Canada 150: What I celebrate, what I grieve

In a week Canada turns 150 years. On social media we are seeing posts expressing national pride as well as posts that challenge this celebration. I am a very proud Canadian, and it is my duty to love my country. That means more than just love the flag and culture. It means loving my fellow Canadians and loving our land enough to want what is best for it now and in the future, regardless of when it is easy or difficult to do so.

Milestone events are more than just a time to celebrate. They are also a time of remembrance and observance. Therefore…

This year I will celebrate:

• That we are a united country and have peacefully grown into our independence for the past 150 years.

• That we have been a collection of diverse cultures coming together—especially Indigenous, French, and English—and staying together over the past 150 years.

• That we continue to grow as a people becoming more independent and yet more dependent on each other and fostering a positive relationship with other countries and cultures around the world.

• That millions have sacrificed for my freedom and the freedom of Canadians everywhere.

This year I will observe:

• That there is an asterisk by the number “150.” People have lived here for thousands of years before white Europeans arrived, and for most of them those years were much better before than after, to say the least.

• That France, England, and First Nation tribes all battled and warred with one another, and therefore all engaged in terrible behaviour and atrocities.

• That promises and treaties were broken with First Nation tribes and that they suffered much more than what any of the two other groups can claim.

This year I will:

• Sing “O Canada” and stand at attention.

• Watch media coverage of Canadians celebrating across the country.

• Choose to listen and not respond defensively when hearing the s tories of my fellow Canadians. These stories I will look for. They’re all a part of our collective story.

• Admit to the wrongs that exist now, face them, and seek out solutions to make Canada better. I don’t have major influence, but maybe I can discover little things that, if done by millions, make a big impact.

• Take the day off.

• Barbecue.

• Eat a special dessert.

• Maybe make a Spotify playlist of Canadian bands and iconic Canadian songs.

This year I will :

• Answer with “Yes, but…” when people say our land was stolen by force. Nor when colonialism is cited as part of our foundation. Nor when it is brought up that many of my fellow white Canadians have tried to wipe out Indigenous culture.

• Act as if the problems are now gone and that Indigenous people are not still being treated unfairly.

• Act as if atrocities done in the past should just be forgotten because they were so long ago. I don’t do that on November 11 and I will not do that on July 1. (These things listed above would simply be un-Canadian to me.)

Happy Birthday Canada. And Happy Future. Let’s truly move forward.

Congratulations . This is your week.

Best Actress:

Sally Field as Miranda Hillard in .

Best Actor: Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in

Best Quote: “Our situation has not improved.” — Sean Connery as Henry Jones in (1989) as he and Indiana are trapped between a wall of fire and a room full of Nazis.

I chose to write about something very timely, but I don’t want to completely miss out on singing the praises of

. It’s a perfect movie for anyone who enjoys Robin Williams—and, really, who doesn’t?—and a perfect movie for anyone who likes hilarious movie quotes—and, again, who doesn’t? The director, Chris Columbus, allowed Williams to do a lot of ad libbing, which brought forth some great lines. My favourite non-scripted line that made the final cut is in the scene when Mrs. Doubtfire throws a lime at the head of his ex’s new love. “She” tries to blame someone else whom she claims ran away and out of sight. “It was a run-by fruiting!”