There’s an old saying, “Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.”
Often this refers to a family’s home, which isn’t always what they want it to be – but nonetheless, home is where a family lives and loves, and is (hopefully) a place of safety and refuge for family members to return to.
In some ways, this is applicable to Canada as a country, who will be marking a birthday on Saturday, July 1.
Canada as she stands today is much, much different than in 1867, or in the centuries before that when the First Nations lived on the land, only to have European settlers and explorers move in and take over.
Today, Canada is a cosmopolitan land that spans a huge expanse as the second-largest country by land size in the world, with resources like few other countries possess.
The system of government is democratic, and it isn’t perfect, but it allows for elections and input by her citizens. Unfortunately, the balance of the population does not allow for a fair distribution of influence and power, with the result Western Canada is often at the mercy of the East, which largely determines who the ruling political party is.
This has resulted in policies and taxes that are unfairly placed on the West purely for political reasons, such as the repressive carbon tax that is imposed on us and is hurting many aspects of the economy.
With all of the resources, and the opportunities that lie within her borders, people from many, many other countries have come here for a new life, and many others want to. Canada is a destination for those fleeing war and repression, such as the many Ukrainian and Afghan refugees that have come here as a result of the war and unrest in their home lands.
In spite of the many challenges facing our democracy, Canada is still a warm and welcoming land for those needing a safe place to start a new life and seek opportunities.
There are other challenges, to be sure, such as the ongoing efforts towards reconciliation with the First Nations peoples, who were not treated very well by those who settled here.
An effort to reach out and understand each other’s cultures has begun, and it will take a long time to reach the point where both peoples can share this country as equals.
This will take an effort on both sides to get to know the other, and to reach out a hand in welcome as we work towards a better understanding between us.
As the flag of the maple leaf is raised on July 1, we ought to pay respect and homage to this wonderful land we call home, and we also need to take thought for ways that we can all make this country a better place to live, to work, to raise families and to enjoy the many amenities for rest and recreation that are available.
