It has been a summer of mounting pressures and pivotal moments for Canada, as the nation finds itself wrestling with overlapping crises in health care, labor, and policy. While the headlines have often focused on the country’s tense standoff with the United States over trade and digital regulation, a deeper, more personal crisis has been unfolding across emergency rooms, city streets, and workplaces from coast to coast.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who took office just months ago, entered the national stage with a sense of urgency. According to The Globe and Mail, he warned Canadians that U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs posed “the most significant crisis of our lifetimes,” claiming, “They want our land, our resources, they want our water, they want our country.” Carney’s campaign rhetoric was unambiguous: “We will not let that happen.” Canadians braced for economic hardship, but, as the summer wore on, it became clear that the nation’s economic backbone—bolstered by trade-agreement exemptions—was holding, at least for now.
Yet, as The Globe and Mail points out, the real existential crisis for Canada may not be at the border or in the halls of international trade talks, but within its own hospitals and clinics. Health care, long a point of national pride, is now the source of widespread anxiety and heartbreak. The numbers are stark: Canada spends more per capita on health care than many peer nations, but continues to lag behind in key outcomes. Wait times for specialist care and surgeries are lengthening, access to primary and preventative care is increasingly out of reach for millions, and emergency rooms are buckling under the weight of demand.
The tragedy of 16-year-old Finlay van der Werken, whose family took him to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital in February 2025, is just one of many stories that have come to symbolize the system’s failings. Finlay suffered from extreme abdominal pain for more than eight hours before being seen by a doctor, despite being triaged at a level that should have guaranteed care within 15 minutes. According to The Globe and Mail, his mother’s repeated pleas to nurses went unheeded as his condition deteriorated. Diagnosed with pneumonia, sepsis, and hypoxia, Finlay suffered a cardiac arrest and was eventually taken off life support. His family has since launched a lawsuit and is demanding an inquiry, hoping to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
This is not an isolated incident. Over the past two decades, multiple inquests and reports have chronicled systemic shortcomings. The deaths of Vince Motta in the early 2000s, Darrell Mesheau in 2022, Brian Sinclair in 2008, and Natasha Forry in 2020 all point to a health system under siege. As The Globe and Mail notes, recommendations for reform have piled up, but implementation lags. In Alberta, for instance, nearly one in five patients are now leaving emergency rooms without being seen, a statistic that underscores the growing crisis.
“A system under siege or in crisis requires dramatic change, not incremental change,” a report into Motta’s death declared more than 20 years ago. Yet, according to The Globe and Mail, most official responses continue to focus on incremental spending rather than fundamental restructuring. The result? Canadians with means are increasingly seeking care outside their home provinces or abroad, while those without resources languish on ever-lengthening public waitlists.
This week, the World Health Organization and World Meteorological Organization added another layer of concern, releasing a joint report that described climate change-driven heat as a “public health crisis” for workers worldwide, including in Canada. The report, cited by The Canadian Press, warns that outdoor workers in construction, farming, and other physically demanding jobs face heightened risks of heat stroke, dehydration, cardiovascular damage, and kidney dysfunction. Rüdiger Krech, the WHO’s director of environment, climate change, and health, stated, “The workers keeping our societies running are paying the highest price.” The report urges governments to develop heat-health plans, including regular breaks and access to hydration, to protect both outdoor and indoor workers exposed to extreme conditions.
Amidst these health challenges, labor unrest has also made headlines. Air Canada, the country’s flagship airline, spent much of August scrambling to restore its full network after a strike by more than 10,000 flight attendants disrupted operations and led to widespread flight cancellations. As The Canadian Press reported, the strike began on August 16, 2025, and a tentative deal was reached on August 19. The agreement, which now goes to a vote, promises higher wages and establishes a pay structure for time spent working on the ground—a long-standing issue for flight attendants. The airline expects to be operating close to its full schedule by Friday, August 22, a relief for travelers and the tourism industry alike.
Meanwhile, the fate of Canada’s Online Streaming Act and Online News Act has become a flashpoint in the country’s ongoing trade negotiations with the United States. Cultural and broadcast industry groups are urging the Liberal government to hold firm against U.S. pressure to repeal or weaken these bills, which are designed to support Canadian content and journalism in the digital age. According to The Canadian Press, the U.S. State Department criticized the Online News Act in a recent human rights report, and Prime Minister Carney hinted on August 5 that he may be open to repealing it. The Prime Minister’s Office has declined to clarify whether either bill is on the table in trade talks, leaving advocates in suspense. “We are aware that the U.S. is exerting pressure on the [federal government], and the cultural sector is undoubtedly on high alert,” said Marie-Julie Desrochers, executive director of a coalition representing the cultural sector. Kevin Desjardins, president of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the importance of the legislation for the future of Canadian media.
In the midst of these national debates, communities are finding reasons to celebrate resilience and inclusion. After a seven-year hiatus marked by controversy and protest, Edmonton’s Pride Parade is returning to the city’s downtown streets on Saturday, August 23, 2025. According to The Canadian Press, the parade will be led by the first-ever Edmonton Trans March for Visibility and Equality, organized by RaricaNow, a non-profit that advocates for LGBTQ+ refugees and newcomers. The march aims to stand against “ongoing attacks on the trans community,” signaling a renewed commitment to diversity and visibility in the Prairie city.
On the economic front, Canada’s big banks are set to report third-quarter earnings next week, offering a window into the health of the broader economy as the U.S. trade war continues to cast a shadow. Despite weak GDP growth and rising unemployment, bank stocks have outperformed the wider TSX by a slim margin, buoyed by earlier spikes in trading revenue. As National Bank analyst Gabriel Dechaine notes, the credit outlook remains the biggest source of uncertainty, with analysts keeping a close eye on provisions for bad loans.
As the summer draws to a close, Canadians are left with a sense of both relief and unease. The country’s economy has weathered the immediate storm of U.S. tariffs, but the deeper, more personal crises—of health care access, worker safety, and national identity—remain unresolved. If dramatic change is needed, as so many reports and families have insisted, the coming months will test whether Canada’s leaders are ready to deliver it.
