The property rights I had in mind were of a much broader nature than the 'official' kind you point out exist in U.S.A. and are absent in Canada. True, Canadians do not enjoy the level of protection from their government that some other nations enjoy, but they still benefit from living in a society where, on the whole, they can devote their energy to producing wealth and, on the whole, they can count on official support for their rightful ownership of such property, and they need not fear arbitrary confiscation. In fact, Canada is relatively free from the bribery, graft, corruption, influence pedaling, extortion, and rampant criminal activity we see in some less fortunate nations. This is not to say Canadian society is perfect: Far from it. As you've pointed out in your post with the handgun example, Canadian property rights fall short of those found in the U.S., but examples of nations with even weaker rights are not hard to discover.
You say Canada has flourished. Many believe that with Canada's abundant natural resources, skilled population, and peaceful history, the nation should lead the world economic prosperity. Our current 15th place is a testament to our shortcomings. I agree that Liberal rule has handicapped our nation for decades.
Cheers, PW. |
