National Post
· collected 2026-08-19 · by Special to National Post
analysis
Thomas Caldwell, a Canadian, expresses his pride in Canada's history and criticizes what he sees as a concerted effort to debase the country's past. He argues that this trend is unhealthy and dishonest, as every nation draws strength from its history. Key points include the author's claim that many of Canada's historical leaders were flawed but had noble intent, and his anecdote about a Jewish friend who credits their collective memory with sustaining them through persecution. Caldwell views this as a "historical war" where governments and institutions are systematically undermining Canada's foundations.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
I believe this is the greatest country in the world — with the possible exception of the weather.
asserted
this → believe → weather
The things we have done in the world to help others, whether in war or in peace, have regularly shown that Canada defends freedom and human dignity.
asserted
Canada → do → freedom
Canada has been a haven for people fleeing oppression for generations.
asserted
Canada → flee → generations
It is the result of choices made by men and women who came before us, often with very little, and built something lasting.
asserted
who → make → something
There appears to be a concerted effort, subtle but consistent, to debase our past, make Canadians feel ashamed of who they are and where they come from, and to suggest that our history is mainly a story of oppression and failure.
asserted
history → appear → oppression
Every nation draws strength from its past.
asserted
nation → draw → past
Knowing what our predecessors accomplished gives us the confidence to face our own challenges and to strive to do better.
asserted
predecessors → know → challenges
Canada has grown because people tried to better themselves and their situations for their families.
asserted
people → grow → families
Canada is made up of stories of immigrants leaving hardship behind, farmers clearing land with hand tools and engineers designing bridges across impossible geography.
asserted
immigrants → make → geography
That is no ground for cancelling them from history.
asserted
That → cancel → history
They built a wonderful country with the tools and understanding they had in their times.
asserted
they → build → times
Like it or not, we are in a kind of historical war.
asserted
we → like → war
Our governments and many of our institutions are systematically debasing the foundations of our great country — a country that people worldwide still strive to be part of.
asserted
people → debase → that
Perhaps the goal is to make us look only to our politicians to solve our problems and build our future.
asserted
us → make → future
I do not believe that is wise.
asserted
that → believe → ?
A good example of the need for recognizing our admirable history and the assurance it can provide us lies with our Jewish brothers and sisters.
asserted
it → recognize → brothers
I posed the question to a Jewish friend at lunch recently: “If one removed the history of the Jews, where would you be?”
asserted
you → pose → Jews
My friend said, “It is memory that has sustained us, nurtured us and inspired us.
asserted
that → say → us
It is our collective memory that we can pass onto our children which enables us to move forward with pride and confidence.”
asserted
which → pass → pride
The courage and resilience of the Jewish people through great persecution, rests on how history has guided and inspired them over thousands of years up until now.
asserted
history → rest → thousands
This illustration is also true of other nations and faiths, but the Jews are a powerful example of how tenacity and accomplishment are supported by their past.
asserted
tenacity → support → past
As a practicing Christian and Catholic, I, too, have witnessed our government’s debasing of our wider history as well as our faith basis for years.
asserted
I → practice → years
They were, thankfully, a small minority and should not dominate our historic memory.
asserted
They → dominate → memory
In addition, our so-called efforts at inclusion are, in fact, exclusion and, as a consequence, they undercut our faith in Canada and its future.
asserted
they → call → Canada
We are now “a house divided.”
asserted
We → divide → ?
If one were a conspiracy theorist, it would seem a long-term, organized effort has been at work.
asserted
effort → seem → work
What’s being missed is what is replacing our history — negativity, self-entitlement, division and even hostility.
asserted
what → miss → history
Sadly, the debasement effort seems to be succeeding as Canadians are losing some of the pride previous generations have felt for our country.
asserted
generations → seem → country
Remember, they built the Canada we all now enjoy.
asserted
we → remember → Canada
It seems the excuse of tolerance has, in fact, been a cover for intolerance and even bigotry throughout Canada’s officialdom.
asserted
excuse → seem → officialdom
Canada is now fractured and is starting to appear less like a democracy than a tyranny of special interest groups.
asserted
Canada → fracture → groups
Pride in one’s history is the glue that holds countries together and gives them the confidence to push forward.
asserted
that → hold → confidence
Without nurturing and preserving our history, Canada, as a nation, is doomed.
asserted
Canada → nurture → nation
We can acknowledge mistakes without erasing achievements.
asserted
We → acknowledge → achievements
We can be honest about the past without hating it.
asserted
We → hat → it
If we want a future worth building, we need a past worth remembering.
asserted
we → want → past
