Occupy democracy

There's lots of good reading in today's Globe and Mail.

In fact, I may have to put off the usual Saturday chores just to get through it.

The front page screams with typical Canadian hubris that what Canada needs more than anything else is a million new immigrants.

Yup. The world's best and brightest need to be brought here.

You know, like the Nigerian doctor who saved Junior's life during a difficult opening act. While we're all hugely appreciative for what the man did for us, at the back of my mind I've always wondered, don't they need doctors in Nigeria?

There was a time when many of the world's best and brightest actually had some interest in coming here.

I think those days are long behind us.

In fact, many of the children of the best and brightest who came here a generation or two ago are now heading back to China and India.

The idea that a million of the best and brightest are coming our way is wishful thinking, and I suspect that our Globe headline writers understand that.

What will come our way are plenty of new immigrants willing to take all those jobs that the million and a half unemployed Canadians stubbornly refuse to do. Now that amendments to our "temporary" work visa program allow new immigrants to be paid 15% below the prevailing wage, employers and policy-makers will be even less inclined to solve the imaginary "labour shortage" by investing in Canada's unemployed.

Which brings me to the title of this post.

I strongly suspect that headlines around the world will on Monday morning be proclaiming that the sky is once again falling. Elections in Greece and France will have dealt a severe set-back to the prevailing world-view that a handful of corrupt bankers and ratings agencies need to be saved from themselves at any cost.

That the costs are inevitably borne by the small people, the 99%, goes without saying.

In much of the so-called developed world the 99% have for far too long been bribed, lied, and intimidated into voting against their own best interests.

If that can change in France and Greece this weekend, maybe it can eventually change in Canada and in the US.

Occupy democracy!