No dialogue of the decided

I'll admit to being concerned that the Canada at 150 conference would be mere talking heads mouthing platitudes. That concern proved groundless -- the program, at least so far, has been very far from mere platitudes and very far from being comfortable.

From the first speaker, a Mohawk elder who spoek of Canada a your country (and at least by implication not his), the speakers have raised issues that are distinctly uncomfortable and not always things that reflect a warm glow on past Liberal policy. While no speaker has been far right I'd say about half are right leaning -- and the left leaning speakers have pushed their agendas hard.

A unifying theme seems to be the ageing of the population is going to lead to huge problems -- health care, deficits, the employment market, everything will be impacted. And the usual answers (say more immigration) are seen as not viable.

From the right or the left the speakers and participants have focussed on the real world impact of existing trend lines. One (excellent) speaker put it this way -- it's like a doctor who says, here's the bad news, you have a fatal illness; here's the good news, it won't kill you right away and maybe we can find a cure before you die.

This is not a conference for the faint hearted.