On Canada Day, a chance to reflect on country's future and also its past
CBC
Canada's national holiday gives its 40 million people a chance to celebrate and also a chance to reflect on the country's past and future.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a glimpse of the Canadian flag is a reminder of what the country represents, its aspirations, its progress and also the expectations of its people.
"Wherever our flag flies, it's recognized as a symbol of democracy, of freedom and of hope," Trudeau said in a special statement released for Canada Day.
The prime minister said Canada offers a promise of a life in an open and welcoming society, but also one "where we acknowledge historical wrongs and learn from the past in order to build a better future for everyone."
On Canada Day, CBC News has been hearing reflections from Canadians about what Canada means to them.
For Claudette Commanda, an Algonquin elder, educator and activist, the land of her ancestors and the many ways it ties the people living upon it are at the core of what Canada is.
"It speaks about our relationship to the land. It speaks about our relationship to our ancestors, our relationship to the Great Spirit. It speaks about our relationship to all that Mother Earth provides," Commanda said, when sharing her thoughts on what Canada means to her.
"It speaks about our relationship to nation, to family, to friends and it also speaks about the relationship that First Nations people have with Canadians."
To Commanda, "the land is Canada, and Canada is the land — and this is what Canada means to me."
For Hanna Trofimova, Canada has proven to be a place of safety.
She and her children landed here after fleeing the conflict in Ukraine last year. Her husband is still there.
Trofimova is among the more than 160,000 Ukrainians to arrive here since the start of the war.
On this Canada Day, the chance to be with her children, away from conflict, is something to celebrate.
"It means health, friendship, being safe, seeing my kids smiling and going to school," Trofimova told CBC News Network from Hamilton, Ont., where she works helping other Ukrainians who have arrived here.
This First Person column is the experience of Shannon Flaman, who lives in Red Deer, Alta. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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