Earlier this year, while unveiling Canada’s first Defense Industrial Strategy in Quebec, Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to a question about the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s speech in Munich. In that speech, Rubio emphasized Christianity as the founding faith and a key piece of the West’s cultural identity.
Carney, speaking in French, responded to Rubio’s comments by saying that the United States has the right to ascribe to Christian Nationalism, but that is not the Canadian way. Instead, Carney referred to Canada as a country that supports and promotes “Civic Nationalism,” one rooted in democracy, pluralism and the protection of diverse beliefs and perspectives.
Christian nationalism is the idea that a nation should be defined by its singular Christian identity and that the government should uphold the values of Christianity through policy and religious protections. This ideology has gained significant traction under Donald Trump’s government.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), has closely aligned with self-proclaimed Christian nationalists. One of the founders of the CREC, Doug Wilson, is a self-proclaimed Christian nationalist pastor. Wilson is a staunch supporter of Hegseth and even led a prayer inside the Pentagon.
Last year, Wilson told CNN anchor Pamela Brown that “women are the kind of people that people come out of.” In 1996, Wilson published a pro-slavery book that offered a biblical defense of American slavery, saying the practice “produced a genuine affection between the races that we believe we can say has never existed in any nation before the War or since.”
Carney was clear about Canada’s stance on Christian nationalism. Canada is not, and will never be, a Christian nationalist nation.
However, not all Canadians welcomed his remarks. Alt-right outlets such as NowMedia and Rebel News framed Carney’s comments as a rejection of Canadian nationalism. In fact, I had a hard time finding any media clips or coverage of Carney’s remarks—except for the clips found on these websites.
As a former Christian nationalist, I recognize the language and longings behind the renewed calls for “true Canadian nationalism.” Although I no longer share that worldview, I also don’t believe we can afford to dismiss or ignore the growing number of Canadians who find it compelling.
The increase in Canada’s interest in Christian nationalism can be directly linked to two main events in recent history.
The first was the COVID-19 pandemic—an isolating experience for many Canadians that had financial, emotional and physical consequences for many. It was the ultra-conservative Christian churches refusing to abide by government shutdowns that brought these so-called “fringe” communities together, igniting a maelstrom. The 2022 “Freedom Convoy” saw many angry Canadians, including Christian nationalists, protest what they perceived as government overreach due to vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions.
And then, the second election of President Donald Trump has made Christian nationalism a part of the national Canadian discourse. The normalization of evangelical Christianity’s influence on the state has become a brazen and proud display.
Canada is not America. However, we are also not an unaffected, separate island.
We share a border. Sometimes that means the ideology of the louder, larger nation crosses the border without a passport.
Christian nationalism has already sunk its claws into Canada and we cannot ignore its impact. But what can we do about it? We must be willing to have civil conversations with the other side.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau famously referred to the participants of the Trucker Convoy as the “fringe minority.” In doing so, Trudeau fanned the flames of division in our country. Instead of listening to the other side or giving them a chance to speak, he treated the protestors like caricatures, unimportant people with no power and no significance.
I believe all Canadians deserve to be heard. Does that mean I agree with their perspective? Absolutely not. But we need to be willing to acknowledge a growing movement before it becomes a storm so big that we cannot run for cover.
What is it about Christian nationalism that makes it powerful? It’s the planning, the preparation, and the commitment to community that surrounds this group, a group that feels persecuted and ignored.
We cannot afford to ignore it. Doing so would be a disservice to Canadians and could leave us unprepared for its potential influence on our institutions and public life.
We need only look to our neighbors to the south to see the consequences that can arise when a fundamentalist political movement gains significant influence within government without adequate checks and balances. By recognizing these risks and willingly engaging in conversation, we prioritize the protection of our democratic principles and pluralism that define Canada.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Brianna Bell is a Canadian journalist whose work has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Globe & Mail, and more. Brianna’s memoir, God Lover, will be published by Dundurn Press in June 2027.