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Zero-Sum Thinking in a Non-Zero World

Split image showing a poker game on the left with cards and chips, and people baking bread on the right, symbolizing the contrast between zero-sum competition and cooperative creation.

Canada is doing the right things abroad—expanding trade, building trust, and strengthening alliances—but at home, zero-sum politics are getting loud. When domestic squabbling overshadows cooperation, it doesn’t just divide Canadians; it erodes our credibility overseas. This piece looks at how to spot the zero-sum mindset in our media and what ordinary citizens can do to shift the conversation back to growth, trust, and shared success.

Cauldron of Chaos

A small American flag melting into a bubbling black cauldron filled with fiery liquid and steam, symbolizing the turmoil and instability within the United States.

The United States has become a boiling pot of contradictions — a cauldron of chaos where every tariff, photo-op, and political spectacle keeps the world mesmerized while deeper forces reshape the foundations of power. Canada can no longer mistake this transformation for a phase. What’s happening south of the border isn’t a detour; it’s a rebuild — one that demands we keep our eyes firmly on the ball.