I can't forget Canada froze bank accounts of protesters. Now singing O Canada feels hollow

Gord Larson · for CBC First Person

· Posted: Jul 02, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

This First Person file is the acquisition of Gord Larson, who lives successful Calgary, and is portion of a Canada Day bid exploring what Canada means to radical crossed this country. For much accusation astir First Person stories, spot the FAQ.

I've ne'er felt much patriotic pridefulness than erstwhile singing O Canada with a assemblage of hundreds astatine a protestation shutting down the Coutts borderline crossing.

It was February 2022. My woman had conscionable mislaid her occupation aft refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. I disquieted I mightiness beryllium next, but took bosom arsenic the trucker convoy headed to Ottawa. We couldn't articulation them, truthful alternatively we drove southbound from Calgary to Coutts, Alta., for 2 days to amusement our support.

The assemblage was truthful large that we had to locomotion 15 minutes down the road conscionable to get to the protest. The tone of community, wherever everyone conscionable wanted to transportation successful and help, was astir overwhelming.

A pastor led america successful prayer and past the full assemblage launched into O Canada, conscionable belting it retired with everything we had. I adjacent saw the RCMP articulation successful the singing. Just typing this and remembering that infinitesimal makes the hairsbreadth connected my arms basal up.

What does Canada mean to me? In that moment, I was filled with pride. I saw Canada arsenic a unit for ideology and state successful the satellite and felt definite it would perceive to the dependable of its ain citizens. 

But this feeling didn't last. Ottawa's effect to these protests near maine feeling betrayed, and contiguous I'm astatine a spot wherever I ne'er thought I'd be: successful favour of separatism. 

The roots of my alienation

I was calved successful Chilliwack, B.C. I was a spot of a nerd for politics and paid attraction erstwhile Reform campaigner Chuck Strahl came to talk with my precocious schoolhouse graduating people successful 1993. He shared the party's plans for a much inclusive system, 1 with a equilibrium of powerfulness that wouldn't let Quebec's separatist debates to support dominating the nationalist agenda.

Repeating the enactment slogan, helium said, "The West wants in!"

And for me, arsenic a young antheral eavesdropping connected my parents' frustrated conversations, that made everything click. 

Later that year, I was aged capable to vote.

I was lasting successful enactment astatine the voting determination erstwhile I heard different elector accidental the predetermination had already been called for the Jean Chrétien Liberals. The votes from Atlantic and Central Canada were capable for a win. It felt similar my ballot didn't adjacent matter. 

I learned a batch astir the roots of Western alienation successful the years that followed. 

I studied governmental subject astatine the University of Northern British Columbia successful Prince George and learned we've ne'er had existent proportional practice successful Canada due to the fact that of the gramps and senatorial clauses successful the Constitution. The smaller provinces successful Atlantic Canada are ever overrepresented compared to provinces specified arsenic Alberta and Ontario.

In 2002, I moved to Calgary, wherever lipid was fuelling an economical boom. It was heady stuff; I picked up a skilled commercialized and recovered a pridefulness of intent acold greater than I had successful university. 

But surrounded by different Albertans, I began to spot Canada's equalization strategy arsenic a idiosyncratic contented — my taxes and my assemblage being disrespected by an unfair system. 

WATCH | What is Canada's equalization system:

I started speechmaking astir the details and learned, for example, about Quebec being the largest beneficiary of equalization. It subsidizes hydroelectricity for its residents but isn't required to relationship for the gross it's giving up. That's a governmental decision and it would beryllium richer if it charged afloat price.

Albertans wage afloat terms for their electricity. But done equalization, Quebec gets to clasp retired its hand. Instead of a convey you, Quebec politicians insult our "dirty energy" portion buying grounds amounts of gasoline.

The pandemic

That made maine bitter and angry, but astatine that point, I inactive had anticipation for alteration and was loyal to Canada. In a referendum to separate, I wouldn't person checked the container to really permission my country. Now it's changed.

The COVID-19 pandemic deed hard. I watched my idiosyncratic rights erode. I was shocked astatine the unit I felt to get vaccinated and however I'd beryllium verbally attacked if I argued. I'm inactive truthful aggravated astatine this.

The convoy and the borderline protestation were an effort to beryllium heard, and I followed the developments from Ottawa closely, checking conservative quality blogs each morning. I would person been with the trucker convoy if I could person taken clip disconnected work.

For two-and-a-half weeks earlier the Emergencies Act was invoked, the convoy occupied the blocks astir Parliament Hill and not 1 car was burned, not 1 store looted. There were charges, but nary for police officers assaulted. I tin recognize wherefore it was hard for Ottawa residents to unrecorded with. But personally, I saw thing I thought could warrant a authorities invoking that act, which I spot arsenic an utmost response.

I was horrified when, alternatively of talking with convoy protesters astir wherefore they were upset, the provincial government convinced a court to freeze the GiveSendGo account, and worse, without a tribunal order, the RCMP got banks to frost the personal slope accounts of people protesting. Then police moved successful to wide the streets and determination was a standoff.

To me, this was bare authoritarianism and 2 years later, a national justice ruled the Liberal's usage of the Emergencies Act was unreasonable.

But nary 1 wrong the authorities oregon banking strategy has been disciplined. Not 1 caller instrumentality was created to support the integrity of idiosyncratic banking, and present the Liberal authorities has adjacent been re-elected.

I sang O Canada with different assemblage this year. I was successful a downtown Calgary pub successful February for the Four Nations Cup. I tried to loop it retired similar before, but it felt hollow this time.

I've yet mislaid hope. I don't deliberation "the West wants in" anymore. For me, the West wants out.

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