Welcome to Canada

I'm Brian Gordon, a Canadian. Over the years, I've gone through a range of feelings about and toward my country, but with age and experience has come respect for what Canadians have accomplished, hope about what we can do together, and a belief that we will because Canadians rise to that which must be done.

There are certain values about Canada that I have come to admire deeply, including our humility, our determination to be tolerant, our desire to do the right thing, and our stubborn knowledge that we are more than simply not American. Our Canadian culture allows us to gather ideas from around the world and make them our own, and let other people be who they are, knowing that this makes our country better and stronger.

And that is what we must do now, and do quickly.

The Canada That Should Be

Canadians before us who fought in two horrendous world wars made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could enjoy the possibility of a free and happy life. We now face our own challenge and can - must - choose to meet it with courage and determination, as did our ancestors. The climate crisis has forced upon us a choice such that doing nothing will be seen as simple cowardice, as deserting our duty, as dishonourable.

I was, until recently, ignorant of the idea of a climate crisis, or even global warming. It was only when I returned to Canada, after living for eight years in the southern United States and focusing on work, that I began to awaken to the reality that faces us. I did not want to believe that a few degrees of increased temperature could have the effects some were suggesting, but I made the decision to be an honest sceptic. I researched the facts and opinions on both sides of the debate, and found that on one side were opinions and on the other were facts.

It was a sobering moment. When you begin to realise that the way you are living is destroying your children's future, you have a choice to make.

I made mine; it seemed the only right thing to do. I will work to create a world that I will be proud to give my children, and yours, to give them the chance at a free and happy life. When my time comes, whether in many years or tomorrow, I will go knowing that I did my best, as did our forebears who fought in those terrible wars so I could live.

Now you must choose. This wiki tells the story of the Canada that I believe most of us would like to see, and that provides leadership in our confused world.

There are two spaces:

• The New Green Economy describes how Canada could look if we embraced our values of living sensibly, within our means, and with respect for all.
• The Way We Are - Coming Soon describes what we must do to recover our moral centre.

I welcome your contributions.

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