AUTHOR: Anna Lachykhina, president of the government relations company Good Politics, worked in the Canadian Parliament for two years in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s team
Political preferences here are inherited, and a person whose ancestors supported the liberals is unlikely to embrace the conservative views on LGBT rights or taxes and vote for them.
Canada’s political culture is strikingly different from Ukraine’s: political affiliation here is passed from parents to children, and only a few choose to change it. This is not about loud names, but about values. If you grew up in a liberal family, you are unlikely to be attracted to conservative values. This is facilitated by a clear ideological difference. For example, none of the conservatives will actively worry about climate change or the development of green energy – for them, this is a fictional problem. Conversely, the conservative view on limiting bodily autonomy, LGBT+ rights, or other freedoms is certainly not supported by the liberal part of society.
All this makes the political system quite predictable. It is likely that liberals and conservatives will continue to be the dominant parties in the Canadian Parliament, where the established order has been maintained for many decades.
Therefore, communications in the Canadian Parliament are measured and substantive. In Canada, parliamentary shows with fights or removing the speaker from the podium, as happened in the Verkhovna Rada, are impossible. Canadian parliamentarians do not even have the opportunity to address each other directly. Only through the Speaker. For Ukrainians, it sounds unusual: “Mr. Speaker, through you, I would like to convey to the honorable member…” but this removes a lot of emotions and mutual insults from the work.
Despite rather substantial ideological differences among parliamentary parties, the value of cooperation here is fundamental. If it is necessary to present a united front on the international stage, everyone will unite. If a joint decision is needed to improve domestic policy, everyone can agree. And although it is becoming more difficult to negotiate between parties with the arrival of a new conservative leader who leans toward the Trumpian approach in politics, the moderate majority in parliament manages to find consensus and understanding.
Canada is a multicultural country where the philosophy of diversity permeates the entire society. It was not always so: until the 1970s, shameful attitudes towards the country’s indigenous peoples – Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts – prevailed here. Now the country is correcting its policies. Indigenous peoples have certain advantages in doing business, contracting with the state, and even in international agreements, Canada sets priorities for cooperation with indigenous peoples of other countries, which Canada encourages. In the free trade agreement between Ukraine and Canada, such additional opportunities exist, for example, for the indigenous peoples of Ukraine – Crimean Tatars, Karaites, and Krymchaks.
Ukrainians are an important part of Canadian society, historically and culturally. Ukrainians were among the first settlers who, at the beginning of the 20th century, settled the not very hospitable Canadian steppes, and then laid the foundation for the agricultural culture of modern Canada and managed to preserve their identity for the next 100 years. Canadians still know and recognize this. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his speeches mentions that his country was built, among other things, thanks to the efforts of Ukrainians. Therefore, the Canadian government cannot afford to stay away from the war that Russia unleashed, and Canada’s support for Ukraine is uninterrupted, which is quite significant in the context of the political struggle between the ruling party and the opposition, sometimes no less acute than in the United States.
Inclusion, especially gender inclusion, is embedded in the federal budget of the country. Every state expense includes equal opportunities for women and men. This is reflected in everything: from wage levels, behavior rules, or maternity leaves to city architecture, where even family rooms and changing tables in public spaces are made so that both men and women with children have access to them. Gender-neutral restrooms in Canada are commonplace.
The same applies to other inclusive practices. People with disabilities have all the opportunities – from education, work, to moving around the city.
Canadians’ favorite food is burgers, but there are also special dishes. The favorite dish of the Quebec region is called poutine, which sounds like the last name of the Russian dictator. It is fried potatoes sprinkled with cheese curds and topped with a sweetish gravy. This is certainly not healthy food, but the dish is loved and consumed with beer.
In general, Canadian cuisine is characterized by a combination of salty and sweet flavors. A significant role in this is played by the local symbol – maple syrup, which is added everywhere, including to smoked salmon or meat dishes.
And for those accustomed to more refined food, it is worth visiting Nova Scotia, for example, Halifax – the local capital of lobsters. They are exported even to Taiwan from here, and fresh lobster can be bought everywhere, including at the airport.
The original text was published in the print edition of NV – New Voice magazine, issue No. 4 (385), June 2024.
Feel free to reach out to Anna Lachykhina for a consultation at anna@goodpolitics.com.ua.
