The Adaptable Country
How Canada Can Survive the Twenty-First Century
1st Edition
Published on 3. September 2024
978-0-2280-2201-5 (ISBN)
Description
Shifting geopolitics, regional conflicts, climate change, and technology shocks: these are just some of the factors that will make the twenty-first century dangerous for Canada. Adaptability, the capacity to anticipate and manage dangers, is essential for the country to survive and thrive. But Canada is not as adaptable as it once was.
In The Adaptable Country Alasdair Roberts explains what this vital ability means and why we are currently falling short. Politicians, he argues, are overloaded and fixated on the next election. Governments no longer launch big projects to think about the future. Leaders have stopped meeting regularly to discuss national priorities. Technological changes have undermined journalism and the ability of citizens to talk civilly about public affairs. The public service has become less agile because of a decades-long buildup of controls and watchdogs. While in many ways Canada is a better country than it was a generation ago, it is also more complex and harder to govern.
The Adaptable Country outlines straightforward reforms to improve adaptability and reminds us about the bigger picture: in a turbulent world, authoritarian rule is a tempting path to security. Canada's challenge is to show how political systems built to respect diversity and human rights can also respond nimbly to existential threats.
In The Adaptable Country Alasdair Roberts explains what this vital ability means and why we are currently falling short. Politicians, he argues, are overloaded and fixated on the next election. Governments no longer launch big projects to think about the future. Leaders have stopped meeting regularly to discuss national priorities. Technological changes have undermined journalism and the ability of citizens to talk civilly about public affairs. The public service has become less agile because of a decades-long buildup of controls and watchdogs. While in many ways Canada is a better country than it was a generation ago, it is also more complex and harder to govern.
The Adaptable Country outlines straightforward reforms to improve adaptability and reminds us about the bigger picture: in a turbulent world, authoritarian rule is a tempting path to security. Canada's challenge is to show how political systems built to respect diversity and human rights can also respond nimbly to existential threats.
Reviews / Votes
"In a world of disruptive, interconnected crises, Alasdair Roberts provides us with a warning: Canada is on the edge of an adaptability trap. Our institutions, and the people who work in them, must have the nimbleness and flexibility to sustain our democracy in the treacherous years ahead." Anne McLellan, former deputy prime minister of Canada "While too many people in Canadian politics are focused only on winning, Roberts has produced a pithy guide to making Canada succeed, with an emphasis on planning, coordination, and an informed citizenry." Paul Wells, award-winning journalist and author of The Longer I'm Prime Minister "Providing essential insight into Canada's unique governance model, Roberts urges us to face the challenges to our democratic institutions. The Adaptable Country is a must-read, opening a conversation about how the federal establishment can better work for the next generation." Senator Peter Harder "A hyper-relevant call to action as Canadians feel increasingly unsettled about our collective stability and resilience. Roberts seeks to shake us out of our complacency and think strategically about a challenging future we're likely ill prepared for." Jennifer Ditchburn, president and CEO, Institute for Research on Public Policy "A sober look at Canada's political architecture in light of the social and economic challenges the country is facing. The strong admonitions and constructive advice contained in this excellent book could not come at a more opportune time." Publius "This book is a valuable contribution to public administration scholarship . . . For scholars around the globe, it should be taken as a challenge to ask more difficult questions about the extent to which governing systems can deliver security and prosperity for democratic societies." Public Administration Review "Roberts is a Canadian who saw Canada's sovereignty crisis with the U.S. coming." Policy Options "This is a timely book, especially given Canada's need to deal with the brutal reality of Donald Trump, whose animus toward us, including talk of annexation, is creating a fundamental crisis for our federal and provincial leaders. Our close relationship with the United States can no longer be taken for granted. There is a pressing need to develop new capacity for crisis management and for in depth reflection on our longer-term challenges. The Adaptable Country helps make the case for action." Literary Review of Canada "Governments, like living organisms, must adapt to their environments or they will die. This is the premise of Roberts's timely book. Roberts argues that Canada needs both regular and monumental Royal Commission-style efforts to discuss, weigh, plan, and execute ideas to help it adapt to rapidly changing conditions at home and abroad. [H]is analyses of the problem should be given very serious attention." ChoiceMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Montreal, QC
Canada
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
Digital original
Illustrations
1 diagram
1 diagram
ISBN-13
978-0-2280-2201-5 (9780228022015)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
09/2024
3rd Edition
McGill-Queen's University Press
€24.00
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Alasdair Roberts is professor of public policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and the author of numerous books, most recently Superstates: Empires of the Twenty-First Century.
