I’ve been reflecting on our capacity for change - particularly how it relates to resilience and the scale of adaptation needed for us to survive, and ideally thrive, in the face of climate change.
When Seth Klein’s book A Good War (link: Indigo) was published, I was hopeful. I thought we might be nearing a turning point—where the societal will to take the bold actions Klein describes would emerge. His book reminds us that in times of existential threat, we can mobilize for sweeping, collective action. Yet, a few years have passed since its release, and the pace of our response to the climate crisis remains far below both what is needed and what Klein argues is achievable.
Without diving too much into politics, it’s hard to ignore the significant political shifts happening at this moment. I wouldn’t call these changes positive, but they do demonstrate that large-scale adaptations are not only possible - they’re unfolding right now. The challenge before us is figuring out how to harness this drive for change in ways that lead to positive, sustainable outcomes.
I’ve always been skeptical of patriotism, but in the last week I’ve had a few conversations with people noting that they’re seeing Canadians starting to come together as Canadians in ways we haven’t seen since the early days of the COVID pandemic.
Historically, Canadian patriotism and identity have often overlooked the First Peoples of this land and the ongoing harms of colonialism. Meanwhile, social and economic inequities continue to deepen, both here and around the world. The ideals many Canadians hold of who we are as a nation don’t always align with our reality. But does that discrepancy have to stop us from striving to make those ideals real?
As current circumstances force us to re-evaluate our assumptions about economies and trading partners, surely there’s an opportunity to plan for much more ambitious adaptations to the way we do things. To me, the Canadian identity has always included values like pristine nature, clean air, water, and land; safety, diversity, and belonging; abundance without greed. Could rallying around a Canadian identity centered around these core values - if embraced more fully - lead us to the climate and societal adaptations we so urgently need?
Am I wrong to think we might be in a rare moment where a renewed sense of Canadian pride and solidarity could drive the transformative change we’ve been waiting for?
Many of us had high hopes that the silver lining of COVID would be systemic change, but those hopes largely went unrealized. So what can we do differently this time to ensure we don’t miss another opportunity to succeed in the kind of “good war” Klein envisions?