July 1, 2023 – Canada Day – A humid, rainy day in the nations capital with a hazy veil of smoke blanketing the sky reminding us that our ‘new normal’ now includes the effects of blazing wildfires. I grabbed my camera… and hoped for the best.
We’re blessed to live in one of the best cities in one of the best countries in the world. Canada Day is a celebration of the diversity, the character and the national pride of the Canadian people.
In Canada, our different traditions and backgrounds are embraced and celebrated. We’re not a melting pot. We’re not ‘patriots.’ Canadians are an amalgam of cultures and customs. We’re an experiment in multiculturalism. It’s not perfect. We have a long way to go… but if we’re going to survive as a species we have to come together – Canada has to work. We are the grand experiment in tolerance and empathy.
Every frame I shot made me believe that we’re on the right path. Even the folks who chose to wave angry flags bearing hateful or hurtful messages served as a reminder that we remain an open society, we accept different viewpoints and that we’re free to express our opinions.
Go Canada!