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In a world of rapid change, there is a desire for leaders who can show us the way. Polls in the US show that there is a growing acceptance for the strongman who can just get the job done over pluralistic democratic concerns. And look what they have…
Attractive though the idea might be, the challenge is that many of the problems we face are complex ones that can’t be solved by one person or even one institution, such as government. Take reconciliation, climate change, immigration, privacy – none of these can be solved by one leader, or in fact by one institution such as a government or a government department. There are too many legitimate stakeholders and points of view on the issues and the possible response to them, all of which need to be considered and engaged in working out long-term solutions.
In a world of social media that amplifies points of view and which feeds off simplicity, the pressure is on political leaders to come up with easy answers. As they move into election mode, IOG President Toby Fyfe had these words of caution for Trudeau and Scheer in the Globe and Mail.