At the height of the pandemic many Quebecers took to putting up signs that said “Ca va bien aller” or “It will all work out”. Although this was barely four years ago, many Canadians seem to have forgotten how bad things actually were then, or how everyone’s life – regardless of age or situation – was completely upended. But things did work out. The international community pulled together and so did Canada. In fact, Canada had one of the best records in the world for managing that crisis.
Fast forward to 2025 and the so-called “existential threat” faced by this country due to the mercurial whims of the deranged orange autocrat to the south. Of course the Trump threat must be taken seriously. And of course it will potentially have a very real and negative impact on some sectors of our economy, some Canadian workers, and some regions of the country more than others. But compared with a global pandemic, frankly, this is nowhere near as terrifying.
For one thing, the threat here is primarily economic. Yes, there could be spillover effects to other areas, but we can choose, as the prime minister is wont to say, how we respond. We can make sure we control those things within the purview of Canadian governments. We can mitigate against the worst financial impacts for individuals, companies and regions. Provincial and federal governments can work together if they choose, to turn a potential crisis into an opportunity.
And, as the pandemic experience has already made clear, there is no reason to suppose our political values and culture are at risk. During that earlier crisis the vast majority of Canadians willingly accepted the leadership of federal, provincial and municipal governments in imposing quarantines, mandatory vaccinations, social distancing and much more. Federal and provincial governments worked together to administer and deliver assistance to Canadians, both financial and medical. And the sense that “we are all in this together” that emerged during the pandemic has now translated into the “elbows up” and “buy Canadian” patriotic consensus of the current threat.
Meanwhile south of the border the American president, in his first term of office during the pandemic, oversaw a chaotic governmental response that resulted in a hugely disproportionate loss of life in the world’s richest democracy, while many states introduced contradictory and often bizarre regulations that made matters worse. It is hardly surprising, then, that in his second term Trump has somehow managed to upend much of the American political system – the constitution, the judiciary, and the legislature (Congress), as well as the media, the academy and even the private sector. Many Americans are obviously unhappy with this situation, as the growing number of demonstrations across the country have shown. But many more do not seem to mind his outrageous disregard for all of the fundamental institutions of liberal democracy, and his reversal of some of the key progressive federal policies of the past several decades, such as access to abortion, LGBTQ rights, affirmative action and Obamacare. Indeed, most commentators agree that American society is now more deeply divided than at any time since the Civil War, with the possible exception of the Vietnam War era.
Compare that with some prominent examples of Canadian political culture, a culture which has grown even further apart from that of the Americans for many years now. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is one of the most important symbols of Canadian identity. While American companies are actually withdrawing sponsorship of any LGBTQ events out of fear of reprisals from their government, Toronto just held a massive annual LGBTQ parade in which the mayor and many other politicians participated. In Canada, same sex marriage is now a given. Preston Manning (remember him?) was the last federal politician to even raise the issue of official bilingualism, and he quickly retreated looking silly. Not even the Poilievre Conservatives would dare to question a woman’s right to choose. Stephen Harper knew better than to challenge medicare if he wanted to win. Among the Trudeau Liberals’ most recent policies are the Child Welfare Benefit, national Child Care and Pharmacare programs, gender parity and indigenous reconciliation. Put another way, in almost every respect Canadians are now closer to their counterparts in western European democracies than they are to their nearest neighbours.
Underpinning all of these contrasts is the fundamental difference of opinion between the two cultures over the role of government. Americans have always mistrusted government, and hence drew up a constitution full of checks and balances. Canadians have always seen government as a potential force for good. Here, state intervention is often seen as desirable. There it is resisted and often reviled. Then there is our preference for conciliation and comprise as opposed to adversarial conflict. It is no accident that Canada was created through diplomatic negotiation with Britain, while the Americans had both a War of Revolution and a Civil War. Even now they have a highly developed gun culture, which has resulted in numerous successful and attempted assassinations of important political figures, up to and including Trump himself.
And who could forget the January 6th assault on the Capitol by disgruntled Trump supporters who, like him, refused to accept the results of the election which saw him defeated by Joe Biden? It is only in this extraordinary context that Canadian pundits felt obliged to note that the leaders of all other political parties immediately acknowledged defeat after the Liberals’ decisive April 28 election victory.
This is not to say that there are no problems here in Canada. But past experience and current behaviour suggests we will find solutions peacefully and through consensus-building and cooperation. Hopefully, the Canada that emerges from this economic trial by fire will be stronger and more united than ever.
