I’ve started to get a bit of heat for my opinions lately. Some of it from baby boomers. Some of it from family. Apparently, I sound crazy.
But here’s the thing: I’m not mad. I’m not emotional. I’m not being reckless.
I’ve just done the math—and I don’t like where it’s pointing.
So today, I want to lay out the framework for how I see the world and why I’ve decided to incorporate a company in the U.S., open an American bank account, start preparing an E-2 visa, and explore a digital nomad visa in Spain.
This isn’t about political parties. It’s not about Trudeau. It’s not even about Trump.
This is about math, generational patterns, and economic behavior.
And if you're willing to have an honest conversation, here are the three things you need to understand.
1. Public Sector vs. Private Sector
I’m a private sector entrepreneur. I create jobs, pay taxes, and take risk.
But in Canada, more and more people are opting out of that system and heading toward public sector jobs—roles funded by taxpayer money, not generated by actual revenue or economic value.
Let’s look at the data:
- In 2006, 83% of working Canadians were in the private sector.
- In 2023, that number dropped to 79%.
That 4% didn’t vanish—they became public employees.
Compare that to the U.S., where it went the opposite way. More people moved into the private sector from public sector jobs. In Spain? Roughly stable.
That matters. A private sector worker generates value. A public sector worker consumes it.
And Canada is shifting the weight toward the consumption side of the scale.
2. Productivity is Collapsing
Next, let’s talk productivity. In plain English, productivity means: How much are we getting done for every hour worked?
- In the U.S., productivity stayed stable—hovering around 1.3–1.5% growth from 2006 to 2023.
- In Spain, it slightly improved—moving toward 1%.
- In Canada? We dropped. From ~1% down to 0.47%.
That’s not a dip. That’s a collapse.
In a business, if productivity is down and payroll is shifting toward overhead, you’re in trouble. Canada’s macro picture is the same: fewer people creating value, more people drawing salaries from taxes, and the country’s output per worker declining.
If Canada were a business, you wouldn’t invest in it.
3. Cost of Living Is Up (But Only Canada Is Sinking)
Yes, costs are up everywhere. U.S., Spain, Canada—all trending upward. That’s not a surprise.
But in the U.S., the pain is softened by two things:
- More people are working in value-creating jobs.
- Productivity is holding steady.
In Spain, the system is stable. Their damage has already happened. They’re rebuilding.
But in Canada, we’ve got rising costs, falling productivity, and an exodus from value-creation to government work. That’s a trifecta of decline.
Why This Matters To Me (and Maybe You)
I’m 47. A husband, a father, and an entrepreneur. I don’t have time to ride this thing out.
- I don’t want to watch my kids struggle to buy homes that cost 9x their income.
- I don’t want to burn another decade building a business in a country that punishes success and rewards stagnation.
- I don’t want to be part of an economy that’s slowly bleeding out while pretending everything’s fine.
Boomers don’t get it because they didn’t have to. They rode a wave. They got houses at 2x income. They got pensions. They retired with dignity. Good for them. But they didn’t leave the next generation a ladder.
And now, when someone like me says, “Hey, I’m out,” they think I’ve lost my mind.
No. I’m just not willing to be the last one turning the lights off.
So, What Now?
I’m not delusional. America isn’t perfect. Spain isn’t perfect. But they’re both better positioned than Canada—either rising (U.S.) or recovering (Spain). Canada is the only one declining in all three areas: workforce balance, productivity, and affordability.
That’s the math.
That’s the mood.
That’s the model.
And that’s why, if you asked me today:
Do you stay or do you go?
Today is a go day.
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