By Trevor Hutchinson July 23, 2025
A graduate of the University of Toronto, Trevor Hutchinson is a songwriter, writer and bookkeeper. He serves as Contributing Editor at The Lindsay Advocate. He lives with his fiancee and their five kids in Lindsay.
All I know is that I am cautiously enthused and strengthened by my fellow citizens. Not that I wake up every morning and haul out the red face paint and get all hyperventilated from balloon-blowing, but I am feeling the national love.
The time leading up to Canada Day felt a little different this year. The state of U.S.-Canada relations and the resultant buy-Canadian and boycott U.S. travel campaigns have, at least temporarily, highlighted the importance of asserting our national identity. It has almost seemed that every day is Canada Day lately. Normally it’s the obligatory fireworks on July 1, sporting events like the Olympics, and occasionally the NHL playoffs (sigh) that get us revved up nationally. But we seem more united. Well, most of us do.
I don’t know if it’s still 40 per cent but of Canadians aged 19-34, they would vote for annexation to the U.S. My hunch is that this number has receded a bit, but there is no doubt that the cohort of younger people is leaning differently than in the past. Centre and left-leaning parties ignore this fact at their peril. But we should all be concerned about that statistic.
And then there’s good ole’ Alberta. In a recent poll, 29 per cent of residents said they would vote for independence. Yeehaw! And there is always Quebec, bien sur, where the Parti Quebecois are surging provincially at the moment, returning the province to the historical Liberal-PQ battle.
It’s a shame that the Liberal campaign co-opted the ‘elbows up’ slogan in the last election. It was the perfect, hockey-themed slogan. It alluded to the fact that we can play tough. Even dirty, when forced to. By using it in the campaign, the Liberals made it forever partisan. In fact, some right-leaning people use it as a pejorative to ironically comment on a social problem. Perhaps sadly, it has become the new ‘blame Trudeau’ response in social media echo-chamber.
The drastic reduction of Canadians travelling to the U.S. has apparently affected some states that benefit from such tourism. But this might be as much related to the immigration stories emanating from down south as it is an expression of patriotism.
However, feelings of unity don’t sustain themselves forever. You will remember that we went from banging on pots in support of healthcare workers to angry protests in front of hospitals during the COVID years.
Saskatchewan and Alberta have already allowed American liquor back on their store shelves. And in the modern age, we aren’t very good at accepting inconveniences.
Will we continue to be steadfast in pro-Canadianness? It’s so hard to predict in these unprecedented times. Trade could normalize this month or more likely, the leader of our nearest and closest ally will continue to be, as the kids say, ‘cra cra.’
All I know is that I am cautiously enthused and strengthened by my fellow citizens. Not that I wake up every morning and haul out the red face paint and get all hyperventilated from balloon-blowing, but I am feeling the national love.
Of course, knowing that the Leafs will bring home the cup (next year) helps.
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