What was supposed to be an exercise in showing how good the NDP could be at managing the public purse and proposing sensible, balanced policies turned into the usual radical, job-killing, tax-raising, disorganized chaos for which the left wing has always been known.

This week, novelist and columnist Steve Marche draws lessons from Canada's success for Bloomberg.com, in a cleverly titled piece, "Hardheaded Socialism Makes Canada Richer Than the U.S." Times are good today, but they may not be so good in a few years.

Our government's heavy-handed interventions in the labour market weaken basic labour rights, and that hurts all middle class Canadians. If workers are left with no outlet to seek fair compensation and working conditions, they will find other means of collective expression. Their frustration could result in spontaneous work disruptions, with a profound effect on productivity.