Editor’s Letter: In praise of Canadian brainpower

Mark Carney’s thunderbolt of an address in Davos continues to reverberate in Canada and around the world, and for good reason. He soberly articulated a new world order, called for middle powers to locate their spines, advocated for collective might through common interest, and sprinkled it all with just the right number of Havel and Thucydides references. Experts dissected nearly every line, yet one area that received comparatively little attention was Carney’s ode to Canadian brainpower.

“We have the most educated population in the world,” he declared around the midpoint, pitching Canada as a safe, predictable, sensible place for global investment. He was right. Canada is an intellectual juggernaut. According to the 2021 census, we rank first in the G7 when it comes to the percentage of adults with a college or university credential, at 57.5 per cent. One in three Canadians holds a bachelor’s degree or higher. In IMD’s World Talent Ranking, an international assessment of countries’ abilities to develop, attract and retain a skilled workforce, Canada placed 11th, ahead of the US, the UK, China, Germany, France and Norway, among others. Last September, National Taiwan University’s annual global ranking named the University of Toronto one of the top five universities in the world for research impact. Among public universities in North America, it was number one.

Our cover feature, “Smart City,” tells the story of the fruits of Canada’s intellectual labour, and specifically those of its biggest city. We focused not on unicorn status, EBITDA or some other financial indicator; in fact, we ignored the profit motive altogether. Instead, we looked at homegrown inventions and innovations that are changing our city—and from there, the country and the world—for the better.

It’s a fascinating, uplifting read. In it, our writers tell us about a mini drill that can retrofit existing buildings with geothermal energy; tiny homes that are modular, affordable and astonishingly quick to build; groundbreaking cancer detection technology; a purification powder that harnesses the power of the sun to clean polluted water in minutes; a heart monitoring app that works through your existing devices; unbelievable tech that allows human lungs to survive outside the body for as long as 24 hours; a mood-shifting AI-based music app; opioid-free pain relief; autonomous long-haul trucks; plant-based fish that tastes like (wait for it) fish; reusable 3D-printed soil for indoor farming; wearable robotics for kids with physical disabilities; and many other exciting, world-changing ideas.

I have long believed that Canada’s reputation for humility derives not from some baked-in meekness but instead from the opposite, from a kind of quiet confidence. When Americans flex, they view it as bold and self-affirming, whereas Canadians see it as bluster masking self-doubt. After all, we are not a timid people: we are a nation of lumberjacks, hockey stars and innovators. Taking care of our fellow citizens is an act of strength, not weakness.

The reason I applauded Carney’s speech, and why I think it played so well at home, was not just that it stood up for moral leadership and called out America’s hypocrisy and weaponization of economic integration. It connected because it finally described Canadians as we view ourselves: strong, resilient, reliable, compassionate and—perhaps above all—smart. On the last point especially, we present the proof.

Malcolm Johnston is the editor of Toronto Life. He can be reached via email at editor@torontolife.com