- A narrow, and/or extremist, purpose, or agenda, by its vary nature restricts individual freedom and democracy

posted to: Globe and Mail, “So, we're not a great power. Big deal – let's be a great nation”, J.L. Granatstein, 10 Aug.’09
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/so-were-not-a-great-power-big-deal-lets-be-a-great-nation/article1245345/

It seems to me that any country that is a multifaceted and diverse, tolerant, open democracy might seem “divided and diverse, unfocussed and ordinarily rudderless” to some who have a narrow and particular agenda.

However, our strength, and greatness, lies precisely in the ability to maintain a first world economy based democracy given this diversity and freedom. What other country in the history of mankind has enjoyed, or enjoys, our freedom, openness, diversity and tolerance.

A narrow, and/or extremist, purpose, or agenda, by its vary nature restricts individual freedom and democracy by imposing the will of a few on the many. This, of course, is one of the reasons Canada should be vigilant regarding extreme right wing ideologically based political parties such as Harper and the Cons.

In the current global economy this is not the end of the issue. We still must compete with countries that do have agendae, that put economic development at the forefront and do focus its people on the restricted purpose of competing and/or domination.

However, it is my firm belief that not only can Canada compete but succeed once we, as individuals, and not through the agenda of some small sector of the population or extremist government, put our minds to it. In fact, our diversity and openness, unfettered by extremist ideologies, will facilitate comprehensive, effective and imaginative solutions, thus demonstrating to the rest of the world what ‘national greatness’ really means. We merely have to “stand up and be counted”.