Trump’s MAGA movement has a huge impact on Canada, and we need new and transformative political leaders to resist it.
Evan Balgord
Editorial
Canadian Anti-Hate Network
Trump is a fascist, according to his former chief of staff John Kelly. He is also a criminal, a rapist, and the 47th president of the United States. What does this mean for Canada?
When America sneezes, Canada catches a cold. The cultural impact of the United States on our country cannot be overstated.
Over the past several years we have seen the creep of the “culture war” into Canada — not the best term, because what it describes is the embrace of racism, hate, an attack on democracy, and a very direct assault on human rights. Neither is it uniquely American. In Canada it has been long planted, grown, and developed, and we have been significant contributors in our own right.
In a normal election, diplomacy is expected. World leaders congratulate each other on a successful campaign and pledge to work closely to benefit both countries. But this is not politics as normal, and, while pragmatic, it is also shameful that Canada’s Prime Minister congratulated a fascist on his victory, as he did earlier this week, whose party and policies will kill women and lower-income Americans, and scapegoat marginalized groups.
Trudeau was not alone in congratulating Trump. So did CPC leader Pierre Poilievre, BC NDP leader David Eby, former President Barack Obama, Vice President Kamala Harris, and politicians around the world. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh didn’t congratulate Trump, and instead said that now is the time to “come together to defend Canadian interests” in relation to the impact on jobs and trade.
“I know that a lot of Canadians are anxious,” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the day after Trump won. “And I want to say with utter sincerity and conviction to Canadians that Canada will be absolutely fine.”
Freeland is absolutely wrong.
The situation cannot only be viewed through the lens of Canadian trade and jobs — the MAGA movement’s influence on Canada is significant, and human rights are at stake.
While Canada has its own unique racist and far-right history — our far-right movements are deeply influenced by their American counterparts, borrowing the strategies and tactics that work.
Christian nationalists believe that the country should be run based on their authoritarian reading of the bible, and that they have the God-given responsibility to force their beliefs on everybody else. No abortions. No sex-ed. It’s not okay to be 2SLGBTQ+.
They have been fundraising, getting their candidates elected, and worming their way into the Republican Party for years.
Their Canadian counterparts are just as motivated, and they are making gains too.
Their influence can be felt in Alberta, where the government is making classes mentioning 2SLGBTQ+ health and human rights opt-in, which means that the kids who need to learn about it the most, will not.
Within a year, Canadians will go to the polls and elect a new federal government. During that election, we plan on looking at all candidates, their backgrounds and positions, and letting you know when any candidate from any party spreads racism and other forms of hate.
The Canadian Anti-Hate Network does not endorse political parties. But wherever there are attacks on human rights, we need to be politically active, getting out the vote in the opposite direction.
While we need to do it to protect people in the short term, voting for the least bad option will not be enough to prevent the far-right from taking more and more political power. People do not only want to vote against something–they will turn out in higher numbers to vote for something.
Advocacy and activism will continue to be crucial to resisting the far-right in Canada, especially important in the coming days now that they will be emboldened by their counterparts winning in America. Exposing the far-right, holding rallies and counter-demonstrations - making sure that there are social consequences for supporting the far-right and raising the cost of participation - these are all part of the solution.
To defeat the far-right, rather than resist it, we need to find new political leaders and put pressure on the ones we have to demand transformative change. We must address all the things that are unfair in Canada and make people receptive to the far-right in the first place.
Cost of living, housing, disingenuous politics, a failing healthcare system, cuts to education, and more. The far-right offers easy and false answers to these problems that protect their wealthy benefactors, like blaming immigrants. Meanwhile the rich keep getting richer and everyone else struggles.
Our work has always relied on information and support from good hearted people in Canada who want to stand up against the far-right, fear, and hatred. Now that fight must be against complacency and for a new transformative politics that counters the far-right.
The court also heard a breakdown by investigators that matched the location of a second video to a former schoolhouse in rural Quebec.
A 3D printer, a framed picture of Adolf Hitler, and a knife with Nazi symbols were found in Patrick Macdonald’s home.
