The many advocates of dramatically reducing Canada's resource industries will eventually have to acknowledge that this would also dramatically reduce the tax base which funds Canada's many social programs and large public service. 

It would mean slashing the many subsidies and protections that separate Canada's uncompetitive manufacturing industry from Michigan's.  Like it or not, Canada's status as a developed nation is courtesy of our resource industries.  Should these be gutted, Canada's manufacturing industry shows no indication of being able to pick up the slack. 

It is difficult to image (for example) Ontario's manufacturing industry succeeding in unprotected competition against China, Taiwan or South Korea considering the massive hydro costs, high wages, low innovation and poor productivity.