
Canada was once a country known for its pride and strong reputation worldwide. People from around the globe wanted to live here. Canada was a place where you could feel safe—safe enough to leave your doors unlocked, confident in the trust and security that permeated our neighbourhoods. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were seen as symbols of honor and justice, recognized in movies and TV shows as heroes.
In those days, we all stopped and were on the same team whenever Team Canada played hockey against rival countries. We gathered around TVs, united by our shared pride in our athletes, traditions, and values. There was a clear understanding of right and wrong. There were consequences for your actions. Growing up, I knew the line I should never cross with my mom, my teachers, or society. I was taught to respect others, respect authority, respect my elders, be grateful for what I had, and respect the police.
If I broke the law, jail was a genuine possibility. That was a deterrent. Knowing there were consequences for my actions made me think twice about everything I did. Like many Canadians, I had family members who ran afoul of the law and spent time behind bars. I lived in government housing, I slept in a Salvation Army shelter when I had no other options, and I went without a lot of things. Life was hard, very hard.
But I knew the rules, and I understood that breaking those rules meant facing the consequences. I didn’t get special treatment because of my race, my background, or my sexual orientation; we were poor, period. And despite growing up in difficult circumstances, I didn’t let that turn me against others. Instead, it made me work harder and fight stronger to overcome my challenges. I made countless mistakes, many of which I regret, and I’ve faced consequences for those actions.
However, there was always a line I wouldn’t cross because I feared the accountability that came with it. That accountability shaped me, kept me on the right side of the law, and ultimately allowed me to grow into a better person.
So, what happened to that Canada? What changed our society to the point where it looks and feels so different? You can’t just blame Justin Trudeau. This change didn’t happen overnight, nor is it the fault of any one person or politician. But there’s no doubt that something has gone terribly wrong.
Is the answer really to keep giving more and more money to groups, hoping that they won’t turn to crime? Is that the reason you or I never stole something? Or was it because we knew there would be consequences for our actions—either from the police or, worse, from our parents? If I got into a fight at school, cheated on a test, or made fun of someone, I knew I would pay the price because my mom ensured it. The problem we face today is the lack of accountability. We have become a society where law-abiding citizens pay the price for the actions of criminals.
Think about it. When you want to buy liquor today, you are treated like a potential criminal. You’re forced to show ID, sometimes several times, as though you’ve done something wrong. Where else does this happen? Stores are being told they have to lock up their inventory, hire security, install cameras, and plan for theft as if it’s an inevitable part of doing business. Meanwhile, criminals continue to find ways around these measures without facing any real consequences.
That’s the real change. It’s not poverty, it’s not the quality of our schools, and it’s not access to healthcare or social services. Those things have been part of the fabric of our society for decades. We can’t blame them for the breakdown we’re witnessing today.
So maybe the fault lies with the police, some might say. But think about it: name a single society in the world that functions without a law-and-order system. You can’t. Winnipeg is experiencing an epidemic of guns, machetes, and knives on our streets, and yet some still argue that we should defund the police. That’s the wrong approach. If anything, we need more institutions and more programs in prison that focus on rehabilitation. But at the core of it all is this simple truth: these individuals have committed crimes, and there must be consequences for those crimes.
Our society is falling apart because we have allowed accountability to slip away. We are witnessing what happens when people can commit crimes without facing meaningful consequences and when politicians and activists weaponize racial, religious, and personal beliefs to divide us further.
Accountability is the foundation of a functioning society. The social contract begins to crumble when there is no fear of repercussions. Without it, people start to believe they can act with impunity, and the rule of law becomes meaningless.
I don’t believe the answer lies in endlessly giving more money to groups in the hope that they’ll stay out of trouble. I never avoided stealing or breaking the law because someone handed me a check. I avoided it because I knew there would be consequences if I didn’t.
The solution, then, is not complicated, but it will require courage from all of us. We need to restore a culture of accountability. That means ensuring our police have the resources they need to uphold the law and protect our communities. It means that when someone breaks the law, they face real, tangible consequences. We need more rehabilitation programs that help offenders get their lives back on track, but those programs must come hand in hand with a justice system that holds people accountable for their actions.
In addition, we need to reinforce the values of respect, discipline, and personal responsibility in our schools and homes. Parents, teachers, and community leaders all have a role to play in teaching the next generation that actions have consequences.
Canada didn’t become a great nation by accident. We became a great nation because we upheld certain principles: respect for the law, respect for others, and accountability for one’s actions. If we want to restore the Canada we remember, we need to bring back those values. Then, we can begin to rebuild the safe, proud, and united country that so many worldwide once looked to as a beacon of hope.