Get a grip Canada!

The Conference Board of Canada has released their report card comparing how Canada's performance compares to other industrialized nations in the following categories: Economy, Innovation, Environment, Education and Skills, Health, and Society. No surprise here - we're mediocre.

The report card took a hard look at our culture. We're not risk takers - we're afraid of failing. We're not comfortable with success and excellence. Shocking? Not really. We coddle our kids, and it's turning our society into one with wussy adults who expect to be spoon fed. Being in the post-secondary academic environment, I can't tell you how far down we are expected to push the spoon with these so-called adults. Tell me what I need to know. Tell me what the answer is - I'm not going to look for it when you're supposed to tell me. And sometimes we take the political correctness too far - can we even say handicapped anymore? What is it now - disabled? Physically challenged? What do you call black people - black? Negro? African-American? I have no clue because it's always changing.

We have school systems that don't allow us to fail students. Even if the kid doesn't do the work. At the university where I work, students are given a second chance if they fail - they can write a supplemental exam. What the hell? Did we have this 20 years ago when I was in university? I don't remember that. And sports teams where winning, losing, and keeping score no longer exist. We don't want to upset anyone or hurt their fragile ego. How are these things preparing kids for life?

Our fearless leader, Stephen Harper, constantly talks about what we can't do with respect to the environment. What about what we can do. Why is the message always so negative? And why do we constantly blame others for our failures?

Suck it up Canada. Life ain't fair. Work hard. Toot your own horn. Support each other. And let's start instilling a sense of personal responsibility back into this great country of ours.