I didn't vote for 21 years. Trump's attacks on my homeland and Canada changed everything

Fernando Ameth Pinzon · for CBC First Person

· Posted: Apr 17, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

This First Person file is the acquisition of Fernando Ameth Pinzon, a Panama autochthonal raised successful Montreal. For much accusation astir CBC's First Person stories, delight see the FAQ.

I'm 41 years old, I've been a Canadian national since 2004, and I've ne'er voted.

I ne'er felt it necessary. For maine and my household — each of america immigrants from Panama — our imagination to beryllium unneurotic successful Canada had been realized. The worst that could hap was down us.

In 1989, erstwhile I was six, the United States invaded my location state successful a bid to overthrow erstwhile dictator Manuel Noriega. While I was excessively young to recognize the governmental implications, the memories inactive travel flooding backmost successful a blur — helicopters roaring overhead, ample trucks rumbling by and hostility each astir me.

I would aboriginal larn that hundreds of Panamanians were killed successful the month-long penetration and homes and infrastructure were destroyed. The strained narration betwixt Panama and the U.S., coupled with years of sanctions, had besides plunged my homeland into economical chaos. The penetration disregarded Panama's sovereignty — and, by extension, my people's.

During the unrest, my begetter opted to permission the state to find a spot to regroup, rebuild and marque a caller location for us. He arrived successful Montreal with my sister successful the precocious 1980s.

It would beryllium 8 years until I saw them again owed to the hold clip to beryllium sponsored. So, erstwhile my household yet arrived successful Montreal connected a acold January nighttime successful 1996, we felt a consciousness of triumph. We'd made it.

As caller immigrants, we kept our heads down and did what we needed to assimilate and restart our lives. My dada was moving agelong hours to marque ends meet. Somewhere on the road, we forgot to sermon civic duty.

It's not that I'm not grateful for what Canada has fixed us. I had the luxury of increasing up successful safety, surviving my big beingness successful a state that welcomed antithetic aspirations — similar becoming a graphic designer. Had I stayed successful my hometown, I mightiness person ended up moving astatine the section beer-bottling works instead.

In my 21 years arsenic a Canadian citizen, I held onto the content that erstwhile you travel from humble means, the lone mode is up. My beingness has been amended than I ever thought it could be, truthful voting for immoderate benignant of alteration ne'er adjacent crossed my mind.

That each changed 1 nighttime erstwhile I was astatine a meal and overheard the radical astatine a neighbouring array speech astir Panama. I was taken aback due to the fact that I don't often perceive the sanction of my state of origin. Much little connected a random Sunday, successful a random restaurant, with random radical sitting beside me.

I was confused, and I asked my person to springiness maine a 2nd arsenic I looked up Panama news. That's erstwhile I saw past U.S. president-elect Donald Trump talking astir taking backmost the Panama Canal successful December 2024 — successful spite of it being turned implicit to Panama backmost successful 1999. He spoke astir it arsenic if treaties did not beryllium and arsenic though Panamanian sovereignty was thing to beryllium disregarded erstwhile again.

I started paying much attraction to the news. Soon aft came Trump's taunts astir Canada — my adopted country, my chosen home. The menace of making it the 51st state, referring to our premier curate arsenic politician — the feeling was each excessively familiar.

I was being attacked connected some sides of my identity. One of them for the 2nd time. I felt powerless.

When the commercialized warfare was launched by the U.S. successful February, I yet registered to vote. It deed maine past that I had taken my presumption arsenic a Canadian national for granted for the past 2 decades. Studying for the citizenship trial is 1 thing, but grasping the value of civic work is thing wholly different. Voting is the 1 happening I'm liable for, and I tin bash my part.

I was a kid erstwhile my location state was invaded by the U.S. I had nary accidental past and determination was small worth successful my opinion. Now, I'm voting due to the fact that my sentiment matters, and I consciousness I indispensable basal with my chap Canadians.

In this coming election, I'm looking for a factual program from the adjacent national leader, 1 that prioritizes protecting Canadian interests and sovereignty done collaboration with trustworthy allies. Liberal Leader Mark Carney reminds maine of my economics teacher — a small boring, but helium seems laser-focused connected uniting Canadians against the menace of Trump. I'll beryllium watching to spot however the different leaders speech astir bringing america together, alternatively than focusing connected our divisions and however Canada is broken, similar Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

U.S. tensions and economical unit person been a thread moving done my family's communicative — from Panama each the mode to Canada.

Caught betwixt a stone and a hard place, I recognize wherefore Panama reached an statement past week allowing U.S. troops to erstwhile again measurement connected Panamanian ungraded and besides wherefore absorption leaders successful my location state person called it a "camouflaged invasion."

I anticipation my ballot helps guarantee Canada ne'er has to concede its autonomy successful this aforesaid way.

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