A Feeling of Canadian Pride
For many years I've been ashamed at many of the words and actions of some Canadians.
What does it mean to be a true "Canadian"? In my mind, it's a quiet, soft spoken pride about the great prosperity of our nation, as well as the positive values that Canada purportedly stands for.
The shame occurs when I see people not living up to these values or taking for granted all the benefits that they have. This always seems to occur from:
- Permanent victims who seem intent on living a life of perpetual helplessness
- All NDP and many Liberal politicians who encourage this victimhood
- These same politicians who frequently play the race card to get votes
- Politicians and judges who demand no accountability of anyone
- All lazy people who refuse to work to support themselves
- Overly aggressive people who are act anything but Canadian
- Anarchists, who take advantage of our generosity and lax judicial system
- Those who dismiss the right of others to enjoy freedom and are adamantly against helping them to get it
- All hypocrites
Today I was calling a number of prospective BC Digital Divide recipients and found that many in this current batch are very new immigrants - from China, from Northern Africa, and from Portugal. Each of them came here with little money but certainly with big dreams about a better, brighter future.
In the course of the conversations I put myself in their shoes. How absolutely wonderful/insane/incredible it must be to come to this new country called Canada and have a complete stranger calling them, arranging to give them a perfectly functioning, refurbished computer. No fees, no obligations. Just our hope that in some small way the technology will help them improve their lives. You can almost imagine them writing (probably via e-mail!) their relatives back home.
On a very personal note, I hope they don't become one of those aforementioned twits later on in their lives!! Maybe I should request a signed commitment before handing over the computer?! :-)
Labels:
BC Digital Divide,
Canada,
computers,
new immigrants,
technology
2 comments:
Every country has bad apples, not just Canada, it's people like you that make a difference and I find smiles, caring and politeness are contagious, I try to "spread" that, even more so, when I deal with an unhappy person. It's amazing to see how kindness can change someones day! Keep spreading joy!
I do agree with you. But I've begun thinking strongly about what annoys the vast majority of people in this country. I think my list is a very accurate one in this regard. I realize that it's not very politically correct but I sincerely believe that most Canadians are absolutely sick of Jack Layton and like minded twits.
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