What I’ve learned, unlearned, and am still unpacking.
Canada Day used to feel simple. It was a day to celebrate, an automatic excuse to gather, be grateful, and take pride in the place I call home. And to be clear, I still do feel proud. But now, that pride coexists with something deeper, REFLECTION.
It was about ten years ago, and my girlfriend, an academic in social justice, told me she no longer celebrates Canada Day. I recall thinking at the time that she seemed dramatic. [Insert judgy eye role here]
I didn’t say it out loud, but I dismissed it in my head. [Insert judgment, no curiosity]. No desire to understand or unpack with her. I just chalked it up to her finishing her Master’s, leveraging her recency bias, and being overdramatic. ☹
The truth is, I didn’t hold space for her, I wasn’t curious, I was annoyed. I didn’t understand how someone could not want to celebrate a day that had always felt so unifying. How could she possibly miss an opportunity to come together and celebrate? I took it personally and felt unimportant to her. Unbelievably selfish thinking on my part. Dear Lord.
Through deeper conversations and a willingness to sit with discomfort, I started to understand her perspective, and now, I feel it too.
A growing awareness of a deeper truth
There is a collision. On one hand, I am proud to be Canadian. I am deeply grateful for the life I have here. On the other hand, the more I learned about colonization, residential schools, and the intergenerational trauma Indigenous peoples continue to carry, the harder it is to celebrate without reflection.
I cannot even say I didn’t learn about this in school. I did. But I was young. Self-absorbed. The plane didn’t land. It all felt distant, academic, and abstract. A history lesson that didn’t connect to real people or real pain. I didn’t grasp the intergenerational impact of residential schools, the systemic barriers that still exist, or how colonialism isn’t just a chapter in the past—it’s still playing out. That was my immaturity. That was my privilege. That was my blind spot.
Recognizing the weight of the day
After some careful reflection and a deeper dive in learning, I began to understand the weight behind her words. And I realized that while Canada Day may bring feelings of celebration for many, for others, especially Indigenous peoples, it represents something entirely different.
A reminder of colonization. Of erasure. Of a history that includes trauma, displacement, and deep injustice.
And with that understanding comes the collision. On one hand, I am proud to be Canadian. I am grateful for the freedoms and opportunities I had and still have.
On the other hand, I know that those same freedoms have not been equally experienced by everyone who calls this land home. That’s the hard truth.
Choosing to hold both pride and reflection
So this year, like the last few years, I will still celebrate. But I will also reflect. I’ll make space for the whole story. I will lean into gratitude and sorrow. I will celebrate with a deep appreciation for our Indigenous community. I am humble. I am thankful. I am sorry.
Resources for deeper learning
Here are a few resources that helped me get here, and my hope is that others will join me on this learning journey. We need to learn and unlearn.
- Whose.land – A powerful tool to learn more about the traditional Indigenous territories you live or work on.
- Indigenous Canada (University of Alberta on Coursera) – A free, eye-opening course that provides essential context, history, and Indigenous perspectives.
- How Residential Schools Led to Intergenerational Trauma in the Canadian Indigenous Population – An academic article that sheds light on the long-term impact of residential schools.
- My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem – While centered on trauma and racial healing in the U.S., its insights resonate across borders.
- CBC’s Indigenous Reads – A curated book list worth exploring beyond June.
A final reflection
Canada Day can be a moment of both pride and reckoning. Let’s allow space for both. Let’s celebrate with humility. Let’s keep learning. And let’s lead with curiosity instead of judgment, something I wish I had done earlier.
Happy Canada Day.
May we honour the whole truth of what it means to be Canadian.
