We are living in uncertain, anxious times, which have made the explanatory and comforting dynamics of conspiratorial thinking all the more appealing. Conspiratorial thinking is often viewed as deeply irrational, but the desire for what it can provide—the illusion of stability and clarity—is reasonable and relatable. In recent years, ideas once considered beyond the pale have made inroads into legitimate institutions and among Canadians. We’ve seen credentialled medical professionals play footsie with anti-vaccine activists wielding sciencey vocabularies, accomplished lawyers push dubious and convenient interpretations of the law, elected officials entertain baseless claims about governmental conspiracy, Convoyites swear themselves in as so-called peace officers with imagined arresting powers, and livestreamers LARP as tenacious, evidence-based journalists. The phenomenon has crept into nearly all walks of Canadian life, leaving many wondering how we can possibly recover from this situation.
It’s commonly assumed that education inoculates against conspiratorial thinking. However, schooling is not a foolproof safeguard against paranoid thinking. Despite Canada having one of the world’s most highly educated populations, a poll released in December 2023 by Leger found that 79 percent of Canadians believe at least one conspiracy theory, including hallucinations about Princess Diana being assassinated and global cabals of elites secretly pulling the strings. However, the conspiratorial thinking running rampant is neither new nor an imported phenomenon. Forms of fringe thought that are increasingly relevant today, including pseudo constitutionalism, conspiratorial anti-communism, and New World Order conspiracism, have historically appeared in Canada, including among the well connected and highly educated.
