A public health nurse visited me at home after my son was born. She had just come from seeing babies at a hotel.
The parents fly into Canada to give birth, and secure Canadian citizenship for the infants.
This is how valuable some see Canadian citizenship. It also lets us know citizenship delivers benefits, and identity.
Today’s vote is a benefit, as is running for office.
I know only one candidate: Bernard Trottier, the Alberta native who is finishing a multi-year hustle as a Conservative candidate.
A hustling Conservative? No, not here. But in Ontario where he’s contesting Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff.
Trottier told me: “We tend to think about our citizenship on election day, but it serves us all year round – in the best country in the world.”
Calgarians might note there’s a lot of federal influ-ence over our lives. Consider: The Canada Health Act. Citizens have universal health insurance for a mountain of services, anywhere in the country. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty good.
Cellphone Towers. These gangly radiation-emitting structures are the responsibility of Industry Canada.
The Calgary airport. It’s on federal land, so if you don’t like the new runway or shutdown of Barlow, call your MP. Ditto for airport noise. And getting bumped by airlines? The buck stops with the feds.
Rights and Freedoms. Canadians enjoy extensive rights, though you may need a lawyer to defend them. When University of Calgary tried to deny students’ rights to critique a professor on Facebook, the court defended their right to freedom of expression.
Environment. The feds share jurisdiction over environment, including the oil sands. Before he quit, Calgary MP Jim Prentice said water experts were advising him. Talk to the feds about environment.
Joy Luck money. The federal infrastructure money was a boon for Calgary arenas. Looking for more …
Taxes. I must say Revenue Canada does a fine job of collecting taxes. Sure the average citizen never understands the jargon-laiden language and rules of this beast, (God forbid you make a mistake) but the money keeps flowing to services.
Becoming prime minister. Once you have citizenship, you can run for top office – and be free of billionaires like Donald Trump challenging your place of birth.
Heritage Canada. It promotes bilingualism, and gives bursaries for exchanges. (Note: bursary income is taxable: see Revenue Canada.)
Today, voting is one way to express citizenship.
You can keep asking questions. You can say what you think.
