3 Types of Canadians who make me Proud to be One Too

In this partially Americanized life in which we Canadians live, we tend to glorify those who bring no useful purpose to our society rather than celebrate those working hard in our country to make it a better place. Those living in our Great White North, our Canadian Forces and the nation’s farmers never receive the right attention they deserve so let’s highlight some of the reasons why they are actually making this country great.

There are approximately 100 000 people who live in Canada’s three territories. Those territories are their home and many surely love living there. Ask Canadians what defines their country or what separates them from the United States and one of the important ideas to come up is this Great White North. H many of us are willing to live in a part of the world where there is little or no sun in the winter time, where the wind is blowing strongly and your community can sometimes be isolated for long periods of time, without access to a doctor? Of course, this is not ideal, even for the people living there but it is a testament to their strength and desire to live there that is incredible. On top of that, they work hard and have amazingly tight-knit communities and organize awesome projects (hip-hop dancing for youth, that the Governor General loves, the Arcircque, etc.) unlike anything we have down in the South. They are important because they make sure Canada is Canada.

There is much talk about the importance of supporting the members of the Canadian Forces these days with red Fridays and yellow stickers, but we must understand why it is important to support them. Support for the troops does not mean support for the mission they are on. Of course, this mission is important and legitimate and rebuilding peace in a society can never be a bad idea, but there is more to it than that. They are risking their lives every day in the name of Canada. As Canadians, many of us take this country for granted; it’s just where we are. They understand that by the service they are doing, they may make the ultimate sacrifice for this country while many of us complain about paying taxes or a possible election coming up. What sacrifices are we willing to make? The men and women in the Canadian Forces need to be celebrated for what they are doing for Canada.

Farming has always been one of the most difficult professions in the world. This is even truer in Canada where the bitter cold winter months mean difficult mornings tending to cattle and where the summer weather is anything but predictable. Canadian farmers are tough. They are the backbone of the country that provide food for the rest of us who complain of the price of meat and that the store’s vegetables aren’t fresh enough. It is even more important to celebrate the farmer with the difficulties that farmers went through over the years without adequate support, difficult conditions including droughts, floods, frosts and failed crops and the fact that they are out there every day to make sure Canadians have food on their tables. This dedication makes them truly great Canadians.

Of course, not everyone can be in one of these three groups. Everyone has their part to play in making this country great. However, it is important to remember the contributions of these Canadians and to celebrate the work that they do. Let us show support for real hard working Canadians and take from their example!