OCanada our home and native land. Sing it loud and sing it proud.
I am proud to be a Canadian and especially feel this way when I watch the world news and see the violence and tragedies happening in other countries. Or when I am meeting a family who has chosen this country to be their home and their reasons why.
We are a land of hope. The true north strong and free.
Here is a partial laundry list of what we love about Canada. It begins with our people. Hardworking, dependable, motivated. A country with proud First Nations.
Talented, creative. Amazing artists in so many forms, great music. I am pleased when others say Canadians are so nice. I’m good with nice. I like to see in our major cities that we have Little Italy, Chinatown, the neighbourhoods where new immigrants gather together for familiarity while they adapt and learn to live in a new world. That this country has welcomed new citizens from every other country in the world. We are a country built from the hard labour of many. Some history we can be proud of, and some not.
The natural resources of this country. That Saskatchewan is the new boom province. That Alberta has welcomed Canadians from every province for years and continues to do. That we can move easily from province to province.
There are many great roads to drive on in Canada, locally the drive from Vernon to Penticton is gorgeous, the Coquihalla system offers breathtaking vistas and the drive from here to Banff is stunning. Driving on the Confederation Bridge from P.E.I. to New Brunswick made me somewhat nervous and yet amazed at that engineering feat.
Our provincial and national parks are a treasure and our city parks as well.
Quebec and that we are bilingual, and also that we are hearing more languages in this land.
Four seasons. Snowshoeing in the woods. Skiing Silver Star. Rafting, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding. Sitting on our dock on Okanagan Lake and looking down the water towards Kelowna.
Seeing kids playing road hockey, swimming, on a school yard.
Our education system including our universities and colleges and how easily we can access an array of education and training no matter our age.
Our health care system, our democracy, that we are stable and that the loonie is stronger, and that we call our dollar a loonie.
That we have building regulations and health regulations, and that we do have standards to keep us safe.
That we are a diverse country in so many ways. Our people, cultures, religions, beliefs. That two people who love each other can marry, legally.
There is so much to love about this country. Celebrate today, tomorrow, all year.
We are Canadians! Lucky us!
