Cheering for the Vancouver Canucks in the National Hockey League playoffs at a local pub the other day, I had the pleasure of getting to know a celebrity in the music business.
This gentleman, who will not be named in this column, is a true Canadian success story, having produced music that garnered many millions of record sales worldwide.
He took his talent down to Los Angeles, carved out a tremendously successful career, then brought his earnings back home to Canada.
He planned to spend those earnings in Vancouver while enjoying semi-retirement.
However, that plan has changed.
Like many of Canada’s most successful people, he feels as though he is being unfairly targeted by the federal government.
He worked hard for his money, and was planning to inject it in the Vancouver economy.
But, now, he will not be.
Instead, he is working with a tax accountant to find out the best way to get his money out of Canada and take it with him overseas, where he feels he will get a fair shake – rather than being subjected to a Canadian shakedown.
So, Canada loses the money that would have supported many local businesses.
Canada loses an inspiring leader in the entertainment industry.
Canada is a loser in so many ways.
It did not used to be that way.
Canada used to celebrate its brightest stars, giving them due credit for helping drive a country that was very highly regarded internationally.
Canada used to embrace and even attract successful people.
Now, Canada is fast becoming a nation of sub-mediocrity that turns its back on its finest citizens.
It needs to stop.
Canada’s most successful people should not be subjected to government overreach and the envy of an ill-informed populace.
They should be honoured for helping put Canada on the map internationally, for being key drivers of the economy, for their remarkable generosity in funding hospitals, food banks, and universities, to name a few, and for inspiring us all to shoot for the stars.
