Grateful to live in Canada

[Delaine]

I am so grateful to live in Canada! Most of us don't appreciate or take advantage of all of the opportunities available to us simply because we live in this great country! We have so many freedoms that most other countries do not have. We are a peaceful country and most of us never have, and never will have to experience war. I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given to go to school in any field that I wish, play sports, and enjoy free health care.

[Delaine]

What are you grateful for in Canada.......?

[ziliwang]

Funny this thread is open, as I was listening to a radio show yesterday and the host was essentially running down Canadians because we aren't patriotic enough. He was contrasting our attitude towards ourselves and that of a typical American and suggested that we are not proud to be Canadian and that we lack a cultural identity.

I find this absurd. First of all, I don't think being humble is a bad thing. I'm extremely proud to be Canadian but I'm not going to broadcast that to the world unnecessarily. Further, I think we do have a cultural identity, and it's tied to being a warm, embracing and accepting people.

We're often referred to as a melting pot of cultures but I don't think this is an entirely accurate depiction. While new Canadians of different faiths, races, cultures etc. do blend in to certain degree, they don't have to abandon their values and practices. Their beliefs are accepted as valid and their practices, as long as they don't conflict with the country's laws, are allowed and even encouraged. People of different ethnicities and backgrounds live side-by-side in this wonderful country and we not only tolerate these differences, but celebrate them!

I'm grateful to live in a place where people are accepted for who they are and allowed to continue to live their lives as they see fit. Blind patriotism is among the biggest hurdles to overcome in today's global society. It is dangerous. Nationalism and disputes over religion have been the cause of so much war and suffering. Interfaithing allows us to see past these issues. Why can't we all just get along?

[Delaine]

Awesome reply! I can't believe I didn't even mention that! I agree with you 100%. I guarantee that whoever was critiquing Canadians on being patriotic was an American. I have nothing against Americans but there's a reason why the rest of the world embraces Canadians with open arms. I remember traveling through Europe and as soon as a local would see the Canadian flag on my backpack, they were psyched and they would treat me with such respect and hospitality.

Canada truly is an interfaith country. I love that on any given day, I can walk through the streets of Montreal and see people of all different demographics living and working side by side in peace. Especially if you were born here, you grew up going to school and socializing with kids of different races, faiths, and nationalities, and you considered all of them as friends.

I believe that countries like Canada are a great model of interfaith for the rest of the world!