Canada of 100m people could be 'powerful' player

[goo3]

We should do it

Increasing Canada's population from 34 million to 100 million would make the country 'a serious force to be reckoned with,' says Irvin Studin of the University of Toronto.

Increasing Canada's population from 34 million to 100 million would make the country 'a serious force to be reckoned with,' says Irvin Studin of the University of Toronto.
Photograph by: Arlen Redekop, File -- PNG, Canwest News Service

Canada should increase immigration rates to become a country of 100 million people and a proper world power, according to a rising star on public policy.

In a provocative essay to be published Tuesday in the international affairs magazine Global Brief, the University of Toronto's Irvin Studin explores the strategic power that could be wielded by 100 million Canadians occupying a vast territory rich in natural resources, technology and strong national institutions.

"Grow the population variable significantly, and watch the overall strategic power of the country multiply," writes Studin, who is with the School of Public Policy and Governance.

The former Privy Council Office staffer co-authored Canada's National Security Policy and is founding editor and publisher of the nascent Global Brief magazine and globalbrief.ca.

Studin calculates an aggressive immigration push to roughly triple Canada's current population of 34 million would, over a few generations, produce a pincerlike effect.

"First, a far larger demographic base to build strong national institutions and structures across the vast territory of Canada -- institutions that, while today are often absent or weak, would eventually serve as a bulwark for international strategic influence."

Second, a far larger talent pool to populate the strategic arms of the state -- the military, diplomatic, civil service and political branches of government, as well as business, cultural, educational and scientific sectors.

There'd be more generals, Nobel Laureates, international virtuosos and a more muscular national vitality to counter the cultural influences of the United States, with its 309 million citizens.

"In the process, the Canada of

100 million . . . becomes a serious force to be reckoned with."

Studin acknowledges there will be opposition to his ideas.

"Regarded as radically absurd on the economic logic (for where are the jobs?), it may be regarded as wholly irresponsible and reckless by others, for how is a country to absorb or integrate immigration waves that, over time, outstrip even the total current incumbent population?"

A Canada of 100 million would go a long way toward addressing the difficulty of building across the country's vast geography, Studin writes.

"The Canada of 100 million has a far larger national market and the attendant economies of scale and scope -- for ideas, for debate, for books, for newspapers, for magazines, for all species of goods and services.

"It has many large, dynamic, global cities . . . [to] serve as incubators and competitive arenas for innovation, productivity and creative ambition -- all derivatives, as it were, of humans rubbing up against humans.

"There are sufficient numbers across the country to populate substantial, applied research institutions; to aid the generation of policy ideas; to create bona fide national institutions of higher culture in the musical, visual and theatrical arts; to justify national sports leagues where today, in Canada, there is, to many outside observers' surprise, perhaps one at most."

At 100 million, he continues, "Canada has cutting-edge, world-beating companies that are far larger and more numerous across the sectors."

Statistics Canada's highest projected growth rates put the population at 47,686,000 by 2036 and 63,755,900 by 2061.

Canada's population has roughly tripled every 65 or so years and Studin says the country could arguably make a policy push to reach the 100-million mark within a few generations, approximately 2080, largely through increased, "although not radically increased" immigration.

"At 100 million, this is among the most powerful and important countries in the world. And the world will take good note."
© Copyright (c) The Province

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/news/Cana...#ixzz0quwe7Kf1

His full essay:

http://globalbrief.ca/blog/2010/06/1...n-100-million/

[dinamix]

thanks for pointing out the obvious captain obvious..any multicultural nation with more than 100mill people with thrive for sure..only diff with us and the states is that we have less black people..

[goo3]

LOL what? Brazil, Mexico? Hello, anything in there? Knock. Knock.

[Onassis]

More people, more logistical problems. Anything that is forced or rushed usually don't turn out well, we should just allow things to move naturally.

[slammer111]

If there aren't enough jobs, you're just going to create a whole bunch of ghettos. Look at USA, China, India, and France.

I say maintain status quo, which is just a few % increase in the population every year.

[El Bastardo]

Populations are like breast sizes. Quality, not quantity.

What I mean is that if we just start letting anyone in we'll likely get the people who can't make it in other countries showing up on our doorstep begging for better education, free healthcare, and welfare. Then begins the social divide and after a while the conditions are no better than the country they left.

By dispersing the volume evenly you create something well rounded that looks really good. By letting just anything in it gets fat and saggy around the bottom.


Don't make Canada a saggy tit.

[johny]

vancouver and toronto can't handle another 70 mill...

[Ferra]

problem is most "immigrants" nowadays come here with a refugees status...they do not pay tax and receives thousands of dollars of welfare benefit...

This is a problem a lot of european countries are having right now, and this is why there are so much anti-immigrant sentiment in those countries.

[dachinesedude]

no more mainlanders please, i hate dealing with them

[nack]

Originally Posted by dachinesedude

no more mainlanders please, i hate dealing with them

your name contradicts itself

[jackmeister]

Originally Posted by jivan6

your name contradicts itself

i hope you know by now, cantonese and taiwanese always see themselves better than mainlanders...

obviously there are exceptions but thats the overall feel.

[Bouncing Bettys]

I don't know if any of you watched the population episode of Aftermath which looked at what would happen if the population of the world suddenly doubled overnight. When I saw that, I thought, oh noes! Canada's population would only be 60 million instead of 30million!

[Tegra_Devil]

I personally like having a small population, thats part of what makes Canada...CANADA!

I already have enough problems with the amount of FOBS driving on the streets, I couldnt handle 3 times more FOBS!...id start killing people with 3 times the rage.

and thats 3 times more poorly written english posts on revscene!
3 times more horrible craigslist ads
3 times more gang wars
3 times more people mooching off the system

[willystyle]

Originally Posted by Blaupunkt69

I don't know if any of you watched the population episode of Aftermath which looked at what would happen if the population of the world suddenly doubled overnight. When I saw that, I thought, oh noes! Canada's population would only be 60 million instead of 30million!

In that episode, they talked about if Earth had ZERO population, not if the population TRIPLED.

[Bouncing Bettys]

Originally Posted by willystyle

In that episode, they talked about if Earth had ZERO population, not if the population TRIPLED.

um no
http://www.history.ca/video/default....aign=aftermath

[StylinRed]

military.... god damnit ever since the Conservatives took over they've been turning Canada into this Military centric state... even all the extra attention (that we didn't really do in the past) into past Canadian endeavors is facetious if it wasn't so disconcerting (not the events mind you but the reason behind the extra attention is given)



you guys who failed need to take a war & society course or something which will explain to you how the country is leading more into that direction and how things have changed in the past in how we dealt with things (in terms of attention given to military events etc) :P

[Sid Vicious]

widespread immigration of a "certain" demographic in europe without integration/assimilation has lead to filmmakers being murdered, riots and writers having death threats issued against them.

[orange7]

I vote for not to increase the number of immigrants.

Those ppl won't even be loyal to this country. They won't even give a shit about this country. They will probably be the ones littering on the streets and increasing our taxes.

[sonick]

I am ready and willing to help the cause, PM me with pics.

Note: that is not me in my avatar. I am a dude.

[_Hotsauce_]

So we can deforest our country and take away what makes it so beautiful? No thanks.

[Harvey Specter]

All of us will be dead by the time the population in Canada reaches 100 milli.

[RacingMetro92]

Any country with that many people can be a power...at the cost of mass urbanization and other associated problems (overcrowding, lack of supplies etc.)

[Hehe]

I'm personally in favor of more population in Canada, but if it's expanded correctly.

With a good balance/diversity of new population, there are many many benefits. To begin with, city expands further, or better yet, small towns/cities get developed better.

Why do you think most people are concentrated in GVR/GTA/MTL? Because in terms of living standard and convenience, other Canadian cities really fell far behind.

I like what US is in terms of their urban development. You have a few major metro area in every states, and the opportunities expand tremendously. In US, you have several cities to pick from if you want a serious career. (SF, LA, NYC, Boston, D.C, Houston... too many to list)... in CA, if you leave the top 5 major cities, you can hardly make a living.

[hk20000]

instead of having more immigration we should just allow Poly-cultural-polygamy.

One man may have as many wives as he wants, but they must be of significantly different race.

Soon we will have 100million true CANADIENS who are all beige.

[PiuYi]

Originally Posted by sonick

Note: that is not me in my avatar. I am a dude.

most disappointing line i've read all day