I Am Canadian
On March 9, 2025, at 91 years old, the Honourable Jean Chretien, Prime Minister 1993 to 2003, said it best, “I have to say thanks to Mr. Trump for uniting us together like never before. He should be given the Order of Canada,” he roared with a big belly laugh!
Canadians have responded to Trump’s call for tariffs and his intention to annex Canada by shaking off our general inclination to always be kind and ‘nice’. What a wonderful response it has been. We’re generally not big flag wavers unless it’s July 1 or when a Canadian hockey team wins the Stanley Cup again. But look at us now!
Everywhere you go we see Canadians standing together, strong and free…and intending to stay that way. The US World Population Clock says the US population is 341,461,544 and the Canadian Population Clock reads 41,645, 985. We are roughly 10% of the US population, but we are mighty!
Canada’s Debt as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 98.2% in 2017 vs the US’ of 103.8 GDP. Life expectancy for Canadian males is 80 and for American males it is 73. For Canadian women it is 84 and 79 for American women.
Canada’s total health spending was $344 billion in 2023 or $8,740 per person. That’s about 12.1% of GDP. In 2022, the US national health care expenditure was US $4.5 trillion or 17.3% of GDP, the highest health spending based on GDP among developed countries.
In 1947, Tommy Douglas, voted Canada’s Greatest Canadian in 2004, implemented universal public health insurance in Saskatchewan making it the first jurisdiction with universal health coverage in North America. This insurance initially covered hospital care in 1947. In 1961, his NDP government passed the Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Act; the first comprehensive healthcare insurance plan in Canada.
I was born in Calgary and raised in Swift Current, Saskatchewan and had the benefit of dental care as a part of that plan. Every year when I go to my dentist, Dr. Larry Stanley can never find a problem with these teeth! I attribute that to Tommy Douglas’ dream!
In 1966, following the Royal Commission on Health Services, the Canadian Federal Government passed the Medical Care Act for all Canadians. How fortunate Canadians are for that pioneer work.
The United States is better at higher education than Canada as the US has more top universities world renowned for their cutting-edge research, extensive funding opportunities, and strong industry connections. We have work to do in that respect.
Canada and the US have been sports rivals for many years. Ice hockey has been the most important. The first Olympic Hockey Tournament was held in 1920 when the Canadians won, and United States was not able to defeat Canada until the 1960 Winter Olympics! The competition goes on!
That and so much more brings us to 2025 when the world has been turned upside down. We have had a long and complex relationship with the United States. We have considered ourselves to be the closest allies in history, the economy, and culture. We share the longest border of 8,891 kilometres or 5,525 miles. We have considered ourselves best friends and for many of us, part of our families.
And now we have a conundrum. Who are we? Who are they? Canadians are struggling to know. Is it a divorce or a short-term separation? Who knows? But I do know, I am forever Canadian!
Photo Credit Cole Keister
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