Canadian Values

Being Canadian comes with many values and privileges that are often overlooked by Canadians. Some of the values that we should be honoured to receive are equality, diversity, health, safety and democracy. Canada does not discriminate against different races, sexuality, and for the most part, gender. In the Canadian Charter Of Rights and Freedoms, it states that “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit… without discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical ability” (P.E Trudeau, 1981). I really love that Canada is a free country, open to equal opportunity for everyone to strive, and that is why I believe many people immigrate here. Although Canada is claimed to be an equal country, there are gaps in that statement, as Canadian women earned 87 cents an hour for every dollar made by men in 2015 (Israel, 2017). Canada is not perfect, but contains significant less flaws than many other countries that would be so grateful to earn any significant amount of money for hard labouring jobs. Canada’s free health care is one of the biggest privileges, in my opinion, that Canadians receive. Our medicare system provides Canadian residents with reasonable access to medically necessary hospital and physician services without paying out-of-pocket. Canada is among only 5 countries to provide free health care, although many countries have attempted and failed. I personally believe that being Canadian is more than just being the stereotypical polite, hockey playing igloo inhabitant, but being Canadian is about accepting everyone, feeling safe to show expression, being confident that there is always a place to go to keep warm, heal up, or get the education needed to strive. To the rest of the world, we will always be known as the snow shoeing, moose loving, hockey playing, igloo living country, which does not bother me at all because some of the stereotypes are true, in a way. I find Canadians to be much nicer than Americans, as everytime I visit the United States, I am baffled by the amount of people that do not say thank you when someone has held the door for them, or do not drive with respect for others on the road. I know that not all Canadians are polite and friendly, but I find that most of them are. Hockey is also an association to Canada, and it is very true that our country exhibits some of the best hockey players in the world, and people are brought closer together by watching them strive and celebrating the game themselves. I have played hockey my whole life, so I can really relate that hockey is a big part of me, and a big part of Canada’s culture.

Works Cited

Fisher, Max. “Here’s a Map of the Countries That Provide Universal Health Care (America’s Still Not on It).” The Atlantic, edited by The Atlantic, The Atlantic Monthly Group, 28 June 2012, www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/heres-a-map-of-the-countries-that-provide-universal-health-care-americas-still-not-on-it/259153/. Accessed 7 Jan. 2018.

Government of Canada. “Canada’s health care system.” Government of Canada, edited by Government of Canada, 22 Aug. 2016, www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canada-health-care-system.html. Accessed 7 Jan. 2018.

Trudeau, P.E. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 1981. Historica Canada, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-charter-of-rights-and-freedoms/. Accessed 7 Jan. 2018.

University of Waterloo. “Reflecting Canadian values.” Canadian Index of Wellbeing, edited by

University of Waterloo, 7 Jan. 2018, uwaterloo.ca/canadian-index-wellbeing/about-canadian-index-

wellbeing/reflecting-canadian-values. Accessed 7 Jan. 2018.