Synopses & Reviews
Renowned as a passionate Canadian, bestselling author Mel Hurtig has combed through world statistics to see how Canada really measures up — and the results are astonishing, and often shocking.
This book is about how Canada has changed, very much for the worse, in the last twenty years. As a result of these profound (often hidden) changes, we are no longer the people we think we are. To take one example, the Canadian media usually leaves us with the impression that Canadians are really heavily taxed. Yes, compared to the U.S.A., the usual point of comparison. No, compared to other countries with our standard of living, other OECD countries, for example; there we come in 23rd on the high-tax scale.
The shocks in this book build up, chapter by chapter. How do we rank in the world in voter turnout? Try 109th. Number of physicians per 100,000 population? Try 54th. Our rank in reducing pollution? 126th out of 146 countries.
Some of the statistics are internal, comparing Canada then and now. They back up two of the books most powerful themes: the failure of Canadian big business to turn record profits into ongoing investment in our country, and (no coincidence) the sellout of our assets at a rate that no other country would allow.
This statistics-based book ranges across all areas of our lives — including health, wages, productivity, culture, the media (“the most concentrated in the world”), and much else. Mel Hurtigs message is that we cant do anything to fix the direction were drifting in unless we recognize it — and recognize The Truth About Canada.
From the Hardcover edition.
About the Author
Mel Hurtig is the legendary Edmonton bookseller, publisher, and creator of
The Canadian Encyclopedia who became a political activist, then an author in 1991 with his huge bestseller
The Betrayal of Canada. He is also the author of
Pay the Rent or Feed the Kids,
The Vanishing Country, and
Rushing to Armageddon. He is a member of the Order of Canada, and has received many honorary degrees and honours. He lives in Vancouver.
From the Hardcover edition.
Table of Contents
AcknowledgementsPreface
Part One
1. Health Care in Canada and Our Tragic, Inexcusable Shortage of Doctors
2. Poverty in Canada
Part Two
3. Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
4. Canadian Social Policy
5. Employment and Unemployment in Canada
6. Ottawas UI/EI Cash Cow
7. Welfare in Canada
8. Immigration and Emigration
Part Three
9. Wages in Canada
10. The Distribution of Income in Canada
11. The Distribution of Wealth in Canada
12. Big-Business Bellyaching and Actual Corporate Profits in Canada
Part Four
13. Big-Business Investment in Canada
14. Research and Development
15. Productivity in Canada
16. Manufacturing in Canada
17. Cars, Trucks, and Auto Parts
18. Corporate Taxes in Canada
19. Personal Taxes
20. How Competitive Is Canada?
Part Five
21. Education in Canada
22. Culture in Canada
23. The Media in Canada
Part Six
24. Foreign Investment, Foreign Ownership, Foreign Control
25. Foreign Takeovers
26. Canadian Investment Abroad
27. The Free Trade Agreement
28. NAFTA
29. Trade in Goods and Services
30. Globalization
Part Seven
31. Foreign Aid
32. Defence, the Military, the Arms Trade, Peacekeeping, and the Arctic
Part Eight
33. Government in Canada
34. Decentralization
35. Energy Policy in Canada
36. Water
37. Gross Domestic Product
38. Standard of Living and the Quality of Life
Part Nine
39. Reforming Our Dysfunctional Electoral System
40. Women in Canada
Conclusion
Glossary
Notes
From the Hardcover edition.