Yes, it is worth fighting for. I would never sell out to America, especially now, when their democracy is at risk. I always lived in a democracy, the UK and Canada, I cannot imagine living any other way. I don't want their guns, I don't want their health care, I don't want their lack of respect for minority rights.
I agree those hard won rights are probably safe in Canada, but not as sure as you are. We MUST protect them, they are what makes us great
Couldn’t have said it better myself. It frustrates me that the left seems so inclined to capitulate on patriotism to right wingers. When those convoy idiots were going around flying Canadian flags with all their dumb slogans so many people I knew were talking about how it made them not want to have their own flags. To that I say: fuck that, fly your flag louder and prouder, preach what it truly stands for, justice, equality and freedom!
Y’know one of the things I really love about this country is that most of us aren’t just Canadian because our ancestors are Canadian. Most people in this country are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants. We’re Canadian because at some point our ancestors saw the nation they were building over here, saw what it stood for, and said I want to be a part of that. I like to think we’re still building a great nation today, while we have some missteps (we really gotta cut it out with all the NIMBY shit haha), being a part of this construction is what makes me proud to be Canadian today.
Maybe the challenge for the left is that Canada really is a national of immigrants, but before that it was a colonial project, and before it was that it was the ancestral lands of many indigenous nations. To love Canada is to love a nation of immigrants, but at the same time that nation is built on the corpses of dead aboriginal people and so it must be evil. Tbh I’m not sure what to make of this myself, I mean I’m all in favour of reparations for aboriginals and I do think genocide is fucked up, but I think it’s unwise to think in black and white terms. Canada can be a beautiful country worth fighting for and also have skeletons in its closet.
I feel like this got a bit rambly but hey I got a lot of love for this country.
A beautiful love letter! Most Canadians simply haven't experienced all of Canada as it's a huge geography. But it is absolutely a country of many different immigrants and aboriginals. Canada's northern territories are amazing both the geography and people. Throughout our provinces are neighbourhoods of Aboriginals, Francophone, German, Chec, Ukrainians, Swedish, Danish, Brits, folks from India, Africa, Carribian etc, etc and they/we are all Canadian. We are entering interesting times as Canada is being challenged as never before, as democracy is also being challenged. Perhaps looking inward, working together and reclaiming our country and economy from foreign monopolies and land owners - prioritizing interprovincial trade, turning our natural resources into goods & services rather than selling south - sell east, west, north. The economy is global, so let's focus trade more globally. Celebrate our differences as monocultures tend to die-off.
Like a growing child entering teenage years, we're experiencing a growth spirt where perhaps the old cloths don't fit any longer and we need bigger shoes etc. We don't throw a toddler temper tantrum and declare 'everything is broken' and pine for our younger years - we embrace our future as educated adults with innovation and enthusiasm. Don't let the 'Donald' piss us off.
We came to Canada as immigrants in 1951, and since we were French speaking, we naturally settled in Montreal. But the French Canadians firmly rejected us and showed open hostility. So we integrated into the English side, and I became, in effect, an Anglo Quebecer. Those were years -- decades -- of inter group hostilities and troubles, culminating in the FLQ crisis of 1970 and the subsequent rise of French Quebec nationalism. The end result was the purging of Anglo Quebecers, including me.
It was a mild form of ethnic cleansing, but it hurt psychologically. I don't go back to Montreal any more.
I acknowledge that there were two centuries of discrimination by the English against the French, and that a riposte was justified. But we allophones got caught in the crossfire. Too bad.
So I don't have the same mental image of Canada as you seem to. Yes, it is a good place to live. It was better before a certain government set out to win elections by using "wedge issues" to divide us. But it is still worth preserving.
“This imperfect country, sure, but this country that has given all of us so much. Canada is worth fighting for, and worth loving, and worth protecting. And I will believe that until I draw my final breath.”
Andrew Coyne says “Our task is to find ways to strengthen our connections to one another. If we had an electoral system that sent members of all parties to Parliament from all parts of the country, this would help to build a more robust and enduring sense of nationhood.” (The point is not to be different from the States. It’s to be better than them. Globe and Mail, Jan. 18)
Last Oct. 7 Trudeau said of his 2015 promise “some very strong voices in my caucus were very clear they wanted to at least make an argument for proportional representation,” so he “left the door open” to that. Time to assert it again.
Prop Rep just a recipe for a repeat of the past four years. Minority voices driving the agenda. Time to clearly go back to the day where the silent majority is in charge and the activists and zealots are voices in the wilderness.
One need travel for only a brief time to see more clearly that Canada is truly an exceptional country: unsurpassed freedom, social mobility, economic opportunities, abundant natural resources, excellent public services, education, and health care, multicultural diversity, and of course, the most pristine wilderness from coast to coast to coast.
Let's channel this pride and confidence to raise our political discourse to a more mature and constructive level.
I wished it was true but it seems like Canadian civility has been going downhill since the Bush and Harper era. I noticed people are less polite and less friendly since I moved back to Canada recently, especially the locals who keep mistaking me for a foreigner or newcomer. A few think I am bringing no value other than being a cheap working professional or that I am here to jack up their real estate prices.
It's going to take much longer for the saner level of civility or return as locals and politicians keep responding with social media one-liners and overreact to everything.
A statistic that I am very proud of relates to Canadians helping others. When it comes to donating to address needs in the community Canadians give their time and Americans give their money. I'm not judging, it's just that we are far more likely to give of ourselves that to write cheques. (Note the spelling 😁)
Why is the number of those supporting union with the US so high? Possibly religious folk who like the Christian nationalism of the US. But also possibly because of the high proportion of our population who were born abroad. While most immigrants are committed to their life in Canada it is not hard to think that many would not see much difference between here and the US.
Yes, it is worth fighting for. I would never sell out to America, especially now, when their democracy is at risk. I always lived in a democracy, the UK and Canada, I cannot imagine living any other way. I don't want their guns, I don't want their health care, I don't want their lack of respect for minority rights.
I agree those hard won rights are probably safe in Canada, but not as sure as you are. We MUST protect them, they are what makes us great
Couldn’t have said it better myself. It frustrates me that the left seems so inclined to capitulate on patriotism to right wingers. When those convoy idiots were going around flying Canadian flags with all their dumb slogans so many people I knew were talking about how it made them not want to have their own flags. To that I say: fuck that, fly your flag louder and prouder, preach what it truly stands for, justice, equality and freedom!
Y’know one of the things I really love about this country is that most of us aren’t just Canadian because our ancestors are Canadian. Most people in this country are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants. We’re Canadian because at some point our ancestors saw the nation they were building over here, saw what it stood for, and said I want to be a part of that. I like to think we’re still building a great nation today, while we have some missteps (we really gotta cut it out with all the NIMBY shit haha), being a part of this construction is what makes me proud to be Canadian today.
Maybe the challenge for the left is that Canada really is a national of immigrants, but before that it was a colonial project, and before it was that it was the ancestral lands of many indigenous nations. To love Canada is to love a nation of immigrants, but at the same time that nation is built on the corpses of dead aboriginal people and so it must be evil. Tbh I’m not sure what to make of this myself, I mean I’m all in favour of reparations for aboriginals and I do think genocide is fucked up, but I think it’s unwise to think in black and white terms. Canada can be a beautiful country worth fighting for and also have skeletons in its closet.
I feel like this got a bit rambly but hey I got a lot of love for this country.
A beautiful love letter! Most Canadians simply haven't experienced all of Canada as it's a huge geography. But it is absolutely a country of many different immigrants and aboriginals. Canada's northern territories are amazing both the geography and people. Throughout our provinces are neighbourhoods of Aboriginals, Francophone, German, Chec, Ukrainians, Swedish, Danish, Brits, folks from India, Africa, Carribian etc, etc and they/we are all Canadian. We are entering interesting times as Canada is being challenged as never before, as democracy is also being challenged. Perhaps looking inward, working together and reclaiming our country and economy from foreign monopolies and land owners - prioritizing interprovincial trade, turning our natural resources into goods & services rather than selling south - sell east, west, north. The economy is global, so let's focus trade more globally. Celebrate our differences as monocultures tend to die-off.
Like a growing child entering teenage years, we're experiencing a growth spirt where perhaps the old cloths don't fit any longer and we need bigger shoes etc. We don't throw a toddler temper tantrum and declare 'everything is broken' and pine for our younger years - we embrace our future as educated adults with innovation and enthusiasm. Don't let the 'Donald' piss us off.
We came to Canada as immigrants in 1951, and since we were French speaking, we naturally settled in Montreal. But the French Canadians firmly rejected us and showed open hostility. So we integrated into the English side, and I became, in effect, an Anglo Quebecer. Those were years -- decades -- of inter group hostilities and troubles, culminating in the FLQ crisis of 1970 and the subsequent rise of French Quebec nationalism. The end result was the purging of Anglo Quebecers, including me.
It was a mild form of ethnic cleansing, but it hurt psychologically. I don't go back to Montreal any more.
I acknowledge that there were two centuries of discrimination by the English against the French, and that a riposte was justified. But we allophones got caught in the crossfire. Too bad.
So I don't have the same mental image of Canada as you seem to. Yes, it is a good place to live. It was better before a certain government set out to win elections by using "wedge issues" to divide us. But it is still worth preserving.
“This imperfect country, sure, but this country that has given all of us so much. Canada is worth fighting for, and worth loving, and worth protecting. And I will believe that until I draw my final breath.”
Me too.
Andrew Coyne says “Our task is to find ways to strengthen our connections to one another. If we had an electoral system that sent members of all parties to Parliament from all parts of the country, this would help to build a more robust and enduring sense of nationhood.” (The point is not to be different from the States. It’s to be better than them. Globe and Mail, Jan. 18)
Last Oct. 7 Trudeau said of his 2015 promise “some very strong voices in my caucus were very clear they wanted to at least make an argument for proportional representation,” so he “left the door open” to that. Time to assert it again.
Prop Rep just a recipe for a repeat of the past four years. Minority voices driving the agenda. Time to clearly go back to the day where the silent majority is in charge and the activists and zealots are voices in the wilderness.
One need travel for only a brief time to see more clearly that Canada is truly an exceptional country: unsurpassed freedom, social mobility, economic opportunities, abundant natural resources, excellent public services, education, and health care, multicultural diversity, and of course, the most pristine wilderness from coast to coast to coast.
Let's channel this pride and confidence to raise our political discourse to a more mature and constructive level.
My wife is American, from Northern California, we chose to live here. We will continue to, we believe in the Canadian dream.
I think what sets us apart is freedom to do, be, desire whatever but we do it peacefully.
It’s almost an assumption.
An assumption that has been challenged such as the Convoy fiasco.
And now our neighbour
Its going to be a challenge to to maintain this underlying expectation.
Freedom has always been a responsibility !
Well said........ and we all put a visible maple leaf on when travelling so as not to be mistaken for an American.....
I wished it was true but it seems like Canadian civility has been going downhill since the Bush and Harper era. I noticed people are less polite and less friendly since I moved back to Canada recently, especially the locals who keep mistaking me for a foreigner or newcomer. A few think I am bringing no value other than being a cheap working professional or that I am here to jack up their real estate prices.
It's going to take much longer for the saner level of civility or return as locals and politicians keep responding with social media one-liners and overreact to everything.
Very well said. Here endeth the lesson
A statistic that I am very proud of relates to Canadians helping others. When it comes to donating to address needs in the community Canadians give their time and Americans give their money. I'm not judging, it's just that we are far more likely to give of ourselves that to write cheques. (Note the spelling 😁)
Why is the number of those supporting union with the US so high? Possibly religious folk who like the Christian nationalism of the US. But also possibly because of the high proportion of our population who were born abroad. While most immigrants are committed to their life in Canada it is not hard to think that many would not see much difference between here and the US.
Good column. You converted me to a paid subscriber!
What if Donald J. Trump uses force to take #canada ?
https://youtu.be/t86Sliwyd8M?si=fIxtSAO3dS-lA7sq