Proud to be Canadian

Celebrating our flag today. We live in one of the freest countries in the world. And it’s going to stay that way.

I am proud to be Canadian.

Yes, there’s still work to reconcile with our past, because we believe in justice. And sure, we have our fair share of challenges. What country doesn’t?

But we aren’t broken, and certain politicians should stop talking down this great country.

Canada will always be a work in progress, and it’s also an incredible success.

Today we’re celebrating 60 years of our national flag, and it’s an interesting reminder of how Canadians in the past thought of themselves as British. The idea of a new flag was jeered by many at the time.

Over time, we forged our own identity. And then Prime Minister Pearson understood that that sense of identity should be reflected by a unique flag of our own.

As Canadians, we are defined by many regional differences. Of course we are.

But we share values. Freedom, equality, and rule of law in our democracy. Honesty, hard work, and a sense of humour in our homes.

We are a multicultural country welcoming people of all creeds and colour.

And our sense of individualism sits alongside our sense of solidarity and concern for our neighbours.

We are good neighbours.

That means we show respect and we expect the same.

So don’t take our decency, kindness and generosity as a sign of weakness. We are also tough as nails and we persevere.

We live in one of the freest countries in the world. And it’s going to stay that way.