If there's one thing that defines Canadian culture, it's that we always define and evaluate ourselves in contrast to the United States. This has been a constant theme throughout Canadian history. Rejection of the United States was even one of the biggest reasons for the creation of Canada in 1867.
The United States is not a great benchmark, given the country's long history of imperialism, militarism, racism, extreme inequality, and violence that continues to this day. Compared to the rest of the world, the U.S. is an outlier in many ways. For example, the U.S. has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world and spends far more on the military than any other country (more than China, India, and Russia combined).
An unfortunate result of our fixation on the United States is we have become adept at ignoring our own country's problems. “At least we're not as bad as the States,” we tell ourselves.
We rightfully condemn Trump’s violent crackdown on immigration. Meanwhile, here in our own country, our “Liberal” government has cracked down on immigration to such an extent that Canada's population is actually declining. Deportations are at a record high, our politicians scapegoat temporary residents for the country's problems, and most Canadians simply nod along. At least in the U.S. people are protesting.
We rightfully condemn American healthcare for bankrupting people with enormous medical bills. Meanwhile in Canada, poor people die waiting for treatment while rich people travel to the U.S. for quicker care. Doctor shortages, long wait lists, and insufficient hospital capacity have plagued Canada for many years, resulting in unnecessary suffering and preventable deaths.
We rightfully condemn the U.S. for its vast wealth inequality. Meanwhile in Canada, the homeless population has exploded as average house prices in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal exceeded a million dollars.
Last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney proclaimed Canada “can show that another way is possible: that the arc of history isn’t destined to be warped towards authoritarianism and exclusion, it can still bend towards progress and justice.” Pay no attention to the authoritarian laws he introduced in Parliament.
Bills C-2, C-8, and C-9 threaten digital privacy and enable government censorship of the internet. Bill C-9 would also criminalize peaceful protests. All three bills would effectively erode free speech, giving more momentum to the growing trend in the West of suppressing speech and non-violent protests.
Bill C-15 is downright Trumpian. It would grant cabinet ministers broad authority to bypass any Canadian legislation, with the lone exception of the Criminal Code. To call it an expansion of executive power is an understatement. Giving ministers a legal carte blanche would undermine the rule of law and the foundations of Canadian democracy.
Centralization of power and expansion of executive authority have become hallmarks of the Liberal government. The party pushes through overly broad, authoritarian laws that give ministers extensive powers, and Canadians are expected to simply trust the government to not abuse them. Is the lack of specificity and safeguards in these laws intentional or simply lazy policymaking? Whether intentional or not, the potential for abuse remains.
One lesson we must learn from the chaos being unleashed on the U.S. (and the world) by Trump is that unchecked executive power is incredibly dangerous to democracy. There must be hard restraints on executive powers, and we must fight against any attempt to expand them. Even if you trust the current leader to use their exceptional powers wisely, you may not trust the next leader.
Strong restrictions on government power don't hinder democracy. They are essential to democracy. Free speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom to protest are not barriers to progress. They are prerequisites to progress.
While Canadians stare in horror at the rise of fascism south of the border, Carney ushers in a softer, friendlier form of authoritarianism in the name of strengthening and defending Canada. He should heed his own words: authoritarianism is not inevitable. Progress and freedom are possible.