What a day for a Canadian party

It’s hard to fret about Canada’s future when you’re soaking up Canada’s summer sun.

That’s why whoever decided to make July 1 this nation’s birthday — and the day for its birthday celebrations — was an absolute genius.

Canadians may fancy themselves a winter nation. But our far-too-brief summer is the time to proclaim “I am Canadian,” without either coughing or having to blow your nose.

And Canada Day, the day after the end of the first half of the year, the day we collectively shift into low gear and however briefly stash our work boots in the closet while strapping on our sandals — that’s the perfect day to kick back and savour life in this blessed country.

Together, we Canadians share the world’s second largest country and one that has increasingly become much of the world’s new home. We have more than enough places to grow, more than enough space to hold millions of new hopes. And by any objective standards we are one of the planet’s richest, freest, most democratic, highly educated, tolerant, egalitarian and, yes, happy people.

Look around this too-troubled world. See the heavy burdens of widespread poverty, political uncertainty, the lack of human rights and freedoms, civil strife and even war that bend so many other nations to the breaking point. But not us. We have peace, order and, at least when you compare Canada to most of the rest of this planet, pretty good government.

Of course we should never ignore the challenges facing Canada.

As a people, we’ve made huge mistakes that beg for correction. We must march forward on the path to reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples, a journey it has only begun. We have a role to play in fighting the climate emergency that threatens the Earth’s future. And aren’t we racing full throttle into a fall federal election the pundits predict will be exceptional for its nastiness?

But while these things do matter, so does perspective. The reality of who we are and what we have accomplished as Canadians over the 152 years since Confederation should never be forgotten.

This achievement, the work of so many hands working so tirelessly for so many years, explains why hundreds of thousands of newcomers arrive each year and why millions of others aspire to follow. As we teach them to become Canadians, they teach us what a treasure we possess and how its value increases exponentially year after year.

It might seem strange as we consider all these things, but why this time of year was chosen for the nation’s birth and the day we would mark its birthday is not entirely clear. While Queen Victoria gave royal assent to the British North America Act — which essentially created Canada — on March 29, 1867, it was only proclaimed into law on July 1 of that year. Why the delay?

Some historians suggest those extra three months allowed time for all the preparations for the new country to be completed. Others believe July 1 was chosen to upstage the July 4th American Independence Day celebrations that had become popular with many people in the colonies that became Canada. We needed our own special day.

And some people argue it was only common sense to mark the big day in our wonderful Canadian summer instead of our unpredictable early spring.

Whatever the reason all the hoopla happens on July 1, it will be hot and sunny this weekend. Slow down. Look around you. Appreciate it.

Happy Canada Day. It’s a midsummer night’s dream come true.