KINSELLA: Preserving Canada must be our highest objective

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No thanks.

Former prime minister Stephen Harper, speaking for many Canadians, penned an open letter in a Postmedia newspaper this week. That’s the best way of summarizing it: no thanks.

Harper, who many voters would likely take back in a heartbeat after surveying the current crop of federal leaders, wrote this:

“Whatever comes next from the President, Canada must avoid further dependency on the United States … our focus now should not be on pursuing a deeper economic and security partnership.

“I say this because the preservation of Canada’s existence must be our highest objective. I do not assume that such a belief is universal, particularly if the cost is high. But it should be, and we need leaders who share that belief … and who are prepared to see this fight through to victory. Our distinct history, identity, and cultures are worth preserving.”

Preserving Canada must, indeed, be our highest objective. Those who attempt to justify Donald Trump’s various false claims against Canada are – as Harper acknowledges himself – wasting time. As soon as we address one of Trump’s grievances, he will concoct new ones.

So, Canada must do as Harper recommends: we must eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers. We must reduce taxes and regulations. We must build pipelines and quickly develop ways to get our resources to new, more stable markets. If we do those things, “we will become stronger,” Harper as notes.

But what of the other path, the one that Harper – and my former boss, Jean Chretien, as well as Joe Clark, Paul Martin and Kim Campbell – have all decried? What about simply giving up the fight, and becoming the 51st state, as Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants?

A new poll suggests there is a constituency that favours that option. Toronto’s 996 Advisors issued the results of their troubling survey of online opinion this week called “the social conversation on Canada as the 51st state.”

“There is some genuine Canadian support for the pro-51st state agenda, especially in Alberta, and their movement has the potential to gain traction,” 996 wrote, adding, “Canadians should be vigilant against fake accounts with unknown motivations attempting to sway them.”

996 found the online debate about becoming the 51st state involves a mix of what they called “real Canadians, American influencers” – and bots. That is, fake accounts designed to amplify disinformation (deliberate lies) and misinformation (false information that isn’t always deliberate). These bots, 996 found, are actively “attempting to influence Canadians’ perceptions.”

Being absorbed by the United States is opposed by most of those Canadians active on X/Twitter, 996 wrote. But those who favour absorption cite “lower taxes and stronger military protection as key reasons to join the US.” It’s worth noting that Trump himself uses these justifications all the time, which then results in “pro-51st state advocates … amplifying these messages,” 996 noted.

Who is pushing Trump’s agenda?

“Right-wing media, Conservative politicians, and anti-government voices are driving the conversation,” 996 reports. “US influencers are amplifying Trump’s message, and their reach is so profound it is driving significant engagement in Canadian X/Twitter. There is also evidence of sock puppet and/or bot farms activating specifically on the topic by positioning the 51st state under Trump as the solution to government corruption in Canada.”

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Laurel Ostfield, 996’s CEO, sounds a cautionary note: “There is growing and vocal community in Alberta who would welcome the opportunity. (And) there are Canadians wanting to join the U.S. because of their negative views towards the Canadian government and the Trudeau Liberals. We should not be complacent that this is a small group of people. Their numbers can easily grow.”

With her poll, Ostfield outlines the problem – but Stephen Harper shows the best solution. The most effective way to address the internal threat is to lower taxes, boost military spending, and work overtime to get our resources to new and more stable markets. Ironically enough, this may partly explain why every Liberal leadership candidate has abandoned the party’s past signature policies – because they all know we risk catastrophe if we don’t.

Difficult times lie ahead, with no shortage of hardship. Of that, there can be no doubt.

But as my former boss Chretien put it, “Remember the words of Winston Churchill: When you are going to Hell, just keep going!”

So, we keep going. We have no other choice – if we want to keep a Canada that is glorious and free.