Guest Opinion: The puck is ours – time to take the shot

By Debakant Jena on March 13, 2025.

On that magical night of the Four Nations final, we were one.

No East. No West. No English. No French. Just Canada-coast to coast, fists clenched, eyes locked on the screen. And when Connor McDavid buried that overtime winner, it wasn’t just a hockey game we won. It was a moment of unity. A reminder of who we are when we move together.

That fire, that shared pulse, was more than just a fleeting moment of victory-it was a reflection of who we are when we stand together. It’s the same spirit that fuels the rise of Buy Canadian, the same quiet defiance that emerges whenever we are tested.

But moments of unity shouldn’t be just reserved for the rink. They should shape our economy, our industries, our future. Canada stands at a crossroads-not one imposed on us, but one we must choose for ourselves.

The question isn’t what challenge will come next.

It’s whether we will finally rise to meet it.

For too long, we’ve let our own divisions weaken us-English vs. French, East vs. West, resource economy vs. clean energy. We pride ourselves on economic strength yet shackle it with internal trade barriers.

It makes no sense. Worse, it makes us vulnerable.

Canada doesn’t need empty slogans or chest-thumping nationalism. We need strength – in our economy, our industries, and our thinking. We are a nation built on shared purpose, not just shared borders.

Like many immigrants, I chose Canada not just for opportunity but for something greater-fairness, belonging, and a belief that we take care of one another. That promise is worth protecting, but the world isn’t waiting for us to protect it.

This must be the moment we stop reacting and start leading.

First, tear down internal trade barriers. An Alberta company can sell to Texas more easily than to Toronto. A B.C. winery faces more red tape shipping to Quebec than to Europe. This is self-inflicted economic sabotage. We need to fix it now.

Second, we cannot remain a nation that just digs, harvests, and ships. The future belongs to those who lead in AI, biotech, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. Other nations are investing and innovating, and so must we.

Third, stop gambling our economy and trade . Right now, 75% of our exports go south of the border. Every tariff, every impulsive decision from Washington rattles our economy. That is not sovereignty. That is dependence.

This is the time, we must pledge to move our resources across Canada, not just out of it. Build pipelines, refineries, and infrastructure that strengthen our own economy. Fix immigration-shift from a numbers game to a needs-based strategy. Train our youth, invest in education, and create the workforce Canada needs.

But even as we fix these structural failures, we must fix something deeper-how we see ourselves.

Canada is not just a collection of provinces and industries. We are one nation. A country of vast land, rich resources, cutting-edge technology, and people who, when united, punch far above our weight. We are peace-loving but proud. Collaborative but competitive.

We are not weak. We just need to stop acting like we are.

If we can unite for a hockey game, if we can rally behind Canadian-made goods, if we can stand together, uneasy, as the leader of our closest ally questions our sovereignty-then surely we must recognize that our future cannot depend on goodwill and nostalgia alone!

It must be built, secured, and led by us.

Our future isn’t just about defending what we have. It’s about defining what we become as a country and people.

The puck is ours. Time to take the shot.

Dr. Debakant Jena is chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital and Asst. professor at University of Calgary. The opinion expressed here is his own.

24
-23