BY: Matias de dovitiis
I do not want to be part of the U.S. I do not want Canada to become the 51st state. And I share that sentiment with the overwhelming majority of Canadians. There is no room for equivocation here—no middle ground.
Fighting tariffs isn’t just about trade; it’s about preserving our way of life. Canada is different. Yes, we watch the same sports and buy the same brands, but time and again, we have chosen our own path. While many Americans oppose the direction their country is taking, the reality remains: our nations are distinct, even as we maintain a long-standing friendship.
We abolished slavery generations before the U.S. We stayed out of the Vietnam War and the second Gulf War. We haven’t imposed economic embargoes on half the world, and we take our vacations in Cuba. We value our public healthcare, our libraries, and our social services. We debate how to grow our cities and have at least begun the difficult conversation about addressing the darkest parts of our history and the realities of First Nations peoples.
Canada is a country of immigrants—people who came here to leave their traumas behind, whether recently or generations ago. But we also brought our cultures, our foods, and our best intentions. We work tirelessly so that our children can have better lives. Canada represents that hope and dream for so many.
Fighting tariffs is about protecting everyday workers whose jobs will disappear. Some factory worker will have to go home and tell their family they’ve been laid off because a stale orange pumpkin woke up one morning and decided he wanted our water supply. It’s time for Canada to wake up.
The U.S. can keep their guns—we’ll keep our universal healthcare. They can keep their hundreds of military bases—we’ll keep our strong public schools. Keep booing their anthem, keep buying Canadian at the supermarket. Fly over the U.S. and head to Mexico for your holidays—it’s cheaper, and the food is great. Or better yet, explore another province. Canada is beautiful from coast to coast to coast.
It’s going to be a long four years, maybe even longer. But we will keep going—carrying on and being Canadian.