Tuesday is Canada Day, a day when Canadians across the country will celebrate the good fortune we have simply by being able to call Canada home.
With all that has taken place over the first half of this year, Canada Day might feel a little different this year.
Over the past several months we have seen a groundswell of patriotism across this country, which is not particularly Canadian, but with a U.S. president having not only started a global tariff war that will negatively impact us Canadians, and also having repeatedly suggested that Canada become the 51st state, increased expressions of pride in this country is certainly a natural response.
Canadians have also become more united across party lines in response to both the tariff war and the threats to our sovereignty. Though of course, beyond our response to the chaos we have seen from the south of us, we are still an increasingly polarized nation as our recent federal election results demonstrated.
A ‘buy Canadian’ campaign was another natural response to the tariff war initiated from south of our border. And not just any ‘buy Canadian’ campaign, as many American-made products have simply been pulled off the shelves. In Ontario we haven’t been able to purchase a bottle of Jack Daniels or a California wine for the past four months as the LCBO has removed all American-produced alcohol from their stores.
The past six months have made Canadians and our governments realize that we would be wise to reduce our reliance on the American economy, and to begin forging stronger economic ties with our other allies.
Canada is a highly respected nation around the globe, and with all that has taken place in the United States this year, many nations have come to our defence, pushing back against President Trump’s 51st state nonsense. Canada hasn’t been Trump’s only target – he has also suggested that Greenland should come under the control of the United States, as should the Panama Canal, and the tariff war initiated by the American president targeted virtually every nation on the planet.
Canada is not perfect, of course, but if you take a little time to look around the world through an objective lens, you quickly realize just how good we have it here by comparison to the vast majority of nations.
I have written before that, though I love this country, and there is nowhere else I would rather live, I’m not the most outwardly patriotic person. Not that I don’t feel fortunate to live here, I certainly do, but expressions of patriotism have always felt awkward to me, as it is a form of bragging that I have never really understood, since a simple stroke of fortune could have meant I was born in Lithuania or Argentina, or anywhere other than Canada. I played no role in having been born here, and I take no credit for the state of this fine nation, so what am I to brag about?
That said, I have had the pleasure of exploring many corners of this planet, having visited some 25 or more countries on five continents, and without question there is nowhere else I would rather call home. We have it pretty good here in Canada, better than most of us realize, from universal healthcare to the relative safety of our communities, to the many freedoms we enjoy, and for that we should certainly be thankful. And if being thankful to you means flying the red and white, or maybe even wearing a funny red hat, then go for it.
We also have the good fortune of being able to lay our heads on our pillows each night without fear of bombs dropping on our neighbourhoods, or missiles flying through the air overhead, and for that I am certainly very grateful.
But enough of the serious stuff, Canada Day is about celebrating, not dwelling upon the sad state in which the world currently finds itself.
This year we also celebrate the 60th anniversary of our beloved Canadian flag. I am sometimes amazed that while our red and white flag adorned with a maple leaf is a fixture in our daily lives, it only became our national flag five years before I was born, another reminder of just how young this nation is when compared to many nations around the globe.
Though the summer solstice was just over a week ago, Canada Day is when summer truly begins. The school year has come to an end, and many will be enjoying summer vacations in the coming weeks.
From urban Meaford to Bognor and Annan, there will be no shortage of fun to be found as this community celebrates Canada Day.
My favourite of the local Canada Day celebrations has long been in Bognor where they, in my opinion, do Canada Day best with traditional fun, and without the need for any glitz or glamour, just Canadians enjoying traditional small town Canadian fun. Likewise Annan, who traditionally celebrate Canada Day a day early, on June 30, as they will do this year with the fun set to begin at 6 p.m. with a fireworks display at dusk.
There won’t be any fireworks in the urban area of Meaford again this year, but there will be a full day of celebrations at the harbour, kicking off with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by games for kids, a community barbeque, a classic car show, and live music.
However you plan to celebrate Canada Day, have fun, have lots of fun, but be safe, and be smart.
Visit meaford.ca/canadaday for the full schedule, event locations, and up-to-date Canada Day related announcements.
