As United States President Donald Trump levies threats of tariffs and annexation against Canada, Canadian pride is only growing stronger. Canadian fans booed “The Star Spangled Banner” at games in the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Four Nations Face-Off tournament in defiance. FaceBook groups have been popping up left and right sharing made-in-Canada brands for consumers to purchase at the grocery store to support the local economy. Many families have been hanging the Canadian flag over their homes, a gesture of national unity in spite of political chaos on both sides of the border. Across the country, Canadians are displaying national pride in ways that have not been seen in decades.
I have taken part in this patriotic reckoning. Watching the maple leaf pop up on homes around my neighbourhood fills me with a sense of contentment. I am proud to be able to call myself Canadian and have felt this pride grow in the past month with every ill-intentioned comment from President Trump. However, this fresh patriotism has raised a conflict for me, as I am sure it has with many other Canadians.
Before I am able to fully discuss this new era of Canadian unity, it is important to distinguish between the terms “patriotism” and “nationalism,” as they can be viewed as synonymous. Patriotism is an expression of devotion and loyalty to one’s nation. Simple acts like displaying a flag on a backpack during travel, voting, and volunteering for community organizations are all ways in which patriotism presents itself in positive and productive ways.
In the past, nationalism has presented itself through revolutions for political independence and freedom. Both the American and French Revolutions are common examples of historic nationalism. However, in recent years, nationalism has become a phrase used to describe movements or individuals who express an extreme support for their nation or nation-state, to the point of exclusion or harm to others. The recent uptick in Canadian pride is, for the most part, due to the highly valued identity of patriots proud to call this nation home.
Canada is a nation that has prided itself on its diversity and multicultural society. In fact, Canada was the first country in the world to preserve its multicultural policy through enshrining it in legislation called the Canadian Multiculturalism Act in 1988. Many nations in the world are united through a shared culture, ethnicity, history, or set of values. However, Canada is one of the few that defines its culture based on diversity rather than similarities. Whether or not this is true is up for debate and has been for decades. Regardless of the verity of Canadian multiculturalism, I have been asking myself what makes Canadians of all backgrounds unite under the flag, and what it means to be patriotic at all.
Canucks may share foods, sports, and general politeness, but nations do not form based on a shared love of ice hockey. It is not our pastimes, our geography, or even our languages that make Canadians, Canadian. Instead, Canadians have a remarkable ability to stand united whilst under economic and territorial threats. Even while the possibility of an upcoming General Federal Election looms large in the very near future, Canadians on all ends of the political spectrum are finding common ground in “our home on native land.” In my eyes, this is what it looks like to be a Canadian.
Although patriotism means having pride in your nation and displaying it openly, it does not have to mean disregarding your country’s wrongdoings. This era of politics does not need to usher in neglect of current issues within the border. In fact, a great display of patriotism in my eyes is openly critiquing your home country and its lawmakers in order to improve it and make it a nation you are willing to stand for. Being a patriot means making positive and constructive contributions to the political landscape that we are all a part of, whether we like it or not.
Further, being proud to be Canadian does not mean turning a blind eye to the cultural genocide committed against Indigenous peoples, internment camps in World War II, or the impossibly high cost of living. Instead, in Canada, as with any nation, being a patriot looks like standing beside your fellow citizens in times of fear, holding your representatives or government accountable, and helping to make the nation a place that you are proud to call home. A nation willing to criticize itself whilst standing united against intimidation is a nation I am proud to call my own.
1 Government of Canada. (2024, June 3). About the Canadian Multiculturalism Act. Source Link
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