Canadian Values

Canadian Values

Every country has values that are important to it and that sets it apart from others. Canada has its own important values that may not be fully shared with other societies. Some of these values attract other people to come live in Canada -one of the reasons why my great grandparents came to Canada. Canadian values include freedom, respect for cultural differences and a commitment to social justice. We are proud of the fact that we are a peaceful nation. Canadians try to understand and appreciate the cultures, customs and traditions of all Canadians, whether they were born in Canada or came here from another country.

People may ask, is Canada the best country in the world to live in? Canada has its advantages and disadvantages. As we all know, Canadians get free healthcare so we do not have to pay for medical care except for dental care, prescription drugs and glasses.  However, our taxes are somewhat high. The average Canadian pays about 42% of personal income tax.

And others may ask, what makes Canadians different from other societies? Canada has long been recognized for its peacekeeping role around the world. Canadians are seen polite, maybe too polite. We often say sorry or excuse me even when other people bump into us.

I am proud to be Canadian because I live in a country where amazing people were born, for example: Terry Fox, who battled Cancer and wanted to help others who suffers from it by running across Canada to raise money; Viola Desmond, who was the first Canadian woman to appear on our currency and was a pioneer of Black rights in Nova Scotia; and finally, Lester B. Pearson, who is the only Canadian to win a Nobel prize.

Canada is an amazing place to live in. Canadian have values that others in different countries would die to have. We are lucky that we live in a country that respects all different ethnicities.

Works Cited

Global news. globalnews.ca/news/3511306/top-10-most-influential-canadians/.

Quora. www.quora.com/What-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-living-in-Canada.

Theatlantic.com. www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/10/what-if-america-had-canadas-healthcare-system/381662/.

A Mauritian and Canadian Heritage

My ancestry has introduced me to a new perspective of looking at my family. My dad was born in Canada however his parents were born and raised up in an island called Mauritius. They were both Christians living in paradise. After the first world war, my great- grandfather moved to this island from Canada to find a better lifestyle as the great depression just started in Europe and Canada. The island, at the time was still colonized by britain but it was not suffering that much compared to the northern countries. The ‘young’ great-grandfather found my great grandmother and got married. My great-grandparents had a bakery (which I find funny, because I cannot bake) called Dursun Confectionary. They had my grandfather in 1943, followed by his brother in 1947. The Dursun family headed back to Canada in 1960 to restart for the second time. Then one lead to the next, my grandfather meet my grandmother who also lived in Mauritius and it was history.

My family on my mom’s side is very different. Both of my great-grandparents were born in India. They were farmers who were determined to give a better life to my grandmother and her brother and sister. The Ramruttun family were forced to live in Mauritius as India was being ruled by the british colony. My great-grandfather knew that this was a good idea to get the family a fresh start, even if it meant to continue working as farmers. My grandmother then married to a polish man (my grandfather). In 1978 my mom was born and in 1999 she moved to Canada, meeting my dad later that year.  

My ancestry is very important and I feel grateful that I have learned my past through my family members. Learning about my heritage made me realize that there is a lot more to discover in my family.

Works Cited

Dursun, Samuel. Interview.

Ramruttun, Mohun. Interview.

 www.worldmap.com.

Holi, a family tradition

My mom was born in an island called “Mauritius”, but she came to Canada to find a better job that fits in what she wanted to pursue in life. However she did not lose her culture when she came to this new world. As my grandmother is from India, my mom inherited some of the culture. One of these religious heritage is Holi.

Khoobsurti.com

-Holi is a hindu festival the marks the arrival of spring. It is the celebration of fertility, colour and love, as well as the win of good versus evil. -People take part in Holi all over the world but it is most celebrated in India and Nepal.It is often associated with the coloured powders that end up coating its participants after they’ve thrown them at each other. -The timing of Holi is synchronised with the moon, which means that the dates of each celebration varies year on year. -Holi is mostly seen as a time for people to get together and enjoy themselves. It is purported to be a time when friends, families and communities can get together without any concern for caste or ethnicity, although how much this holds true in reality is debatable.

Every March, each year my mom would invite our family and friends to play Holi in our backyard. It started out when my mom meet my christian dad and she showed him what they did back in Mauritius. My dad and his family loved it and now Holi has become one of our traditions that we do every year. When I get older, I will continue this tradition because it's something that I would want my family to know.

Works Cited

Damree, Lina. Interview. By Himanshu Dursun. 26 Oct. 2017.

Dursun, Nalinee. Interview. By Himanshu Dursun. 25 Oct. 2017.