I am a journalist, a mother, and the publisher of this fine and storied publication. I am also a life-long progressive who finds herself newly invested in the idea of Canadian sovereignty….
As a publication, rabble.ca has long been critical of nationalism. Uncritical patriotism obscures our view of Canada’s problematic history – the legacy of racism and colonialism that is implicit in Settler-Colonialism; however, as imperfect as the history – and the present – of our country may be – it is not an excuse to give up on our sovereignty and the self-government in which it allows people to participate.
If we lose our self-determination to American encroachment, we lose the hope of a brighter and more inclusive future. For Canada, sovereignty represents the chance to improve. It represents the opportunity to continue the vital work of Truth and Reconciliation, to improve and expand the Universal Childcare System created with the goal of providing quality care for our children and to boost the careers of their parents. We would lose our gun control laws to America’s archaic view that its citizens have a “right to bear arms.” We would lose a society where, although access to abortion is not yet equal nation-wide, there are nonetheless no laws that criminalize women and gender-diverse people seeking abortion care.
We would also lose control over our hard-won healthcare system. Overburdened and flawed as it is nonetheless founded on Tommy Douglas’ conviction that everyone deserves access to medical treatment, and that our country is stronger when its people are healthier. It is his fight to help Canadians embrace that conviction that saw Douglas recognized as the “Greatest Canadian” in history.
And while Canada’s Environmental Record is flawed, a loss of sovereignty represents the end of our opportunity to protect the landmass that is currently covered by the world’s second largest nation. And that would represent a loss for the entire planet…
No, Canada is not perfect. It is not the proverbial “City on a Hill” America’s founding fathers ironically thought that country could be. Canada has long underserved racialized people, queer people, those living with disabilities, and anyone who finds themselves living in poverty for any reason. But if we give up on the project of Canada without a fight, these problems will never be solved.
Donald Trump has made it known he covets our country, rich as it is in natural resources. Perhaps he also sees the acquisition of a new territory as part of the US’s manifest destiny. It is now impossible to dismiss Trump’s incessant rhetoric about transforming Canada into a 51st state isn’t idle chatter; it is an attempt to normalize an idea in the American mind while attacking our will to keep the North strong and free with policies punishing tariffs.
Trump wants Canada, but we must continue to show Trump that we do not want him.
I write this text as someone who has skin in the game, just as everyone living in this territory does. As the mother of an interracial daughter, I fear a Canada where she grows up to die of an ectopic pregnancy. I fear a Canada where she is unable to pursue her dreams, because this country has become a more proudly racist place. I fear a world where sending my child to school each day puts her at meaningful risk of dying in a school shooting so commonplace, It may not even make the headlines.
I am not patriotic, but I am a parent. I do not believe in nationalist fervor or populist messages about our superiority as a country; however, I do fear a world where my child isn’t Canadian. Canada will never become a better place if it ceases to be Canadian. And I fervently believe that becoming American would make our country worse…
As the executive director and publisher of rabble, I promise our readers we will not allow Trump’s aggressive rhetoric about the annexation of Canada to become normal. Part of resistance is calling a spade a spade, pointing out injustice and threats as we see them.Our news coverage will always do that.
Knowledge remains our power, and we at rabble want to wield it to empower our readers.
Our team will continue to act as the rabble-rousers we have always been as long as there is ink in our proverbial pens. We will tell you the stories that matter.
Yours in solidarity,
Sarah Sahagian
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