The Tragedy of Optimization

What does it cost to provide safe drinking water to three Indigenous communities that have lived without it for decades? According to an adversarial simulation of the RIPPLE causal graph: $40 million — or 0.0014% of Canada’s GDP. A rounding error in the national ledger. The difference between biological failure and sovereign stability.

This thread documents how changes to Access to Basic Utilities may affect other areas of Canadian civic life. Share your knowledge: What happens downstream when this topic changes? What industries, communities, services, or systems feel the impact? Guidelines: - Describe indirect or non-obvious connections - Explain the causal chain (A leads to B because...) - Real-world examples strengthen your contribution Comments are ranked by community votes. Well-supported causal relationships inform our simulation and planning tools.