When I celebrate Canada day, I will not be celebrating the Canada of our past – I will be celebrating the Canada of our future.

I will not be celebrating the genocide, theft, and destruction that took place, not only in the founding of this country, but for decades to follow in the form of residential schools, 60’s scoop, and straight forward discrimination that still exists today.

I will be celebrating the Canada that I want to see. I will be celebrating truth and reconciliation. I will be celebrating how far we have come, and how very far we still need to go. I will be acknowledging the values that this country was founded on, tossing those values aside, and celebrating family, respect, and community for ALL Canadians.

I urge everyone to remember what you are truly celebrating today. Don’t get me wrong, go out and have fun, play games, enjoy the fireworks, but DON’T forget what our country was built on, what our country looks like now, and what we want it to look like in the future.

I am grateful to be Canadian, but I still know that this country that I love has its flaws. We can work together as a community, and as a country, to fight for what is right, and to build a version of Canada that we can not only love, but be proud of.