I never really liked patriotism.
Basing one’s self perception or worth on anything that separates you from your fellow humans… especially one so random as which geographical area your parents happened to feel a little frisky in… just seems wrong to me.
I also tend to reserve pride for things I’ve actually accomplished myself, and I had nothing to do with where I was born.
But this past Tuesday, standing at Pavilion Park on a gloriously sunny July 1, singing O Canada with the good folks of Squamish while enjoying a cool and tasty pale ale from Howe Sound Brewing, I felt a warm glow.
Of course, that could have been the beer.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve always been happy to be Canadian. I even served in the military, spending a couple years in the tank corps wearing nothing but green, learning the fine art of killing other people, eating terrible food and doing pushups. There were no big conflicts in which Canada was involved at the time, luckily for me, so after my stint I went to university to pursue a career in journalism. However, I’ve always been proud of my service to my country… and that I actually survived basic training.
But I never enjoyed the flag-waving fanaticism and “my country, right or wrong” attitude of some other nations in the world.
I like that Canadians are more low-key. I like that we’re known for being apologetic, polite and not the types to blow our own horns.
I like that, at least until the past few years, we had a solid record on the environment, and when the chips were really down, our military could always be counted on to sacrifice and do what needed to be done.
We were one of the first nations to legalize gay marriage while others are still fighting over that basic human dignity and right. And post-911, Canada never fell for all the anti-Muslim sentiment that swept through other nations either, and remains a bastion of multiculturalism, tolerance and acceptance.
We also rule when it comes to hockey. Sorry, that sounded distinctly like un-Canadian-like horn blowing. But, hey… it’s true.
Oh, and let’s not forget universal health care and multilingualism.
So, I guess we can be forgiven for a little flag-waving once a year… and every four years during the Winter Olympics.
That’s why, at the end of an amazing Squamish Canada Day, sitting on a blanket with my family and surrounded by smiling locals ooohing and ahhing over the fireworks, I wasn’t feeling patriotic… but very, very lucky.
So, Happy Birthday Canada, and, um, I guess thanks Mom and Dad.
