As we gather together on July 1 to celebrate our 142nd birthday, it's always an excellent time to take stock of the country in which we live.
Canada Day gives us all the opportunity to get out there and wave the flag for one day of the year. We can be unabashedly proud to be Canadian, to celebrate our nation and revel in the freedoms we enjoy.
Of course, it's also a day to take some time to remember the Highway of Heroes and the 120 Canadian soldiers who have given their lives in Afghanistan over the past seven years. There have been many more who have been injured during our mission in Afghanistan, a mission which will continue until 2011. While Canadians may debate the merits of Canada's involvement in the conflict in that war-torn country so far away, we all share one thing in common: we stand together in supporting our troops and in commending their bravery and sacrifice. They are true heroes.
It's worth noting on this very special day that we live in a country that highly prizes its freedoms. So many citizens have made the choice to come to Canada to escape oppression and to start a new life here. They know how good this country is and what opportunities it offers; they realize the tremendous standard of living so many people enjoy here. They have taken a long, hard look at what the world has to offer and have decided Canada is the best place to be. We should regard that as the highest form of praise and a sincere compliment.
For many of us born in Canada and who may have never had the chance to travel outside our borders, the good life here is something we can easily take for granted. But talk to somebody who has had the chance to travel extensively on an international scale and you'll soon discover there is no place they would rather live. While much of the world is torn asunder in religious or ethnic conflict, Canada has been able to remain largely free of such strife. To the extent that it is possible to do so, we are committed to equality for all and freedom from tyranny that is routine in much of the developing world.
Canada is worth celebrating and we're lucky to live here and be Canadians. It's worth rejoicing today.
-- Metroland Durham Region Media Group
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