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friendly immigration policies, and
that’s because demand for skills is
so high. We have a stable (or a nega-
tive) birth rate increase and an aging
population, and the costs of an aging
population are huge. If you have on-
going productivity in the workforce,
then having a positive immigration
policy is critical. Our programs have
to be responsive because the job de-
mand in so many areas is so immense.
That involves bringing the private
sector, unions, and private and public
education institutions into the discus-
sion about immigration. We have to
be streamlined and efficient and make
sure we have access to workers, who,
for the most part, want to become citi-
zens.
We need new citizens who love
Canada and want to be part of a pro-
ductive economy, if we’re going to care
for an aging population.
What progress have we made via
the organizations you’re involved in
when it comes to international trade?
SD:
We’re constantly commu-
nicating that message that Canada is
open for business. With both the Can-
ada-India Business Council and the
Canada-China Business Council, we’ve
been able to work on a number of ini-
tiatives in Asia. And those are all about
connecting people on both sides.
To be able to continue relation-
ships with those officials in new mar-
kets, and connect them with Canadian
entrepreneurs, we’re really seeing
things develop. We can discuss bu-
reaucracy and what’s slowing down
trade, and talk about how to address
trade issues.
The other side of the work we do
is with regards to projects that are so-
cial service related, benefiting people
who are literally below the poverty
line in other countries. I’m able to
work with groups at the NGO level
relatively free of red tape to get imme-
diate help to people in need interna-
tionally.
I am able, not through the gov-
ernment or aligned with a particular
business, to help international parties
navigate through Canadian policy—
it’s like being an unpaid ambassador.
It’s good because I’m not seen as hav-
ing monetary interests or personal
interests. Sometimes it gives credibility
to your presentation.
In your opinion, what are the greatest
things about living in Canada?
SD:
The very history of how we
came into being through people want-
ing democratic responsibility is what
makes Canada great. Different coun-
tries around the world advance demo-
cratically through different means, but
Canada’s democratic development has
been responsible. Mistakes were made
along the way, but I think the core of
Canada’s success is a high appreciation
of responsibility among our citizens.
That, along with openness to immi-
gration, an appreciation of freedom of
speech, freedom of religion, freedom of
press: our history has always been so
strongly supportive of those elements
of Canadian life. It comes back to what
I heard last week at Harvard: people
want to hear about Canada and how
we have the freedom to proudly cel-
ebrate and debate our differences with-
out being thrown in jail.
These are really the hallmarks of
why we can enjoy a great natural en-
vironment, a very responsive business
and political sector, and the diversity
that we share. When you compare
Canada to other countries around the
world, there’s no place like it. When I
get back from a trip and my feet land
on home soil, there’s no feeling like the
feeling of being Canadian.
