Time For A Refresher Course

I have never been fond of the American aphorism, "My country, right or wrong." On the surface, it suggests a reflexive, unbending and blind loyalty to and pride in one's nation, no matter its shortcomings. This can lead to all sorts of excesses, as U.S. history so amply demonstrates. However, love of and pride in a person's country of birth is, or can be, quite a different thing.

I've been thinking about national pride in light of what Charlie Angus recently had to say. He reminds us of how that pride informed our past politicians, whether in government or opposition, in their relationship with the Americans. While that relationship has mostly been cordial, it has never been servile.

Now comes word of a new poll by Angus Reid that shows a steep decline in national pride.

In 1985, 78 per cent said they were “very proud” to be Canadian. This dropped to 52 per cent in 2016 and now by another 18 points to 34 per cent. The proportion who say they are either proud or very proud of their nationality has dropped precipitously from 79 per cent to 58 per cent over the past eight years.

The Star's Kevin Jiang offers some analysis: 

These numbers could indicate Canadians feel the country isn’t living up to their expectations, Ramos said, especially in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You don’t have to look very far across the Toronto Star headlines to see that there are issues around stagnant wages, around affordability, around housing,” [political sociologist Howard] Ramos said. “This is a big part of what’s being observed in this trend.”

As well, there are key demographic differences. 

Older Canadians were significantly more likely to feel deeply attached to Canada, with 63 per cent of men and 66 per cent of women over 55 echoing that sentiment. In contrast, just 39 per cent of men and 26 per cent of women aged 18 to 34 answered the same.

Political party affiliation also plays a role.

Conservative voters were most likely to want to see the country split up or take up Donald Trump’s offer to become the 51st state; 11 per cent of Conservative supporters said they want to join the U.S. while eight per cent said they’d prefer to “see the country split up into two or more smaller countries.”

There can be little doubt that disaffection is widespread, for the above stated economic reasons, as well as things like wait times for medical service, etc. As well, I can't help but wonder about the effect of right-wing podcasters on Canadians' views, especially younger ones, of our country. 

Is there a way of reversing this trend? Obviously, politicians are in key positions to influence our national vies. The constant harping about the brokenness of Canada by opportunists like PP certainly contribute to the negative sentiments, a view echoed by Richard Nimijean, a Carleton University professor:

“National identity is not static,” Nimijean said. “If things are tough all over and if our leaders are talking about things being bad ... it’s not surprising we get these kinds of results.”

But Ramos believes these results may also indicate the country is in need of a clearer definition of what it means to be Canadian. He points to a 2015 interview with the New York Times, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there was “no core identity, no mainstream in Canada.”

“Maybe it’s time for us to begin to think about what is that identity,” Ramos said, “and what we should be proud of.”

And that, of course, is a topic fit for any number of blog posts, but perhaps it is time for a refresher course on our country and why it is so dear.

I shall end now by wearing my heart on my sleeve, something I am usually loathe to do. There is no other country on earth I would rather be a citizen of. It was this country into which I was born and have been nurtured, and it will have my undivided (but not uncritical) loyalty until my days are done.

 

UPDATED: Our National Pride Needs This

Here is a  reminder and a jolt from Charlie Angus, one that should be heard by all who would appease the mad king, Trump, at the expense of our national pride and nationhood:

UPDATE:

Here are a few more words of wisdom from Charlie Angus:

A Reflection On This Canada Day

While there are many who would tell us that Canada feels broken, it is only so to those who get their news from demagogues and their ilk. There is, however, much to be reflective and humble about, and this country does a pretty solid job of cultivating both. Not for us the jingoistic flag-waving of our southern neigbours.

Perhaps we can better appreciate our own capacities by contrasting our country with the United States, which has a virtuoso ability to endlessly tear itself apart. The recent Supreme Court decisions on affirmative action, discrimination against the LGBTQ community, and student debt relief all attest to that fact. And given that there is a very fertile environment within which their demagogues thrive, there is no relief in sight for that benighted nation. Hatred, intolerance and discrimination, paraded as patriotism, are cancers eating away at that country. Their refusal to confront their historic and current racism only ensures that the erosion continues.

By contrast, despite its many problems, Canada stands as a beacon of hope. Yes, we have an epidemic of homelessness, opiate abuse, ongoing environmental decline and governments too influenced (controlled?) by the corporate agenda. But we also have an open and generous heart collectively and individually, one that is reflected in our daily actions and government policy. We are a country that has not lost hope for something better, although that hope is often sorely tested. Our multiculturalism and our efforts at reconciliation speak to the better angels of our nature. 

In short, our faith in ourselves and others, our compassion for others, help to define us as a country. It is something we might be inclined to doubt if we listen to the outsized influence social media have conferred upon the unhinged and extreme, but if we read enough and are sufficiently self-aware, we can put those into the category and perspective they belong.

None of this should give us a sense of complacency, however; I do look at the future with trepidation and, at times, despair. That this Canada Day sees many of us staying indoors because of the 500 wildfires raging and polluting our air is cause for grave concern, and an alarming harbinger of worse to come. 

This Canada Day also sees us becoming more insular in our outlook. One has only to look at the outrage directed toward the government at Bill C-18, the implementation of which will see Google and Meta withholding Canadian news from their sites. Personally, as a newspaper reader, I am not alarmed by that threat - relying on those two giants for news is like living one's life in a dimly-lit closet. Choosing to read only a narrow range of news, something that newspapers serve to prevent, means that we live our lives in boxes, and our awareness of the world around us decreases tremendously. I am not hopeful of any great renaissance of traditional media, but I do fear the expanding umbra of ignorance that "narrowcasting" promotes.

But to end as I began, we are still a young nation that has resisted the cynicism marring many older ones. Deep down, I think we feel that there is still much potential for the betterment of ourselves and others in the country we call home. Canada, and all it represents, is a country that lights a candle instead of cursing the enveloping darkness.

HAPPY CANADA DAY.