I consider myself fortunate. Fortunate to born in Canada – a western democratic and prosperous society. One that allows everyone regardless of race, religion, gender or class to make a better life for themselves. I have never worried about having a roof over my head, food to eat or clothes to wear. I’ve never had to go to war, work in a hazardous environment or survive in a crime ridden neighborhood. I realize that not all North Americans can say that, but that is the common experience of most. Considering all this, it disturbs me when I observe people fighting battles that have already been won. These battles include Women’s’ rights, francophone rights LGBTQ rights and racism.
Women’s rights
It is now commonplace to see women in roles that back in my high school days of the 70’s were mainly performed by men. A female bus driver, sports commentator, mail carrier or road maintenance worker was something rare if seen at all. Now, no one blinks an eye when they see a woman in such a role and I’m ok with that and so are most in our society. I still find it annoying when some women complain that there are not enough women in corporate board rooms. If a woman is smart and ambitious enough to climb the corporate ladder, most corporations are not going to hold her back if she can help them improve their bottom line and increase profits. And let’s not forget that females now outnumber males in most university undergraduate programs in Canada.
Francophone rights
A true examination of Canadian history from the beginning of confederation in 1867 to the country’s 100th anniversary in 1967 would reveal that French Canada was not exactly treated with the same privileges or respect given to non-francophones. Unfortunately, measures designed to equal the playing field often end up tilting the field in favor of the group that was previously maligned. Such is the case in Canada where the province of Quebec, which is predominantly French speaking receives privileges not extended to the other nine provinces. You need look no further than the Federal Public Service to see an obvious imbalance. As of 2021, 39 per cent of public servants nationwide were francophone, while they only make up 21% of the Canadian population. When you narrow it down to the National Capital Region, the percentage of francophones to anglophones is much higher than the 39 per cent nationwide. In spite of this overrepresentation in the Canadian government, francophone leaders continue to claim that they (and their language) are not treated equally in the Public Service
LGBTQ rights
We are constantly reminded about the LGBTQ community and their fight for equality. In today’s world, most citizens take a “live and let live” attitude towards gay rights and people’s sexual preferences. When is the last time anyone ever heard of someone being turned down for a job because they were gay, lesbian or transgender? If anything, the LGBTQ kids in today’s high schools are considered the “cool kids”. This wasn’t a thing when I was in high school, but the world has changed since then, and it’s become socially acceptable. Still, the leaders of this “community” contend that they are not respected or treated fairly in our society. Rarely if ever do these statements come with any real proof.
Racism
Then there’s the anti-racism fight. There are few people left in our western society who believe that people of color or visible minorities are not equal to the predominantly white population. Even though the USA elected a black President for two terms, there are still people who claim that America is a basically racist country. This feeling persists even though many US cities have black mayors, Chiefs of Police. And it is no longer unusual to see black senators and members of congress. While Canada does not have the same legacy of slavery as the US, many Canadians have adopted the same talking points, making the claim that Canada is a racist country.
Despite the ingratitude of the progressives in our society, we should celebrate the progress we have made over the past half century. What ever happened to gratitude? Why can’t those on the political left admit that most if not all the glass ceilings have been shattered? Why can’t they admit that regardless of your color, gender, or sexual preference, you can still compete in the workforce and get ahead with hard work and determination? I suppose the answer to that question is that it’s easier to complain and make excuses for not achieving your best life. That’s a shame because we have come a long way. Unfortunately, some refuse to acknowledge that reality.