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By Andrew Parkes

July 25, 2024

I’m a proud third-generation Canadian; my grandparents on both sides settled in Toronto, built lives for themselves that they could never have built in their respective countries of origin, some with the added barrier of doing so in their second language. Both sets instilled in my parents, me, and my extended family a deep sense of pride for this country and what it stands for, and a sense of gratitude for the open arms with which it embraced them.

My 90-year-old grandfather, born in Bournemouth UK, is a testament to this legacy. To this day, he’s a prouder Canadian than I’ll ever be, and he attributes most of his success and happiness to his adopted country.

I’ve envied his patriotism and struggled to compete. Indeed, many years spent working and studying abroad in countries such as Chile, Spain, and, now, the UK, have given me an even greater appreciation for Canada and its stable system of government, driven by what Canadians — and Americans — often deem our “boring” politics.

Here in the UK, the British electorate, after years of decidedly not-boring politics, recently voted to massively reject the political chaos that has characterized the past decade.

It is, I believe, a core reason for Canada’s success that our people are traditionally sceptical of populism, shying away from supporting bigots, politicians touting impossible promises or using all methods of slander. Rightly so, as this has helped us to stick primarily to centrist policies and ideas that have made us a major middle power and popular destination for economic migrants.

However, since the pandemic, I’ve felt this tide changing. I’m lucky to claim a diverse set of friends from many walks of life and political persuasions. Self-disenfranchisement has grown, distrust is on the rise and misinformation is rampant. As someone who spent his late 20s as a frustrated young person in a Toronto stuck in a series of lockdown cycles, I can understand how frustrations mounted. Still, I plead with my peers to steer clear of supporting any politician claiming a ‘one-size fits all’ remedy to our country’s issues.

The easy out is for Canadians to give up on ourselves and our stable system. More and more, I’ve heard phrases like ‘this city is falling apart’ or ‘our country is going to (expletive)’, it sounds like an easier response to anxiety than to actually do something about it. Instilling the wisdom of my immigrant grandparents, let’s take more pride in what we’ve accomplished and hold more faith that this country can solve its productivity and other challenges with Canadian ingenuity.

In my work experiences abroad, I’ve seen what falling prey to populism and divisive politics can do to a country.

In my work experiences abroad, I’ve seen what falling prey to populism and divisive politics can do to a country. In Chile, the divide between the left and right of the political system can feel so wide that when speaking to locals, there’s an undertone that the country’s 20th century history (including a 17-year military dictatorship) is a civil war that never really ended, frequently manifesting in street riots. From what I’ve witnessed, the only things that pulls Chileans together are their national patriotic celebrations and national football team.

In the UK, disenfranchisement, a culture of blame and an affinity for supporting populist politicians has led to one of the greatest political blunders with Brexit, with the economic effects still being felt at workplaces every day. I was recently working on a project in Norway, where three quarters of those staffed on it were unable to make a trip to Oslo to visit the client due to post-Brexit visa requirements. “Vote to make the country better,” they thought, and worse it has gotten.

In Spain, the divide between rich and poor, and between left and right became so pronounced that it led to one of the most damaging civil wars of the 20th century, leading to a mass exodus of civilians including some of my forefathers.

I mention these examples not as a way of lecturing, but as a way of reminding Canadians of what has gone wrong in foreign countries in the recent past when some number of the population has abandoned their country’s social pact, creating instability that leads to economic downfall.

On family visits to Canada during my current, two-year stint in the UK, my grandfather continuously mentions that London is a great place to develop skills, but at the end of the day, Canada is home. I tend to agree. It’s important we work together to keep the country attractive to businesses, families, etc., instead of choosing the path of resentment, which history has demonstrated leads to short-sighted political moves and, ultimately, instability. When I do finally decide to return to the country, I look forward to approaching our biggest problems with a global perspective.

I urge all Canadians to roll up their sleeves, look to your neighbours, retain your pride for our country and never lose hold of confidence in ourselves. We can solve our problems more easily  together, but divided, we’ll struggle. As my grandparents always said, “There’s no place like our Canadian home.” Let’s work together to keep it that way.

Andrew Parkes is a proud Canadian management consultant currently residing in London.