On February 15, 2025, Montreal hockey fans booed the American National Anthem at the beginning of the game between Team USA and Team Canada. Such behavior is inappropriate and demonstrates a complete lack of respect for the American people. We can expect that Americans may respond similarly when the Canadian National Anthem is sung in their stadiums. It is not surprising that the first nine seconds of the game were marred by three violent fistfights between the players.
This year’s Four Nations Hockey Tournament replaces the NHL All-Star break. However, the tournament takes place following President Trump’s announcement of tariffs on Canadian goods, which has reawakened a sense of Canadian patriotism that lay dormant during the nine-plus years of Justin Trudeau’s government. Indeed, the Canadian flag was so offensive to the Trudeau government that it flew at half-mast over Parliament for months. Mr. Trudeau not only referred to Canada as a genocidal country but also described it as a “post-national state,” claiming there is “no core identity, no mainstream in Canada.”
Suddenly, when President Trump called Prime Minister Trudeau a “governor” and suggested that Canada should become the 51st state of the USA, Trudeau now asserts he is “damn proud” of Canada. Politicians have recently embraced the Canadian flag, urging citizens to display it as a sign of patriotism. In such an atmosphere, it is difficult not to feel psychological whiplash.
In this episode, Barry shares his concern that we should be careful about following the crowd. We must maintain our equilibrium during political turmoil and remain true to our conscience.
