National Post Reporter Tristin HopperNational Post Reporter Tristin Hopper
Trish Wood is Critical
Trish Wood talks with journalist Tristin Hopper about Canada’s slide into dysfunction, from covid responses to cultural and political shifts. Together they question institutional trust, media narratives and elite projects, while highlighting a new seriousness emerging among younger Canadians.
1:42:08•24 Apr 2026
Tristin Hopper and Trish Wood on a Canada That’s Lost the Plot
Episode Overview
- Covid policies revealed how far governments are willing to go, and how easily fear can be used to control and divide people.
- Legacy and independent media are deeply siloed, reinforcing existing beliefs and making it harder for citizens to hear opposing views.
- Canadian institutions have adopted some of the most extreme versions of progressive policies on issues like euthanasia, harm reduction and gender identity.
- Younger Canadians are becoming more serious and sceptical, increasingly rejecting the complacency and smugness associated with older generations.
- Political manoeuvres such as floor crossings and projects like the Alto high‑speed rail reinforce a sense that elites prioritise their own interests over ordinary citizens.
“There’s really no aspect of Canadian society that isn’t materially worse than it was a few years ago.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction to comfort, certainty and “official stories”? This conversation on **Trish Wood is Critical** looks at a different kind of dependency – Canada’s reliance on institutions, experts and legacy narratives – and what happens when they start to crumble. Trish sits down with National Post columnist and author **Tristin Hopper**, whose book *Don’t Be Canada* looks at how extreme policies and complacency have pushed the country towards dysfunction.
As he bluntly puts it, “there’s really no aspect of Canadian society that isn’t materially worse than it was a few years ago.” From euthanasia policy and harm reduction to gender legislation and housing, Hopper traces how small, “uncontroversial” changes spiralled into massive cultural and legal shifts.
You’ll hear them swap stories about covid-era public health rules, government overreach and media smear campaigns – especially around the Freedom Convoy – raising sharp questions about trust, fear and how easily populations can be turned against each other. Hopper compares the current moment to an “ideological recession”: painful, yes, but also a harsh reality check that might force Canadians to grow up politically and morally. The chat isn’t pure doom and gloom.
They talk about younger Canadians becoming more serious, more sceptical and less automatically progressive, and about the quiet “dissident” professionals who keep systems functioning while surrounded by what Hopper calls “maniacs”. There’s also a spirited takedown of high‑speed rail fantasies, boomer smugness, floor‑crossing MPs and the rise of Mark Carney. Threaded through is a theme that will resonate with anyone in recovery from anything: once you’ve seen the lie, you can’t unsee it.
The question is what you do next – give up, or get serious. If you’ve ever felt gaslit by institutions but aren’t ready to abandon hope, this episode might nudge you to ask: what kind of country, and what kind of community, are you willing to fight for?
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