Canada is under threat. We cannot pretend otherwise, and we cannot ignore the uncomfortable and yes, scary truth that our once closest ally and trading partner – the United States – now poses a clear and present danger to Canada’s economic prosperity, to our rich natural resources, to our shared values, and to our very sovereignty.
Our sense of security has been up ended and replaced with uncertainty, all at the whim of a power-hungry president and convicted felon, and the billionaire businessmen pulling his strings. These are worrisome times, but we are not alone in the world to face them. We have many allies around the globe, some of which are also facing similar threats from this same bully. It’s important that we invest more time and care in our relationships with these allies with whom we share common values, and that we diversify and strengthen our trading partnerships with them.
This new reality we find ourselves in is serving to further strengthen our Canadian unity and resolve, while also laying bare some gaps that our federal government must address without delay. In addition to diversifying our global trading relationships, we must invest and make it easier than ever before to build Canadian and buy Canadian. Canada can and should produce, process, and package more of its own food – including produce – domestically.
And whether it be food products like wheat or natural resources like lumber, energy, or critical minerals, Canada must increase its capacity for value-added processing. There’s no reason for us to continue to sell our lumber at a loss only to buy back a finished two-by-four that could have been milled here at home by a worker in a good paying, unionized job. Federal procurement policies and contracts should prioritize Canadian companies that pay good wages and increase Canadian content requirements for materials. And restrictive interprovincial trade barriers that impede trade within Canada must be removed.
Here at home, there is so much more that unites us than divides us. And we’re seeing the truth of this play out daily. A grassroots movement of everyday Canadians is already having an impact. Choosing to buy local and Canadian-made whenever possible, talking to each other about what it means to be Canadian and about the importance of protecting the hard-fought and hard-won democracy we enjoy, helping out a neighbour or friend – especially those we may not have always seen eye-to-eye with. These may seem like small, even insignificant actions on their own, but when multiplied across our communities, cities, regions, and the entire nation, together our actions really do make a difference. Just ask the U.S. tourism or liquor industry.
Our Canadian way of life is not only defined by our economic activity and prosperity. It is also fashioned and reinforced by our social, humanitarian, and democratic values. Freedom, caring for one another both at home and abroad, doing what’s right even when it’s the harder choice, speaking up when we see injustice, and defending ourselves and our friends against bullies. These are just some of the values that truly make us Canadian, and we must all stay vigilant to protect them.
And lastly, to anyone who would say in this moment that Canada is ‘broken,’ I would respectfully suggest they take a look around at all the people who are doing their part to fight for this beautiful, proud democracy that is the true north both strong and free. There will always be more that unites us than divides us. Let’s keep standing together and showing the world what Canadians are made of.
Lisa Marie Barron is MP for Nanaimo-Ladysmith.
