Latest news with #MatthewHayday
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Did Trump make Canada Day great again? Some observers say, in a way, yes
Just a few years ago, Canada Day was going through a serious identity crisis. Calls to #CancelCanadaDay were trending in 2021 after preliminary findings from a ground-penetrating radar survey at a former residential school in British Columbia had found some 200 potential unmarked graves at the now-national historic site. In 2017, protesters with Idle No More descended on Parliament Hill, calling for a national day of action called UNsettling Canada 150 on the country's 150th birthday. Enter, Donald Trump and his threats to annex Canada if the country doesn't voluntarily become the 51st state — something that's dominated headlines this year. "There is a switch this year suddenly," said historian Matthew Hayday. The threat to Canadian sovereignty has galvanized Canadians, the University of Guelph department chair said. This year, he expects celebrations with "the whole rhetoric of 'elbows up' and championing Canada." Trump's taunts and very real tariffs may be driving a resurgence of patriotism, but while some Torontonians are heading to Ottawa to celebrate, some Indigenous people say their concerns remain and shouldn't be forgotten. "July 1 can, in some ways, be a microcosm of a given year of what the national mood looks like," Hayday said. Earlier this year, Canadians across the country were boycotting American products and cancelling vacations plans to the U.S. Those sentiments may not be as potent now, but for many the sentiment lingers. Yao Ameyaw told CBC Toronto he's still avoiding spending money south of the border, and he'll be travelling to Ottawa for Canada Day. "There is a bit of bad blood whether spoken or not, between us and America," he said. Patrick Shea and his wife will also be heading from Toronto to the nation's capital. He agrees Canada-U.S. relations have "reinvigorated [Canadians] sense of nation and our sense of belonging together," but hopes the tensions die down soon. "It may pass like a kidney stone, but it's going to pass." For Tira Cardinal, who is Indigenous, the holiday is an opportunity to spend time with friends, but she won't be celebrating. "I'm going to be wearing an orange shirt on Canada Day," she said, adding that she isn't surprised Indigenous issues aren't front of mind for many Canadians this year. "People hop on the bandwagon for a lot of things. Unfortunately, I think that's how people in society are going to be." Brianna Olson-Pitawanakwat, a member of the member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded First Nation, said she'll be spending the day rallying around her community and highlighting their resilience and resistance. She's the co-founder of the Native Arts Society in Toronto, an art gallery and studio space dedicated to celebrating and showcasing Indigenous artists, many of whom are survivors of residential schools or the Sixties Scoop. "[They] are struggling with displacement, and deserve to be honoured on this day," Olson-Pitawanakwat said. "There's been a big push with what's happening south of the border for Canada to kind of relish in this hyper-nationalism. I think it's really important to recognize that like the boundaries of what we call Canada today would not exist without Indigenous peoples." Already, the surge in patriotism — and protectionism — has led to threats against Indigenous sovereignty, Olson-Pitawanakwat said. She compares Bill 5 in Ontario to Stephen Harper's Bill C-45, a controversial omnibus bill that made changes to the Indian Act, the Environmental Protections Act and Navigation Protection Act to make it easier for pipelines to be approved on Indigenous land without the consent of affected First Nations. That 2012 bill was part of what sparked the Idle No More movement that drove protests across the country and calls for Canada Day to be cancelled. Olson-Pitawanakwat says, like C-45, the Ford government's Bill 5 will also allow the government to expedite and approve energy project in Indigenous territories without local approval, namely when it comes to mining in the Ring of Fire. "We cannot approve these things without free, prior-informed consent," Olson-Pitawanakwat said. Similar tensions are playing out at national level, too. Prime Minister Mark Carney has signalled Bill C-5 could be used to greenlight and fast-track new energy projects, including pipelines, mines and other resource-related initiatives. There's already fear and pushback in some Indigenous communities about what it'll mean for the consultation process — though both Carney and Ford have vowed their governments will consult. "Right now, there is a lot more leeway for various actors to do things in the name of Canada," Hayday said. And as a result, "Indigenous concerns more broadly are kind of getting shunted," he said. With the pendulum in one direction, this could be the moment that it starts to move the other way, Olson-Pitawanakwat said. "This bill and the response are huge… and it's only going to become more present."
CTV News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Canadians reclaim Maple Leaf flag amid Trump threats
As Canada marks another birthday, a subtle but noticeable shift in patriotism is taking place. One that experts say not just reflects pride, but also complexity, critique and quiet defiance. Recent political rhetoric from south of the border, including U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about annexing Canada, has stirred something among Canadians. More flags are flying, locally made goods are being sought out, and some are rethinking travel across the border. 'There has definitely been a surge of patriotism,' Matthew Hayday, professor and chair of the Department of History at the University of Guelph, said in an email to 'And it is a defensive form of nationalism … [that] results from Canada seeming to be under threat from a country we have thought of for many decades as a close ally.' For Bradley Miller, associate professor at the University of British Columbia, this resurgence is about more than just outside pressure. 'We should also see what's going on right now in relation to where our national mood has been for the last few years,' he said in an email to 'All of this dampened many Canadians' belief in the goodness of this country.' He points to a long list of issues that have challenged national pride: the aftermath of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools, a strained housing market, and divisions over COVID-19 policies and federal leadership. 'So, you could argue that what's happening right now is both a surge in patriotism and a right-sizing of it,' Miller says. 'We're emerging from some of the fog that we've been in about our country for at least half a decade, though no one knows how long this will last.' Reclaimed flag One of the clearest signs of this shift is the Maple Leaf flag. Once seen by some as a symbol co-opted by the Freedom Convoy movement, the flag is now being embraced by a broader group of Canadians. 'I do think that the current moment has meant that the Maple Leaf flag has been reclaimed for mainstream Canadians,' Hayday says. 'Flying the flag is no longer raising the same sorts of suspicions that the person displaying it harbours sympathies for right-wing causes.' He adds that the impact of this moment goes beyond symbols — it's influencing how Canadians shop, where they travel, and how they express pride in more personal ways. 'Voluntary patriotism' Miller says Canadian nationalism has often taken a quieter form, something he sees as a defining trait. 'Ours is a quiet, pragmatic, and voluntary patriotism,' Miller says. 'Lots of Canadians are enormously proud of this country that don't own any clothing emblazoned with a Maple Leaf and would never put up a flag on their porch.' He notes that even in 1867, opposition to Confederation was strong. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia elected anti-Confederation governments, and provinces like British Columbia and Prince Edward Island only joined later, when they had little choice. Others, particularly Indigenous peoples, did not view themselves as part of Canada at all. 'Our regional identities are often stronger than our national one,' Miller says. 'Canadians can choose for themselves how much to celebrate their country, or whether to do so at all. To my mind, that's one of the things that makes our country great.' Reflection as well as celebration While recent years have seen calls to 'cancel' Canada Day, particularly after the discovery of unmarked graves in 2021 — Hayday says those critiques are less prominent this year. 'I think those critiques have not been as visible this year, possibly because of the extent to which Canadians want to celebrate their country,' he says. Still, Hayday believes Canada Day remains a moment for reflection as well as celebration. 'There are aspects of the country's history and its present incarnation that are worth celebrating, but there are also ongoing problems,' he says. 'Not all people here share the same positive experiences of the country, especially Indigenous peoples.'
CTV News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
A subtle but noticeable shift in patriotism marks Canada Day in 2025
As Canada marks another birthday, a subtle but noticeable shift in patriotism is taking place. One that experts say not just reflects pride, but also complexity, critique and quiet defiance. Recent political rhetoric from south of the border, including U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about annexing Canada, has stirred something among Canadians. More flags are flying, locally made goods are being sought out, and some are rethinking travel across the border. 'There has definitely been a surge of patriotism,' Matthew Hayday, professor and chair of the Department of History at the University of Guelph, said in an email to 'And it is a defensive form of nationalism … [that] results from Canada seeming to be under threat from a country we have thought of for many decades as a close ally.' For Bradley Miller, associate professor at the University of British Columbia, this resurgence is about more than just outside pressure. 'We should also see what's going on right now in relation to where our national mood has been for the last few years,' he said in an email to 'All of this dampened many Canadians' belief in the goodness of this country.' He points to a long list of issues that have challenged national pride: the aftermath of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools, a strained housing market, and divisions over COVID-19 policies and federal leadership. 'So, you could argue that what's happening right now is both a surge in patriotism and a right-sizing of it,' Miller says. 'We're emerging from some of the fog that we've been in about our country for at least half a decade, though no one knows how long this will last.' Reclaimed flag One of the clearest signs of this shift is the Maple Leaf flag. Once seen by some as a symbol co-opted by the Freedom Convoy movement, the flag is now being embraced by a broader group of Canadians. 'I do think that the current moment has meant that the Maple Leaf flag has been reclaimed for mainstream Canadians,' Hayday says. 'Flying the flag is no longer raising the same sorts of suspicions that the person displaying it harbours sympathies for right-wing causes.' He adds that the impact of this moment goes beyond symbols — it's influencing how Canadians shop, where they travel, and how they express pride in more personal ways. 'Voluntary patriotism' Miller says Canadian nationalism has often taken a quieter form, something he sees as a defining trait. 'Ours is a quiet, pragmatic, and voluntary patriotism,' Miller says. 'Lots of Canadians are enormously proud of this country that don't own any clothing emblazoned with a Maple Leaf and would never put up a flag on their porch.' He notes that even in 1867, opposition to Confederation was strong. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia elected anti-Confederation governments, and provinces like British Columbia and Prince Edward Island only joined later, when they had little choice. Others, particularly Indigenous peoples, did not view themselves as part of Canada at all. 'Our regional identities are often stronger than our national one,' Miller says. 'Canadians can choose for themselves how much to celebrate their country, or whether to do so at all. To my mind, that's one of the things that makes our country great.' Reflection as well as celebration While recent years have seen calls to 'cancel' Canada Day, particularly after the discovery of unmarked graves in 2021 — Hayday says those critiques are less prominent this year. 'I think those critiques have not been as visible this year, possibly because of the extent to which Canadians want to celebrate their country,' he says. Still, Hayday believes Canada Day remains a moment for reflection as well as celebration. 'There are aspects of the country's history and its present incarnation that are worth celebrating, but there are also ongoing problems,' he says. 'Not all people here share the same positive experiences of the country, especially Indigenous peoples.'
CBC
29-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Did Trump make Canada Day great again? Some observers say, in a way, yes
Just a few years ago, Canada Day was going through a serious identity crisis. Calls to #CancelCanadaDay were trending in 2021 after preliminary findings from a ground-penetrating radar survey at a former residential school in British Columbia had found some 200 potential unmarked graves at the now-national historic site. In 2017, protesters with Idle No More descended on Parliament Hill, calling for a national day of action called UNsettling Canada 150 on the country's 150th birthday. Enter, Donald Trump and his threats to annex Canada if the country doesn't voluntarily become the 51st state — something that's dominated headlines this year. "There is a switch this year suddenly," said historian Matthew Hayday. The threat to Canadian sovereignty has galvanized Canadians, the University of Guelph department chair said. This year, he expects celebrations with "the whole rhetoric of 'elbows up' and championing Canada." Trump's taunts and very real tariffs may be driving a resurgence of patriotism, but while some Torontonians are heading to Ottawa to celebrate, some Indigenous people say their concerns remain and shouldn't be forgotten. "July first can, in some ways, be a microcosm of a given year of what the national mood looks like," Hayday said. A day shaped by tensions Earlier this year, Canadians across the country were boycotting American products and cancelling vacations plans to the U.S. Those sentiments may not be as potent now, but for many the sentiment lingers. Yao Ameyaw told CBC Toronto he's still avoiding spending money south of the border, and he'll be travelling to Ottawa for Canada Day. "There is a bit of bad blood whether spoken or not, between us and America," he said. Patrick Shea and his wife will also be heading from Toronto to the nation's capital. He agrees Canada-U.S. relations have "reinvigorated [Canadians] sense of nation and our sense of belonging together," but hopes the tensions die down soon. "It may pass like a kidney stone, but it's going to pass." For Tira Cardinal, who is Indigenous, the holiday is an opportunity to spend time with friends, but she won't be celebrating. "I'm going to be wearing an orange shirt on Canada Day," she said, adding that she isn't surprised Indigenous issues aren't front of mind for many Canadians this year. "People hop on the bandwagon for a lot of things. Unfortunately, I think that's how people in society are going to be." Brianna Olson-Pitawanakwat, a member of the member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded First Nation, said she'll be spending the day rallying around her community and highlighting their resilience and resistance. She's the co-founder of the Native Arts Society in Toronto, an art gallery and studio space dedicated to celebrating and showcasing Indigenous artists, many of whom are survivors of residential schools or the Sixties Scoop. "[They] are struggling with displacement, and deserve to be honoured on this day," Olson-Pitawanakwat said. "There's been a big push with what's happening south of the border for Canada to kind of relish in this hyper-nationalism. I think it's really important to recognize that like the boundaries of what we call Canada today would not exist without Indigenous peoples." Recent bills could move the pendulum of public opinion Already, the surge in patriotism — and protectionism — has led to threats against Indigenous sovereignty, Olson-Pitawanakwat said. She compares Bill 5 in Ontario to Stephen Harper's Bill C-45, a controversial omnibus bill that made changes to the Indian Act, the Environmental Protections Act and Navigation Protection Act to make it easier for pipelines to be approved on Indigenous land without the consent of affected First Nations. That 2012 bill was part of what sparked the Idle No More movement that drove protests across the country and calls for Canada Day to be cancelled. Olson-Pitawanakwat says, like C-45, the Ford government's Bill 5 will also allow the government to expedite and approve energy project in Indigenous territories without local approval, namely when it comes to mining in the Ring of Fire. "We cannot approve these things without free, prior-informed consent," Olson-Pitawanakwat said. Similar tensions are playing out at national level, too. Prime Minister Mark Carney has signalled Bill C-5 could be used to greenlight and fast-track new energy projects, including pipelines, mines and other resource-related initiatives. There's already fear and pushback in some Indigenous communities about what it'll mean for the consultation process — though both Carney and Ford have vowed their governments will consult. "Right now, there is a lot more leeway for various actors to do things in the name of Canada," Hayday said. And as a result, "Indigenous concerns more broadly are kind of getting shunted," he said. With the pendulum in one direction, this could be the moment that it starts to move the other way, Olson-Pitawanakwat said.
