The Future isn’t a Fixed Point—it’s a Range of Possibilities.
- Mike D'bramo
- 12 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Written by Mike D'Abramo, Managing Director, Sklar Wilton & Associates
A More Complete View of Canada’s Future
The recent Future Lives 2040 report from the federal government has drawn a lot of media attention—and not surprisingly, most of it has focused on how bleak the future appears. But we believe the issue isn’t just about what the report says, but how it approaches the future. When planning for the years ahead, one thing is clear: a single scenario—especially a worst-case one—misses the full story of what could be.
Our experience tells us the future is rarely linear. Innovation doesn’t always come from optimism, and disruption isn’t always negative. Sometimes it’s the most unexpected moments—good or bad—that create the greatest shifts. That’s why our Futureproofing process looks at what’s ahead from all angles, not just the extremes.
But we don’t stop there. Once we’ve identified potential futures, we evaluate them through two critical lenses: impact and likelihood. Because while anything can happen, not everything will. This allows us to sort and prioritize in a way that makes strategic action possible:
Pivot: High-impact, high-likelihood trends worth acting on now
Pilot: Promising areas to test and explore further
Ponder: Signals worth watching as they evolve
Pass: Low-likelihood, low-impact ideas we can set aside for now
This is where Futureproofing really starts to come alive. The most important question we ask our clients is: “What is the future you want to create?”
We believe every organization—and every country—has agency. No business is simply a bystander to economic shifts, technological change, or policy decisions. If education is a concern, how can hiring practices or employee programs help shape a better future? If AI holds promise and risk, where should we invest today to push toward more positive outcomes? If Canada aims to strengthen its manufacturing sector, what specific policies and business actions will move us from intention to impact?
So, our response to Future Lives 2040 isn’t to criticize—it’s to build on it. Consider it a starting point. A solid Part One. But what’s missing is Part Two: the alternative scenarios, the balanced probabilities, and most importantly, the actionable “so what.”
Because in our view, foresight isn’t just about what might happen. It’s about how we prepare for it—and what we do to help shape it.
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