Statement of Reality

Many of the greatest challenges facing humanity stem from the fact that our society is largely founded on false premises. Central to the theory on which our market economy is built, is the mistaken belief that economic growth is synonymous with the generation of wealth. Yet a growing economy implies an increase in the rate at which we consume wealth. Therefore, given the finite nature of Earths natural resources, we must accept that economic growth, taken by itself, is the exact opposite of an increase in wealth.

We, the undersigned, believe that the first step towards building a sustainable society depends on accepting as undeniable fact, the following principles of which we Canadians are currently, collectively, in near absolute denial:

1.) Consumption does not generate wealth; it consumes it. Science tells us the current rate of global consumption, led by western nations such as Canada, already exceeds Earths sustainable level. However, even if this scientific assessment were proven incorrect, it is still clear that a continual increase in consumption would require a planet of infinite size to sustain it.

2.) Anything that seeks to grow infinitely is a form of cancer. A state of continual economic growth is therefore, by definition, not sustainable. Any economic strategy that strives for continual growth is a pyramid scheme, destined for eventual collapse.

3.) Sensible accounting practice dictates:
If we choose to attach value to marketable commodities, we must likewise attach value those to things which are not necessarily bought and sold on the open market (such as biodiversity, or clean air), but without which marketable commodities could not exist. Proper accounting also requires us to factor the environmental impact of any given industrial process into its true cost. We must be especially diligent not to overlook those hidden costs which are either shifted elsewhere (usually to the developing world), or else deferred to future generations.

4.) This planet is a living organism, at least in the limited sense that its ability to sustain us is a direct function of its health and vitality. The current trend is for human activity to diminish Earths vitality. As the biosphere degrades, its ability to counteract human demands on the system likewise diminishes. The rate of deterioration is itself increasing, through a continual negative feedback cycle.

Any sane economic policy for Canada will seek as its prime objective not economic growth, but an immediate reversal of the current catastrophic trend.