Why do I love Canada? It is not just the country, landscapes, trails I have yet to traverse or scenery that I adore. I love Canada because slowly but surely, our citizens are making it a better and safer place. They are doing it in the streets of cities, in legislative offices and calling for accountability in corporate settings.
This country is great because of the activists and others who are determined to make it the home in which they yearn to feel safe. It is great because we are recognizing this land as sacred. It belongs to Indigenous communities who welcomed many of our families to its soils with open arms. It is great because we admit that many settlers instead reverted to cultural assimilation. It is great because words like “settler” and “treaty land” are definable by more than activists. This is an amazing thing.
It is great because we can call out and protest when we disagree. Word travels faster than ever and I love that I live in a country where we are able to make our voices heard at grassroots levels. While there is more work to do, today I am grateful for my place here. A place that has been made better by those who came before me and about the kind of Canada we are making for everyone. That, more than the piece of paper that was given to me at birth saying I’m Canadian is why I love Canada.
Thank you to the Indigenous communities who welcomed my family’s first settlers to this land. Thank you for making this country great and may we all recognize that we are all guests here on your land. It is important that we access resources to learn about our history and learn how we can help Indigenous communities. Close to home, you can start your research at the Peel Aboriginal Network.
Submitted by local resident Cheryl Costello and edited by Brampton Focus
