Boost in patriotism on display at Canada Day events

Globe and Mail

3 days ago

Canada Day in the nation's capital came with a bit of an edge this year.
Many wore T-shirts emblazoned with slogans such as 'Canada is Not For Sale,' 'Elbows Up,' and 'Never 51″ – a reference to U.S. President Donald Trump's frequent musings about Canada becoming his country's 51st state.
That rhetoric, and Mr. Trump's imposition of a series of tariffs on Canadian goods, is what prompted Jim Kamp to fly from Victoria to take in Canada Day in Ottawa for the first time.
'I was really inspired because of what's been going on for the past four or five months,' said Mr. Kamp, who was wearing a red shirt that said, 'Never 51, Canada Stays Free.'
'I don't think I was really a very strong patriotic Canadian until now. I think this is definitely a turning point for a lot of Canadians,' he said.
That boost in patriotism has been reflected in Canadians' shopping and travel habits this year.
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Return trips by automobile from the U.S. in May declined by 38 per cent on a year-over-year basis, Statistics Canada reported last week.
The afternoon speeches and performances in Ottawa included Mark Carney's first Canada Day appearance since he won the federal election campaign in April, one that drew heavily on patriotic themes.
'We find ourselves in a situation where our economy is being attacked by a trade war that we didn't start. We find ourselves in a situation where our values are being tested by attacks on democracy and freedoms, attacks that we must resist. And once again, as the world becomes more divided and dangerous, Canadians are uniting,' he said.
He then referenced his government's recent legislation to fast track large projects, saying it will allow Canada to do things 'we previously thought impossible at speeds not seen for generations.'
During the recent election campaign, Mr. Carney seized on the 'elbows up' mantra, saying he was the best person to stand up to President Trump.
That pledge is currently being put to the test as Mr. Carney attempts to lead negotiations toward a new trade deal with the U.S. by July 21.
On the eve of Canada Day, Mr. Trump's chief spokesperson Karoline Leavitt boasted that Mr. Carney 'caved' over the weekend, dropping Canada's digital services tax after the President demanded the move as a condition for continuing the negotiations.
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Pete Hoeskstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, released a statement Tuesday wishing all Canadians a happy Canada Day.
'Today we remain committed to advancing our shared goals – from strengthening continental defence through NORAD to combatting the deadly threat of fentanyl to our citizens. We also continue to co-operate on important issues affecting this hemisphere and the world,' he said.
In Ottawa's Byward Market, Le Moulin de Provence bakery has a section where it usually sells 'Obama cookies,' marking the time when former U.S. President Barack Obama stopped in during a 2009 visit, a much warmer time in Canada-U.S. relations. On Tuesday, the Obama cookies display was full of red and white Canadian flag cookies instead.
In addition to Mr. Carney's speech, the noon Canada Day event in Ottawa featured music performances by Amanda Marshall, Garou and Thompson Egbo-Egbo, as well as speeches by Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Governor General Mary Simon.
The evening event's schedule featured a longer list of music artists, including Sarah McLachlan, Coeur de Pirate, Josh Ross, Tom Cochrane, Mitsou, Roch Voisine, Randy Bachman and Talk, followed by fireworks.
In Toronto, Canadian forces members helped unfurl a massive Canadian flag on the field before an afternoon Canada Day Toronto Blue Jays home game. Chief of Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Over at Queen's Park and outside Toronto's City Hall, flags flew high as thousands of people celebrated a sunny Canada Day. All dressed in red T-shirts, the Kenney family relaxed at a park bench in a shaded corner of Nathan Phillips Square.
Motivated by Canada's recent wave of patriotism, Ben Kenney wanted his family of four to participate in Canada Day celebrations instead of staying at home.
'I've never celebrated Canada Day in Toronto before,' Mr. Kenney said, who has lived in the city for the past decade.
Mother-daughter duo Pat McDermid and Heather Wilson also said they feel this Canada Day is markedly different from previous years.
'The whole country has kind of metaphorically stood up and been like, 'We don't need the States, we stand on our own, we can do this,'' Ms. Wilson said.
Shyr Alenandro and Boots Carag, who immigrated to Canada from the Philippines, said they are proud Canada is their second home. Dancing in the square donning red-and-white sunglasses, they said they're thankful to be Canadian.
The two always celebrate Canada Day but tensions with the United States make this year more significant.
'We are so blessed and grateful for the kindness of Canada,' Ms. Alenandro said.
A recently released survey by the Environics Institute found a modest increase in the strength of the Canadian identity.
The survey asked respondents how attached they feel to Canada.
Almost nine in 10 said they were either very attached (57 per cent) or somewhat attached (30 per cent) to Canada. That is up from responses last year, when 51 per cent said they were very attached and 34 per cent said they were somewhat attached.
Andrew Parkin, the Environics Institute's executive director, said Canadian patriotism is clearly on the rise.
'The pressure from the U.S. is making us less reserved and a bit more vocal in our attachment to Canada, but it didn't make us a completely different country,' he said in an interview.
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The survey of 5,391 adults was conducted between May 1 and June 16, 2025.
As is the case with all online surveys, there is no margin of error as the sample, while representative, is not drawn strictly at random.
Recent months have seen increased attention on a potential referendum on Alberta independence, while the separatist Parti Québécois is leading public opinion surveys in that province.
However, the Environics survey suggests neither of those developments are driven by declining Canadian patriotism. In fact, the survey found that attachment to Canada has strengthened in both provinces.
'It's important not to mistake whatever frustration there is in Alberta as somehow a sort of rejection of being Canadian, because that's just not there,' he said.