(Needed some catharsis so I typed this out.)
There was once a time where I was proud of my nation. I was once proud that great-grandfather on my mother’s side was a diplomat who served his country with distinction and that his son would later dedicate his life to service in the Royal Canadian Air Force in the Second World War and beyond. My father’s family were farmers who worked the land to provide for their families and community—all to build a better life for their descendants. I was taught how millions upon millions came to here with the same goal: to build a nation that was the envy of the world. I was taught how Canadian soldiers captured Vimy Ridge and stormed the beaches of Normandy, how this country punched above its weight on the world stage. No nation or people are perfect. We have committed heinous acts out of ignorance and prejudice, the residential schools and the internment of Japanese-Canadians to name two. However, I had once believed that it was possible to learn from the mistakes of the past to work towards a brighter future.
No more. I have seen the true face of the Canada-that-is and see a country driven by bitterness, entitlement, and histrionics worthy of only the most malignant narcissist for the last decade. It only took the heedless words of President Donald Trump to expose how utterly broken Canada and its people are.
Where was “Team Canada” when it was time to build pipelines and other critical infrastructure to diminish our reliance on the United States as a trading partner fifteen years ago? Oh wait, certain jurisdictions were mewling out their own self-interest while the federal government dragged its feet, creating regulatory uncertainty that chased away investment.
Where was that patriotic fervor when it came to reequipping our armed forces? Our current government forces our soldiers to pay for their own equipment and meals overseas while lavishing Ukraine with generous as a show of “humanitarianism”. I am certain that struggling veterans can take solace in that.
Where was “Elbows Up” when a CSIS informant publicly revealed foreign (specifically Chinese) interference in past elections? Our current government knew of it, but chose to do nothing. They dragged their feet on the issue and narrowed the scope of the inquiry so that they could avoid responsibility. Moreover, they have turned a blind eye to criminal syndicates laundering money under their noses.
This is a government so plagued with scandals that it would have collapsed any regime in any functioning democratic state. SNC-Lavalin? WE Charity? ArriveCAN? The SDTC slush fund? That is only the beginning. It is a government that has overseen an astronomical increase in spending and what is there to show for it? Collapsing government services, out of control immigration, cost-of-living, drug addiction, and general corruption at all—but especially federal—levels of government.
However, the fault ultimately lies at the feet of the Canadian people. If there is one characteristic that defines Canadians in 2025, it is that they will never do the right thing when it counts. They will put on a performance over the most trivial accomplishment so long as there is minimal risk involved, but never do anything that risks the their own personal comfort. They are perfectly content with letting the United States do the heavy lifting on continental defense (reducing us to little more than pampered protectorate) while flirting with the People’s Republic of China behind their backs.
Canadians voted for this government knowing of the Liberal Party’s corruption in both 2019 and 2021 with history poised to repeat itself in 2025. Mark Carney may not be Justin Trudeau, but he is a different shade of lipstick on the same pig. They will scream and curse Trump’s name because it is far more easier for them to assuage their bruised egos than is to address the underlying issues that threaten to tear this nation asunder. It is for that very reason that I believe that Canadians deserve to be mocked and scorned for their complacency and boundless stupidity. I have never seen a people so utterly unworthy of even basic respect. If they continue down this path, then they deserve to have their nation stripped away from them to become the fifty-first state.