The results of a national poll on Canadian values and beliefs was released by the CBC and the Angus Reid Institute earlier this month, revealing younger Canadians aren’t as proud of Canada as older citizens.
The poll showed 65 per cent of Canadians over the age of 65 were “very proud” of their country, while that figure dropped to just 40 per cent for those between 18 and 34 years of age.
There is also a direct relationship between age and national pride, with the number of people who responded as being “very proud” of Canada increasing with each age bracket.
Forty-seven per cent of respondents between the ages of 35-44 reported being “very proud” of Canada. This number changed to 54 per cent for those between 45-54, and 61 per cent for those aged 55-64.
Marika Morris, a Carleton University professor in the School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies, said young Canadians are “more aware” of social problems in the country, such as Indigenous issues and the environment.
“I think the educational system has changed . . . People are being asked to look at controversial issues, and develop some sort of understanding,” she said. “There are so many differences in views between the younger generation and the older one . . . I would predict in 50 years Canada will be completely different in character.”
Morris said growing up without the internet could explain why older generations feel more of an attachment to the country, compared to youth.
“They felt more attached to their own country and community, and maybe didn’t grow up with so much knowledge about the world,” she said.
Several Carleton students weighed in on their own level of pride for Canada, in an attempt to explain the poll’s findings.
Zoheb Ahsan, third-year political science
“Saying that I am ‘very proud’ of Canada would be an overstatement,” Ahsan said. “While the multicultural aspects of our society are great. . . there are still underlying issues of race and culture that prevent me from adding the word ‘very’ to my answer.”
Ahsan said his generation seems to have a generally pessimistic view of their future due to issues such as student debt.
“Older generations grew up in a time of different problems with more direct solutions, and their experiences [greatly] differ from ours,” Ahsan said. “They lived to see the resolution of the issues of their time, something that our generation has yet to see.”
Cerise Chua, fourth-year english
“I would describe myself as a proud Canadian” Chua said. “The open-mindedness of our country is refreshing compared to where I came from, the Philippines.”
Chua said factors such as the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community and Canada’s legal system are reasons why she is glad to live in the country. However, Chua said she understands why different generations report different levels of pride.
“I think younger generations, like mine, can see the flaws of our country more so than older generations,” Chua said. “We are more aware of the differences and inequality in race, sexuality, and gender, something the older generations don’t realize is a big issue.”
Lia Pizarro, third-year journalism
“I’m still growing as a Canadian, and our generation doesn’t have a solid identity yet,” Pizarro said. “Something that I feel is lacking in Canadian culture, however, is the ability to create our own identities, as we take so much from other countries. Even our own citizens seem to move away for greater opportunities elsewhere.”
David Oladejo, third-year engineering
“I am definitely happy to live in Canada, but I would not describe myself as ‘very proud’ of my country,” Oladejo said. “I have been a Canadian citizen for a few years now, and I have had a great experience in my time here. That being said, the rising cost of education makes it hard for students like me to be overjoyed with the state of our nation.”
Anuj Sharma, second-year business law
“While I am proud to call Canada my home, I would not say that I am ‘very proud’ of my country,” Sharma said. “As a second-generation immigrant, I am incredibly proud and happy of the opportunities that Canada has given me, but the lack of support for students and other young people [has] made me and my generation shy away from the highest levels of national pride.”
Sharma said the job market, especially for youth, could be a reason why millennials feel less proud of Canada.
“There are students that have to work two jobs on top of their studies just to survive,” Sharma said.
