Don't Be Canada: How One Country Did Everything Wrong All At Once by Tristin Hopper

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A shocking, darkly hilarious exploration of how Canada, a country once admired for its stability and moderation, became a global cautionary tale. Drawing from real headlines, deep research, and extensive interviews, acclaimed journalist Tristin Hopper uncovers the bizarre missteps and policy experiments that have helped Canada set new global standards for disfunction. The examples are legion: the real estate bubble that never bursts, Orwellian internet regulations, harm reduction policies show more that escalate harm, official health guidelines that recommended the use of glory holes in a pandemic, and a runaway euthanasia system that inspired the Wall Street Journal to declare, "Welcome to Canada, the Doctor Will Kill You Now." As sobering as it is comic, Don't Be Canada examines the cascading consequences of extreme policies and tells the tragic story of a country that took its wealth, tolerance, and functionality for granted. show less

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LynnB 2,373 reviews

I don't know why I thought I'd like this book??? It is a right-leaning list of everything Canada has done wrong in various social policies, such as harm reduction, medical assistance in dying, and provision of housing. The facts presented as well documented but they don't tell the full story -- just as a purely left-leaning account would miss some key points. So, a lack of balance was my major problem with this book. That said, it was enlightening to see how some people think and to better understand a point of view usually different from my own. That's my silver lining for having read all 97 pages! I would recommend finding more balanced accounts for those interested in Canadian public policy.

Mar 23, 2026

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