I Can't Paint a Picture of Canada

The complex calculus of singing about Canada

In Canada, everyone gets a kitten.

Fletcher the Bobcat Kitten, at Hope For Wildlife

I write a lot about the economics, numbers, and rational arguments for uncomfortable and difficult ideas. But I'm also a kind of maudlin fool for the notion of family through time, and I'm big feeling enough to imagine us all a Canadian family.

I know economics is not for the mawkish, but I brook no truck with the cold calculators either. If something is true it can feel sentimental, because truth is a place we long to return to again and again. I say in truth, I love you Canada.

Canada is maybe the most innocent of nations in the world. Since its confederation, it has never known war on its soil. It has never known anything but democratic government. But people can find fault with anything. It breeds peace, but also a kind of national mawkishness that we all share. A kind of nostalgic hesitancy to even imagine change except for the slow creeping bureaucratic kind.

I’ve been thinking, ironically I suppose, about what the lyrics of another country’s national anthem might have to offer Canada at this difficult time.

The lyrics of Flower of Scotland, Scotland’s unofficial national anthem, lament the struggles and sacrifices of the past while invoking a deep yearning for national pride and unity. In Canada today, we find ourselves similarly weighed down by historical grievances, regional divisions, and identity politics that threaten to pull us apart. But just as the song calls for Scotland to rise anew, free from the ghosts of old battles, we too must find a way to honor our history without letting it define our future. The challenge is to move beyond resentment, to stop seeing ourselves as a collection of competing factions and instead embrace a shared vision of prosperity, fairness, and resilience. If we can let go of past wounds—not in forgetfulness, but in purpose—we might finally become a nation that speaks with one voice, not in uniformity, but in a harmony that strengthens rather than divides.

O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
Your likes again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against them,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent them homeward,
Tae think again.

Those days are past now,
And in the past
they must remain,
But we can still rise now,
And be a nation again,
That stood against them,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent them homeward,
Tae think again.

Here’s 30,000 singing this anthem. Note how their tone and tenor is different than others anthems. How would you describe the difference between this and the singing of Canada’s national anthem? Is it important?

Canada

There’s a place, I’ve never been
With soft-lit living rooms and kitchens sweet, reeking of cinnamon
There’s a light, I’ve never seen
Kept on hopelessly, guiding home the restless one who left there
And if it gets cold in Canada, where will I run?

Danielle Ate The Sandwich

Here are some unofficial anthems about Canada.

From both sides of the border

John Ralston Saul, a prominent Canadian philosopher and writer, has extensively explored the nature of Canada's identity. He emphasizes Canada's unique approach to national identity, highlighting its complexity and inclusiveness. In his work Reflections of a Siamese Twin, Saul states:

"The essential characteristic of the Canadian public mythology is its complexity. To the extent that it denies the illusion of simplicity, it is a reasonable facsimile of reality."

John Ralston Saul

This perspective aligns with the diverse themes found in Canadian music, where artists often explore multifaceted narratives and embrace a wide range of cultural influences.

Canada is made of many countries, its geography stitched together with history, and hope. Canada is an improbable orchestra of differences, playing an unwritten arrangement of ideas no single artist could compose. We are, together, many countries of one nation.

It takes courage to be a citizen of a nation. Courage to believe in the purpose of a country untethered from personal comfort, immediate gratification, or narrow self-interest. Courage to reject the tempting shortcuts of mediocrity and, instead, embrace the hard work of building a society. Canada’s role is not easy, nor is it fleeting. And Nova Scotia’s part in this story is more complex still. It matters—deeply—to us, to our allies, to the world, and to history itself.

We now have access to more information and a larger data set of ideas and opinions than ever in history. Our shortcoming is our lack of appreciation for the complexity and random chance that comes along with so much information. We’ve got access to so much information and such a broad overview of ideas, but we’re still not hoisting in the impact of complexity and randomness in such a large data set. So we continue to be surprised as our stupidly pattern-seeking brains continue to try to find meaning in every simpleminded notion and dumb thing that happens or is said in the world of politics. We scroll, we skim, we cherry-pick, and our brains, hardwired for pattern-seeking, weave narratives from nonsense.

While drifting through information and opinion in January, which seems like ancient history now I came across this article in Atlantic Business Magazine advocating for Nova Scexit, a clunky made-up term used to describe the notion that Nova Scotia should jump out ahead of Trump’s Canada plans, get in first and get a good deal.

Now, I don’t know who Michael Kennedy is. He describes himself as a fundraising consultant with clients in Canada and the United States. A concerned Nova Scotian Canadian, he wants to be a less concerned Nova Scotian American.

I don’t think this is a good idea.

“Nova Scexit,” a perfect example of the superficial conclusions that bloom in this climate of intellectual laziness. In an age of endless information, we’re drowning in data but starving for wisdom. The sheer complexity and randomness of the world of information available escapes us, yet our pattern-seeking brains desperately try to connect dots where none exist. That’s why proposals like “Nova Scexit” emerge—simplistic solutions born of overconfidence, superficial insights, and cherry-picked notes from history.

What this misses is Canada’s irreplaceable role. So, we have to forgive people writing stuff like this without the slightest thought to how important Canada’s existence is to us, the US, and the world - how it’s been a balancing figure, a source of ideas and talent, with much needed different perspectives from outside the melting pot.

As a counterbalance to the U.S., Canada offers the world a calming influence, fresh perspectives, talent, and ideas about peace, progress, prosperity, and purpose outside the blast furnace of the American melting pot.

Suggesting Nova Scotia abandon that legacy for a short-sighted moment in the sun ignores how deeply our existence matters—not just to us, the US, and the world but to history.

A Citizen Must Have Courage

Courage is required of the citizen - an office holder of the highest degree. Courage to believe in the purpose of a country untethered from self-interest, personal comfort, or even happiness and safety if we are to hope for the further development of society. There is no easy way. There is no shortcut no matter how much mediocrity wishes it to be so.

What the treasonous mind misses is Canada’s irreplaceable role. So, we have to forgive people writing stuff like this without the slightest thought to how important Canada’s existence is to us, the US, and the world, how it’s been a balancing figure, a source of ideas and talent, with much needed different perspectives from outside the beltway and the echo chamber of America.

As a counterbalance to the U.S., Canada offers America and the world a calming influence, fresh perspectives, talent, and cool ideas about peace, progress, prosperity, and purpose not overheated in the blast furnace of the American melting pot.

Suggesting Nova Scotia abandon that legacy for a short-sighted, self-serving moment in the sun ignores how deeply our existence matters—not just to us, the US, and the world but to history.

Let’s leave aside the obvious treasonous undertones, the defeatism, cynicism, lack of faith in our institutions, and greed baked into the Scexit argument. Let’s also skip over the history lesson on why Nova Scotia didn’t join the American Revolution in the first place (for those curious, there’s a brutal breakdown of that here). Instead, let’s focus on the real question: why, with all the opportunities this magazine has to do good, would it print such clickbait junk? This masthead deserves better. Better ideas. Better writing.

The idea of “Nova Scexit” isn’t just wrong—it’s contemptibly lazy. It denies the rich interconnectedness of our economy, our culture, and our geopolitical standing. Worse, it fails to grasp that citizenship is not a sport where one trades jerseys for a better shot at the playoffs. Citizenship is rooted in loyalty, in pride, and in love—love for the country you’re fortunate enough to call home. It denies that our existence has purpose and meaning beyond the mediocrity of joining in with the crowd. In a world that craves balance, Canada’s steady hand and unique voice are more crucial than ever. Dismissing that for a fleeting fantasy does a disservice to Nova Scotia and to everyone who calls Canada home.

Rather than continue this line of talk, I’ll ask you to open yourself up to the idea that to be a good citizen is to, whenever you have a chance, say something good about your city, province, and country. Citizenship is not a sport but even the sports fan would be disgusted with a fair-weather fan who changed teams just because theirs was not leading the league. You don’t get to pick countries on a whim or for personal advantage. It’s literally against the law.

It’s fitting to conclude here as we come to the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II to remember that Canadians, better men, fathers, and sons, in every age of our history ran toward the bullets and shells in foreign lands - fought and died - not just in defence of our country but in defence of the integral idea of Country. A person who loves their own country loves all countries. A person who does not love their country loves none.

To those tempted by the mirage of “Nova Scexit,” I say this: Be better citizens. When the opportunity arises, say something good about your city, your province, your nation. Leave the clickbait where it belongs—in the dustbin of bad ideas—and speak instead of the virtues, the ideas, the hopes, and the story that unites us.

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Maybe we’re looking at it the wrong way around.

Maybe It’s A Maple-Leaf Coup!

American citizenship: the most prized possession on Earth. It’s the beating heart of the MAGA agenda, the lava-hot core of Trump’s rallying cry to protect the homeland from invaders: literal, ideological, and imagined. Yet, in an absurd plot twist so comically and darkly ironic it could be a Ryan Reynolds voiceover, Donald Trump has floated the idea of making Canada a state, er, I guess 13 states - a number with some history. That’s right—40 million socialist illegal aliens, handed the golden ticket of U.S. citizenship, no questions asked. And while he's at it he wants to parachute tens of thousands of Nordic Greenlanders into the mix like eco-conscious Vikings, armed not with swords but with carbon-neutral policies and a deep commitment to the Arctic Council.

Imagine the fallout as even new US citizen Trucker Convoy bumper sticker conservatives realize they are closer to Marxist than MAGA. Overnight, Trump’s America First doctrine would collapse under the weight of a new wave of voters who believe universal healthcare isn’t just a good idea but a moral obligation, who view firearms with the same enthusiasm as leprosy, and who think the phrase "tax the rich" is more of a call to action than a partisan slogan. These new citizens would swarm the polls, electing Bernie Sanders lookalikes to Congress faster than you can say “free dental care” and probably take a good hard look at Ellen DeGeneres or Ryan Reynolds for President. The protected border? Disappears. The Electoral College? Gone, with everyone talking about proportional representation like it was the promised land. The Senate? Permanently blue. Republicans wouldn’t lose the next election—they’d lose every election, forever with the majority of the Northern Horde pressing permanently on the scale with a long lever to the left.

And the irony! The Trump legacy? The very man who vowed to protect America from socialist infiltration would have signed the largest socialist voter registration drive in history. By annexing Canada, Trump wouldn’t just betray the MAGA movement—he’d destroy it. And in its place? A polite, maple-syrup sort of liberal utopia where even Fox News starts to sound like the CBC. At least the radio. A new world order for America that would make current-day California look like a bastion of gun-toting, free-market libertarianism in comparison.

If this was supposed to be 4D chess negotiating, the game is over. Trudeau quit-wins with one incredulous social media post and history doesn't write him up as giving up but walking away from the world's ultimate micdrop.

One County, One Thing We Could Do - Be One People

In political history, both in Canada and the U.S., some thoughtful politicians have urged us to put away the hyphens. I think it’s time for that now. The nation has proven itself. We owe it this small respect. It’s time to put away the hyphens.

The Scottish-Canadians of my family need to let go of the old sod and the old battles. There are none more Scots than the Scots abroad. But even Scotland’s own national anthem, Flower of Scotland, sings: "Those days are past now, and in the past, they must remain." We can remember. But we must live in the present—the present Canada.

More controversially, the same must be true for French-Canadians, Jewish-Canadians, even Native-Canadians, and all the others too. It’s time to either believe in this project—this nation that has been a light to the world—or go our separate ways.

I’ve heard Canada defined as a system of complex, unanswered questions that are studiously left unresolved. It’s a politism to call that multiculturalism and patriotically swear it is our strength. But no one has proof of that philosophy when all of history shows there is power in a union of people more than in a towering babble of voices.

Entropy, in both physics and a broader metaphorical sense, describes the natural tendency of systems to move from order to disorder over time. It's a fundamental principle of thermodynamics but is often used to describe the inevitable breakdown of social, political, and organizational structures as well—it is a universal law. If we tried coming together under one flag for a while, united by a common language, what’s the worst that could happen? It would fall apart again. And we’d end up back at the start, at least with the shared experience of having tried.