra Club, is that the coercive power of the state, enforced by a market monopoly and tax, is required to get Calgarians who do not currently recycle to do so. Perhaps, although choosing to suppress Calgary's vaunted civic volunteerism rather than taking advantage of and further encouraging it is certainly a fresh twist on city-building. Another popular argument is that the city will do a better job than the private sector. Maybe, but not only is this inconsistent with a culture prone to frenetic fits of free-market breast-thumping at the first hint of government intervention, very little evidence exists that the public sector is inherently better than the private sector at just about anything.This is a market in which even $16.50 an hour may not be enough to recruit unskilled outdoor labour, so there's always a chance the city might decide -- despite opposition from public-sector unions -- to contract private curbside recyclers to achieve its ends.As it stands, however, the City of Calgary's collective wisdom, albeit narrowly reached, is poised to "nationalize" the curbside recycling business, raising taxes to wipe out businesses and suppress volunteerism in this, the once swaggering city of entrepreneurs.It doesn't seem like a very "Calgary" thing to do. Unless of course, you think smoking is something better done inside than outside. Then it all makes sense -- in an awkward, messy kind of way.

Download the 2007 Budget Analysis Following is the Work Research Foundation's analysis of the Government of Canada's Budget for fiscal year 2007-2008, released by the Hon. Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, on Monday, March 19th 2007. We do not address all matters raised in the federal budget. The Work Research Foundation is particularly concerned with the impacts of budgetary policy on the institutions and associations between the individual and government (the state). In addition to matters that touch upon these, we will pay some attention to macroeconomic matters that affect all Canadians. Two Lenses There are two lenses through which the Work Research Foundation looks at and analyzes the federal budget: 1.The task of government is neither minimalist (that is, only a narrow focus on essential duties such as security, safety, and core government services) nor expansionist (where government is prepared to jump in and solve every problem for which there is political advantage in addressing). The state is a guardian of the public good but should defer to the other institutions of civil society who are often better placed to deal with particular issues. 2. Economic thinking has been plagued by a "short-termism," the correction of which requires significant rethinking in the markets, what we measure and value as a society, and in government's approach to political economy. We acknowledge that the Government of Canada went through a paradigmatic shift from short-termism to long-termism in its management of the federal treasury and the demands upon it with the 1995 federal budget, more than twelve years ago. This was achieved by cutting up to 70% from federal departments (Transport Canada), by shrinking the federal public service overall, the Canadian Health and Social Transfer, the implementation of a clawback to OAS for high-income senior citizens, and by keeping the GST in place. Later, the Government of Canada announced and implemented a rise in Unemployment Insurance (now, Employment Insurance) premiums and a gradual rise in contributions to the Canada Pension Plan. As a result, by 2000, the Government of Canada was running with a balanced budget. The present government is keeping the federal treasury on a policy of long-termism. In November, 2006, Finance Minister Flaherty announced Advantage Canada as "a strategic long-term economic plan designed to improve our country's economic prosperity both today and in the future." Building on this framework, the budget proposes concrete actions in each of these categories which the government believes will provide the tools to compete globally. The Advantage Canada Framework The Advantage Canada framework focuses on creating five Canadian advantages as pillars for improving Canadian quality of life. A. Tax Advantage Advantage Canada argued the need for both general and business tax relief. There are various measures which take strides toward this including a child tax credit, changes to age and limit amounts which will particularly assist small business owners, farmers and fishermen, and older workers. On the business side, overall reductions in tax rates, incentives for new business investment and changes to the treatment of capital costs allowances will provide assistance to many firms. However, tax competitiveness is not achieved only on favourable macro-economic numbers. Government also has a responsibility create a framework in support of institutions and associations' carrying out their respective responsibilities in society. In the 2006 budget, the elimination of tax on capital gains on securities donated to charities was a significant positive step in giving the charitable sector additional tools to raise support. The Child Tax Credit announced also provided valuable support for a vital social institution “the family“ to continue playing a positive role. By giving income splitting to senior citizens, the government has recognized that most Canadians live in households with shared expense burdens. This recognition needs to be extended to all Canadians and our tax system needs to be further reformed to allow for income splitting and better address the realities of families across the income and age spectrum. B. Fiscal Advantage Advantage Canada called for the elimination of Canada's net debt in less than a generation. This laudable goal was to be achieved with spending discipline, resolving the fiscal imbalance so that provincial governments had the resources to address their responsibilities, and committing to passing the interest savings on to Canadians through tax cuts. A centerpiece of this budget is the addressing of the fiscal imbalance over the next seven years. The aim of changing the complex array of inter-governmental transfers to a more principled approach in which the roles and responsibilities, together with the fiscal resources, for each level of government is better understood is a welcome step. There is a caution, however, in that overall federal expenditures are projected to increase by $10.3 billion in 2007-2008 and an additional $6.9 billion in 2008-2009. Although the bottom line numbers reflected as percentages of GDP are presented favourably in the budget documents, the net result remains that government is growing at a faster rate than inflation. Canada's new social architecture requires a focus on the other institutions of society and less reliance on government. C. Entrepreneurial Advantage At the Work Research Foundation, we believe markets to be the best way “no, the only sane way”to structure interactions in economic life. As such, steps to remove red tape and provide incentive for investment and entrepreneurship are welcome, including the proposal to consider a single market regulator. We do caution, however, that entrepreneurialism is about more than dollars. A successful business is as much a product of intellectual capital, social capital, human capital and spiritual capital as it is about physical capital. Further, entrepreneurialism entails a myriad of relationships, networks, and associations among people. From decisions taken on the basis of handshake or a telephone conversation to those involving formal, contractual agreements, people “human beings“ are involved. Their relationships to each other, from informal networks to more formal associations and organizations, are the basis of a healthy entrepreneurial culture of trust, fairness, and the creation of "win-win" situations for all concerned. D. Knowledge Advantage Advantage Canada targets the creation of the best-educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world. This will entail investment in advanced education, research and development, and spending on high technology, but it also requires attention to investments in training in the skilled trades and assisting entry into the work force. Too many secondary and high school teachers and guidance counselors know too little about the opportunities in the skilled trades or they are prejudicial in encouraging students into the professions over the skilled trades. Unfortunately, all too many Canadians have not acquired basic job skills necessary to acquiring and holding a job. Canada needs investment in broadest spectrum of jobs and skills and to assist more Canadians to enter the work force with incentives for training and on-the-job learning to becoming contributing members of Canadian society. The best social program is gainful employment. Canada presently suffers from a severe shortage of skilled workers in the construction trades, especially in industrial construction with industrial construction projects already announced for the next ten years valued at well over $100 billion. This demand for and shortage of skilled workers requires tax incentives to entice journeypersons and apprentices to travel to projects away from home, and huge investments in training apprentices. Canada skilled work force is ageing, and it is incumbent on government and industry to assist and facilitate a transfer of knowledge from a generation of skilled workers nearing the end of their careers to a generation beginning theirs. The increase of the expense deduction for long haul truckers' meals is a welcome move for that industry, but there are various measures that would equalize the tax benefits for mobile workers that would be beneficial to the construction industry. While the steps announced for the recognition of foreign worker credentials may provide some immediate relief, there are longer term issues facing workers in the skilled trades which remain outstanding. E. Infrastructure Advantage The Work Research Foundation issued a study of Canada-U.S. trade, the significance of the metaphor of "trade corridors" for understanding of that trade, and included recommendations in respect of the physical infrastructure of trade corridors as well as the statutory-regulatory and business infrastructure of trade (Greenlighting Trade: A Trade Corridors Atlas. Found here ). The provision of more stable predictable funding for other levels of government, the investment in border crossings, and the $1 billion funding designated the Asia-Pacific and Corridor Initiative are all positive contributions in this areas. Key Spheres and the Budget    Work In last year's federal budget, the Government announced that workers in the skilled trades would have the ability to claim a deduction on their tax return. This deduction has been left in place, thus recognizing the contribution that the skilled trades make in building and maintaining Canada's physical infrastructure, as well as their contributions in raising families and building communities. The announcement of an additional $500 million for training and the Working Income Tax Benefit to help people over the "welfare wall" and strengthen incentives to work for lower income Canadians are both significant and welcome steps that will assist Canadians in acquiring the skills and jobs they need. Families A number of policy changes were announced that will support families:For the first time, senior citizens will have the opportunity to engage in "income splitting" in order to reduce their overall income tax payable as a household; The increase of spousal and other amounts will result in more equity among families and eliminate the "marriage penalty" that has long existed in the system. The Government did not announce similar income splitting for Canadians who are not yet senior citizens. We hope that in future the Government will extend income splitting to all Canadians, therefore assisting households who opt to have one parent stay home and to live on one income; A new Child Tax Credit of $2,000 will provide up to $310 per child of tax relief to more than 3 million Canadian families. The Government has also kept in place the refundable tax credit for child care of $100 per month for each child under the age of six years. These policies recognize the importance of supporting parents as they raise the next generation of Canadians;Communities The addressing of the fiscal imbalance and changes to the Gas Fund will provide both provincial and municipal governments with additional resources to address important issues of concern in their communities. Trade Associations and Worker Organizations The investment of $500 million additional per year for workplace training and the initiative to create a new labour market program provide an opportunity for industry groups and labour unions to help shape programs that are more responsive to the current needs of their sector. Charities Last year, the Government announced the elimination of taxation of capital gains on private securities donated to charities. This year the elimination of the capital gains tax for charitable donations of publicly listed companies to private foundations will be of benefit to the charitable sector. Conclusion Many will dice the numbers and slice the politics of this budget. The long-term question is how this budget will contribute to the shaping of Canadian society. Our social architecture is changing. Resources and responsibilities are being transferred to institutions and organizations between government and the individual. By giving income splitting to senior citizens, the government has recognized that most Canadians live in households with shared expense burdens. This is a start, but we should go much further down this road. Families, businesses, sectoral councils, charitable organizations, and others must be provided with resources and be able to carry out an even greater role in shaping society. This is a good thing for long-term prosperity and human flourishing in Canada.

CALGARY -- David Goa is waiting at the bar.His countenance, enormous beard and long white hair create a likeness to Gandalf that is modified, but not entirely dismissed, by the post-Lord of the Rings-era beret on his head and the glass of red wine in his hand.David Goa, 62, is director of the University of Alberta's Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life -- a title that makes one wonder at the fact such a role still exists. Were it not for men of his intellect, perhaps it wouldn't. A renowned scholar and author, Mr. Goa is former curator of Anno Domini: Jesus Through the Centuries -- a Royal Alberta Museum exhibit many believe was second to none in its celebration of the great figure of the past 2,000 years.Our discussion over lunch ranges from the ontological impact of the French Revolution to the current (sigh) state of the world and its future. What lingers is Mr. Goa's view of how we are about to be so far stretched by our scientific ability to manipulate genetic structure that we will be forced to revisit the very nature of that which we understand ourselves to be."The mapping of the human genome is widely considered to be the most important scientific discovery -- ever," he said in a follow-up interview. "The 21st century is going to be the age of biology."Born in Camrose, Alta., of Norwegian immigrant parents, Mr. Goa describes science as "an enormous gift." It can, however, only determine what we can do -- not whether we should do it."Science has never claimed to be anything other than a method," he said. "It doesn't give you tools of judgment -- it doesn't have a world view."In the 20th century, physicists exploring the subatomic world gave us the ability to destroy ourselves. Having opted for survival -- a relatively straightforward decision -- the 21st century's ability to manipulate our essence will demand a rather more complex group of arguments."Clearly, we will be faced with an enormous set of judgments based on our understanding of what it is to be human," said Mr. Goa. "What does it mean to live? What does it mean to die? What does it mean to suffer? These can only be answered by what it is you think it means to be a human being."That journey of wonder, which he described as "the course of science and the central language of religion," requires understanding of, if neither approval nor a shared belief in, Canada's cultural foundations."The Christian church has been the centre of culture and learning in Western society and we have an extraordinary amnesia about that. When we forget those dimensions -- for better or worse -- of our culture, we become less capable of thinking through the great issues that face us.""When we view secular society as some sort of neutral ideology, we really diminish our capacity to think with depth and texture. My point isn't the restoration of something that is no longer possible -- it's that religion is better at [handling] complex ideas as opposed to ideology which is a narrow set of ideas."In a world in which technology has enriched and yet robbed us of the time and space it once promised, it is difficult to imagine how postmodern Canada will obtain the intellectual capabilities required for the enormous decisions awaiting us. Should we, for instance, be selecting/designing our babies as is already occurring in China?Reproductive surprise is, after all, fairly passe. Certainly, increasing numbers of middle-class moms-to-be already know the gender of their offspring and sooner rather than later will be able to describe their unborn child's genetic makeup at the baby shower. ("She'll look just like me, but she's predisposed to her dad's temper -- we chose looks over personality." Ha ha.)Mr. Goa said there are hints of a renaissance that could lead to a century of not just scientific advancement but intense philosophical energy. Unlike the baby boom and echo generations who confused their mistrust and suspicion of religion with freedom, a third wave is emerging that has no consciousness of theological depth and texture.That, in turn, is allowing them room to wonder at and be romanced by the world of ideas. "There is no Christian capital any more -- it's gone," Mr. Goa said. "I see in my students that they no longer have prejudices against religion or against Christianity. They don't know who Moses is -- Jesus is just a swear word to [many of] them."So now they are open to trying to figure out 'what the hell is going on?' and we can give them the beginning of being able to think. In a sense, we've stepped into a kind of renaissance."It isn't vivid yet, but it is happening."Just in time, one hopes.Peter Menzies is a senior fellow with the Work Research Foundation.

Ray Pennings, WRF Vice-President of Research, argued before a House Committee that "the legislation before you is an unwise bill. In the name of balance, its passage will lead to perceptions of imbalance. It will expend political good will and energy toward defining the rules of war at a time when we need to steward our political capital to build positive infrastructure and to develop a democratic and respectful industrial policy that positions Canada for tomorrow's present and future challenges."  Read the full memorandum

The former publisher of the Calgary Herald wrestles with the consequences of escalating diversity and the diminishing influence of mainstream mediaA couple of years ago, the diversity committee at my newspaper assigned itself the task of determining just how many "ethnic" and "niche" publications were operating within our market.The exact count has escaped my files and my memory, but I recall being surprised at the size of the final total. More than a dozen—close to and maybe more than 15 is my best guess—reasonably healthy looking "ethnic" and "niche" papers were on the go. And these were actually publications, not "new media" websites. Some papers, such as Sing Tao, were corporate dailies and while most were weeklies it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the depth of the challenge for Canada's "mainstream" media.The mirror that once reflected Canada's image back at its citizens has fragmented into hundreds of pieces. And those pieces vary from the demographic to the psychographic; from publications such as ChristianWeek and the Jewish Free Press that specialize in a readership with a faith foundation, to those catering to new Canadians from India, Vietnam, Britain—you name it.   Fractured common groundMost Canadians celebrate Canada's diversity, but it is clear that most of its mainstream media—once a powerful and influential force—is groaning under the pressure of an increasingly fractured common marketplace.The diversification of Canada's population has combined with the reduced costs of technological advancement to spawn an exciting new era for "independents" in both traditional and new media formats.These forces have in turn exposed the lack of innovation that is the soft underbelly of many mainstream media struggling to display the necessary core skill—adaptation—that will save them from the fate of the dinosaurs, history's lumbering poster boys of evolutionary rigidity.The situation for most major print properties (there are enlightened exceptions, but that is a discussion for another day) is unlikely to improve. Free dailies such as Metro and 24 Hours have grown their readership among commuter populations in cities such as Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver despite being filled with assembly line editorial content primarily notable for its cost efficiency.It remains an open question whether these publications are actually "attractive" to readers or whether they are simply a convenient way to pass the time of day (sort of like an airline movie) when there is nothing else to do on commuter bus or train. There is no question, however, that these products are attractive to advertisers. Their agents look for ways to buy their way around traditional media that are clearly not drawing the audiences of which they were once capable.The financial marketplace will eventually determine the economic fates of these various players—particularly in the broadcast world where the proliferation and fragmentation of media is most obvious to the average consumer.   Retreat into silosWhat remains equally unknown and even less frequently discussed, however, is the impact of this social fragmentation on our community at large. Let me explain. Thirty or so years ago, major local papers were read on a daily basis by close to three quarters of the citizens in their communities. Their pages were the common ground where almost all citizens—Jews, Muslims and Christians, Protestants and Catholics, English and French, Ukrainian, Italian and Chinese—crossed paths on a daily basis. It was where they encountered each other's opinions and perspectives. Today, those same major local papers are typically read on a daily basis by about one-third of their citizens. And the number is dropping almost every year—a phenomena that has many in the industry either frozen like deer in the headlights of a Peterbilt or further homogenizing the homogenous content that lost readers in the first place.Nevertheless, the common philosophical ground that mainstream media once represented in our society is now about half the size—and shrinking—that it was a generation or two ago. And without a common ground, we are increasingly left only with the ethnic, religious and psychological silos to which we typically retreat and find comfort.Christians, in other words, are going to get more and more of their information from specifically Christian sources, whether in print or online. Ditto for Muslims (the Muslim Free Press was launched in 2006), Jews, Sikhs, Hindus and others. As each of these societal segments retreats onto its own holy ground, the common ground provided by mainstream media where societies exchange and debate ideas will continue to shrink.Christians will live within the walls of Christendom and their debates—although most assuredly vigorous—will be internal to the Christian community. There will be less and less ground upon which Christians can debate large issues of community with fellow Sikh and Muslim citizens and vice versa.This, despite the proliferation of media sources, threatens to increase levels of civic ignorance and misunderstanding due to the lack of exposure to different views and perspectives. Indeed, the retreat of faith communities into silos leaves the common ground defenseless against the forces of secular fundamentalism.And the greater the dominance of secular fundamentalism on the common ground, the more likely it is that faith communities will continue to retreat within the walls of their own psychological fortresses. An endlessly reinforcing cycle that encourages further fragmentation in our society is on the rise.   Challenges the Great CommissionHerein lies the challenge for Christians who, after all, are instructed to carry Christ's message to the far corners of the world. How can this Great Commission possibly remain a goal—indeed, a duty—when in our own comfortable North American lives we huddle inside the warm confines of psychologically comfortable company and retreat from the challenges of secular fundamentalism?It seems absurd that Christians across Canada are proudly supporting missions and the spreading of The Word in Uganda and Nicaragua while simultaneously withdrawing their voice from, for instance, the public school system and civic political debates.I am sympathetic to the fear of stepping into the rhetorical crosshairs of secular fundamentalists. The appalling attacks on Darrell Reid when he was appointed chief of staff in the federal Ministry of the Environment did, after all, expose the anti—Christian bigotry that has become so fashionable in 21st Century Canada. And, according to University of Lethbridge sociologist Reginald Bibby and his recent book, The Boomer Factor: What Canada's most Famous Generation is Leaving Behind, it gets worse.One of Bibby's more recent studies found 31 per cent of respondents saying they felt uneasy just being around a born—again Christian, compared to 18 per cent in the case of a Muslim and five per cent in the case of a Jew.In other words, Christians—at least those of the born again persuasion—are not really welcome in today's public square. And to be fair, it's equally appalling that one in five Canadians feels uncomfortable in the presence of a Muslim and one in 20 doesn't like hanging around Jews. There is undoubtedly some cross over in the numbers, but if these intolerance ratings are used in straight combination, they show that 54 per cent of Canadians prefer not to share the public square with a Christian, Muslim or Jew.This sort of prejudgment—aka prejudice—is the product of ignorance. Ignorance occurs when people don't get to know each other and can therefore more easily fall prey to the falsehoods that create the fear that fuels bigotry.As our mainstream—or shared—media continues to decline under the domination of secular fundamentalism, Christians and citizens of all faiths need not to retreat into silos but to sally forth with courage. They and their media will need to find new ways for holy ground to become common ground where they can present, challenge and defend ideas.The alternative is a social incoherence incapable of serving of any of the nation's secular or faith communities.   Peter Menzies is past publisher of the Calgary Herald and a Senior Fellow at the Work Research Foundation (www.wrf.ca).