What does it mean to be Canadian? By Tanya Long.
Presenter: Tanya Long
Canadians have a reputation for being polite, kind and friendly. We love our Timmy double doubles and hockey; we end our sentences with "eh;" and we apologize even when we are not at fault.
Canada is a signator to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and we support these rights nationally and internationally; we believe in equality, diversity and inclusion and are one of the most culturally diverse country in the world. We are proud of our universal healthcare system, quality of education (although both of these are looking somewhat frayed around the edges these days) and the natural beauty of our land.
We are not perfect. Our treatment of Indigenous Canadians has been horrendous but with our attempts to implement the 94 tenets of Truth and Reconciliation and to honour treaty rights we are trying to make amends.
The question of what it means to be Canadian has become far more pressing in the face of the tariffs imposed by President Trump and his comments about Canada becoming the 51st state. Elbows Up has become the rallying cry of Canadians declaring that Canada is not for sale. It signifies a readiness to stand up for Canadian interests. Elbows up is a phrase derived from hockey and refers to keeping one's elbows up to protect oneself and ward off opponents. A grass roots organization has been created - www.elbowsup-canada.ca - (jouons du coude en français) that holds events in support of our Canadian sovereignty. The website provides a form to fill out to get involved: be on the mailing list to get information about events, receive the newsletter, volunteer for events, etc. Elbows Up! is also an anthology of essays by Margaret Atwood and other leading cultural figures, subtitled Canadian Voices of Resistance and Resilience, coming from Penguin on October 14.
Questions to consider:
There are three ways to be a Canadian: be born here, be born out of the country but have at least one Canadian parent, or by a process of naturalization. Do you feel proud to be a Canadian, does your citizenship matter to you?
In general, whether Canadian or not, how do you feel about your citizenship?
Do you identify with the stereotypical view of being a Canadian? Why or why not?
What would you be willing to do to protect Canada and Canadian identity?
What would you say to those who agree that we would be better off as the 51st state?
What does our government need to do to protect and improve our country?
Canadians sometimes define ourselves by ways in which we differ from Americans. How are we different?
Join us for a timely discussion, just after Canada Day and Independence Day.
Please join the Zoom Meeting here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/971381033