"Canada: The nation that most other nations aspire to be!" - Futurist Jim Carroll
It's July 1, officially a holiday here, so I'll keep it brief.
In a wild year that defied all logic, we stand strong and free, proud of who we are, taking pride in what makes us tick and resolute in defense of the human decency that defines us. We're not perfect, but hey, we're not sorry for that. We've got a few folks who whine and grumble about our state in the world, but most of us know that we can accomplish the things we need to solve most of that. Overall, we are a pretty happy bunch.
Looking around, we know that we are the envy of many in the world. It's kind of funny that most rational people who are impacted by the insanity of the moment would move here in a heartbeat if they could.
How good is it? I had Google Gemini create a set of information about us and fed it to Gamma.App to create a set of slides. It would be worth your while to take a look - access it here.
To summarize:
- Economic Strength: Canada has a highly developed mixed economy, ranking 9th globally with a nominal GDP of US$2.23 trillion in 2025.
- Fiscal Prudence: The country's net debt-to-GDP ratio was the lowest among G7 nations in the first quarter of 2025, and it holds a AAA credit rating from S&P.
- Stable Banking System: The Canadian banking system is ranked first in the G7 for stability, which is crucial for economic growth and high living standards.
- Innovation and Investment: Canada is ranked first globally for venture capital (VC) recipients and joint venture/strategic alliance deals.
- Technological Advances: The nation has seen significant technological breakthroughs, including a deep learning algorithm for early cancer detection with 94% accuracy and smart city solutions in Toronto that have reduced costs by 30%.
- Global Trade: Canada has 15 free trade agreements with 51 countries, providing preferential access to over 1.5 billion consumers.
- Natural Resources Contribution: In 2023, the natural resources sector contributed $464 billion to Canada's real GDP, accounting for 21% of the total.
- Resource Sector Productivity: The productivity rate of the natural resources sector is 2.5 times higher than the overall economy.
- Global Resource Leadership: Canada is the world's leading producer of potash and a top 5 producer of diamonds, gold, and uranium, among other minerals.
- Critical Minerals for Green Economy: Canada's endowment of critical minerals positions it as a key player in the global transition to a green economy, with rising demand expected to create numerous high-paying jobs.
- Climate Goals and Challenges: Canada has committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, though it faces challenges with emissions having increased by 20% since 1990.
- High Quality of Life: In 2023, U.S. News ranked Canada 3rd for overall quality of life, and it outperforms the OECD average in areas like income, jobs, and health.
- Work-Life Balance: Ranking 7th globally in the 2025 Global Life-Work Balance Index, Canada is the only nation from the Americas in the top 10.
- Affordability Challenges: Despite its high global rankings, rising living costs and housing affordability are impacting the perceived quality of life for residents.
- Educational Excellence: An impressive 92% of adults have completed upper secondary education, well above the OECD average of 79%.
- Exceptional Health Standards: Life expectancy is 82 years, and 52.2% of Canadians report their health as very good or excellent, the highest in the OECD in 2023.
- Safety and Security: Canada ranked 1st in the 2024 Global Peace Index, with 78% of Canadians feeling safe walking alone at night.
- Peacekeeping Legacy: A Canadian, Lester B. Pearson, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his role in the Suez Canal Crisis. Canada has a long history of participating in UN peacekeeping efforts.
- Constitutional Values: The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, established in 1982, is a cornerstone of national unity and explicitly recognizes multiculturalism.
- Cultural Mosaic: Canadian identity is defined by unity in diversity, with a national policy of multiculturalism that encourages the preservation of heritage rather than assimilation.
I've got a few quibbles with what Gemini came up with. First, most people in the venture capital community would disagree with that aspect of what it suggested, and that much seems true. Second, the PDF suggested that we have an average workweek of 32 hours, and that is just plain wrong. Other than that, much of it seems fairly correct.
So overall, we're pretty proud of who we are, where we stand, and the fact that we are, and will always be, the True North Strong and Free.
Futurist Jim Carroll is thrilled, on this day, to know that above all, being Canadian is what defines him.