Divided We Fall

How we can resist polarizing pressures and strengthen our identity as citizens

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The divisions among Canadians have been growing in recent years. Despite the Elbows Up movement in response to American threats, even our national unity seems at risk. Rising inequality, regional discontent, and growing distrust of democratic institutions are fuelling populist rhetoric and misinformation, problems that are amplified by social media. Author Max Cameron explores the history of polarization in our country, as well as the forces, both internal and external, that threaten Canadian unity. His account is based on firsthand experience working with Canadians of a wide range of political outlooks who are entering public life. In this book, Cameron suggests how Canadians can rebuild civil discourse based on our common citizenship and restore a shared sense of purpose at a vital point in our country’s history.

Contributors

Max Cameron

Max Cameron is a Professor in the Department of Political Science and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at UBC. Max is a specialist in comparative politics and has published extensively on problems of democratization. He co-founded the Institute for Future Legislators, a program to prepare citizens for public service. In 2022, Max was the recipient of the 2022 Guillermo O’Donnell Democracy Award and Lectureship by the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) for his work on democracy in Latin America, and in 2024 he was elected President of LASA. He lives in Vancouver.

Chapter Contributors Pages Year Price
In this introduction, Cameron examines how Donald Trump’s November 2024 election unexpectedly united Canadians, introducing the concept of political polarization.
22 $2.20
In this chapter, Cameron examines why polarization threatens Canadian democratic life.
17 $1.70
In this chapter, Cameron examines the 2025 Canadian federal election, Donald Trump’s tariff threats, and how Mark Carney’s Liberals won a minority government by using "Canada …
37 $3.70
In this chapter, Cameron examines how Canadian society fractured between 2021 and 2025 over vaccine mandates, the Freedom Convoy, and the Conservative Party’s rightward shift under Pierre …
26 $2.60
In this chapter, Cameron discusses how polarization in Canada and the United States operates as a deliberate instrument of political domination, highlighting the erosion of American democratic …
37 $3.70
In this chapter, Cameron discusses “deep polarization,” examining how radicalized movements, social media misinformation, and COVID-19 have eroded civic bonds that sustain democracy.
23 $2.30
In this chapter, Cameron examines the Trump administration’s threats to Canadian sovereignty alongside the January 2026 military operation in Venezuela. He also discusses the Carney …
10 $1.00
This appendix discusses the Institute for Future Legislators, and outlines ways to be a better, more active citizen.
12 $1.20