The first session this morning was 'Improvement in a cold climate' by The Right Honourable Paul Martin former Canadian Prime Minister who was brilliant...

He argued that the most important question we all face isn't what should we cut but what we should be doing in this new world. He also argued that everyone needs to accept responsibility for this new future world where we focus on the core business and doing the hard things that make a difference.

Paul Martin managed the Canadian deficit which was consuming around a third of the Canadian GDP by developing scenarios and then adopting the worst case! He argued that for too long public authorities had hoped agianst hope and his approach was to do whatever it took to cut back to the basics and in the longer term protects the things that really matter.

We have a lot to learn from the Canadian experience.
Chris