In the last decade, Canada has spent most of its time focused on fixing its economy rather than strengthening its society.
As a result, in my view, we now stare down the barrel of income disparity like it's a new danger. It's not new. It's just made worse by what's happened to our economy these last 10 years. And while income disparity will always be global as corporate forces search endlessly for cheaper labour and greater shareholder value, now it's noticeably regional and local as well.
How many of you are separated three weeks out of a month so Dad can work away and earn the money in the patch? That sacrifice allows the extra money to fuel the economy with home renovations, new trucks and trips away.
Income disparity also means that working and living in the same place is a luxury few of us can afford -- not just in third world countries, but in small Canadian rural communities as well. Ironically, our stronger economy is also leading to a weaker society. We can't be there for one another as much as we once were. We're too busy making money.
There is a difference between money and wealth. The economy is focused on money. Society is focused on wealth. We build a society's wealth with money from the economy if we use it right. Income disparity tells me that we aren't using it right. We've elected a steady stream of leaders -- Stephen Harper, Christy Clark, Rob Ford -- who promise us more money, rather than more wealth.
History reminds us that Canada has always been a resource economy. Wood and water once upon a time. Oil and gas now. And, as a society, we've always handsomely rewarded those who were prepared to take that risk with money. But in turn, once upon a time, they built wealth -- whether it was a foundation, a museum, a hospital, a university or a city park -- their riches created wealth. I'm not sure that's so much the case today.
Do the rich have an obligation to create wealth rather than just spend money? In the Age of Enlightenment, this was called "noblesse oblige" -- the obligation of the nobility to create wealth. Maybe we will call this century the Age of Extraction where we'll remember all the oil, gas and money we extracted from the economy at the cost of a society of well-being.
It's not enough to just make money and trust the government to spend the tax revenue appropriately. It starts at the ballot box and it continues at city council meetings and volunteer efforts with community groups. We all have a role to play.
If we stand back and complain governments aren't doing a good job, yet make no personal commitment to the decision-making process, we are the problem. Ironically, some leaders would prefer this laissez-faire approach as 100 per cent of us pay taxes, and fewer than 50 per cent of us bother to vote. No wonder the balance is off.
It's my suspicion that Harper longs to be the King of the Canadian economy rather than the Canadian society. He thinks it's his golden ticket to perpetual power. I hear he is a military history buff too. I hope he remembers the fate of those who proceeded him so many centuries ago.
In the 1600s, the conquest of the new world garnered Spain a massive fortune. In fact, they were the richest country in the world but the King of Spain insisted on hoarding all the gold for the rich which led to the entire country's demise. They've yet to recover.
In the 1700s, the King of France lost his head because of the price of bread. The price of bread is heavily regulated to this day in France. Seems they learned that lesson, at least. Complex dysfunction can manifest itself in very simple ways.
No doubt, economics is integral to a society's well being and worthy of our significant attention. Trouble is, sometimes we get it wrong like Spain and France once did. And when it goes wrong, it goes terribly, terribly wrong and everybody pays.
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of paying for those mistakes. Sure we need money but we mostly need wealth. You cannot isolate one from the other. And if you do, you could lose your crown, your country and possibly your head. Are you listening King Stephen?
ALSO ON HUFFPOST:
