Well, not so fast. I was starting to think the Ice Age was here but we’ll just forget that silly idea.
I had an interesting conversation today with a respected colleague who writes for one of the established technology market research firms in North America. He’s an old dog from my .com days when ‘eyeballs’ and ‘stickiness’ meant $$$ to online properties.
We were meeting to discuss his perspective on the technology sector (Canada) and my perspective on wireless (where I currently work). The picture wasn’t pretty from his side — on technology as a sector — across Canada. My view on wireless was rosy –> device momentum, price drops, consumer demand, network upgrades, eclipsed landlines in certain markets, explosive subscriber growth in other markets etc etc.
Beyond the sticker shocker of a paltry Sashimi lunch board at Nami in Toronto, we discussed Canada — in general. Somehow, he got into politics…dragging me into a useless discussion of political parties. I’ve personally come to the conclusion that politics is a waste of mindshare. No party will ever serve the broad interest and perfection will never come. In fact, the public will never be satisfied. And notice how…almost every party comes into power…and lies? The only person who delivered to the word was Harris – but that’s another explosive subject I don’t wish to focus on.
The reality — I have noticed a growing disenchantment among my generation with the political ‘system’ or ‘process’ and the rise of the disillusioned class. We know old money AND the status quo will always prevail in the current model.
My dear colleague suggested a utopian solution — that a few must rise and say ‘enough is enough’. Alas, I asked him if he would volunteer for this patriotic cause to save the country from bureaucrats. HE paused. And never answered. Ah yes, as long as someone else did it. This is the problem. We’re all armchair critics — and rarely consider such initiatives as realistic for several reasons — <1> credibility <2> money <3> career shift. He wasn’t prepared to give up his comfy analyst role for the software market to such an ideal vision for the country. Besides, for him to pursue it without the influence of money would mean that independent wealth was required. Unfortunately, he was not rich beyond his wildest dreams.
And this is the dilemma of this pathetic process. You have life-long bureaucrats, managed by old backbenchers (and old money), and a system that is designed for manipulation.
How about these ideas:
– Term limits for public life. Two four-year terms. Then private sector.
– A special taxpayer fund (the money is there) for elections. No more lobby money and no more influence.
Do you think these two changes would make things better for this country? The reality is that it could but it won’t happen. IF you canNOT change the system, why participate and waste mindshare on the status quo. That is a terrible waste of time. I’d rather pursue my financial goals.
We’re a nation of passive warriors. We just accept it.
Oh – get ready for photo radar with Dalton. He’s proven to be a big liar like his predecessor. Like I said — they’re all bad.
The World According to Rick — I trust Rick. I know he means business. And I knew that his councillor run was real. He is Jack Kennedy. And I knew Jack Kennedy (for those who get it!). Actually, Rick has common sense – perhaps too much on the non-regulation side BUT…you know he will go into a situation to clean house — not expect a lifetime position.
Rick is a contrarian. A disrupter to the status quo. I think we should get Rick to run for the sake of this nation. Minus Labrador, Newfoundland and Quebec.