Where To from Here: A Path to Canadian Prosperity

by Bill Morneau, John Lawrence Reynolds (Primary Contributor)

National Bestseller Bill Morneau’s experience as Canada’s finance minister crystalized his vision for the country’s potential for growth and prosperity. Where To from Here looks backward with coolness and candor and forward with a fresh vision of all that Canada can ― and must ― become. Much of the world reacted with surprise and admiration to the results of the 2015 Canadian federal election and the makeup of the government it produced. Led by a young charismatic leader with a storied family legacy on Parliament Hill, the Liberal government scored a historic victory, rising from third-party status to substantial majority. With a gender-equal cabinet and an ambitious agenda, it heralded a new approach to the country’s federal politics. After an exciting and productive five years spent focused on domestic and global issues, Finance Minister Bill Morneau decided to take his leave from the same government. What prompted him to abandon one of the most powerful political offices in the country? How much of his decision was based on the often brutal give-and-take of politics? When did the penny drop, persuading one of Trudeau’s brightest lights to shift his talents and energies elsewhere? In his own persuasive voice, Bill Morneau paints a positive picture, tracing his widely lauded entry into the political arena, the arc of his career in politics, major accomplishments and missed opportunities, his surprising exit, and a host of revealing episodes between the events. Told with measures of both pride and regret, he explores personalities, achievements, and failures with candor. Morneau’s experience crystalized his vision for Canada and its potential for growth and prosperity. He shares a vision clearly and provocatively expressed, drafting a blueprint for the country’s future. Where To from Here looks backward with coolness and candor and forward with a fresh vision of all that Canada can ― and must ― become.

Genres: Politics, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Canada, Economics

328 pages, Hardcover

Published January 17, 2023

About the author

William Francis "Bill" Morneau PC MP (born October 7, 1962) is a Canadian politician and businessman who was elected in the 2015 Canadian federal election as the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre.

Morneau was executive chair of Canada's largest human resources firm, Morneau Shepell, and the former chair of the C. D. Howe Institute. He has also served as the chair of the board at St. Michael's Hospital, and Covenant House. Morneau studied at the University of Western Ontario, INSEAD, and the London School of Economics (LSE). Since November 4, 2015, he has been Canada's Minister of Finance.

(sourced from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes—normalize cabinet ministers spilling the tea when their PM drops the ball. Inner party critique is key, no matter what colour your lawn signs are. 

Largest government spending over a short period since WWII? Check. In fact—big, fat, over-the-top cheques, according to former finance minister Bill Morneau.

The pandemic response was the beginning of the end for the Morneau-Trudeau love story. Morneau recounts anecdotes of his finance team working themselves to the bone, through the night, calculating with inexhaustible precision the exact monetary figures that should make up the Liberal government's COVID response packages. Only, hilariously, to watch panic-stricken 12 hours later as the prime minister announces on live TV numbers far north of their agreed-upon worst-case scenario. In the aftermath, Trudeau apparently justified his changes because "the numbers sounded good." Ah yes, the sound reasoning we all hope our PM employs when spending billions of taxpayer dollars. Morneau describes this as "the worst moment of my political career." But I mean, he did run for a 2nd term with the same administration—so, jokes on him?

It was fun to chuckle as Morneau compared his finance team to "spectators of a drama" rather than experts who could have even the slightest impact on the party's political agenda. Fun in a tragic what-is-happening-to-the-country kind of way.

Anyways, a lot of the book is political fluff, which I won't bore you with. However, I appreciated the insight into what is happening behind the scenes of our ruling party.

[John Dolson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obviously a fairly unexciting subject. The trick is to speed read and try to come away with 4 or 5 specific points. What stands at the top of the list is his view about Justin. Just a thought. If we halved the number of MP's and doubled their salaries would we get a better government?

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sharp book. Surprisingly not woe-is-me at all, although sometimes repetitive/leaning on past talking points.

Basically: Morneau mixes reflections — behind-the-curtain moments with Trudeau/ cabinet members, campaign trail anecdotes, and a bewildering amount of praise for Crooked Gerry Butts — with well-researched suggestions for future governments, spanning productivity growth, tax law, climate change, and federal-provincial relations. I really liked the bits on productivity.

He also routinely disparages Trudeau's management style, comms-focused politics, and inability to build relationships. And, man, there was tons of beef between him and Trudeau during COVID. Loved hearing about that.

Occasionally, Morneau fills space by repeating phrases seemingly from a 2019 Liberal Party re-election pamphlet, but most of the time he stays on track.

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

He says nice things about public servants, so of course I’m gonna give it five stars!

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Now

I found this a very interesting book on Canadian politics - something very close to my eye these days.

The author was very open and candid with a lot of interesting bits of information during his tenure in the government.

I felt that this was about as interesting of a book as "Indian" in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power - in fact, they were both fairly similar and overlapped in certain aspects, which I thought was really interesting and gave a lot of depth.

I really like how this book touched on things like the situations in China as well as how COVID was handled and I found it a really interesting account for Canadian politics.

I found this book mostly in the format of a memoir and I felt that it was really interesting and would recommend it if you're interested to learn more especially from an economics and finance side of things.

One of the big points in this book was the Canada Pension Plan and how that came about and how its progress was made. I found this really interesting and a key part of the book.

Also really like the end of the book where he laid out a bunch of major improvements he wants to see including energy futures and fossil fuels (decarbonization), to name a few.

Check it out!

4.4/5

[Alex Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the book John Turner would have written in 1975 after leaving Pierre Trudeau's cabinet.

There are generally two types of Canadian political memoirs: the self-serving "I did nothing wrong" version that typically gets released long after a politician has retired into private life, and the "apologetic, but wanting something" version that is a bit more realistic, but is usually written to have some sort of higher purpose or long-term goal.

Former federal finance minister Bill Morneau's book falls into that latter camp. It's honest about a number of the Trudeau government's failings and seeks to direct readers to bigger solutions intended to address systemic problems within Canada, though not without its own problems.

Morneau is far from the only Canadian politician that's tried this line of thinking. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh mined the depths of his experiences with abuse at the hands of a teacher, which formed the basis of his pseudo-biography "Love and Courage" (released in the run-up to an election!). Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper wrote a hockey biography, "A Great Game", while still sitting in office, leading to concerns that he'd checked out of the job completely. One-time Ontario PC leader PAtrick Brown wrote a scathing rebuke of ex-colleagues on his way out the door after he was accused of sexual assault by two women (who later retracted their stories). The road out of Canadian politics is littered with a graveyard of failed political tell-alls, ostensibly done to get their pound of flesh before the public forgets about them.

I attended the launch event for Morneau's book at Toronto Metropolitan University in Jan. 2023, and found the book to be just like the man -- upfront, honest about a number of his failings, but still being diplomatic in the way he handled certain topics. Much of the blame for how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled in Canada is put at the feet of Trudeau's team, including replacements for the disgraced/ousted Gerald Butts, and employees from the Office of the Prime Minister that seemed to be stymying attempts to get direct access to the PM, in favor of pushing nonsensical policies that cast too broad a brush and led the government to drive themselves off a fiscal cliff.

There are a few eye-opening moments, such as a planned COVID recovery benefit plan (which, according to Morneau, was far more level-headed and fiscally restrained) being tossed at the last minute by the PMO, who opted to give Canadians $2,000 a month because it "sounded better". A few sharp comments are also made towards staffers who impeded Morneau's ability to manage Canada's finances (though not by name).

The book falls off a cliff a bit by the third and final part, which is a sort of boilerplate "plan" for how Canada can restore its finances and move past the pandemic. You might get the sense that he wrote this for a very specific reason, as if it was a prelude to a run for Governor of the National Bank of Canada or a similar finance-related job. (For what it's worth, ghostwriter John Lawrence Reynolds does a great job organizing and collating the material -- it's exceptionally easy to pick up and read.)

It's an interesting book nonetheless, and illuminates a lot of thinking behind the government's position on various factors during the pandemic, but I don't see it being a long-term hold in anyone's library. It feels like this was more of a "mercenary" memoir, as if it's a stop on a larger campaign to get Morneau back in the fold in politics in some way.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book, but there were some parts that were certainly stale, including a whole chapter on how to revamp the Canadian Tax System (yawn.)

However, Morneau is an impressive individual, and was clearly a great fit for this job. He breaks up his career in politics in 3 areas. Originally winning the 2015 election, and the transition afterwards. The shift for the 2019 election, where he started sending things were going awry. Then, COVID and how this was handled. He mentions his beef with PM Trudeau and Trudeau’s office in almost every chapter. To be honest, at first I read these sections as “complain-y”, but as I got to the second half of the book I found it made more sense. For example, when talking about CERB benefits doled out during the pandemic, Morneau and his team recommended specific payments based on data analysis that they had done, and then Trudeau announced it would be $2,000 per month because it “sounded good.” This number was higher than what Morneau and his team recommended. I can imagine how infuriating this was for Morneau.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Canadian politics or interested in the people who hold some of the highest political offices in Canada. Reading his book made me feel confident in the types of people leading Canada.

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books is well worth reading, and it is dull. Yes, both of those things can be true. These days there is much more heat than light in politics, so an appeal to reason is refreshing. And a bit dull. I think I like "dull".
Trudeau has suffered without Morneau. My own opinion, is that the first Liberal term went well. And that opinion is underlined with Morneau going through the accomplishments and challenges of that first term.
At the present time, early 2024, the wheels have fallen off the Liberal enterprise. The big question is whether Morneau will step into the Liberal leadership. This has become somewhat of a tradition for Liberal finance ministers, with Turner following Trudeau, and Martin after Chretien.
Of the priorities that Morneau underlines in the book, the following most resonated with me: 1) the growing power of the PMO and decline of the Privy Council/ cabinet, 2) declining productivity, which is not the extreme crisis some would have us think, but must be addressed, 3) global warming/ climate change and the need for a carbon tax.
The book does read like a long campaign speech, possibly an unwitting one. I do not know what Morneau will do next, but for the good of the country, I hope he does something. (I would have been fine with O'Toole, but not Poilievre ... again, too much passion, note enough on the rational side.)

[Rennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A revelation of how money currently gets spent with very little input from anyone and primarily based on how Mr. Trudeau thinks it will sound in a news release. When reasonable and effective COVID spending programs and spending limits developed by a well-qualified finance minister and his team agreed to one day, could be kicked aside the next morning when higher spending than was necessary and higher than Canadians could afford was announced instead purely based on optics it explains why our debt is where it is.

There is a section on productivity which, with our GDP per capita falling, we should think seriously about improving that includes a country-wide non-partisan productivity commission along the lines of what Australia has established to achieve a long term strategic plan with fixed targets. It might, for example, create a "common market" in Canada between the provinces to try and smooth out interprovincial speed bumps that are getting in the way

The book also include some good ideas about changes to increase health care spending while demanding that provinces make measurable progress on health care reform.

All in all a very good analysis of why we are where we are on many files and some possible steps that might improve things if only there were more responsible people in charge.

[David Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really refreshing, with some very sound analysis. There is no doubt Bill Morneau has done many wonderful things in his life, and he was definitely most qualified to be Canada's finance minister under Justin Trudeau. His assessment of his boss's strengths and weaknesses is very appropriate, seeing him as a very talented politician who attracted some very competent people to his cabinet, and then failing many times to take their advice instead of relying on his advisors in the PMO. In this book Morneau analyzes many problems Canada faces, and offers solutions to each. In the last chapters he offers a 'path to prosperity', starting with improving Canadian prosperity through increasing our productivity. In his examination of our situation Morneau often cites examples of what has been done in other countries, and how we can benefit from their experiences. In this volume a person won't find a lot of 'dirt' on the Trudeau government, but a sound assessment based on his own observations and previous experiences, especially in business with his father's firm and as his membership on different charity and hospital boards. While what he says will not interest or be accepted by everyone, he offers a lot of ideas that need to be considered and discussed.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's...fine. Morneau is refreshingly candid about the governance (or misgovernance) performed by the current administration, and confirms many of the suspicions I held about Trudeau's status as the poster boy who had no real business actually leading anyone. Those are the nuggets that make this book worth reading. His expositions on various aspects of the Canadian economy and policy are tedious at times, and slightly interesting at best, but they do still contribute to the conversation and thus have value.

Not a riveting read, but worth the delve for a closer look at the Trudeau regime, and will likely be a valuable resource for future historians and analysts.

As a separate note, it is somewhat pathetically transparent the political leanings of the publishing conglomerates in this country. When Harper was in power the shelves were full of books such as Harperland, and similar hypercritical texts. Trudeau is just as dictatorial, and even more corrosive to our democratic institutions, yet this is likely the least tame of the bland content levied at the man who has completely stripped cabinet of any authority. Harper centralized power in the cabinet, but Trudeau has taken that power and given it to a non-elected PMO.

[Rob Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was an interesting book by Mr Morneau. The overall tone of the book was open and honest, not what I expect in a political memoir from a polished elite! That refreshing honesty is what made me like the book. Morneau explained where he was coming from, how he felt, and how he tried to achieve his goals within government. I have always wondered how a finance minister goes about his business and this seems like a great introduction. Some of the writing felt raw, you could tell he was upset about being booted from government, and I appreciated that emotional honesty.

"Where to from Here" implies some forward looking advice and Morneau does not fall short on that front. His suggestion for a productivity panel, analogous to one in Australia, seems a good one. However, he offers no real solutions to Federal<>Provincial political problems that have been enshrined in our legal precedent/constitution.

I left feeling more impressed w Morenau for his candor but more depressed about the outlook for Canada.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was an interesting outsider view of the process of becoming a politician. That was the main value to me.

There are some good ideas in here, and one recurring theme is that "Justin Trudeau is not a good manager" with some decent examples of why that is the case, why it worked for awhile but no longer does, and what needs to be done differently now that it's not working for the party.

Where it fell short is that it felt quite padded and rehashed the same points multiple times over. There is also an element of "politics should not work this way" and, while I'm sure many of us agree, there's a lot of evidence to suggest that this is just the way it has to be in a democracy. Although - point taken - a better manager would make a significant difference toward getting things done.

There's reason to believe that Mr. Morneau has leadership aspirations - I can't really tell - but I wonder where he'd find the political support or the right candidates to get what he wants to do done in the current climate.

[Jorge Gomez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unclear who the intended audience of the book is. While some parts may make you cringe or think Mr. Morneau is tone-deaf or lacks self awareness, it is refreshingly honest. His interactions with his volunteers or with people he met campaigning were some of the few highlights and actual insights into the author.

More details or reflections on the following would have made this dry read more interesting: the scandals he dismissed that were the subject of several media reports and his interactions with Pierre Poilievre. It is very unclear what he would have done differently other than spend less with no detailed examples or how his policy prescriptions with no specifics differ from the general direction of the current government.

Someone who would like to have a look behind the scenes of how government works may find the book interesting but I would not re-read this book.🤷‍♂️

[Wayne Woodman · Rating 2 out of 5]

It might make a decent academic book on the necessity of management within elected governments but otherwise is stale reading. There tends to be a fair amount of repetition especially of the wins he felt he had within his term in office. However, there is a very strong undercurrent of his dissatisfaction with Trudeau's lack of management ability and his strong tendency to not develop relationships outside of his direct office, the PMO. He strongly makes the case for a lack of financial ability within the PMO where Finance decisions were routinely changed to provide more money for the masses amid better voter optics.
All in all, it is a story about Morneau the good guy and Trudeau the political opportunist.

[Ramanvir Grewal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A searing critique of Justin Trudeau's leadership and a desperate plea to our political leadership to urgently tackle Canada's lagging economic growth.

While applauding the Liberal leader's ability to win elections, he called him out for his utter inability to govern the country. He said, "There is an immense void, a wide and deep chasm, between the work involved in getting elected and the work needed to justify the triumph you achieved."

Bill explains his idea of politics, saying, "Politics isn't, or shouldn't be, a sporting event [...]. It's not about winning; it's about doing."

He encapsulated his vision for putting the country back onto a high-growth path, saying we should increase capital investment to increase productivity growth.

[Rob Dekker · Rating 3 out of 5]

After watching the political shows and listening to interviews I knew what not to expect. There would be no scathing of the Prime Minister. The worst he could do was to be the big brother and admonish Justin for being all splash and little substance. I also expected he would skim over the episodes in in Parliamentary misteps, so I wasn't disappointed in that area either.

So reading "Where to from Here" for me was a look into how Trudeau runs a government and how some things could have gone if Morneau would have influenced PMO greater.

It was an interesting look at a Justin Trudeau PMO and how he worked with his Ministers.

I give it 3.5 stars.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Especially interesting for inside looks at Justin Trudeau’s management style (or lack thereof) and Gerry Butts’ importance to the Trudeau team. However, Morneau too easily swerves around various ethical challenges of the administration. I agree with his take on the financial priorities that our country’s government must have. I also agree it will not happen until inter-party bickering stops and federal/provincial dialogue starts. This book is good, and recommended reading, but is not a 5-star definitive read on the topics covered.

[Hardeep Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bill summarizes Trudeau’a shortcomings in the entire book in very subtle and implied ways. He leaves it up-to the reader to add 2 and 2 together for why we are such a financial mess as a country. A lot of what he alludes to in terms of “lacking” in Trudeau mostly pertains to lack of central leadership, financial acumen and an inability/aversion to building relationships within his own team. The last one surprised me the most, since JT comes off as a very charming personable individual on TV. Smoke and mirrors?

[Tony Tierney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess if you don’t read the newspaper, this book might be enlightening. For someone who keeps saying he’s a businessman and not a politician, he sure is partisan. He qualifies Harper as far right, but doesn’t ever explain why he is “far” right; partisan.
Is far right the desire to balance a budget? Martin and Chrétien balanced the budget, but in that case, it was justified to him.
I’ve voted for Harper and Trudeau, so I’m not really partisan.
I thought this was more of a resume for leadership of the liberal party. Hard to take the hypocrisy.

[John Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the earlier chapters of this book slow going, with a little more than I’d have liked of the author’s past achievements. Apart from that, it was well worth the read and picked up speed as it progressed. Moreau is diplomatic about his disappointment/disillusionment with Justin Trudeau. But the best part of the book comes in the final chapters, where Moreau shares his vision for Canada, which I found both solid and exciting. (I was left wondering whether he was looking for a return to the cabinet in a more exalted position! If so, he might just have my vote.)

[Sue Collings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prior to reading this book I read Jody Wilson-Raybould’s book “Indian in the Cabinet”. Both provided great insight into the current Liberal government & how Justin Trudeau runs it. Shocking revelations that the PM refuses to meet privately with any cabinet ministers to his complete disregard to his Finance Ministers budget recommendations in response to COVID - making up his own numbers to pay out on. More proof that Trudeau really doesn’t understand the economics of government spending

[Jason Deveau · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent account of the challenges our elected officials face between political expediency and fiscal responsibility, along with proposed solutions to begin addressing the growth challenges faced by our country. The book also confirms that there is very little room left within the Liberal Party (or any other party) for people who seek to be practical and pragmatic, socially progressive and fiscally conservative.

Disclosure: The author campaigned with me during the 2019 federal election.

[Margaret McMaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bill Morneau's narration in the audiobook format was so compelling that I followed it up with a reading of the hardcover so that I could better unpack the wealth of information and insight that he presents. Ideas, concepts, observations, history. The machinations involved in getting important legislation passed. The interpersonal relationships that help and hinder. And, wow, the surprises! This is a worthy read on all counts. Highly recommend.

[Burt Schoeppe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terribly tedious technocratic trip. A mediocre summary of Morneau's mediocre tenure as minister of finance. Starts his discussions on any number of topics assuming the core of the issue is a basic fact, when it very much is up for debate. Symbolizes the lack of depth in the Justin Trudeau administration.

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a few points which are repeated in every chapter (or at least it felt that way) but I overall I found it interesting to hear Bill's thoughts on the issues the gov't faced during his time in office, and also some insight as to how things were working among the cabinet, PMO and PM behind the scenes.

[Cheenu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Expected a book on the economic challenges facing the Canadian economy and got instead what seems to be someone salty over being kicked out of the government and having a right old whine. Read about 70 pages before giving up.

[Tyler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Easily the dullest book I’ve ever read on politics. Many people would be curious what it’s like to be the Finance Minister of a G7 country, this book gives you only a passing glimpse but page upon page of breathless earnestness and policy ideas explained as though they had to fit on a cue card.

[Justin M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting political read. Some new takes on Canada’s democracy that I hadn’t been aware of before. Some tax takes that I don’t have the financial education to understand. However, not always the most compelling stories.

[Mark U · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bill Morneau comes across exactly how you think he would.