Canadians live in a wonderful country. And it sure isn’t broke. Neither its financial wellbeing, nor its physical condition, nor its governing structure are broken. Only a foolish demagogue would be out on the barbeque circuit this summer telling Canadians that their country is broke.
Canada always rates high with people around the world for its democracy, its beauty, its prowess at winter sports, its cities, its banking system, its productive prairies, its dairy farms and the diversity of its peoples. And despite the complaints of some politicians, it is in excellent financial shape. We came through the pandemic without totally destroying our health system and at a lower cost in lives than most countries.
Did you know that three of the top ten of the world’s most liveable cities are in Canada. The cities are Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto.
I used to arrange seminars on Multiple Sclerosis on behalf of the International Federation of Multiple Sclerosis in other parts of the world. I was often amazed at the number of people who came to those seminars because they wanted to hear how things were done in Canada. As much as they wanted to hear about Canada, I had to make sure that they heard how other countries were also solving the need for public education into Multiple Sclerosis, how they cared for patients, and the promotion of ongoing medical research.
But there is no getting around the promise of Canada as a country that welcomes newcomers and offers them so much in opportunities. No matter where you go in this world, that Canadian passport is pure gold. If we tripled the number of people working for Immigration Canada, I still don’t think we would make much of a dent in the number of applicants.
Every time I see the Statue of Liberty that dominates New York Harbour, I think that the Americans should regift her to Canada. For it is really Canada today that calls out for the “tired and poor and huddled masses, yearning to be free.”
Happy Canada Day. We are among the luckiest people in the world.
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Copyright 2023 © Peter Lowry (Quote is from Emma Lazarus’ The New Colossus)
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