Trudeau’s vision of Canada as a “post-national” state with “no core identity” undermines the very reason for the CBC to exist
The future of the CBC is under serious threat. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has called for the public broadcaster to be defunded, raising serious doubts about its long-term viability. However, the CBC faces a more subtle, and perhaps more existential, challenge from within: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s own vision of Canada.
In a 2015 interview with The New York Times, Trudeau declared that Canada has “no core identity,” a statement that calls into question the very mission of the CBC. If there is no unifying Canadian identity, as Trudeau suggests, what exactly is the CBC supposed to reflect?
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Trudeau’s remarks to The New York Times are particularly revealing. He said, “There is no core identity, no mainstream in Canada. There are shared values – openness, respect, compassion, willingness to work hard, to be there for each other – but there is no core identity, no mainstream in Canada.” This vision of a “post-national” Canada directly conflicts with the CBC’s mission to unite the country through shared stories and values.
If Canada lacks a core identity, as Trudeau claims, then the CBC’s role in fostering national unity becomes questionable. How can it reflect a country that, according to its own Prime Minister, has no singular identity to reflect?
While Trudeau has not publicly opposed the CBC, his post-nationalism weakens the foundational reason for its existence.
For decades, the CBC has had a clear mandate: to reflect Canada and its regions to national and regional audiences while serving the unique needs of those regions. Its purpose has always been to foster a sense of shared experience and identity across a vast and diverse country.
If the idea of a cohesive Canadian identity is dismissed, the CBC’s role risks being reduced to merely catering to fragmented regional or cultural groups rather than telling a unified national story.
National identity, however, is not about imposing conformity; it is about recognizing the shared values, history, and aspirations that bind a country together. Trudeau’s post-national rhetoric undermines this, creating the risk of greater regional and cultural fragmentation. Without a shared identity, Canadians are more likely to retreat into their own enclaves, increasing division rather than fostering unity.
This is why the CBC is caught in an impossible position. Poilievre’s calls for defunding resonate with those who believe that a national broadcaster is no longer necessary in a country that supposedly has no core identity. If Trudeau’s post-national vision is true, what purpose does the CBC serve? The broadcaster risks becoming irrelevant, catering to increasingly fragmented audiences with no cohesive national narrative. This undermines the very reason for its creation.
Ironically, in an era where Trudeau’s post-national vision seems to prevail, the CBC’s role as a unifier is more critical than ever. The broadcaster is one of the few institutions capable of bringing Canadians together through shared stories, fostering dialogue, and promoting understanding across regions and cultures. But to do this effectively, the CBC must first reject the notion that Canada is “post-national” and reaffirm its role in promoting a collective Canadian identity.
This means the CBC must not only push back against the idea of a Canada without a core identity but also address the long-standing criticisms of political bias. The broadcaster has often been accused of favouring progressive views, alienating many Canadians who feel their perspectives are not represented. To truly serve as a national unifier, the CBC must commit to balanced reporting that reflects a wide range of political views and perspectives. It cannot unite the country if it only speaks to one segment of the population.
Poilievre’s call to defund the CBC taps into a growing belief that the broadcaster is no longer fit for purpose. But the real threat may come from within – if Trudeau’s government continues to embrace a vision of Canada without a core identity, the CBC risks losing its reason to exist. Nations are built on shared values, history, and a sense of belonging, and Canada is no exception. The CBC plays a crucial role in reflecting and reinforcing that identity.
Rather than capitulating to Trudeau’s post-nationalism, the CBC must embrace what makes Canada unique and foster a national conversation that includes all Canadians. By committing to balanced, inclusive reporting, the CBC can help rebuild the unity that both Poilievre’s defunding campaign and Trudeau’s vision threaten to erode.
Canada is not post-national. The CBC must continue to be its mirror, helping Canadians see the best of themselves – despite the short-sightedness of those who claim otherwise.
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