Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Tolerance and Economics

The Tyee has this interview with Richard Florida, an author who has a surprising answer to the third pillar in a successful economy:
What I say in my work is that there's this third T -- apart from Technology and Talent -- called Tolerance. The reason this third T is an important part of economic growth and economic advantage is because it attracts talented creative people from all races, ethnicities, income ranges, -- whether they're white, black, Hispanic, Latino, Asia, Indian, women, men, single, married, or gay. So places that are the most tolerant, the most diverse, the most, in words of the new book, "proactively inclusive" have an addition economical advantage...

It's really been our emphasis on being open -- providing economic opportunity, for sure, but being open to people, culturally and politically. My message is that this is really the core axis of economic competition. And my fear is -- I'll just be quite candid --that there's absolutely no awareness of this in Washington D.C. It's so terrifying.

This is a great point, and one that all progressives should be quick to pick up on. C-38 isn't merely a matter of conscience, nor merely a matter of human rights, though it's important on both of those levels as well. More importantly, it (and other similar measures) helps to define whether Canada is able to attract all of the best talent available - rather than merely that talent which the Conservatives are comfortable fully including in Canadian society.

And of course, note the stark contrast between Canada and the U.S., which can't even bear to let gays serve a vital role in its supposed war for survival. Could this be both (a) one of the truly defining differences between the two countries, and (b) one of the main reasons why Canada's economy is generally doing well while the U.S.' has been in the toilet ever since Bush took power?

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