The Kiwi Conspiracy

It's common knowledge that Canada controls the US through manipulation of its cultural elites.

But how many know that New Zealand really controls Canada?

First, remember that New Zealand's reforms of the 80s helped provide the policy impetus for the excellent Liberal reforms of the 1990s that brought fiscal sanity under Paul Martin (finance minister) and paved the way for Canada to pass the United States in economic freedom despite the less-than-stellar Paul Martin (Prime Minister) and Stephen Harper regimes.

Next, recognize that Canada's Frontier Centre for Public Policy, run by Peter Holle, pulls a lot of policy strings* behind the scenes. Peter has a house up on New Zealand's North Island. And, he regularly employs Kiwis. When David Seymour left his position as policy analyst for Frontier to run for ACT, the Kiwi Conspiracy was a man short. And so they drafted the excellent Peter McCaffrey.

Best of luck in the Great White North! Rather a shame that New Zealand hasn't a think tank environment that can help keep folks like Peter around, but we can celebrate Canada's gain.

* Ok, I might be overstating things somewhat.