DUNSTAN: Trump has some great, free ideas that Canada should adopt

William Dunstan is a Young Voices contributor and a Master of Public Policy student at the University of CalgaryDonald Trump has already had an excessive influence on Canada’s election rhetoric. At Pierre Poilievre’s campaign kick-off, one journalist asked the Conservative leader why voters should trust him to lead Canada when so many of his policies resemble Donald Trump’s. While Canadians should demand that their next prime minister stand up to Trump, the implication that it’s wrong for a Canadian politician to share any policy positions with the US President reflects a pernicious form of Canadian nationalism — one that is reflexively anti-American. In an election that will center on defining Canada’s future direction, we should reject Anti-Americanism as a national identity, and focus instead on making Canada the free-est country in the world.Canadians are unusual in that most of us define our national identity less in terms of who we are, and more in terms of what we aren’t. Specifically, in defining our identity, Canadians have long emphasized the ways we are not American. Such reflexive anti-Americanism is unhealthy as it leads Canadians to become attached to the status quo and resistant to sensible reforms because they seem “too American.” .Health care is the best example. Polling has shown that Canadians see our government-run health care system as a greater source of national pride than the Canadian flag or the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, due to its distinct contrast to the American health care system. Although Canadians are proud of single-payer health care, most are dissatisfied with the performance of our health care systems. Many countries around the world operate different models of universal health care that leverage competition and market mechanisms to achieve better outcomes at a lower cost while still ensuring everyone can access care. But anti-Americanism stops Canada from adopting lessons from abroad because any politician who advocates for modest user fees or private delivery is denigrated for supporting “American style” healthcare. .Rather than abandoning good ideas that seem too American, Canadians should embrace genuine competition with their southern neighbour by striving to have the world's free-est people and free-est markets. Canada should find national pride in being the true home of freedom. What would this look like?It starts with a commitment to free speech. That doesn’t just mean avoiding censorship. It also means getting rid of another institution motivated by anti-Americanism: a host of federal rules that tell Canadians what media to consume and what language to speak. The Conservatives have wisely promised to repeal the new Online Streaming Act that aims to force internet streaming services like Netflix and Youtube to promote Canadian content. Canada should go even further and scrap the traditional “CanCon” rules that require radio and television broadcasters to ensure an adequate share of their content is Canadian. .We should also repeal the new Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act that requires some businesses to conduct certain activities in French. Requiring French for government employees is one thing, but telling private businesses what language they can speak to their customers and employees is a paternalistic act that violates Canadians’ basic liberties.We should pair free speech with free markets. Free markets will deliver prosperity and will put economic decisions in Canadians’ own hands. As the federal election begins, it’s refreshing to see a consensus between the Conservatives and Liberals on the need to remove interprovincial trade barriers, reduce restrictions on resource development, and cut taxes. But there is more to do. A Canada that believes in freedom would take on “sacred cows” like the supply management system that limits how much dairy, eggs, and poultry products can be produced, and that costs Canadian families hundreds of dollars a year. Provincial governments would give consumers and businesses the freedom to hire whomever they wish, and get rid of needless occupational licensing requirements like New Brunswick’s rule that prospective hairdressers must complete 1600 hours of training. Canada’s freedom identity should contain one other feature — one that can satisfy some Canadians’ desire for a contrast with Donald Trump’s America — and that is an openness to the rest of the world. In the coming months, Canada may want to keep some trade restrictions as part of a negotiation strategy with Trump. But in the long-term, Canadians should be free to trade with other countries and foreigners should be free to invest in Canada. Life would be more affordable if we allowed foreign owned airlines and telecommunications providers to operate here. We should also remain welcoming to immigrants. Freedom-loving individuals from across the world should be able to come to Canada and freely develop new ideas and businesses. When we talk about protecting Canada, we need to be clear what it is that’s worth protecting. A free Canada is worth protecting.William Dunstan is a Young Voices contributor and a Master of Public Policy student at the University of Calgary. He has written for prominent Canadian think tanks on topics including economic growth, rural development, and demographics. Follow him on X @wc_dunstan.

DUNSTAN: Trump has some great, free ideas that Canada should adopt

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