March 1, 2025
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HERE'S MY TAKE
Waving a national flag doesn’t accomplish anything in itself. It’s a piece of dyed fabric cut in a recognizable 2:1 width-to-height proportion (Nepal’s flag being a notable exception). Flags are meant to wave majestically in the wind, allowing everyone to see their vibrant colours and symbols. However, just as the currency in my billfold is more than paper and ink, a flag is more than fabric. Since ancient times, flags have served as rallying points for humanity.
Today, as Canada’s flag is under threat, it too is serving as a rallying point for Canadians.
Since January, Canadians have been dealing with frustrating talk of whether our country should become a fifty-first American state. Our discussion comes within a global context of the issues surrounding national identity and respect around the world, and in Europe especially. After several weeks of talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump appeared to have struck a deal to end the conflict while dividing some of Ukraine’s assets between them. When Ukraine expressed concerns about its exclusion from the negotiations, President Trump falsely remarked that Ukraine “should never have started (the war)” and had three years to resolve it. On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was summoned to the White House to sign the deal. The meeting did not go well. When Zelenskyy rejected the American terms, the meeting ended without an agreement.
I’m reading about Ukraine while sitting in the San Antonio airport, just twenty feet away from the familiar stars and stripes hanging proudly from a flagpole, as they do in almost every American airport. When I think of the American flag and what it has historically represented, the list that comes to mind includes a commitment to justice and honest dealings, a competitiveness rooted in excellence and improvement, and a desire to be great—to do good for all of God’s creatures and creation. I cringe when some Americans recount their history in terms of “manifest destiny” and God reserving a special place for them (as if Christians in other countries are somehow lesser citizens of God’s church and kingdom). Yet, I readily acknowledge the providential blessings with which God has favoured the United States, just as He has blessed many other countries.
President Trump’s repeated invitations (mixed with insulting comments and threats) for Canada to become an American state remind me of what the Canadian flag represents. Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper has just released a book on that flag, reminding us of its history and significance. Now 60 years old, the flag features two red bars on the sides with a maple leaf in the centre, symbolizing our sea-to-sea existence, the colours of the French and the British, and the maple leaf as a centuries-old emblem of the northern geography of the Americas.
So, how do we respond to all this? How do we avoid the pitfalls of reflexive anti-Americanism and hyper-nationalism without going to the other extreme of capitulation? The answer, I submit, is patriotism. It’s important to distinguish the two phenomena, especially considering how Christian nationalism has bewitched many, especially in the United States—something I have previously examined in this space. While Christian nationalism views the state as a vehicle for expressing and enforcing faith and identity, Christian patriotism values faith and identity within the framework of the state. In a patriotic framework, the state is not the ultimate authority. I have an identity that is more fundamental than what my passport reflects. The time will come when Canada and the United States (along with every other country) will cease to exist as they do today. Our descendants will inhabit a world with different boundaries and different national identities. Even the understanding of a country will change as it has many times before, the current conception of the nation-state being only a few centuries old. No country is forever.
In the meantime, we must embrace proper patriotism. Two quotes—one from Britain and another from American history—come to mind. In 1787, British MP William Wilberforce famously wrote in his journal, “God has set before me two great objects: the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners.” Nearly a century later, American President Abraham Lincoln is reported to have responded to a question about whether God was on the Union’s side by saying “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side. My greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” Both convey a relevant message when reflecting on the waving of flags in our current times. They serve as reminders that national and international politics, peace, and war need to be defined within a transcendent framework. When the drive for power and dominance overshadows our respect for every person as an image-bearer of God and is primarily filtered through collective identity and the colour of their passport, we are on a dangerous path. If our leaders forget this, Christian citizens are duty-bound to remind them of it.
By providence, I was born a Canadian, for which I am thankful. However, this does not blind me to the many issues for which Canada deserves criticism. The list is long and includes responsibly investing in our military, defending our borders, building the economic infrastructure to compete, and updating our health and social systems to remain sustainable. Furthermore, there’s an even longer list of less prominent concerns, ranging from our culture celebrating autonomy to the point of choosing when to die, to the rejection of our history for ideological reasons, to a pervasive culture of entitlement, to name just a few.
But if we're making lists, there's also a positive one to consider:
While a healthy pride in accomplishments is commendable, patriotism is not determined by lists of pros and cons. The global system of nation-states has generally been a good thing. Flourishing occurs when I work within my nation to be my best while respecting those in other nations. Everything needs to be kept in perspective. I share dignity as a fellow image-bearer of God, a more fundamental identity than nationality. While I celebrate the achievements of my country and strive to contribute to its well-being, I do so with a readiness to shoulder responsibility for others in different countries, offering wisdom and goodwill to help them grow and improve with respect and honour. Global economic, athletic, and other forms of competition are healthy, enabling us to learn from and with each other. However, we should approach them in a manner that allows us to line up and shake hands after the game. As a Christian, I first see my neighbour as someone equally called to live for God’s honour and glory before I notice any differences between us.
While I fully respect the right of the American people to make decisions regarding trade, defence, borders, and various other matters as part of their sovereignty, I also expect the United States to honour its flag by respecting its history and values. American behaviour today—concerning not only Canada but also in the global context—does not align with what the world has come to expect from that nation.
I have no idea how far the United States will push this. If it wants to bully Canada economically so that it dominates and we become a vassal state, they are probably capable of doing so. Still, I’m not going to wave the white flag. I’m with Stephen Harper in being willing to pay economic consequences for the privilege of preserving an independent Canada, regardless of the US president’s ambitions. It may not be economically rational to do so, but I’m not just a brain on a stick. There’s more to my dignity and self-respect than the size of my bank account. Like anyone else, I’d prefer to have more rather than less, but some things aren’t for sale.
The nation-state is not ultimate. My grandparents chose to immigrate. There may come a day when I or my descendants will change countries, too. That is a choice for us to make, not something to be forced upon us by another country. To be respected requires showing respect. I hold in high regard the stars and stripes and the people and values it has historically represented, yet the tactics of the American president and his administration undermine a credible international order and are diminishing the US flag.
Great nations aren’t the biggest or the ones that win. Great nations live up to and defend their values. Whatever our warts and shortcomings as Canadians, the red and white maple leaf is still my flag. I will wave it proudly.
The Captain and Compass Search
The present uncertainty regarding Canadian domestic and trade affairs will not be resolved until after the federal election. Until then, this Insights section will provide a brief punditry take on “the week that was.”
Premier Ford’s election victory in Ontario on Thursday, following a campaign entirely centred on tackling the US tariff threat to the province, is telling. Trump and tariffs have eclipsed Trudeau and taxes as the primary lens through which the public interprets its politics. This change also explains the remarkable turnaround in the federal polls, where the Liberals have nearly erased their support deficit.
We’re a week away from the announcement of the new federal Liberal leader. The disqualification of Ruby Dhalla from the race remains unexplained. As I mentioned last week, some puzzling questions arise regarding the existence of four hundred thousand registered Liberals on the list. I found it intriguing to see the BBC reporting on “Five takeaways from Canada’s Liberal leadership debates,” seemingly considering them more significant than most Canadians do. I also noticed an increase in paid advertising on social media this week, with Mark Carney sharing his story while the Conservatives provided a less favourable portrayal. Both camps are trying to bridge the knowledge gap that Canadians have about the man expected to become the Liberal leader next week. He has hit some rough patches, including a grammatical error in the French debate (he said all Liberal leadership candidates agreed with Hamas when he meant to say they all agreed in opposing Hamas) and potentially misleading statements regarding his role in Brookfield’s move to the United States during the English debate. The jury is still out on whether those are mere stumbles or the start of a more significant series of missteps that could tarnish his image of competency, which has contributed to the Liberal polling rebound.
We’re facing another week of process instead of definitive news, but the timelines for confirming when Canada might have a new captain and compass are becoming much clearer.
WHAT I’M READING
Trading With Each Other
Full marks to Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston for introducing legislation aimed at providing “mutual recognition of goods, services, and labour mobility across all sectors of Canada's economy” with any province that reciprocates. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has expressed his interest in participating. Other Premiers are considering the invitation. A briefing note from the Royal Bank indicates that eliminating interprovincial trade barriers could boost Canada’s economy by 3-8 percent.
Vibe Shift
Ross Douthat’s column “What Trump Can Learn From the Last G.O.P. Disaster” provides a few historical lessons for a government intent on making lasting changes. Douthat suggests that lasting change has a few key elements:
Flagonomics
This New York Times article on the sudden surge in purchasing and displaying Canadian flags seems appropriate to pass on. As noted above, flags aren’t about economics but it doesn’t hurt to note the positive impacts.
MEANINGFUL METRICS
Depends on How You Ask
Polls are virtually unanimous in showing that significant majorities of Canadians and Americans oppose the idea of Canada becoming a US state. Back in January, as US President Donald Trump was starting his annexation talk, an Angus Reid Institute poll indicated that less than a third of either Americans or Canadians believe Trump is serious about the idea. Even if he were serious, only 25 percent of Americans and 10 percent of Canadians told ARI they supported Trump’s position. The Ipsos poll shows that the questions’ wording makes a difference in how respondents answer. Interestingly, in every case, younger Canadians seem to be warmer to the idea of joining the US than older Canadians are.
TAKE IT TO-GO
These Puns are Mickey Mouse
This week, I participated in a conference at a hotel adjacent to Disney World. However, apart from a walk to a restaurant just within its gates, I did not experience any of the promised magic. I know that for Disney fans, nothing Elsa matters, while for skeptics, any Disney puns will seem goofy. So I’m going to keep it Simba this week. Life’s not a fairytale but there is no need to be Grumpy about things either. Remember: just because you wish upon a star does not make all of your dreams come true. Still, that doesn’t stop me from wishing you a great week and from looking forward to being back in your inbox next Saturday morning.
Until then.