Opinion: Canada Day, why I choose reflection over celebration

LAURIE WEIR

I am uneasy to “celebrate” Canada Day.

Canada was built on land that was taken without consent. Indigenous nations were betrayed. Agreements were made and broken. Children were stolen. Communities were destroyed. The damage continues.

Indigenous people are still defending their land against projects they did not approve. Many communities still do not have clean drinking water. Health care, education and housing are unequal. These are not accidents. These are decisions.

Canada Day asks people to be proud. But I cannot feel pride in a country that ignores court orders, violates treaties and forces Indigenous people to fight again and again for rights they already hold.

I am grateful for the land itself. I am grateful for the rivers, the forests, the languages and the stories that were here long before Canada. But I will not wrap myself in a flag and pretend that this country tells the full truth.

Instead of fireworks, I choose reflection. I listen. I learn. I support Indigenous-led work. I ask hard questions. I try not to look away.

This is not about guilt. It is about responsibility. The kind that leads to action.

Canada Day is a reminder. Until there is justice, what are we celebrating?