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 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.

Tristin Hopper is a reporter and columnist for the National Post, where he’s had a front row seat on Canada’s bizarre roller coaster ride into oblivion. He’s inhaled second-hand crack smoke on public transit. He’s seen a Canadian euthanasia procedure in person. And he’s lost count of how many men’s washrooms he’s visited with a free tampon machine. He lives in Victoria, B.C.

Tristin Hopper's profile page