It would seem a wasted opportunity, when producing a Newspaper with a July 1 dateline, not to devote a few column inches to thoughts on our glorious and free homeland.
Canada Day was first recognized by that name in 1958, but it wasn’t until the country’s centennial year in 1967 that patriotic partying on July 1 became widespread.
In Mapleton, Canada Day has long been done up right with a variety of family activities and a fireworks display the envy of many larger communities. This year will be no different, as those who head down to the fairgrounds in Drayton for this year’s celebration will no doubt discover.
With the nation’s sesquicentennial just one year away, the federal government has been building toward a major 150th birthday celebration in 2017 for several years now.
However, the 149th anniversary is no less significant an occasion really, when it comes to recognizing the good fortune we share to be residents here.
It can seem maudlin to speak of freedom as an advantage we enjoy, until we give a moment to thoughts of life in the many countries round the world where a misspoken comment can land an individual in jail; or to places where the lack of freedoms of speech, information and religion are compounded by a lack of freedom to leave in order to escape such oppression. No, a government under the control of its citizens, not vice versa, is nothing to be taken for granted.
Even though last year’s election campaigning slid at times into dog whistle politics over the niqab issue and race-based hotlines, it’s noteworthy the perpetrators came out on the losing side by a hefty margin. South of the border, exhibitions of even more overt racism have helped propel a candidate to the status of presumptive nominee of a major party. Across the Atlantic, Britons have incited a global financial catastrophe as a result of a “Brexit” vote many pundits suggest was fueled more by intolerance than evidence.
It’s gratifying to know that here in Canada, we continue to boast an electorate sophisticated enough to recognize a red herring, especially when served up with a side of xenophobia.
In addition to the fact we like our loonies in our pockets and not on a podium or in parliament, there are myriad reasons to take pride in being Canadian, including high standards and expectations on matters of health, environment, income and social justice.
Canadians also have a reputation for knowing how to party, perhaps due to the fact we’re often compelled to do it under pretty extreme weather conditions regardless of the season. Whatever the weather on July 1, there will no doubt be celebrations across the nation – and for good reason.
