A thought heading into the long weekend…
Even, or especially, here in Ottawa there is some trepidation as we head into the Canada Day celebration – will the convoy-fools make another grandstand play on the hill, will a lone wolf mingle in with the crowd at LeBreton Flats and all that. But even more there is a feeling of inner conflict over celebrating when the meaning of Canada has been tainted by our treatment of First Nations people, LGBTQ+’s, minorities of all background, colour or creed.
It would be easy to just turn the world off and spend Saturday doing ‘regular weekend’ things. But maybe we could use this weekend not so much to celebrate the ‘settler achievements’ but a time for reflection and planning on how we can ALL make Canada an even better place for ALL of us?
Canada is far better off, for sure, than many if not all other countries in the world but imagine what a shining example we would become when we come to recognize our diversity is OUR strength.
“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.”
– Maya Angelou