Great to be Canadian

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/07/2014 (4109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

How many of us wished each other a Happy Dominion Day yesterday? If you are under 40 you probably have not heard of Dominion Day but it is what we Canadians used to call July 1.

Canada started as a dominion in 1867 and in the same spirit as the Bible describes in Psalm 72:8 “He shall have dominion from sea to sea,” or in Latin and on Canada’s Coat of Arms, “A Mari Usque Ad Mare”.

However in 1982 the name changed from Dominion Day to Canada Day. This was done by Parliament in a very sneaky motion late on a Friday which required unanimous consent of Parliament, and those who wanted to debate this issue were not in the Chamber. Rest assured, this MP always shows up.

Canada Day is a day that we celebrate with our family and friends. It is a time for fun and to celebrate our freedom. Canada Day is also an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices of our forebears in war, and those who sweat and toiled on the frontier of a vast wilderness.

Of course the indigenous people who signed treaties with the British crown, “for as long as the sun shines, green grass grows, and river flows,” are the foundation from which so much has been built.

Canada has been built on those who choose to live in Canada. People from other commonwealth nations, immigrants and refugees have all built our country together. There was a time when the transfer of citizenship of Commonwealth nations was a given.  My father for example was born in Malaya, moved to New Zealand and then England and finally Canada. Each step of the way the citizenship transferred from country to country. However, today in a more complicated world, individuals from all corners of the world choose to be Canadian. I assume they chose Canada because, with all modesty and humility, Canada is the best country in the world. Immigration makes us stronger and better. Canada also has the most generous refugee system in the world. We accept 10 per cent of all refugees listed by the United Nations.

Canadian citizenship is probably the most valuable document any of us will ever have. If you were born in Canada or to Canadian parents you automatically are Canadian. If you are an immigrant or refugee there are certain tests and criteria you must meet to be eligible to be Canadian. Every year almost 300,000 people become citizens not because they were born in Canada, but because they chose Canada.

The process to become a Canadian citizen ends at a citizenship ceremony and they are held all over the country, all the time. As a Member of Parliament one of the greatest honours we have is the opportunity to help swear in our newest citizens.

On TV you have probably seen advertisements of lotteries worth millions of dollars. In fact, any Canadian has already won the lottery of life. We live in the best country in the world, at the best time in human history to be alive.