As it happens, I was not completed with my ramblings and reflections on Canada’s 150th birthday. They started here if you want to go read that post before continuing on.

Canada has a long way to go. It has come far in 150 years. It needs to go so much farther. There are a couple of points that need to be looked at with a critical eye, from a critical point of view.

Politics remains a significant cause of division for Canadians and indeed, the global population in general. Doing away with partisan politics would mean a truly independent-thinking country of elected officials. The best ideas could come together. Those interests would need to bring positive change to Canada and deliver results the majority of the population can be happy with. The reality is you cannot please everyone. The reality also is that non-partisan politics may only remain in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. If partisan politics were to remain, then with luck and hard work there would be more viable choices within the next 150 years.

Canada has demonstrated a tolerance towards faiths of the world. Regrettably, there is a demographic of the population who still attack people based on belief. There is a fine line to draw when someone is attacking the person or questioning their beliefs. I’m all for letting people believe what they want to believe. Whether it’s to do with religion, politics or anything. Especially if those beliefs do not cause harm to society as a whole. That’s fine. Equally, I am all for the right to be able to question those beliefs. The intention is to never paint a person with broad strokes to make them feel bad about those beliefs. Rather, it is to understand what they get out of their thinking.

Questioning belief is not an attempt at intolerance. It is an attempt towards understanding. As Canadians we all need to question and challenge these kinds of ideologies more. They do not necessarily have to be ideas based on religion or politics. I hope that politics does not mean continuous conflict. That Canada reclaims its’ rightful place near the top of one of the best countries to live in. For the right reasons, based on the right progress.

@WriterDann