Canada Day

This is Canada Day. The weather will be perfect...sunny and warm...and most Canadians can enjoy a day off work and maybe some of them will truly appreciate the wonderful country we live in.

We tend to take for granted the fact that Canada is one of the safest places in the world in which to live. We have a good infrastructure of support for the poor, the aged, and the needy. Granted, we're not perfect but we're reasonable.

I've lived here all of my life and can readily see the influx of other races and cultures we now have in Canada. Fifty years ago there were few Asian or black faces. It's possible that immigration was more difficult then for people who weren't caucasions but that isn't the case these days. Canada is fast becoming a true melting pot and that's the way it should be.

Think about it. People who live in impoverished or war ridden countries decide they've had enough of the turmoil and decide to move to a country where they can live their lives in a civilized way...they choose Canada. I believe most of these immigrants will grow to love their new country and make it a better place for all of us.

It won't happen immediately but as long as we maintain integrated schools the children will be the first to accept each other and that will carry on into adulthood. Old tribal hatreds from their countries of origin will fade away and, thanks to their enterprising parents, they will become true Canadians.

I've always felt fortunate that my Irish ancestors took the initiative to immigrate here but I'd still dearly love to visit Ireland. The civil unrest in that country over the years has saddened me and made me thankful many times over that my home is in Canada.

In this wild time of terrorists who can easily hop on a plane and devastate the lives of people living half a world away from them, we in Canada have been lucky enough to mostly escape unscathed so far. Some say we're hiding our heads in the sand and that the reality of bombings and killings is only moments away but I'm hoping they're wrong. Canada is a sanctuary for immigrants and I want so much to believe a handful of terrorists can't take that away from us.

Today is Canada Day and I'm going to spend it enjoying the freedoms that my fellow Canadians have worked so hard over 140 years to provide for me. I thank them.