“Canada in decline”

The Globe and Mail sparked a debate when it reported that Canada’s GDP per capita has fallen behind Alabama’s. The comparison rattled Canadians and triggered a wave of criticism about the validity of using GDP per capita as a measure of national prosperity.

Critics argue that GDP is a flawed metric, pointing to legitimate measurement challenges. But these measurement issues affect every country. The question is not whether GDP per capita is perfect but whether Canada’s trend relative to our peers signals deeper problems.

The evidence suggests it does.

Heavy social media use has contributed to a stark decline in well-being among young people, with the effects particularly worrying in teenage girls in English-speaking countries — including Canada — and Western Europe, according to the World Happiness Report 2026 published Thursday.

The annual report, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, also found that Finland is the happiest country in the world for the ninth year in a row, with other Nordic countries such as Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway ranking among the top 10 countries.

Sunny ways, my friend, sunny ways. @fancypants_s https://t.co/guuBfFr94h

— Patti Jo (@TheSupeHero) March 19, 2026

h/t Patti Jo

Over a month ago, I decided to try writing a book. Other than hundreds of guest newspaper columns and myriad speeches on enumerable topics over the past forty years, I am not a writer. I have had no formal education to prepare me to undertake such a daunting task. Indeed, I only achieved a grade twelve diploma way back in 1970, largely due to the constant and unrelenting encouragement, and at times direct intervention, of my mother. Given this, you’d be forgiven for asking, why?

What could motivate someone like me to accept such a challenge?