Opinion
As incoming President Donald Trump trolls Canada, touting an annexation of his neighbour to the north, Greenland, and the Panama Canal, Canadians find themselves running in circles, searching for an identity. The timing could not be better for Pierre Poilievre, the likely next prime minister, to inject a much-needed dose of Canadiana into our national consciousness.
This week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on CNN reminded us that being Canadian is that we are “not American.” While true, it’s not saying anything meaningful. We’re also not Japan, Sweden, or Mexico. This obsession with defining ourselves by what we’re not — particularly not American —has blurred the lines of what it means to be Canadian. It’s akin to Home Hardware marketing itself as “not Home Depot” or “not Lowe’s.” We are often more similar to what we claim we’re not than we care to admit.
Justin Trudeau’s tenure as prime minister has been a case study in post-national ambiguity. At one time, he was a global star, declaring, “Canada is back,” and championing the idea that “the world needs more Canada.” But what does that even mean? Do they? I’m not so sure.
Many Canadians, even those critical of Trudeau, have embraced his abstract vision of Canadian identity. An uncomfortable truth is that Trudeau’s view of “being Canadian” is exactly what the majority of 40 million people are or how they view themselves as a nation. Both Trudeau and Canada are good looking, but also uncomfortably hollow.
We are indifferent and unable to describe what we are. Yet, as we’ve travelled the world with the maple leaf on our backpacks and jars of maple syrup in tow as gifts, the global response has increasingly become one of polite indifference.
Canadians have an overinflated view of how the world perceives us. The belief that the world values us highly—for our politeness, our multiculturalism, our resources—is an echo chamber of our own making. The truth is, the global stage has moved on. The world doesn’t love us as much as we’d like to think, and our nostalgic self-congratulation has hindered our ability to confront reality. Increasingly, the world is indifferent to us.
Since one of the things we might still gather around is hockey, I will say that on the world stage Canada has become that washed-up, didn’t meet the expectations 1st round pick that would have been a serviceable 5th round NHLer on their third team in hindsight. The player still sees themselves for the accomplishments they had as a young prospect, winning World Junior hockey gold, a Memorial Cup and so many other personal accolades. At 28 years old and performing nowhere close to a first round pick, that player keeps telling themselves and anyone that will listen about their history. They ignore the current stats and everyone politely listens and laughs in the general managers office and fan message boards. This is Canada in a nutshell.
Take health care, for example. We’re so preoccupied with not wanting an “American-style” system that we can’t even have an honest conversation about fixing our own crumbling infrastructure. Our obsession with what we’re not has blinded us to the urgent need for progress and innovation. We have approached military spending in the same “not American” way that has allowed our military to be a shadow of itself and incapable of having an impact like it did in WW2.
This is where Pierre Poilievre’s moment emerges. Whether you agree with his politics or not, his no-nonsense, roll-up-your-sleeves approach offers a chance to redefine Canada’s trajectory. It’s time to get over ourselves and acknowledge the gap between how we perceive ourselves and how the world actually views us. Canada needs a dose of humility and a plan to make tangible progress.
Under Trudeau, Canada aspired to lead the fight against climate change and champion social justice. Yet, as other nations found balanced, pragmatic approaches to these issues, we lagged behind, clinging to ideological purity rather than results. Poilievre’s critics may balk at his style, but his focus on fiscal policy, trade, and industrial strategy is the kind of practical governance Canadians need.
The world’s economic pressures have pushed nations toward nationalism, a trend Canada can’t afford to ignore. We produce resources and goods with pride, but that pride must translate into strategic action. We need leaders who can turn rhetoric into results, giving Canadians something real to celebrate and earn global respect.
Recent remarks by Trump, envisioning Canada as part of a hypothetical North American superstate, underscore the global questioning of our identity. Are we a strong, independent nation with a clear vision, or are we adrift, ripe for acquisition? This existential question should be a wake-up call. The fact that I have people texting me asking, “could this happen?” shows how much we lack identity outside of our borders as well.
In the past decade, we’ve spent more time tearing down our history than learning from it. At one point, we even debated cancelling Canada Day. Instead of erasing the past, we should embrace our story—the triumphs and the mistakes—as the foundation for growth. Canada needs to stop defining itself by what it’s not and start articulating what it is.
Pierre Poilievre’s government, if it rises to the occasion, could deliver this much-needed reset. By prioritizing economic growth, trade, and pragmatic policies, Canada can regain its footing on the global stage. Canadians deserve a leader who inspires pride not just with words but with actions that produce real, measurable success.
It’s time for Canada to move beyond the nostalgic, romanticized view of our place in the world. We need a renewed focus on what makes us unique and valuable—not as a contrast to others but as a nation with its own identity and aspirations. The world doesn’t need a Canada that tries to be everything to everyone. It needs a Canada that knows itself and leads with confidence.
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