Canada! Who Even Are We?

The High-Stakes Game of Misidentifying Ourselves and How to Grab the Wheel

Canada is at a crossroads, and it's the kind where the GPS glitches and tells you to do a U-turn into a lake. Everything is shifting. There’s a serious challenge ahead, but inside that mess, there’s a massive opportunity. We have every reason in the world right now to define who we actually are instead of letting the loudest, most annoying voices do it for us. We can own our narrative. But first, we need to figure out what that even means.

For decades, our national identity has been cobbled together from political speeches, TV broadcasts, and whatever slogans fit on a trucker hat. The people yelling into microphones keep handing us a script, and we keep reading it. But there’s a smarter way. We have real data, real insights that show what actually matters to us, the things we hold tight. Instead of sleepwalking through our national self-perception, we can wake up and take control.

The Power of Defining Ourselves (Before Someone Else Does It for Us)

We have a rare chance and a damn good reason to shape our identity in a way that actually makes sense. Not just for the sake of nostalgia or branding, but because it helps us get along better, work together, and find allies out in the big, weird world. A clear sense of self makes everything else function more smoothly. Trade, economics, and politics all become more manageable when a country knows who it is.

Right now, Canada is dealing with new 25% tariffs on exports to the USA. That’s not just an economic issue, it’s an identity issue. Some will say, "Why are we talking about values when our economy has just been lit on fire?" But that’s exactly when you talk about values. When the map is useless, knowing where you actually stand is the only thing that keeps you from getting lost. The nations and businesses that thrive in chaos are the ones that know who they are. This isn’t a side quest. It’s the game.

When we align our policies, business strategies, and communications with our real, fact-based values, everything falls into place. We get stronger as a country. We form better partnerships. We stop throwing darts in the dark and start hitting the target.

The Data Speaks (If You Listen)

Below is a snapshot of Canada’s core values, compared to global values. This is based on a million surveys in 152 languages and hundreds of millions of data points. Let's just look at two, for now.??

Family ranks as the top value for Canadians. That sounds like a Hallmark moment but it's more than that. It’s a blueprint. If Canada wants to build unity, this is where it starts. We aren’t just a country. We are a family. We have a complicated history, weird cousins, and occasional fights over what counts as "real" maple syrup. But we are a family nonetheless. When our policies, economy, and national conversations reflect this, we strengthen our foundation. Of course we need to unpack this and really dive deep into the data to create a nuanced version of what this means to us. The details are where the magic lives.

Creativity is a national superpower, and innovation is its sidekick. This is more than a polite nod to the arts or a corporate buzzword. It stands as a fundamental force that fuels our industries, shapes our culture, and builds Canada’s reputation for producing fresh ideas and unexpected breakthroughs. When we talk about Canada to the world, we need to own this. We’re not just polite lumberjacks. We are creators, disruptors, and storytellers. Countries that embrace creativity attract talent, investment, and attention. The numbers don’t lie. Creativity shows up in how we work, how we live, and how we solve problems. If we lean into this, we can use it to build, inspire, and make meaningful connections that last.

A Smarter Way Forward

This is just the start. We can dig deeper and get sharper.

• What values bring Canadians together, coast to coast to coast?
• How do different industries and sectors align in their values? Where do they overlap?
• Which global partners share our values and make the most sense for collaboration?

I'm not sure how to be any more straight up about this: these are not abstract questions. They are the questions that will determine whether Canada navigates this moment or gets steamrolled by it. If we’re facing an economic shake-up, why wouldn’t we align with those who actually get us? Why wouldn’t we double down on what makes us us?

Trade barriers and shifting markets create uncertainty, but they also give us a shot at reinvention. Instead of flailing, we can use this moment to deepen our understanding of who we are and make moves that actually make sense.

A Bright Spark in the Static

We have the data. The insights are sitting right here. We just need the will to act on them. Corporate and political leaders need to see that identity is not a luxury. It’s the backbone of strategy. The economy is under threat, but that doesn’t mean we stand still. It means we move forward with intention guided by who we actually-really-truly-honest-to-god are, deep inside our hearts, where it counts.

Some will say this is self-serving because I have access to this data, so of course I’d say we should use it. But this isn’t about me. It’s about Canada. Data is just a tool. What matters is how we use it. So come at me. Let's find ways to do good with this. A values-driven approach is not a nice-to-have. It’s a necessity. This is how we stay resilient, strengthen our communities, and build relationships that actually work.

This is our moment. Let’s own it. Let’s build a Brand Canada that makes sense, that feels real, and that resonates.

Our values are the answer. Let’s put them to work.

#values #unity #nationalunity #nationalbrand #data #keynotespeaker