That’s the blunt question posed by George Brookman in the Calgary Herald, where he wrote:

“Canada has become a lazy and complacent nation. Our big neighbour and customer to the south has made us fat and happy—right up until the moment when they stopped being friendly. It is not too late for Canada to thrive... but we cannot wring our hands and wonder what to do next. There is no secret to what needs to be done.”

It’s a question worth asking. Because confronting our national flaws—honestly, directly, and without excuses—is central to the Radically Canadian movement. If we can’t face our shortcomings, real change doesn’t stand a chance.

After reflecting on Brookman’s challenge, here’s what I’ve concluded: We’re not lazy. We’re worse—We’re comfortable.

Comfort is the enemy of progress. It dulls urgency. It fosters apathy. It convinces us that “good enough” is enough—even as our economy stalls and our standard of living slips behind much of the developed world.

So, let’s ask the hard questions: Have we noticed this steady decline of our economy? And if we have… do we care?

To answer that, we must first acknowledge our complicated relationship with the United States. For decades, their wealth and proximity have made life easier for Canadians—but at a cost.
They’ve also saddled us with a deep-rooted inferiority complex—one that’s unjustified, yet deeply limiting. It stifles our ambitions, weakens our national will, and undermines our sovereignty.

I believe Canadians know something is wrong. I believe they care.
But as long as comfort holds us hostage, too many will keep looking away.

That time is over. Wages are stagnant. Opportunity is shrinking. Our standard of living is falling. And even our long-standing relationship with the U.S. is showing serious cracks.

If that doesn’t make you uncomfortable—what will?

We are not lazy. We are not weak. But we are in danger—of becoming a country that talks about sovereignty while quietly surrendering to comfort, convenience, and foreign control.

So, what do we do?

Brookman was right: “There is no secret to what needs to be done.”

We must diversify our economy. We must open new markets, and find new customers. We must become builders again—of business, of trade, of independence.

Our political leaders and key institutions are trying. But they face competing agendas, entrenched interests, and decades of inertia. They need more than our applause—they need our pressure.

They need Canadians to rise up, speak up, and demand results. This is what being Radically Canadian is all about.

It’s not a slogan. It’s a mindset. A challenge. A movement. A battle cry. A call to shake off apathy, rediscover our backbone, and demand more—from our leaders, from each other, and most of all, from ourselves.

It’s time to get uncomfortable.
It’s time to be Radically Canadian.