It was one of the most touching displays of Canadian solidarity — certainly, as far as I can remember.
Never have I seen so many people come together to show their support for a cause.
I’m talking about the #HumboldtStrong movement wherein millions of people across Canada showed their support for the Saskatchewan hockey team that had come across almost unthinkable tragedy.
As of April 16, CBC reports that the Humboldt Broncos bus crash has claimed 16 people and left 13 others injured.
But in the wake of such a terrible event, there has been a bright spot.
It has shown Canadians across the country that tragedy can make people nationwide pull together.
On Monday, it was reported that more than $12 million was raised to support players and families affected by the accident.
Last week, right here in Squamish there was an outpouring of support. All you had to do to witness it was take a walk outside.
As I strolled through downtown, I saw hockey sticks everywhere. Many people I spotted walking around town were clad in hockey jerseys. There were so many people who were eager to display their solidarity.
It was a remarkable feat.
And it’s something that I think we should keep doing once this is all over.
Humboldt has shown us that when Canadians really want to, we can come together to make an amazing difference.
True, there was something uniquely tragic about a bus full of young people being snuffed out in an instant.
But imagine what other good can be done if we came together in the same way for tragedies that have great importance, but lack the visceral impact.
There are plenty such examples. You don’t have to look far.
For instance, the First Nations water crisis is still an-ever present issue that has yet to be solved.
The opioid crisis has cost too many lives to be cut short.
The fact that the gender pay gap can cost women about $16,000 each year, according a Global news report.
The overrepresentation of Indigenous people in Canada’s prisons.
The precarious nature of net neutrality.
There are so, so many causes, many of which I’m sure you can find yourselves given five minutes of Googling.
Let’s use the momentum that Humboldt has given us. Pick a cause. And pour in the same good karma that we put forth.
The same stuff that made us all #HumboldtStrong.
