Defining the “Canadian Identity” is difficult. It is easy for one to think that our country lacks a uniting backbone like most other nations in the world do. Beyond clichéd physical symbols like the beaver, the maple leaf or even hockey, it is difficult to visualize a common trait that unites all Canadians. Being such a diverse place of so many different cultures, religions and opinions, it is hard to group the Canadian nationality under any sort of conceptual or philosophical umbrella. Unlike in the United States where freedom and liberty stand strong as the core beliefs of the nation, or in Britain where tradition and history take precedence, it would be easy to say that Canada’s diversity is its flaw, and that we, as a people, have no identity. It is important, however, for us to remember that we should be proud of where we come from and what we represent, especially with the passing of our nation’s birth over the long weekend. Before we can make the leap of defining our identity, we must first look around the globe and make the determination that, whether you hold a Canadian passport or just reside here, the values that our country upholds make the “Great White North” a haven of peace, tolerance and real prosperity.
We need only look at our neighbours to the south to realize the inherent advantages of being Canadian. The culture in the United States has led to an economic downturn that will make the global citizen question whether being American is really the golden ticket to the birth lottery. It is the often the overlooked patience and humbleness of the average Canadian that has allowed us to escape the endless spiral of debt that has enveloped our Southern neighbours. It would be overreaching to say that greed is not a part of our nation; it definitely has its place, but it is clear that we have a better understanding of how to live within our means than our American neighbours. I may be generalizing, but in this case, the generalization is supported by fact. We may be capitalists, but we know our bounds. As Canadians, that is part of our identity and is something to be proud of.
There is an endless list of autocracies and dictatorships in this world that place no value on human rights, tolerance or multiculturalism. There are nations where homosexuality is still a crime, where a woman cannot walk down the street without covering her face, where freedom of religion is non-existent, where censorship is rife, and where human rights are little-understood or little-respected. We should be proud that not only do we promote these values at home, but we also fight for them on the world stage. The war in Afghanistan and the campaign in Libya may be controversial, but regardless of where opinions may lie regarding these topics, we can still be proud of our history of promoting tolerance and freedom through peacekeeping around the world and our successes in both world wars. Our identity may seem difficult to define, but we can be sure that we are not defined by hatred or intolerance, and that we can even take the step in saying that as Canadians, we are largely defined by our opposition to the archaic and discriminatory values that is the basis of so many regimes throughout the world.
Even Europe, which has been long considered its own haven of peace and openness, no longer looks as desirable as it once was. Fascism is once again rearing its ugly head in places like Switzerland, Belgium and even France. Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and anti-immigration are becoming seriously debated topics in much of Europe’s politics. Europe’s definition as a safe haven for all of those who love freedom may be questioned soon enough. Beyond this, debt is also spiralling in Europe, largely because of irresponsible social spending and poor governance. Not only is the future of America unsure, but so too are the coming days of our allies across the pond. We are truly lucky that fascism will always remain close to extinct in Canada, and that our largely responsible government has managed to keep our own deficit from spiralling out of control.
It may be difficult to see the point of this article. The reader may ask, sure Canada may not be experiencing ballooning debt or a rise in fascism, and our society may promote diversity and freedom, but how does that define us as a people? It doesn’t. A general definition for the Canadian identity may not exist. But we know who we aren’t. And we can take a moment and be thankful for that.