Member-only story
O Canada: A Country Divided
On a fractured country and how we got here
Canada is often overlooked in the international community. Canadians are caricaturized as being neutral, harmless, and even a little dull — a polite, sensible, open-minded people.
Compared to other countries, this seems like a favourable public perception to have — and one that even Canadians boast about.
But the problem we now face is these tropes have long been baked into the mindset of outsiders who sincerely perceive Canada to be a land of opportunity and freedom, coupled with a sense of humanity unmatched in other countries. Canada consistently ranks at the top of ‘Best Country’ lists, including in 2021, when it scored the number one spot for best country, topping the Quality of Life and Social Purpose categories, and reaffirming the notion that Canada is a beacon of stability, safety, openness, and inclusivity. While these ‘Best Of’ lists are click bait and are not to be taken seriously, they still contribute to this image of a Canada that really only exists in our minds.
A more accurate portrayal of Canadians is that we are polite, not friendly; we are passive aggressive, righteous, and silently judgemental. Most important of all: we see ourselves as a moral superpower, especially in comparison to our neighbours to the south. Our deep-seated…
