This week, Canada celebrated its 159th birthday, but according to columnist Avi Benlolo, the nation has grown meaner rather than wiser. In an op-ed published July 3, 2026, Benlolo reflects on a country that once prided itself on peace, tolerance, and shared values, now grappling with rising antisemitism, crime, and a loss of moral clarity.
A nation's decline in civility
Benlolo recalls a Canada where doors were left unlocked, children sang Kumbaya in school gyms, and hockey sticks echoed on pavement. Today, he argues, the country feels less nice, less tolerant, and less accepting. He points to a recent incident where a man was beaten up while walking to synagogue, noting that 66 non-Jewish business executives felt compelled to take out ads in major newspapers denouncing antisemitism.
“This article is not about antisemitism per se; it’s about the future of Canada and why we should all be concerned,” Benlolo writes.
Rising crime and fear
Benlolo describes a climate of fear, where parents hesitate to send children on the Toronto subway, and homelessness is rampant. “People in suits walk past sleeping bags on the sidewalk,” he observes. Crime has escalated to the point where bail reform was needed to address the “revolving door” of repeat offenders. He notes that in 2025, Toronto recorded 131 home invasions.
A friend in Etobicoke, Benlolo says, “locks his house down and sleeps in fear every night with a bat in hand.” He also reports that charges were dropped against a perpetrator in an antisemitic assault case, highlighting an erosion of trust in the justice system.
Loss of moral clarity
Benlolo attributes this decline to a lack of moral clarity. Canada, once a peacekeeping nation that advocated against landmines and balanced international affairs, now cozies up to countries like China, Qatar, and Syria, he argues. He was alarmed by Canada considering reopening its embassy in Iran, “ignoring the fact its terrorist regime just slaughtered thousands of citizens.”
“Shouldn’t we be getting wiser with age?” Benlolo asks, urging a return to the values that once made Canada the envy of the world.
