I like scenery as much as anyone. But I don’t think about the landscape when I think about being Canadian on Canada Day.
I think about the people and their attitudes, often called the collective soul of Canadians — polite, courteous, civil and restrained. It’s what makes Canada the peaceful country it is and a beacon of hope for emigrants around the world.
But often, I find my fellow citizens too complacent, too trusting of authority, too willing to believe that every problem has a legislated solution.
Why do so many people sign long-term contracts for car leases or phone plans without reading the fine print or asking about the consequences if they have to cancel early?
Why do they trust the promises of door-to-door sellers pushing fixed-price energy deals or telemarketers offering lower credit card interest rates?
Why don’t they shop for financial advisers as carefully as they shop for plumbers, gardeners and roofers?
Why do they start and end their quest for financial products at their bank branch?
I’m exasperated to see people let go of their common sense when confronted by persuasive sales pitches or seductive marketing campaigns. And I’m trying to figure out why it happens.
Perhaps it’s the sense of entitlement you get in a country with strong social supports, leading you to assume there are strong laws to enshrine consumer and investor rights.
If only it were so.
Canada’s division of power between provincial and federal governments has resulted in fragmented legislation and enforcement.
Too often, government regulators hand over power to self-regulatory bodies funded by the industries they’re supposed to police.
Canada’s politicians pay little attention to consumer and investor issues until they erupt into protest marches, front-page news stories and questions they can’t duck in Parliament or provincial legislatures.
Years can go by without a controversy that forces legislators to act.
Remember the furor about Rogers making customers pay for bundled cable TV channels unless they said they didn’t want them? The story comes up a lot when you talk about consumer activism.
But it happened 15 years ago. And there’s still no law against negative-option billing by federally-regulated telcos and banks.
I want Canadians to stop assuming that large corporations and salespeople have their best interests at heart. I want them to put more emphasis on self-protection and less reliance on government to come to their aid.
That’s my Canada Day wish.
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