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We’re 151 and still looking incredible

Canada Day was something else last year. It was our country’s 150th birthday and many people pulled out all of the stops to mark the occasion. Homes were decorated a little more.

Canada Day was something else last year.

It was our country’s 150th birthday and many people pulled out all of the stops to mark the occasion. Homes were decorated a little more. Communities that host Canada Day festivities put even more effort into them.

Even Estevan had a pre-Canada Day bash on June 30 that continued until just after midnight the following day, ensuring that this city would be celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday early on July 1.

(On a side note, it’s great to see the city continuing to host the pre-Canada Day bash, and the addition of fireworks this year is a bonus.

Many local residents have a lasting legacy from last year’s 150th birthday bash. A quick look around town, and you’ll still see those great wooden Canada 150 flags created by the woodwork shop at Estevan Diversified Services in many front yards or on porches. They look great, and they were built to last.

It’s understandable that Canada Day celebrations will be a little more subdued this year. For starters, it cost a lot of money to host celebrations like the ones we had last year. The various levels of government obviously need to spend a lot of money piecing together the bashes for a country’s 150th birthday.

We wouldn’t have the money to have festivities like that every year.

But that doesn’t mean we should have any less pride in our country than we did at this time a year ago.

Canadians have much to be proud of. For me, my greatest source of pride is our military history. From the Battle of Vimy Ridge, to our contributions to D-Day, to our role in the liberation of the Netherlands during the Second World War, to our more recent contributions, to the efforts of the men and women in the Canadian Forces on a day-to-day basis since 1867, out soldiers give us many reasons to be proud.

Obviously, I’m a little biased. Both my grandfathers served during the Second World War. I’m fiercely proud of their service.

But we have so many other reasons to be proud of our country. We have freedoms that are the envy of the rest of the world.

We have the freedom to vote for who we want in elections, without fear of reprisal. We have freedom to believe in the faith of our choosing, without fear of arrest.

We live in a country in which you cannot be discriminated against based on age, gender, sexual orientation, race or disability.

And there are lots of other reasons to be proud. I’m a huge hockey fan. I find great pride in the success of our hockey teams on the international stage, even though we expect to win.

And there are lots of Canadian athletes finding success on the international stage who we should be proud of. For a country of 35 million, with limited opportunities to train in the summer sports season, we do pretty well.

Our country has produced many talented singers, actors, comedians, dancers, photographers, writers and artists who have wowed people around the world with their immense abilities.

We have outstanding law enforcement officials and firefighters who keep us safe, and dedicated paramedics, doctors and nurses who provide great care to us when needed.

We have terrific schools, staffed with caring and talented teachers, and post-secondary institutions that provide education to our future generations.

We have businesses that provide employment and meet our needs.

We have people from other countries who have come here because of the opportunities that exist, and in turn, they have enrich our communities with their culture.

Are there areas that need improvement? Absolutely. No country is perfect. Are there elements of our history that we wish could be changed? No question about it. We’ve had our fair share of dark moments.

But this is our country. This is our home. 

The Canada Day celebrations might not be as elaborate as they were a year ago. But that’s OK.

I hope to see lots of people at the pre-Canada Day bash in Estevan, or the Canada Day celebrations in Bienfait. They’ll still be a lot of fun. And I hope that wherever you are, whether it be your hometown, or another community visiting family and friends, that you’ll take in an event for Canada Day.

After all, we have a lot to celebrate about our country. Canada Day is that chance to celebrate. But we have much to be proud of throughout the year.