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‘Great promise and responsibility await Canada’

Canadians from coast to coast to coast are being wished a happy 150th birthday.
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Rachel Lewko photo Devin Martin, of Armstrong, gets into the Canada Day spirit by painting his face with the maple leaf.

Canadians from coast to coast to coast are being wished a happy 150th birthday.

In his Canada Day message, Gov.-Gen. David Johnston says the spirit of the country is based upon the guiding principles of peace, fairness and respect between diverse peoples.

“Working together, despite our differences, toward the better country we desire. This is the spirit of Canada, and it’s our answer to the questions: what do we stand for as Canadians? What do we cherish above all?” he said.

“We haven’t always lived up to our principles. We try, we fail, we try again. We desire a better country, and we become one — one person at a time, one act a time, one day at a time, year after year after year. This is what we’re all about. This is what it means to be Canadian.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used part of his Canada Day message to focus on the country’s indigenous people.

our differences, but because of them.

“As we mark Canada 150, we also recognize that for many, today is not an occasion for celebration. Indigenous peoples in this country have faced oppression for centuries. As a society, we must acknowledge and apologize for past wrongs, and chart a path forward for the next 150 years – one in which we continue to build our nation-to-nation, Inuit-Crown, and government-to-government relationship with the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation,” he said.

“Our efforts toward reconciliation reflect a deep Canadian tradition – the belief that better is always possible. Our job now is to ensure every Canadian has a real and fair chance at success. We must create the right conditions so that the middle class, and those working hard to join it, can build a better life for themselves and their families.

“Great promise and responsibility await Canada. As we look ahead to the next 150 years, we will continue to rise to the most pressing challenges we face, climate change among the first ones. We will meet these challenges the way we always have – with hard work, determination, and hope.”