We don’t need extreme measures, nor do we need to abandon our sovereignty.
Canada is in serious trouble. We face escalating internal and external threats. The Prime Minister has lost the support of the Canadian People, and his own Caucus, and thus lacks the credible authority to speak with confidence on our behalf on the world stage.
Many in the West are deeply alienated from the nation, Quebec separatism is rising, extreme immigration increases are fraying our national unity and fuelling hateful sentiment, and our once-enviable standard of living is dropping fast.
In this type of environment, it’s not surprising that some are looking for more and more radical fixes to what ails our nation.
Among the most radical ideas is the end of Canada as a sovereign nation, with Canada turning into the 51st state.
Others on the far-right and far-left are using increasingly extreme language to claim that Canada ‘can’t vote our way out’ of the situation we find ourselves in.
But all of this is incredibly misguided.
Canada doesn’t need to give up our sovereignty, nor do we need to give up on democracy.
To the contrary.
What we must do instead is reconnect ourselves with our history and reaffirm our belief in our democratic institutions.
The important thing to remember is that Justin Trudeau has increasingly pushed Canada further away from our historical norms of governance and economic management. As he has done so, our quality of life as Canadians has gotten worse, our country has become more divided, and our reputation on the world stage has declined.
But in this failure are the seeds of our future success, because many of the problems facing our nation can indeed be addressed by reversing Trudeau-era policies.
The rapid increase in public service can be halted to get the costs of the bureaucracy under control.
Budget deficits can be reined in by applying some basic fiscal discipline.
The immigration system can be improved by returning to Harper-era immigration levels and refocusing on economic immigration.
Restrictions on free expression and online innovation can be addressed by repealing legislation like Bill C-11.
Our energy sector can be strengthened by repealing anti-pipeline legislation.
Our military can be strengthened by promoting Canada’s proud military history, restraining spending in non-defence areas to free up money for rebuilding our forces, and collaborating with innovative homegrown Canadian defence companies, tech companies, and military industry in NATO allied nations.
Foreign interference can be addressed by ramping up funding for CSIS and the RCMP to protect Canada against foreign threats from China, Russia, Iran, and other hostile regimes.
Rising violent crime can be addressed by reversing Trudeau era ‘soft-on-crime’ policies.
Tariff threats can be addressed through rapidly building pipelines, bringing down all interprovincial trade barriers to ensure unfettered free trade within Canada, and deepening our trading partnerships with the EU, UK, Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, democratic nations in Africa, and even our American friends if the U.S. turns away from their current protectionist/nationalist direction down the road.
And all of this is possible within Canada’s democratic institutions.
Remember, we are still free to criticize Justin Trudeau.
We are still free to run for office.
We are still free to donate to the Opposition.
We are still free to start websites and media companies that push our political perspectives.
There will be an election.
It will be free, and it will be fair.
The winner of the election will have the chance to govern our nation.
All indications are that Canadians are going to decisively vote for the Conservatives in order to change course from a disastrous decade under Justin Trudeau’s leadership.
A new government will govern a country that is full of abundant natural resources, full of talented people from around the world, full of advanced technology and innovative companies, and full of nearly unlimited potential.
We don’t need extremism to turn things around.
We don’t need to give up on democracy.
We don’t need to sacrifice our sovereignty.
If we make smart decisions as a nation, if we return to the common-sense economic, immigration, and criminal justice policies that made us one of the safest and most prosperous nations in human history, Canada will not only recover, but become even stronger in the years and decades to come.
Spencer Fernando
