Opening the doors to China
By Christopher Kutarna

Recently, China bestowed ‘preferred destination status’ on Canada — a move which permits Canadian tourism to advertise in mainland China.

But the consequences for our relationship with China can go far beyond tourism — if we take bold action. China’s move came as a surprise — our bilateral relationship, as well as Canada’s image among ordinary Chinese, have soured since 2006 — and signals their hope that we’ll turn things around. Will we?

Economically, the answer seems straight-forward. They’re the world’s second-largest economy; we want part of it. Politically, we’re more confused. At home, Canadian soft-power is a hot concept. We conceive of a new ‘Canadian Centre for the Advancement of Democracy’ with an eye towards making long-term investments “in the field”: satellite offices to coordinate capacity-building; networks of local partners who learn by doing with us; and so on.
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Canadian Department of Peace
By Rob Acheson

I suggest that the Liberal Party reinvigorate Canada’s peace building role in the world by creating a Department of Peace. At first take the idea sounds a little out there but as you begin to look at what is being proposed, it is a compelling statement of the obvious.

We have a dysfunctional security system that uses violence to fight violence and thus increases violence. We continue to use words like ‘protect’, ‘uphold’ and ‘preserve’ in connection with our wars, while in reality they devastate the world we would seek to build. (more…)

Canada is facing some big challenges between now and our 150th birthday, in 2017.

Tell us your bold idea to confront these challenges and you could win a chance to present it to progressive Canadian thinkers and doers in Montreal this March 26-28. (more…)

A national discussion is slowly emerging about what Canada should look like at 150 years of age – in 2017.  A pivotal moment in our history, that date might well prove to the world what this country thinks of itself and its place in the global family. At a time when the world has its collective eye on Vancouver and the Olympics, it seems like a logical occasion to hold a coast-to-coast-to-coast dialogue on our self-identity, our challenges and our dreams.

When it comes to international development, and foreign aid in particular, I would suggest that Canada at 150 should look a lot like it did at 100. Just prior to the memorable celebrations of our Centennial, a formative process was taking place concerning some solid thinking outside of the box when it came to how we would negotiate our compassionate presence in the world, especially as it applied to the poorest of the poor. (more…)

When we set out to design the Canada at 150 logo, our goal was to communicate the conference’s non-partisan nature, openness, forward looking agenda and the broader consultative process which it represents. (more…)

This Wednesday, February 10, at 3pm EST, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff will moderate an online panel discussion on issues facing Canada’s youth. He will be joined by Liberal MP Justin Trudeau, Apathy is Boring co-founder and executive director Ilona Dougherty, as well as Equal Voice National Capital Region Chair Sherri Moore-Arbour. The panel will take questions from the public for one hour. (more…)

It has been more than four decades since the thrill of Canada’s 100th Birthday.  Canada celebrated with the world showcase of Expo ’67, marking an exciting time anchored in the idealism of the sixties, when Canadians believed they could build a better country for their children and grandchildren than they had enjoyed themselves.

Canada’s optimism was well founded.  We celebrated our Centennial at a time of consistent economic growth – in an era when Lester B. Pearson’s government was not only able to foster that growth, but also introduced vital reforms such as national, publicly-funded health care and a government-sponsored pension plan. (more…)

This website is part of a national conversation about our country’s future.

We’re coming up on a rendezvous with destiny—in 2017, we’ll celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday.

What will we be celebrating that year? What kind of Canada do we want in 2017? And what do we have to do, today and tomorrow, to get there? (more…)