Florida and Nevada’s NHL dominance shows something policymakers often ignore: taxes influence where top talent chooses to go. In a hard salary cap system, players in low-tax states like Florida keep significantly more of their income than players in places like Quebec — and that competitive advantage matters both on the ice and in the broader economy.

Public grocery stores won’t fix food inflation. The real problem is the system of tariffs, trade barriers, and costly regulations driving prices up across the supply chain. If we want lower grocery bills, we need to lower the costs built into the system.

Entrepreneurship in Canada is in clear decline, with fewer new businesses being created and a shrinking share of self-employed workers. As marginal tax rates exceed 50% in some provinces, and regulatory costs continue to rise, the incentives to take risks and grow a business are being eroded. If we want stronger growth, job creation, and higher living standards, we need a more competitive, pro-entrepreneurship environment.

Canadians aren’t rejecting universal healthcare, they’re questioning whether it actually delivers when they need it. The latest MEI-Ipsos poll shows people are frustrated with wait times, bureaucracy, and a system that isn’t responsive enough, and they’re increasingly open to solutions that improve access, including a greater role for independent providers. The message is clear: what matters most isn’t who delivers care, but whether patients can actually get treated.

In 2023, for every 100 nurses under 35 who joined the profession in Canada, 40 left—up from 36 a decade ago. In Manitoba, that number has soared to 58. Overwork, stress, and violence are driving them away. The solution isn’t more rules—it’s more flexibility.

Governments talk about equality but keep adding obstacles: high taxes, restrictive licensing, housing rules. To fix the elevator of opportunity, we need to lift these barriers instead of blocking the doors.

In Canada, your chances of getting ahead still depend too much on where you live. Alberta ranks first in social mobility, Quebec last. Artificial barriers hold some provinces back and slow down the whole country.

Canada’s social elevator is broken. Tax burdens, housing rules, and restrictive licensing add artificial barriers to natural disadvantages, holding back the progress of millions of Canadians. It’s time to restore real opportunities for all.

Social mobility is held back by two types of barriers: natural and artificial. While the former are hard to change, the latter—taxes, regulations, restrictive licensing—are in the hands of policymakers. Reducing them means giving everyone more opportunity.

Like Oscar, too many Canadians see their future held back by outdated rules and artificially high costs. Reducing regulatory and tax barriers means giving a real chance to those who want to work and move forward.