Canadians are often surprised when Canada makes news on the international stage. Many were shocked to see that one of the world’s most influential publications, The Economist took to criticizing Canada’s jewel and Olympic city, Vancouver, comparing drug violence in Canada’s west coast hub to violence which has scarred Colombia for more than three generations. While the article mentions little about Colombia compared to Canada, the reality of drug violence in Vancouver in recent months and the increase in the drug war in Mexico and the US has pulled international attention towards Vancouver in a negative light, something many Canadians are not used to, or even portray in local media and election campaigns.
The face of drug violence in Colombia is well beyond anything affecting Vancouver and Canada. At its high point, drug cartels in Colombia controlled large parts of the country and employed entire towns and villages, some even using the raw materials of cocaine as its only viable currency. The culture and effect of narcotics in Colombia permeates local dialogue and history to such an extent that it has robbed Colombia of its traditions and stories and hid the nation’s true culture and heritage behind a veil of violence and conflict. Even after last year’s military campaign against the FARC, who kidnapped one presidential candidate in Ingrid Betancourt and tried to assassinate Colombia’s current President Alvaro Uribe, Colombia is still mired in drug violence which has marked the lives of every citizen of Colombia and turned one of the most promising economies and richest cultures in Latin America into a literal war zone in many parts of the country.
The Canadian dialogue is quite different than that of Colombia. Politics in Canada and Canadian’s self image in the world often keeps Canada in the position of being a relatively closed country economically and socially. Despite having a high degree of immigration and a stable economy with a great deal of equality, accepting a proactive role in the world has not been easy to accept for many Canadians. The results of having Canada become open to the benefits and costs of a booming economy and increased internationalism for its own merits and not those of empire or a good neighbor policy has made Canada a lot more interesting, a lot more influential if its citizens desires it, and is forcing Canadian cities to address issues that were always seen as the problems of the US or other TV narrative worthy nations. Canada’s governments often spend their time shifting blame between municipal, provincial and federal governments and leave the dialogue on Canada frozen in the 1970s, even appointing a leader of one of the major political parties who has not had any tacit connection to the country for over 25 years. This is not surprising, as The Economist suggests that the re-election of British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell came without much attention given to the persistent violence in Vancouver, even though during one of his media interviews he was rushed off because an armed robber crossed close by to the Primer after robbing a jewelry store in the area.
The challenge of the narcotics trade has come in the last few years of Canada being pulled into a position of influence on the world stage, a position that few in Canada realize or know how to deal with or address without altering the image of stability in communities nationwide. While the country is forced to adopt an advanced position of obligation in the world, it also must adopt a worldview that can help it deal with new issues before it becomes a major problem. A structural and cultural issue that injures Canada’s economic progress is a prime example. Foreign accredited professionals in Canada are welcomed into the country for many of their skills, but few are allowed to re-qualify in a reasonable manner, leaving Canada crippled from within in boosting its own economy, even limiting the number of doctors able to certify in various Provinces during a current crisis of a shortage in health care professionals. Ironically this week, Austrian immigrant to Canada Frank Stronach, owner of Canadian company Magna International, has become one of the controlling stakeholders of GM’s Opel in Europe. The purchase of the auto giant Opel in Europe is a major shift in the world economy, coming from Canada in purchasing a major European auto manufacturer which most Canadians have likely never heard of or few knowing that Mr. Stronach was an immigrant and proud Canadian. Canada has some of the most highly intelligent and restricted immigrants in the world, a result of a world view which limits policymaking beyond the nation’s borders.
In the end Canada will be dragged, hopefully not kicking and screaming into a position of influence on the world stage. Crime prevention and policies in communities must address the nature of cross border issues as much as an open and diverse policy perspective is needed to keep Canada growing from within and abroad. In the end, Canada and Colombia have one major aspect in common, in that they are in a relatively good position to produce a prosperous future globally if the desire and effort is there in local communities. The difference is however that Colombians have been waiting for generations for this opportunity; Canadians however have always had it and must choose to prosper in the future or lose the opportunity with increased closure, restrictions and elections.
