Book description
ONE OF THE TRUISMS OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY IS THAT
"to govern is to choose." Regardless of how rich our
nations have become, we can't have everything-either as individuals or
as societies. But we still do not know what we cannot have. Desires
are infinite; resources are finite. Is it impossible, for example, to
have the best, most technologically advanced health care rapidly
available to all citizens without bankrupting the average taxpayer? Is
it possible to have both a premier national defense and a world-class
health system for the entire population? Will a multicultural society
become something more than the sum of its parts-or nothing more than a
cacophonous jumble, a 21st-century tower of Babel?
Throughout our discussion, we will push a bit into the less traveled
areas of public politics and look at some basic questions of national
unity, political governance, and foreign affairs. Through topics such
as optics on health care, crime and justice, and substance abuse, we
hope too prompt thought while (perhaps) also roiling some intellectual waters.
In doing so, we hope to move beyond the hothouse of "Canada
studies" both in the U. S. ( a much larger domain than Canadians
might think) and Canada. Although advancing beyond the proverbial cure
for insomnia (reading about a "worthy Canadian initiative")
is a challenge, we seek with this effort to generate a little heat,
with the intent that some light might also result. It would be even
more pleasant if this ere a "green light" that led to
greater mutual appreciation and understanding.
-David T. Jones
and David Kilgour, from the Preface to Uneasy Neigbo(u)rs
David W. Kilgour (Ottawa, Ontario) has had a
distinguished career in Canadian federal politics as an MP in both the
Conservative and Liberal parties. During over 26 years in parliament,
he also served as Secretary of State for Latin America & Africa,
Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific and Deputy Speaker of the House.
David T. Jones (Arlington, Virginia) is a retired U. S. senior
foreign-service officer, whose diplomatic career of almost 30 years
focused on NATO and armscontrol issues. He also served as a political
minister counselor at the U. S. Embassy in Ottawa from 1992 to 1996.
