In much of Europe, there is no concept of “Italian Britains” or “Black Britains” or “Canadian Britains”…. People are British when they’re in Britain. Or, like in your example, Scandinavia. Not sure why we always reference people as “Chinese-Canadians”,”Indo-Canadians” or whatever …. Want social cohesion? Get rid of those monikers.
Want cohesion across provinces? Scandinavians do identify with a locale, be it where they’re living or where they grew up, but it is nothing like our provincial make-up in Canada. If you want more cohesion nationally, you’re going to have to strive to make the central government a much more powerful figure in Canadian’s lives.
The provincial equivalent in Norway doesn’t control the oil resources in that territory of Norway; it’s a national resource.
Do we have it wrong here? I think we probably do. When it’s easier for a small brewery in Ontario to sell into the USA than it is for them to sell into Quebec, literally across the river from them, then it could be asked what the point of Canada actually is…?
Why IS distribution of alcohol so difficult province to province? A friend of mine and her business partner are going through the same thing right now in BC, having to expand to the US because they can't branch out in Canada.
I also agree that our decentralized system is a breeding ground for bitterness and resentment. The pipeline issue between BC and Alberta for example would not have happened if 'Alberta's' oil was Canada's. Both provinces ended up feeling victimized and in their own way both were victims.
I guess it all comes down to Quebec. In order to live up to the initial agreements of the union (or present day appeasement depending on whom you ask), we have to keep things decentralized and give provinces autonomy.
So in a way that's our raison d'etre as a nation. Being stuck in a loveless marriage of convenience where all the children and grandchildren now have to suffer from the dysfunction of the two founding grandparents.
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