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Paul’s story – Canadian
I live in Canada because, thank God, it's were I was born, but what I
love about Canada is that we have universal health care, firearms control
and equal employments rights for everyone. Our soldiers are the world's
peace keepers, not the worlds "bullies".
Ramona’s
story - Canadian
Flaws and all, Canada still offers its citizens a bounty of goodness to
be cherished and safeguarded. My pride in Canada as a country, a culture,
and as my birthplace roots deeply from the unconventional travel I have
been afforded in my life.
I have been mobbed for my jean overalls, saw a man be killed while villagers simply ran to steal his groceries that had spilled in the street. Had Mayan ruins as my playground and children maimed by their own mothers for begging potential, or impregnated by the age of 12 to prove fertility, as my playmates. I have climbed Mount Sinai at midnight by the light of night to watch the magnificence of the sunrise at daybreak. I tested the medical system of the Middle East when temporarily paralyzed from dehydration. Shared my dinner with Bedouin children and survived sleeping with snakes on the beach of the Red Sea. Bought booze and saw a triple X movie as the brunt of a bully’s prank, where the concept of ‘legal age’ didn’t exist. Mistaken as a runaway on the American West Coast, confirmed as a Snow Bird on the East Coast and a witness to routine high school tactical drug raids in Texas. All by the age of 16.
Throughout those years and to today, Canada is an anchor in my life. It is a place where safety and innocence means something and where people care for the basics of humanity. Canada is a one-stop playground where the adventure of living and exploring holds graciousness and beauty not only in the sights - in the people.
"I am proud to be Canadian."
Leah’s
story – Canadian
I live in Canada, in particular the Maritimes, because no matter where
you are you can drive for 20 minutes and be completely alone in a beautiful
natural setting. I have traveled to different countries that are extremely
over populated. In my opinion, over population drastically decreases your
quality of life.
We take it for granted, but we have easy access to wonderful provincial and national parks all across Canada. We have a vast supply of untouched, undeveloped wilderness. Here in Nova Scotia, where I live, the beaches are endless. Our summer only lasts for 3 months if we are lucky, but it is worth it. The water is clean, the sand is white, and the waves of the Atlantic are breath taking.
Tracy
Lyn’s story – Canadian
I love Canada. I have always lived here and feel great pride in saying
I am Canadian. I get such a feeling of comfort and pride when I see our
Canadian Flag or Canadian products. I have traveled a fair bit and although
I love it, I also love to cross the border to “my home”.
Some of the reasons I love Canada - our collective personality. While each area and region is different, overall we come together in a personality that I enjoy being with and am proud to have. With that said, I think the uniqueness of the pieces of the personality give us a distinctiveness. We are not the same but a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, and multi-opportunity country. We have opportunities to meet interesting people and do many interesting things.
As a women entrepreneur, I find that there are many doors open to me. I have had some very special and unique experiences that have taught me, no matter how big we are, we are connected.
I am very proud to be a Canadian!
Jo’s
story – American moved to Canada
I’m a US Citizen and I came to Canada in December of 2001 to be
with my girlfriend for Christmas, and decided to apply to immigrate. We
met online and struck up a friendship. We visited each other two times
a year for the next four years, then realized we wanted to be together.
The only problem was that she couldn’t come to the USA due to immigration
rules, however I could apply for Landed Immigrant status in Canada under
the Humanitarian and Compassionate category. I’m a Lesbian and immigration
allowed us to apply under the H&C category. We also knew that Canada’s
laws were quickly changing with regard to how we are viewed, and thought
this also would help our cause.
I have lived with my partner in Nova Scotia for about a year and one-half, and love the quiet and beautiful country setting. I lived in a big American city for 20 something years, and fought the traffic to work downtown the whole time, so this small quiet uncongested setting is wonderful. I find that the Canadian people are wonderful, nice and down to earth and I really feel like I fit better here.
I think the best thing of all is that Canadians have an ability to accept all people, and allow them to be who they are. The recent changes in the laws regarding lesbians/gays, and the tolerance shown us, was a major influence in my decision to come to Canada. I feel like I can be who I am here, whereas in the USA I was inhibited, not to mention the laws would definitely not allow my partner to immigrate there.
Canada is so much more progressive in human rights because they acknowledge me as a person worthy of equal treatment, and we greatly appreciate that. I know there are some people who don’t understand us, but there are some things I will never understand about how some parents treat their children, how priests abuse children, and thousands of other topics. All I know is we are both good people, intelligent, educated, loving and no different than any straight person.
The reason I came to Canada, is because You accepted me, and allowed me to be who I am. Thank you, Canada for seeing me as a human being worthy of equal treatment.
Shelley’s
story – Canadian
I was born and raised in Canada. I choose to live here for one very simple
reason - The People! The diversity and multicultural appreciation of the
population of Canada is evident everywhere you go. There are no statistics
that can compare to the freedoms we have in Canada. We may not always
agree, but we learn to live within the reality of the human race. We are
all equally different. No better, no less. Just equally different. And
it's that love for humanity first, that IS the backbone of Canada. Hearts
open wide - that's what Canada represents to me. And that's why I love
Canada.
David’s
story - Canadian
I was born in southern Ontario in 1954 to kids too young to be parents.
But because my grandfather would not suffer a grandchild of his to be
given up for adoption, they struggled to support themselves, and me.
When I was 4 years old they followed the trail of work to Michigan. Family folklore has it that, upon our departure from Ontario, I declared that I was going to move back to Canada. Out of the mouths of babes; they never let me forget it.
On the many trips to visit relatives in Ontario, I would try to read the French on the cereal boxes. Later, I realized my cousins were studying French in school long before my school offered it.
I graduated from high school in Michigan, and joined the US Army. They had offered to give me money to attend university if I would commit to 3 years of my life. I spent 2 years in Korea, serving as a missile systems tech with the US Army. While I was there I lost my military issue gloves, and replaced them with a nice warm pair of Korean made gloves modeled after a Canadian flag. Someone in formation one day said to me, "If you love Canada so much, why don't you just go back there?".
A couple years later I was in Mississippi on the Gulf Coast working at a shipyard, again as a missile systems tech. I was there in 1979 when Ken Taylor rescued that group of American Embassy staff. I remember a local news story showing people on the beach with a big sign saying, "We love you Canada!"
Not long after that I decided it was time to go to university. I thought about where I wanted to go. How much I loved the ocean, and skiing. So I moved to BC and started up at Simon Fraser University, 20 years after my parents carried me away from my country of birth.
But looking back on it all, I credit the french on the cereal boxes with cementing the idea of my Canadian identity in those early years.
Now I'm living in Nova Scotia, my ancestral homeland, where my grandparents were born.