Canada is a geographic\cal expression ... little else, in my opinion.
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Can Canada continue as a viable state? <shrug> Who knows? Maybe more importantly, who cares?
Canada is not a nation state. We don't define our nationhood by shared ethnic background, religion, or language. I guess this evolved from that 18th century decision you pointed at where the British would "live and let live" with the French-speaking Canadiens. It started a trend or an ideal that has crept forward, unequally and in fits and starts, to the modern day.
I'd argue that being Canadian means sharing a geographic area with people committed to a shared set of values and ideals. I think these values are broadly defined by concepts such as to live and let live, ensure political equality and rule of law, associate with whomever you choose, seek out a livelihood and prosperity, etc. Do we live up to these values as individuals or as a country? Not all the time, but they do act as a lodestone, and should define what slapping on a Maple Leaf flag to a uniform or backpack means.
I think this is important moving forward, where nation states feel pressure in increasingly globalized world. Canada is better able to absorb, say, 100,000 Syrians as new Canadians when compared to somewhere like Sweden or Czechia, where a different language and religion is contrary to the idea of being from that nation state. Not being a nation state will make us more competitive as the world gets smaller and smaller.
I also think language will matter less and less in terms of being Canadian. 10-20 years from now, three Canadians will be able to have a conversation in Cree, Punjabi, and French and all be understood because they'll have smartphones with earbuds that do instantaneous translation of the spoken word. Who cares what language someone else speaks if we can all be understood?
As for the cries to change Parliament and our Constitution (and your question as to whether Canada can continue as a viable state) - to what end? We have a system that has given us 155 years of continuous peace, order, and good (enough) governance. We get up, and the power works, our kids go to school, and we can go to work without worrying about getting blown up en route. We can practice our faith while someone else practices theirs down the road, and we don't firebomb each other for doing so. In terms of political rights and civil liberties, we are
amongst the freest in the world. According to
the OECD, our average disposable income, level of employment, level of higher education, and life expectancy are all above the average of OECD countries, and quite high in general. Our country brings in hundreds of thousands of newcomers a year, and the fact that
401,000 humans decided last year alone that here was a better place for their children than wherever they came from tells us we are doing something right.
Again, there are glaring inconsistencies in the narrative; a trip to a small Reserve will reveal this, but these are exceptions that we must fix, and not indictment of an ineffective system that needs to be overhauled or torn down. Do we need to change the carpet and update the drapes? Probably, but the foundations are solid. It's a good house.
