One Canada

About the Book

One Canada is a vision of creating a strong and united Canada, out of the dysfunctional federation of 10 provinces and three territories, leading to the greatest country on Earth. Canada was created to be a strong country, nurturing the regions, eventually becoming greater than its parts. As Canada grew from infancy, the provinces, the aunts and uncles of Confederation, also grew and aspired to become independent countries on their own. Since the Centennial in 1967, the young Canada grew, exerting the rights given to it by the Constitution. The aunts and uncles, having designs of nationhood, began resenting the young adult, forcing it to gradually ceding its control and now is a nearly impotent custodian of Canadian citizenship, and almost equal to the aunts and uncles in stature.

The Canadian Federation has devolved into a state of feudalism, where "passing the buck" is the common denominator between the federal and provincial governments. Municipal governments blame the provincial for their ills; the provinces then blame the federal government with the buck passing in a vicious circle. Inside the vicious circle are the people of Canada bound in red tape while being taxed to death to pay for the ineffectiveness of governments. With each provincial government determined to create its own kingdom within Canada, One Canada will never be a reality, unless a new paradigm of governance is developed for all of Canada.

The new paradigm is governance at the local municipal level, supervised by the national government. The Fathers of Confederation clearly defined the powers and responsibilities of the federal Parliament and the provincial legislatures. Had the clear division of powers been followed, Canada would, today, be greater than the sum of its regions. For the first 100 years of Confederation, the provincial governments, like aunts and uncles, helped nurture Canada through the adolescent years and into nationhood. Like the Jamaican Proverb, "Two bull caan reign in a the same pen"*, the 10 provincial and one federal government have been locking horns together. Now the time has come for the provinces to remove their blinders, let Canada grow into maturity, bringing greater prosperity to its people.

* (Two bull caan reign in a the same pen) Jamaican patois
(Two Bulls cannot reign in a herd) English
(There can only be one leader) The Meaning.

About the Author

Cecil Young was born at Rose Hall, 20km east of Montego Bay, Jamaica. He attended Mount Zion Primary School and in 1968 earned a scholarship to attend the prestigious all-boys high school, Cornwall College, in Montego Bay. An avid follower of the political process, he became active in the Peoples National Party, (PNP) at the tender age of 15, campaigning on behalf of the local PNP candidate, in the 1972 general elections.

Following the rise of one Canadian, Pierre Trudeau, he was delighted in moving to Canada in 1972, where he attended Glendale Secondary School in Hamilton, Ontario, completing Grade Eleven, before returning to Jamaica a year later. After a three-year employment with Jamaica Telephone Company, Cecil migrated to Canada in 1976. Cecil's desire to become and Electronics Engineer led him to complete his Grade Twelve and, in 1980 applied to Sheridan College, graduating in 1983, with a Diploma in Electronics Engineering Technology. After graduation, Cecil gained work experiences in government, the manufacturing and communications and technology industries. Today, Cecil is a principal in a computer consulting business.

For more than a quarter of a century, Cecil has been active in the community, serving on at least one Board of Directors in each of those years. Today he is most active in the Liberal Party of Canada and the Ontario Liberal Party, Erin Mills Soccer Club and the soccer community in the Mississauga area. Having lived in Canada for more than 25 years and having raised a family in the Canadian community, Cecil believes greatness awaits Canada if only the political bickering and buck-passing would stop. Cecil believes in two levels of government, a strong national and effective local government that involve the people in all aspects of governance.