Canada Day

By Walter Kish

In celebrating Canada Day on July 1, that fact has made me pause and reflect on the incredible good fortune I have of being a Canadian.  I do not say this casually, or out of some cliché but shallow notion of patriotism or nationalism. Life, despite what passes for it on television, is not a beer commercial.

In the close to six decades of my existence on this planet, I have been blessed with the opportunity to not only visit but live for extended periods of time in other countries.  I have also had a life-long passion for studying history and the evolution of arts, science, culture, politics and civilization throughout the world and through the ages.  That background has served to conclusively reinforce the belief that in my lifetime, there has been no better country to live in than Canada.

I say that with full awareness that the country is not perfect – there are many things that fall short of the ideal or the desirable.  Yet, more than any other nation on Earth, it has managed to find that right balance between the social, political and economic forces that create a good environment for people to create a rich and rewarding life for themselves and their families.  Whether one is born a Canadian, or comes here as an immigrant, one’s opportunity to succeed is only dependent on one’s intelligence, hard work and attitude.

It is also not coincidental that our country is also one of the most diverse and multicultural ones around.  At work, I manage a department of close to thirty professionals.  Included among them are people who came or are recent descendants of people who came from India, Pakistan, China, the Caribbean, Africa, Hungary, Armenia, Romania, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Ireland, and Norway.  My boss is a Quebecois from Montreal. Although it would be naïve to believe that none of them at some point or another ever faced some form of discrimination or stereotyping, I am sure that most would agree that those instances were more exceptions than common practice.

The crucial difference between Canada and other progressive Western democracies is that in Canada, one can realize one’s potential economically and socially without sacrificing one’s cultural identity.  There is no systemic or overt pressure to conform to a dominant, majority culture with a prescribed set of values and mindset.  There is in fact no dominant, majority culture, which unfortunately makes some people uncomfortable.  They fail to realize that it is diversity that drives progress and evolution, while homogeneity tends to stifle the same.

I should note that most Canadians, be they native born or of immigrant origins, eventually do come to subscribe to a common denominator of values, principles and conventions, though this comes not from any social pressure but from an evolved understanding and acceptance of what makes Canada and Canadians both unique and successful.  We are hard-working, industrious and creative, and believe strongly in providing every individual the opportunity to make the most of his or her abilities. Although we are a society based on the free-enterprise model, we believe that government has a significant role to play in ensuring that the mechanisms of the economic system are prudently regulated and that there is an equitable distribution of wealth within our society.  We are tolerant, liberal minded and concerned with the social welfare of our fellow citizens.  We cherish our freedoms and attach great value on preserving the best elements of our diverse cultural origins.  We place high priority on education and the availability of universal health care.  We believe that our country has a moral obligation to try and improve the quality of life, socially, economically and politically, of other countries on this globe that are not as fortunate as we are.

Countries, like individuals, have a defining soul or spirit, and I believe Canada has one worthy of emulation.  I am glad that eighty one years ago, my father chose to come and build his future in Canada.  I can attest to the fact that it was the best possible choice.