In 1954, a few months before my third birthday, my family immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands and settled in Nova Scotia . My parents loved their new country. My mother eagerly learned about Canadian history and culture. Although I was aware of my Dutch heritage, I always felt Canadian. After high school, I moved to Alberta.
Canada as a country has been tested in the past. Articles in the The Canadian Encyclopedia, Bloc Québécois and Québec Referendum (1995), tell the story. It was too close for comfort.
Ultimately, after an emotional and somewhat controversial campaign, the "No" side achieved victory by a narrow majority of 50.58 per cent.
Living in Calgary during that time, I had a bumper sticker on my car: My Canada includes Quebec. I could not bear the idea that Canada could break apart as a country. In spite of a lot of resentment in Alberta towards Quebec at that time, my car was never vandalized nor was I ever confronted in an unfriendly manner.
In 2012, Pat and I retired and moved to Mexico. Canada began to fade away from my mind. In 2015 I wanted to vote for Justin Trudeau but the rules for expats were annoying. I would have needed to lie to get a ballot, which is what some Canadians here did. In hindsight, I am pleased that I can say that I have never voted for Justin Trudeau, but I have never felt the anger so many Canadians have expressed.
As the years passed, my attitude evolved. I became less and less of a nationalist and I self-identified as a citizen of the world and later simply as an inhabitant of the earth. But in 2016 with the rise of Donald Trump and MAGA, and Brexit in the UK, I began realizing that globalism was in decline.
Now in 2025 with Trump 47, globalism is dead and Trump has attacked Canada with a trade war. I am almost shocked by how rapidly and deeply this has changed me. Once again I am a nationalist, a very proud Canadian. I am inspired by the Elbows Up Resistance movement in Canada. I am inspired by the leadership of Mark Carney as Canada becomes a leader in the world, an island of sanity. I am saddened by the re-emergence of separatism in Alberta. Apparently about 25% of Albertans would like to be independent or become the 51st state of the USA. But I am encouraged knowing that 90% of Canadians are united in opposition to joining the US.
I have reacquainted myself with some Canadian sources, and discovered some new ones.
Five inspiring videos
Tim Thompson
Dear Canada, I felt compelled to make something. To stick up for, and to honour. To show our strength, beauty, genius, empathy, light and heart. I spent the past few weeks in my free time piecing this together. It's a love letter, made with deep gratitude for the people and places of this beautiful land. Vive le Canada
Jeff Douglas
I was the 'I Am Canadian' guy. That commercial changed me
Canada united behind a character named Joe in a television commercial for Molson beer in 2000. Jeff Douglas, the man who played him, talks about how that experience shaped his views of Canada — and what he thinks 25 years later.
Charlie Angus
CHARLIE ANGUS TAKES ON MAGA MAPLE - EDMONTON
Rally in Edmonton, April 13, 2025.
Sean Luo
Proposal for a national social network
Hello friends my name is Sean and in the next 40 minutes I will be doing a lot of talking with a demo in the middle. My hope is to convince you that Canada really need its own dedicated social network platform and by this I mean a publicly funded digital infrastructure that is made by Canadians and for Canadians. I believe that this is the most important undertaking of our time because it solved our two most pressing crises, the rising cost of living and the ongoing annexation attempt by Donald Trump.
Neil Young
NEIL YOUNG - BIG CHANGE IS COMING
Neil Young is a legendary Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and musician known for his deeply personal lyrics, distinctive voice, and diverse musical styles, ranging from folk and country to hard rock and grunge. His career has spanned over six decades, and he remains one of the most influential artists in rock history.
Resources
The Canadian Encyclopedia
This version of The Canadian Encyclopedia, released in enhanced digital interactive form in October 2013, represents the latest incarnation of a project with a unique history. Since the first edition arrived in 1985, Canadians have held a claim few others can make: we have our own national encyclopedia. The idea of covering all branches of knowledge or aspects of a subject in one body of work dates back to 1728 in England. However, a bilingual, national edition produced by, for and about the people of a single country, charting its events, culture, history and landscape, remains rare.
The Conversation Canada
The Conversation Canada launched in June 2017. The Conversation is an independent source of news and views, from the academic and research community, delivered direct to the public.
Our team of professional editors work with experts to unlock their knowledge for use by the wider public.
Access to independent, high-quality, authenticated, explanatory journalism underpins a functioning democracy. Our aim is to allow for better understanding of current affairs and complex issues. And hopefully allow for a better quality of public discourse and conversations.
The Angus Reid Institute
The Angus Reid Institute is a national, not-for-profit, non-partisan public opinion research foundation established to enhance and encourage better understanding of issues and trends affecting economic, social, governance, philanthropy, public administration, domestic and foreign policy in Canada and its world.
The Walrus
The Walrus provokes new thinking and sparks conversation on matters vital to Canadians. As a registered charity, we publish independent, fact-based journalism, produce national, ideas-focused events, and train emerging professionals in publishing and nonprofit management.
The Walrus is invested in the idea that a healthy society relies on informed citizens. We publish a national magazine eight times a year along with daily content at thewalrus.ca. Since our first issue, in 2003, we have featured award-winning writers and artists exploring issues related to technology, politics, business, the environment, and arts and culture.
The Walrus also entertains, with fiction, poetry, photography, illustration, and a wry sense of humour that rewards readers seeking a lively literary experience.
The editorial policy of The Walrus is to explore ideas and issues, and to elevate public discourse on matters of importance to Canadians by publishing essays, articles, and reviews based on facts and research.
The Tyee
We’re an independent, online news magazine from B.C. founded in 2003. We’re devoted to fact-driven stories, reporting and analysis that informs and enlivens our democratic conversation. Our reporting has changed laws, started movements and garnered numerous awards. While some journalism gives the last word to power, we try to give the last word to ordinary folks. Our name? It’s pronounced Tie-yee.
PLEDGE FOR CANADA
Previous generations have fought to protect our democracy and made sacrifices to build the Canada we inherited.
This is now our time.
The threats of economic coercion from the United States, our neighbour and leading trading partner, pose serious risks to the well-being of all Canadians and to our sovereign right to determine our political, economic, social, and cultural destiny.
We will meet the challenge as previous generations have done, not by bending to threats but by joining together in common purpose, across partisan, regional, and cultural differences, to look out for one another, to protect our shared interests and assets, and to safeguard our democracy.
Canadians will decide Canada’s future and place in the world.
What is required in this moment is solidarity among Canadians and among our political leaders – federal, provincial, territorial, Indigenous, and municipal. We call on our leaders to work together across partisan divides to forcefully affirm and defend, in word and deed, Canada’s sovereignty, to put in place measures that mitigate the consequences of any unilateral actions on workers, families, and businesses, and to increase Canada’s resiliency in an increasingly turbulent and unpredictable world.
We therefore pledge our commitment to the following principles...
On Substack
Pledge for Canada
Charlie Angus / The Resistance
Dean Blundell
Bubble Pop with Rachel Gilmore
POSTCARDS from CANADA
A Considerable Age
Shannon’s Substack