I'd be Canadian

It is hard to be more American than me, by genealogy. The first Hensal born here crossed the Delaware with George Washington. Another family branch came to Pennsylvania with fellow Quaker William Penn. Still another emerged from the colonial tidewaters, likely through an English convict indentured servant. So, outside a few blips across 300 years, all my roads lead to the thirteen colonies.

My personal life too is deeply rooted in American politics and its history—I am simply a wonk. I make my professional living through this expertise. While more aware of the wider world than most Americans (admittedly a low bar) all my roads lead back to American society, politics and governance.

I am both jealous and fascinated because Canadians now have a dream to remake a country once more.

Not perfect

With all this said, I would be Canadian if I could.

Canada is not perfect. You killed your share of indigenous people. Exploited immigrants. Oppressed the francophone. Classism, racism, sexism abound in your past and present day. While spared the soul-scourge slavery still visits on the United States to this day, I have no pretense that your universal health care makes Canada a nirvana.

Today, I am both jealous and fascinated because Canadians now have a dream to remake a country once more. Sadly, again in response to United States aggression, as Carney pointed out in his acceptance speech:

”And united, our history, we have done hard, seemingly impossible things. United, we have built one nation in harsh conditions, despite a sometimes hostile neighbour. Yes, they have form on this, the Americans.”

The United States has lacked such genuine vision for nearly 80 years. Our post-war era focused on keeping, not building. The last challenge the United States took on was a moon-landing well in advance of starting-point technology. Afterwards, all downhill. And our decline extends beyond Donald Trump. That we, as a people, elected him twice and today fail to end his chaos proves our unreliability beyone doubt and will drive every country towards alternatives, even after Trump is gone.

Possibilities

To follow with Carney’s acceptance speech:

“When I sit down with President Trump, it will be to discuss the future economic and security relationship between two sovereign nations. And it will be with our full knowledge that we have many, many other options than the United States to build prosperity for all Canadians.

“We will strengthen our relations with reliable partners in Europe, Asia and elsewhere.

“We will chart a new path forward because this is Canada and we decide what happens here.

“We will need to think big and act bigger. We will need to do things previously thought impossible at speeds we haven’t seen in generations.

Past immediate stress and need for quick action, Canada has enviable opportunity to truly rethink its governance and diplomacy. While once sensible to integrate southward, with that no longer possible, the world is now full of possibility. Canada could join the European Union and finally not need a passport to visit Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. Maybe negotiate with Greenland to join the confederaton as a province. And domestically, new relationships between provinces are possible that preserve identity while strengthening Canada as a whole.

In short, Canada can find new ways to be strong and kind. Create its own way in the world and progress, as the United States strips its government for parts and collapses our economy. Change will be painful and difficult, but at least you, as a country, understand government can work for people, as we once said, in the pursuit of Happiness. The United States lost that sentiment long ago.

Future

So I am jealous and would fight for change in a mirror universe with me north of the border. Though my expertise and resume is of little use in Canada here on Earth-1, I am pleased that, with a bit of bureaucratic legerdemain, my son is a Canadian citizen and happy to be so. A decade before Trump, I thought he should have options. Today, that looks like a good idea. So while on the sidelines myself, he can take part in something new.

Today, Prime Minister Carney meets with President Trump at the White House. Who knows what all they will discuss. But, whatever passes between them, it will be a first step on an interesting path. So, as I tell my son, please appreciate this journey Canada and make the best country from it as you can. Chances like this do not come around very often.