I am skeptical of campaign promises, especially from the incoming U.S. president, as I am skeptical of many of the past and present business promises from Elon Musk. But in an ecumenical spirit, I want to wish Musk and company luck and wisdom if they intend to follow through on their promise to reduce waste and inefficiency in government.

I would suggest one of the first places to turn is the management of science and engineering in the U.S., something that is ultimately central to both maintaining the pre-eminent economic position of the country and addressing the numerous challenges facing the world in the 21st century. If they act as I believe they should, they can provide an important leadership example that should be followed in Canada as well.