Unlike most Canadians I have lived and worked in Europe for 5 years, in Latin America for 8 years, the U.S. for 7 years and Canada for 40 years.  Unlike most Canadians I have lived under dictators, prime ministers, presidents, autocratic rule, democratic rule and what Canada currently practices; a mixture of autocratic and democratic rule.

These experiences have provided me a first hand insight into what works and what doesn't in many countries.  To achieve and maintain a high standard of living, to avoid brain drain, to maximize disposable consumer income, to provide a high level of medical services, a world class infrastructure, a top notch educational system and good, high paying jobs for its citizens...a country must practice true democracy, keep taxes low, maintain a strong defense, endorse free but fair trade, have one business language (lingua franca), and allow freedom of choice to its people.  In addition, less red tape, smaller government, a less obtrusive legal system and a more rigid immigration policy leaning more towards what this country needs and less on what the new immigrant may want or need (drop dual citizenships for example), would go a long way towards strengthening Canada and make it far more competitive than it currently is.  And Quebec needs to become a province again and lose its semi-autonomous standing within this land and overseas. Imagine allowing a province to act like a country within a country?  Can you say Liberalism run amok?

 As to "how" to accomplish these improvements?  I don't know. Most Canadians are too passive, insecure or idealogically influenced to embrace real change.  However, as to the "what", I suggest something akin to the political and economic system enjoyed in the U.S.  Why not emulate the most successful system?  Canada needs to open up democratically and allow the voters much more say in how this country is run.  Voters must be allowed to directly elect their prime minister or president, their senators and their members of parliament.  All three branches must share one third of the governing power.  Term limitations are needed in each governing branch. During the last few decades unfortunately, Canada has been heading in the opposite direction. We need competition.  

More power has found its way into the prime minister's office.  We don't even practice free and open trade amongst our own provinces. We allow provinces to violate good practical economic policy then reward them by skimming surpluses from the modern and prosperous provinces by passing their largese on to the provinces who suffer self inflicted economic wounds.  Our all powerful prime ministers are allowed to be elected only by their party and could serve for decades.  And like the honey bee drones, after having  performed  their main function by voting for the prime minister, our over-compensated members of parliament sink back into the shadows and become all but useless until called upon to vote the party line on everything or be booted out of caucus and the party they represent.  

Our monopolistic,  centralized, command and control medical system is killing more Canadians each year than any other cause and our taxes are too high and non competitive in today's global economy.  Do we need political change?  Yes.  To what?  See above.  How?  Well, that's the question isn't it? 

How to overcome the endless special interest groups and the politically correct mania that is endemic in this land?  How to find the right leaders that care more about what is good for Canada or their province and less about taking risks and offending some voters by actually leading; even if it means swimming against the current of pundits and opposition political parties?  

We can only hope that somehow our political system will find the means to modernize and stop impeding our collective health, growth and prosperity.