It is not uncommon for people to laugh when they are nervous, uncomfortable or even frightened. Sometimes we laugh at moments when laughter seems completely inappropriate. It is, in part, the brain’s attempt to relieve tension – to find a moment of release in an uncomfortable situation.
Perhaps that explains some of the amusement surrounding Donald Trump’s decision to rename Lake Ontario.
On the surface, it is almost laughable. An American president declaring that one of the world’s most recognizable bodies of water should carry a new name does not change what Canadians call it, nor does it change the geography. To many, it looks like another outrageous headline destined to become the punchline of the day.
But the laughter should not distract us from the seriousness underneath it.
I am not a political scientist, nor do I pretend to understand all the complexities of international politics. But after watching the tactics and antics coming from across the border for years, it is difficult not to recognize a familiar pattern: create controversy, dominate the conversation, and give people something else to argue about.
The same can be said of the trade demands placed before Canada. There could not have been a genuine expectation that Canada would simply accept a deal that compromised its ability to act as a sovereign country. Whether intentional or not, the effect was predictable: create an impossible choice, generate conflict and keep everyone focused on the latest political spectacle.
Meanwhile, the real issues remain.
There are wars, economic pressures, rising costs and consequences that affect ordinary people on both sides of the border. Yet instead of confronting those realities, we are repeatedly offered distractions, arguments over words and attempts to redefine what is true.
Distract. Ignore. Repeat a claim often enough that it begins to sound like reality.
That formula can be remarkably effective. It keeps people divided and keeps attention away from the questions that matter most.
And that is where this stops being funny.
These decisions do not exist in some distant political vacuum. They affect millions of people. They affect our economy, our relationships with our neighbours, our sense of security and, ultimately, our understanding of who we are as a country.
So perhaps the answer is not to become consumed by every provocation.
Perhaps the answer is to stand together.
We are Canadians. Not Liberal Canadians or Conservative Canadians. Not Canadians divided by race, colour, sexual orientation, religion or where we came from. We are Canadians.
We can disagree passionately. We should question our governments. We should debate our future. But we should not allow anyone – inside or outside our borders – to convince us that our differences are greater than the things we share.
Laugh if you must at the absurdity.
But then pay attention.
Because underneath the joke is a very serious reminder: Canada’s sovereignty, identity and future belong to all of us.