Growing Up
So Canada is one hundred and fifty today. So as I sit at my kitchen table drinking my Molson Canadian and trying to think of a quick blog post to issue on this auspicious day, my mind is drawn to the idea of growing up. Across the country, we draw our own lines on what it means to be a grown up. In some provinces, it’s nineteen, and in a few others, it is eighteen. The logic behind these determinations is that at some point we as a society decided that this was the age where people could start making decisions for themselves which includes purchasing a cold can of diluted poison. Geez, they are good. 
What it also means is that we are expected to be contributing members of the community. At different levels, this means different things. Such as paying taxes, voting, being able to serve in the military, etc.. I think however the core concept around this idea of suddenly being empowered to make legal decisions at the age of 18 or 19 is that we will then make those decisions as we make a measurable contribution to the society in which we live. No, not everyone has to run for office, become a doctor, scientist or firefighter. Hats off to all those that do though. It just means that sometimes you will be expected to make sacrifices for the betterment of those around you. To serve and respect the institutions that have been around for 150 years so that you could have the freedoms that you enjoy.
Canada is 150, which means New Brunswick is 150 and Belledune (my village) is about to turn 50. We are on the other side of those reckless adolescence years, and we obviously need to get our collective crap together, today there will be a tonne of proclamations of greatness and pride, and I for one will certainly be taking part. In my mind, however, there is no better freedom or measure of greatness than taking count of your flaws and realising that you can do better. The Newsroom, one of my favourite HBO shows, starts with this great scene where Will Macavoy counts up the flaws of the country which he actually loves, and his desire to see it move forward. So I leave you with that scene, yeah Jeff Daniels is talking about the USA, but could you really not do the same about Canada? New Brunswick? Belledune / Bathurst / Edmonton / Sackville / Insert your town’s name here?
Happy Canada Day!
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SK