I went to school at Dartmouth and lived in the United States for four years. I barely remember who the United States President was at the time. I was at Dartmouth when the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded and I do remember President Reagan’s speech to the country after the crew of the Challenger were lost. I think most people look to their leaders in a time of crisis and a Canadian on American soil I too watched the speech that many people today look back as one of Reagan’s best moments. He brought the country together in a time of terrible tragedy. Beyond that I did not get involved in American politics and very few of the people that I socialized with spoke about politics. I did find out early in my time at Dartmouth that Americans believed in their country and the strength of the United States of America. It was hard to ignore those sentiments.
Today things are much different for me. For the past few years, since the rise of Donald Trump, I have been consumed by American politics. The non-stop cable TV watching of CNN and MSNBC has become a part of my life. I barely even know what is going on in Canadian politics. Why does this matter so much to me?
I am not sure there is one specific reason. There are so many different factors at work. First there is family. Obviously having Dallyn and Tristan going to school in the U.S. is a significant reason for my passion. Tristan is turning 24 years old in January and this is his eighth year living south of the border. Almost one third of his life has been spent in the U.S. This is Dallyn’s second year living in the U.S. and Aidan lived in the U.S. for over five years. When Barack Obama was the President I was not as focused on the ins and outs of American politics. Maybe because Obama’s quiet leadership of the country made me comfortable. You can argue about Obama’s effectiveness, but I will say he did keep things on a level basis without significant turmoil. I did not feel that every day was going to bring more worldwide drama.
Second, Canada and the United States are suppose to be friends. For years the two countries have been working together on issues to resolve problems. Canada has always been here to help and support the United States. Now to hear Donald Trump bad mouth Canada and the NAFTA trade agreement that served both countries so well is offensive to me. Canada has stood side by side with the United States when asked. Our soldiers have gone into battle as allies and just look at Afghanistan as proof of the sacrifices our country has made to assist the United States. Do trade agreements need to be reviewed? Definitely, but remember Canada stands beside America not against it.
Third, is safety. There is no way to hide from the feelings that every day in the United States is the potential of another mass shooting. It is absolutely unbelievable that the modern country of the United States suffers from an epidemic of gun violence that paralyzes the entire nation. How does the most powerful country in the world not fix this serious problem? Yes, the second amendment. I know all about it, but what about just simple common sense? Does any of that matter to Americans? I think it does, but it seems the majority of people can not make a change. From the outside the political system seems not just broken but demolished. When you have kids attending school in the U.S. this is not an issue that you can run away from. After the shooting at the Pittsburgh synagogue, Tristan made the comment that he needs to get out of the country. I am not sure he was ready to leave that moment, but it is hard to ignore those feelings.
Fourth, is immigration. I am a first generation Canadian. My grandfather came to this country 90 years ago. He then went back to India to get his wife and daughter (my mother) to bring them to Canada. The sacrifices that my grandparents and my mother made to become Canadian are unbelievable. I remember being a young boy and going with my grandfather as he delivered firewood to the campsites in his truck. He worked hard each and every day as did my grandmother. Then my mother went back to India as an adult, married my father and then brought him to Canada. My father was a teacher and my mother a nurse. Never did they ask for a handout and they contributed to the community. Immigrants are not the enemy. If anything they add to the fabric of the country and bring economic value. Why have we arrived in this place where there is so much anger and hate towards immigrants trying to better their lives?
The recent elections mattered to me. I watched carefully this past couple of weeks because I am invested in the United States. I want to see people who are ready to make changes that serve the people of the U.S and keep the country safe. The eyes of the world follow the lead of the U.S. and right now from my perspective it seems the country is ready to tear itself apart. The divisions that exist are creating a chasm that the current President is not prepared to bridge. I am hopeful that the newly elected officials will start to make the change to a more civil conversation on the issues at hand. It matters to me, even if I live North of the 49th parallel. There is too much at stake.
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