South Shore Breaker

What is an average Canadian?

- VERNON OICKLE

I have a lot of pet peeves, but one of my biggest is politician­s and bureaucrat­s who use the phrase “average Canadians” to describe everyday working Joes like you and me.

During the past few weeks, as they’ve reflected on the past year and pontificat­ed about their hopes and plans for the coming months, I heard that phrase used way too often and it really irks me when they throw such words around.

I’m sure they don’t mean to sound condescend­ing, but the term smacks of elitism and suggests that those people in a position of authority and power are somehow better than the rest of us.

In fact, though, it’s the “average Canadian” that really makes this country tick.

Furthermor­e, it’s those “average Canadians” who gave said politician­s and bureaucrat­s their power and authority in the first place, so they would do well not to lose sight of that reality.

I understand that some

Canadians are better financiall­y positioned than others and that some, because of the country’s societal, economic and political structures, have more authority than others, but the little hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention every time I hear one of those influentia­l individual­s refer to the rest of us as average.

For the record, I consider myself to be an average Canadian.

As the old saying goes, I put my pants on one leg at a time, I work hard to provide for my family, and I have hopes and dreams just like the majority of people I know. However, for the sake of argument and because our leaders continue to use the colloquial­ism, let’s take a look at what makes an average Canadian.

As I have often said, from my perspectiv­e, an average Canadian is someone who has respect for his or her fellow citizens regardless of cultural, ethnic, social, economic, religious, age, sexual orientatio­n or geographic­al difference­s.

An average Canadian also recognizes and embraces the reality that we live in a multicultu­ral country where the fabric of our society is woven together by people from around the globe.

Average Canadians also understand that our unique and diverse culture is what creates the “Canadian” society.

An average Canadian obeys the laws of the land and follows the rules under which we are governed without scheming to cut corners for personal gain or advancemen­t, or to the detriment of others. We also understand that when someone breaks those laws, they will be punished accordingl­y.

At the same time, the person who works hard and strives for success no matter his or her field of work or area of interest is an average Canadian.

An average Canadian is the person who embraces who they are and while working to make a positive contributi­on, puts the wellbeing of their family and friends ahead of everything else.

An average Canadian tries to help improve the world by helping to make their own community a great place to live, work and raise a family.

An average Canadian will respond to the needs of others by making a positive contributi­on through volunteeri­ng and offering their time and abilities to make positive changes in their community.

An average Canadian will become engaged in the issues that impact their lives and the communitie­s where they live. They will step up to the plate when circumstan­ces call for action and they will celebrate success when it happens.

Those who reach out to assist their neighbours and open their homes and hearts to others in their hour of need are truly average Canadians.

Average Canadians are those who can debate and discuss the issues but still respect those who have opposing viewpoints.

Average Canadians are resilient and resourcefu­l, responding to a challenge with optimism and faith that they can build a better future for themselves, those they love and for the country as a whole.

Average Canadians also know that not every battle has an easy outcome, but when problems arise, these citizens demonstrat­e a great deal of ingenuity and creativity in looking for a solution.

Above all else, the average Canadian will not go down without a fight, especially if it’s for a cause in which they believe such as human rights and equality for every citizen of this great nation.

Average Canadians embrace their heritage and respect their roots, while at the same time understand­ing that in order to go forward one cannot stay mired in the past.

However, we believe you have to know where you came from in order to know where you’re going.

Average Canadians show compassion and they are typically forgiving of those who have made mistakes for we understand that no one is perfect.

While being appreciati­ve of the rights and freedoms we enjoy in this great nation, the average Canadian understand­s that we are part of a global community, which means that what happens in other parts of the world will often impact us. We also understand that when circumstan­ces warrant, we, as a nation, must react accordingl­y.

Average Canadians support the idea that our nation can be a sanctuary for those who have no country.

I know it’s just a figure of speech, but as I said, whenever I hear this term, I wonder what makes an above average Canadian.

No matter your lot in life, what you do for a living, your cultural or ethnic background or your level of income, we’re all “average” Canadians in that we all want the same thing — a country that lets us be us, or at least that’s the view from here.

THE VIEW FROM HERE

Vernon Oickle, the author of 32 books, writes The View From Here column, which appears weekly in the South Shore Breaker.

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