United We Stand. Divided We Fall.

This morning I woke up sad for my kids, and my country.

Last night, our federal election results confirmed that Canada, and Canadians, are the most divided they have ever been. While Canada is an experiment that has been slowly breaking apart at the seams for years, this time it is different. You can feel it in the air.

One of the best articles I read during the campaign came from Rex Murphy. He was commenting about the fact there were two leaders debates in French, and one in English:

There are nine other provinces and also three territories, none of which is a nation, all of which are officially bilingual, and which hold only about 30 million of Canada’s 38.1 million people. For this clutter of secondary provinces and outlying territories, there is one debate. One. The people who set up these debates are under the illusion that Canada is a very small country and every place outside Quebec is a carbon copy of every other place. Hence, their careful rationing of debates.

Could there not be an hour-and-a-half discussion centred around those who clear sewer pipes, or repair power lines in winter storms, the casual man or woman who works a counter in a convenience store or mall outlet? One that acknowledges hotel cleaners, janitors, roofers and taxi drivers? A debate dealing with purely forgotten elements, like farmers and loggers, fishermen and carpenters, plumbers and convenience store workers, rural doctors and fast-food workers, a debate that touches maybe three-quarters of the ordinary Canadian public?

However, everybody else in Canada knows the truth is the opposite. Canada is very large, regions and provinces wildly different from each other, and all parts of Canada have their own issues of national importance. Which more than suggests that those who seek to govern us might want to visit a few places outside the TV studios of Montreal or Ottawa in which to discuss national issues.

I believe when a system is deliberately designed to the exclusion of others, it is flawed.

When a system is designed to greatly advantage certain regions over others, the system is flawed.

When governments fail to represent the majority of voters (that actually did not vote for them), the system is flawed.

When Canadians like myself, who are rational, educated, and civicly-minded fail to see a bright future for their kids in Canada, the system is flawed.

Canada is very large, with regions and provinces that are wildly different from each other. Different isn't better or worse. It's just different. This difference requires accommodation and genuine respect- on all sides. It requires leadership that is committed to promoting unity, not stoking further divison by pitting region against region, industry against industry, religion against religion.

History shows us that when large geographic regions share a common culture, believe their most fundamental values are under attack, and lose confidence the democratic process will protect their interests, unity rarely results. January 6 is a prime example of that.

While Canada's political and traditional media spin doctors have only just begun their work, the fact is, the majority of Canadians lost yesterday, and the ripple effects of this election have only just begun. If Canada's flawed political system continues to ignore, dismiss, and diminish unique differences across our nation, we will witness a significant rise in political parties like the People's Party of Canada, the Bloq, the Maverick Party, an Ethical Women in Leadership Party, or even perhaps an Indigenous Party in the future.

The nation of Canada truly is at a pivital point in its history. While tackling the pandemic will continue to be an important issue, if unity and national healing isn't a close second or third, I believe the next election, and Canada, will look very different.