Canada Is No Longer a Young Country

Canadians tend to see their country as a land in its teens, but we’re at least middle aged and it’s time to stop using the excuse of youth to explain our shortcomings.

Canada has certainly come a long way. It has been called a “Province” by Queen Victoria in 1841; a “colony,” by the French and the British, and later a “dominion.”

Our nation’s capital certainly wasn’t the dignified place is it today. During the early years of the 20th century Ottawa was a rough, brawling town crawling with lumberjacks and con men. Lumbering was, in fact, British North America’s biggest industry during most of the 19th century. Twentieth century French-Canadian statesman Emile Vaillancourt called the country a “plantation.” The tough, arrow-straight pine of the Ottawa Valley was especially prized by British shipbuilders.

We’re a country in its prime and maybe that means we need to set our sights a little higher.

But just as Ottawa has transformed into one of Canada’s most prosperous cities, with rough and ready lumbermen giving way to civil servants and tech workers, so too has Canada changed.

It might come as a surprise that compared to other countries, Canada is at least middle-aged. There are 192 countries that are members of the United Nations. Only two countries recognized as such are not members—Vatican City and Kosovo, the newest country in the world. Kosovo became a “country” in 2008. The next one to be recognized as a country will probably be South Sudan. Palestine is also on the list.

So, how do we compare when we take age as a factor? If we start with Japan, which dates back to 660 BCE and is recognized as the oldest country in the world, we are mere infants. As well, compared to China which dates back to 221 BCE, we are very young. France is the oldest country in the western world, dating back to 843 CE. Portugal dates back to 1143 as a unified country.

Italy however is a mere six years older than Canada. It is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, which may be a surprise to many considering the might of Rome in the ancient world. But Italy was made up of warring states and kingdoms until it was finally unified by Garibaldi, the guerrilla general, in 1861, when the various states were united under a Prussian-led federation. He led his army against Sicily and Naples, uniting Italy under King Victor Emmanuel of Sardinia-Piedmont.

And Germany, also a collection of ancient fiefdoms and power-hungry states, was finally united under Bismarck’s guidance in 1871. But Germany only existed as a unified country from 1871 to 1945 when World War II separated it into East and West Germany.

So don’t listen the next time you hear Canada described as a young country. We may be young compared to lands with ancient civilizations, but our institutions are mature and our place in the world long established. As such, maybe it’s time to start seeing our responsibilities as something more suited to a country in its prime rather than one still doddling about in its parents’ basement.

We didn’t toss out our British parent like the Americans, and were happy to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for a visit. But we’re not a plantation, colony, or province any longer. We’re a country in its prime and maybe that means we need to set our sights a little higher.

Susan Hallett is an award-winning writer and editor who has written for The Beaver, The Globe & Mail, Wine Tidings and Doctor’s Review among many others. Email: hallett_susan@hotmail.com.