We know. Democracy is on a precipitous edge. Is ‘edge’ redundant if its already precipitous?
Part of the Canadian “self” is being “not US” and I get it to the extent that I can and truly I love what I know of Canada as so many do. Toronto. Halifax. Nova Scotia. Ottawa. Cities and provinces here a mish mash I understand but so are ‘Canadiens’ and Acadians and New France and always more to learn but I do know between first the Spanish then British and French we had a revolution and you never did. Which is ok. You never had to.
Treaty of Ottawa and no Crown taxes if the British stayed and the French peaced out and there’s a lot to dislike in America, I get it. Born of war and guns and pioneers you may want to call criminal. You have First Nation, we have Native Americans, tribes and reservations.
Despite loving our country we’re born into a history not of our making, like not being a nazi despite being German, or not being racist despite being Alabamian. Atticus Finch and all that.
I understand part of the Canadian psyche is being “not American” and that’s ok, Trudeau is beautiful and wish we had him as our next Kennedy, but he’s yours and we love him regardless. He’s Juno Beach in slow motion. We were there for D-Day. So were you.
Democracy is dying south of your border and we know it. We know the checks and balances built into our Constitution are failing. We as a voting populace in a democratic republic are doing everything we can. Sometimes it feels like 53%. Then you lose and it feels like you did nothing.
But we are trying. To answer your question, you’re right, we’re not ok and we know it. It hurts but we’re trying.
If anything Americans are optimistic. We never lose hope. Maybe obnoxiously so but this one time just don’t lose hope, Canada. Maybe the world. We’re still in the game.
It’s a power play and hope is down but I swear to you, we’re still in the game.
The moral arc of the universe is long, and you know what follows. It always bends toward justice.
We’re not ok but we’re fighting and as long as there’s hope it’ll be ok.