Readers share what this year's Canada Day means to them

On the occasion of Canada's 159th birthday, we invited Taproot readers to tell us how they're thinking about Canada Day in this very strange year.

These festivities are happening months away from the Oct. 19 referendum that will ask Albertans if they want to stay in Canada or start the process for a binding referendum on separation. Nine other questions will ask voters to weigh in on matters related to immigration and the Constitution, all of which speak to Alberta's relationship with Canada. And the average Albertan seems to be more separation-curious than before.

Meanwhile, we've just gone through a few years where the Canadian flag was closely associated with protests against vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patriotism has been complicated by awareness of our country's genocidal legacy. And the President of the United States keeps musing about making Canada the 51st state.

So we asked, "What does this year's Canada Day mean to you?" For some, it's a day to celebrate, full stop, with maybe a bit of elbows-up action:

"This year especially, I feel we have to wave the flag and dress in red and white to let the rest of our country know we've not all gone mad here."

— Janice MacDonald

"Freedom, peace, and prosperity. Canadians are able to live free, pursue their dreams, and enjoy a good quality of life. Canada Day is a day to celebrate what we have achieved together and the promise of what we can build in future."

— Alexander Smoliak

"A day to honour our independent, diverse, and civil country. Every U.S. news story makes me glad I live in Canada, so much more tolerant, compassionate, and generous in comparison. It is reason to protect and nourish our public education system, which is the genesis of reflective, aware, and tolerant attitudes."

— Dawn

Others suggested Canada Day is an opportunity to reflect on our country's faults while celebrating its strengths, with a desire to make things better:

"I am a proud second-generation Canadian citizen first and an apprehensive Albertan second. Over my 75 years, I had the good fortune to travel to many different countries, and always Canada was held in high esteem. I am realistic and understand that Canadians still have to do more to act on reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. We should never close our doors to immigrants nor turn our backs on provinces and territories who seek equitable distribution of Alberta's and this country's wealth."

— J. Miazga

"My family has always gone camping on Canada Day. As such, Canada Day is to me a day to celebrate and enjoy our great outdoors. It's a day to reflect on our shared history, the good and the bad, and think about how we, individually, can work together and make Canada a better place for everyone."

— Elliot

"Having fun and being neighbourly and learning more about our cool/complicated country and sorting out what we do next to make it better and then starting to do that!"

— Stephen Raitz

For some, Canada Day is not the thing to focus on.

"My Canadian pride is not really attached to Canada Day at all, it doesn't evoke much for me, even though I am relatively proud of my Canadian-ness. Other things evoke those feelings maybe, but mostly in contrast to being American. Canada Day feels more attributed to the made-up mythology of Canada where there was a 'beginning' and so celebrating it feels sort of like a weird performance of something. "

— Zoë

But unity is definitely on people's minds.

"This Canada Day, I will try to focus on what brings Canadians and Albertans together, not what tears us apart."

— Michelle Neilson

"Same as every year, it is a celebration of a great nation. It's the time I can feel closest to all Canadians, except the separatists. 🤣"

— Mitchell Conner

"A chance for individuals like me to demonstrate strong support for a Canada united in meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow. Carpe diem (seize the day) and advance!"

— Jeff Pearson

And a vote to stay is not necessarily a vote to keep things as they are.

"This Canada Day, I'm thinking about all the progress that we have and, crucially, still need to make to live up to the ideals I was taught Canada stands for. I'll be voting against separation but not necessarily for the inequality of the status quo. I think all provinces should be welcoming places with quality public services available to all who live here.

— Rhiannon Rutherford