Society will grow great when we plant trees whose shade we know we will never sit in.
I want to wish all Canadians a great Canada Day. I intentionally say great and not happy since, given the recent discovery at former residential school sites, I don't think this is the year for joy. Instead it should be a year for reflection.
Canada, and all Canadians. are experiencing a changing of the tides. A change that has the potential to either rip us apart or unite us as a nation. It's up to us. We need to be open to change. This is one of the most difficult things that Canada will go through as a country. It will require a shift in thinking, changing our mindset.
And it will be difficult.
There will be a period of adjustment, a long period of adjustment. The unjust actions of previous generations will not be fixed in one year, but over the course of many years. We are just at the beginning of a journey of self-improvement.
No one alive today asked to be in the position that we're in as a country. It is the wrongs of our founders that have brought us to this crossroads. Our mission now is to denounce their wrongs, accept the responsibility, acknowledge the errors of their ways, realize the course that we've been on has been troubled, and correct the course so that we can move forward in a spirit of reconciliation and peace.
We need to strive to be better every day.
It's going to be difficult.
So take a moment today -- whether you're participating in a Canada Day event or just having a small private gathering with a few friends -- to reflect on what this nation means to you, how far we've come, and how much further we need to go.
Going forward will be hard, there is no doubt, but if we work together the results will be worth it; for our children, their children and all future generations of Canadians.
Only by addressing difficult issues will we ever come together and heal. So to everyone out there, have a great Canada Day.