It’s not OK to pretend to be Canadian!

When I travelled in Europe in the 1970s, a few young Americans put Canadian symbols on their backpacks. I suppose it was flattering, but I didn’t like it. Not that I would get my knickers in a knot about it. But it wasn’t OK, and it’s not OK now.

I appreciate that some travellers don’t live in the States anymore. You may even be ashamed and embarrassed by the current administration. However, that doesn’t make appropriating another person's nationality, whether Canadian or otherwise, acceptable.

We can spot you a mile away. We may not have called you out about it in the past, but that was before recent events. We have felt betrayed by our friends.

It’s not OK.

You have been privileged for years and still reap the benefits. These may include your pension, health insurance, investments, property, passport, etc.

Now that it’s inconvenient, you don’t get to pretend.

It’s not OK.

So bite the bullet.  (Am I using too many idioms?)

Here is what you should be doing as written by American Michael Jensen in their newsletter:

Anyway, I understand wanting to avoid the uncomfortable situation of answering for your country’s sins. But on some level, they are our country’s sins, and we all have to deal with the consequences. A cold shoulder is, frankly, better than the despicable way America is currently treating a lot of our formerly close allies.

I encourage you to subscribe to their substack here: https://www.brentandmichaelaregoingplaces.com/

A side note . . .

We don't boast about being a great country because we Canadians are far from perfect. We have a significant number of far-right wingers, homophobes, anti-pro-choice, and the list goes on.

We have almost as many homeless problems as in the United States, but what makes it worse is that 40% are from our indigenous people. Over the years, how we have treated our first nations has been one of the worst in the world's countries.

While we have a universal healthcare system, getting a family doctor is almost impossible. And I use the word “family” erroneously. My partner, my youngest son, and I all have a separate “family“doctor, and my older son has been unable to get one.

I remain a proud Canadian.