Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

SANDY Macdougall: "Wow Canada ... memories of those events left an indelible impression on me ..."



Three or four times over the years, that I worked as a reporter, I was privileged to cover Canada Day citizenship ceremonies. The memories of those events left an indelible impression on me and reminded me of just how fortunate we are to live in the best country in the world.

Families who had fled from war torn countries, often having been forced to leave loved ones behind; people who had fought against the impossible odds of starvation and disease, and those who were simply seeking a better life for themselves and their children, they all came to Canada seeking the hope and commitment we held out to them.

These ceremonies always aroused a humility in my soul and re-awakened my sense of gratitude for being a Canadian.

Too often we forget how truly blessed we are in Canada; that our struggles in this country are nothing compared to much of the rest if the world.

Certainly, we have poverty and many other social issues which can drag people down to the depths of despair but we also have the ability to solve these problems when we set our minds to it, something many of the countries of origin of our immigrants and refugees do not have.

A great example of the most important privilege we enjoy in our democratic nation is exemplified in the election we have just completed in British Columbia.

The partisan political battles were hard fought by candidates with widely diverse platforms and we emerged with a new government. Passion and commitment were evident throughout the campaign but, at the end of it all, the reins of government were passed in emotional but peaceful and non-violent ceremonies.

How long the new government will last is unknown but if and when it falls, it will be a peaceful, bloodless occasion.

There are many more things for which we can be grateful in Canada and we can all join together today to celebrate our diversity and love of freedom.


SANDY Macdougall ... AKA 'The Sidwinder' ... is a retired newspaper reporter. He was elected for three consecutive terms to Maple Ridge municipal council in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and also ran for the Progressive Conservatives in Kim Campbell's ill-fated federal election campaign.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC cannot regulate, redesign, and reinterpret its way to a stable forestry sector. Communities need clear rules, predictable timelines, and accountability for results.

Photo credit:  Atli Resources LP   BC’s Forestry Crisis Continues with Closure of Beaver Cove Chip Facility   As industry leaders, Indigenous partners, and contractors gather this week at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the gap between government rhetoric and reality could not be clearer. Just hours after the Eby government once again touted reconciliation, certainty, and economic opportunity under DRIPA, Atli Chip Ltd, a company wholly owned by the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, announced it is managing the orderly closure of its Beaver Cove chip facility. The closure comes despite public tax dollars, repeated government announcements, and assurances that new policy frameworks would stabilize forestry employment and create long-term opportunity in rural and coastal British Columbia. “British Columbians are being told one story, while communities are living another,” said Ward Stamer, Critic for Forests. “This closure makes it clear that announcement...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stamer: Hope for Forestry Completely Shattered After Another Provincial Review Driven by DRIPA

IMAGE CREDIT:  Provincial Forestry Advisory Council Conservative Critic for Forests Ward Stamer says the final report from the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council confirms the worst fears of forestry workers and communities; instead of addressing the real issues driving mill closures and job losses, the NDP has produced a report that ignores industry realities and doubles down on governance restructuring. Despite years of warnings from forestry workers, contractors, and industry organizations about permitting delays, regulatory costs, fibre access, and the failure of BC Timber Sales, the PFAC report offers no urgency, no timelines, and no concrete action to stop the ongoing decline of the sector. “ This report completely shatters any remaining hope that the government is serious about saving forestry ,” said Stamer.  “ We didn’t need another study to tell us what industry has been saying for years. While mills close and workers lose their livelihoods, the NDP is focused on re...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH – My question is, ‘How do we decide who is blue enough to be called a Conservative?’

How do we decide who’s blue enough to be a Conservative? AS OF TODAY (Friday January 30 th ), there are now eight individuals who have put their names forward to lead the Conservative Party of British Columbia. Having been involved with BC’s Conservatives since 2010, and having seen MANY ups and downs, having 8 people say “I want to lead the party” is to me, an incredible turn-around from the past. Sadly, however, it seems that our party cannot seem to shake what I, and others, call a purity test of ‘what is a Conservative’. And that seems to have already come to the forefront of the campaign by a couple of candidates. Let me just say as a Conservative Party of BC member, and as someone active in the party, that frustrates me to no end. Conservatives, more than any other political philosophy or belief, at least to me, seems to have the widest and broadest spectrum of ideals.   For the most part, they are anchored by these central thoughts --- smaller and less intru...
1 comment
Read more

Labels

Show more