Sometimes it seems like we could use a little more flag-waving, and there’s no better time than today, July 1.
Canada Day is worth celebrating. It’s a useful exercise to acknowledge the things we like about the place we live and feel gratitude for the rights we enjoy here in the true north strong and free. And it’s a day to proudly identify as Canadian – there are so many labels that we use ourselves or that others use to define us, but ‘Canadian’ is one that we can all share.
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It might be a good thing for us to make more of a nationwide effort this July 1 to celebrate Canada Day because it’s an election year. We find federal elections fascinating, and one reason why is because of the themes of Canadian identity that emerge during a campaign. Every party has ideas about how to make our country the best it can be, but that means something different to everyone, so envisioning what’s best and what’s next for Canada will divide us in certain ways. Even if our major parties want a lot of the same things – a bustling economy, a healthy population, safe and secure communities, a clean environment – the nature of politics means they need to point out and underline ideological differences about how to achieve those ideals.
The best thing we can do for our country is to do something to make it a better place. Hopefully that happens in a lot of little, incalculable ways every day, and hopefully it happens on Canada Day. But we also hope there’s a chance to celebrate the Canada we have now – it’s a special place and we sure do like it here.
Happy Canada Day.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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