These are turbulent times, yes. There have always been disasters, challenges, strife, and wars on a small and larger scale. I live in Canada, where we have great intentions but struggle with some of the necessary tasks to improve everyone’s life. Recently, we have been the target of the US president, who has determined we have not kept our border secure. Or have we been propped up with US initiatives and would be a lost and former nation without US assistance?
Some slivers of history: A gentleman by the name of Samuel de Champlain arrived in what’s now Quebec. He was not the first European; that honour belonged to the Vikings, who were in Newfoundland long before. The original residents of Canada were the Indigenous tribes. A mix of hunters, gatherers, and warriors who co-existed in the great lands of trees, waterways, and hunting grounds. The development of Canada was a mix of fur traders, religious orders, and the supporting trades of mercantile, guides, taverns, and limited medical care.
The times of Upper Canada and Lower Canada were contrasts in religion, politics, and resource use. The territory was mapped out to navigate and determine who owned it. This occurred at the expense of the Indigenous people, who were moved or given money worth a fraction of the land’s worth. The echoes of these travesties are occurring now in the 21st century, as women go missing, generations of residential school survivors cope with what happened, and a significant number of Indigenous are housed in penitentiaries, have shorter lifespans, and reservations at risk for toxic land and/or water that cannot be used.
Canada evolved with a police presence in the Northwest that developed into the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) the law was in place before the settlers arrived. There was no wild west akin to the southern neighbours where Billy the Kid, and the Wyatts achieved notoriety. Canada did not have a Civil War, though there were events like the general strike, the construction of the railway from east to west, and the nation came into its own on the battlefields of the Somme and Vimy Ridge.
Focusing on the inventors of Canada, such as the snowmobile, lacrosse, peanut butter, pacemaker, insulin, IMAX, Wonderbra, and egg carton, to name a few. We are known as great neighbours, though there was a disagreement in 1812. We agreed it ended as a tie, and we were not “nice” when the White House was set on fire. There was 9/11 when the Maritimes (Gander for sure) housed over 30,000 airline passengers, many American, and we cried as we bowed our heads. 157 of our Canadian military died in a far-off land, Afghanistan, the ramp ceremony and the Highway of Heroes marked our respect as hundreds, even thousands, lined the bridges to salute them home.
Since January 2025, we have had to pivot as our neighbour’s president has been vindictive and mercurial toward various nations. The one I live in is Canada. Our border has been more of a dotted line, and the exchange of trade, culture, family, and friends switching back and forth has been beneficial. It’s not all roses as we learn of the issues of Fentanyl, human smuggling, handguns flowing to Canada and the philosophy of melting pots versus multiculturalism. Now we are bewildered and concerned as the economy is rocked and residents are unsure about the foreseeable future and our children’s potential future. What we do, keep our elbows up and continue to live the Canadian way, on the To-Do list, some self-reflection as we have some dark spots in our history and country where equity, diversity and inclusivity are not always evident. No land arrives at the present pristine, and the potential for tomorrow is to do better. For our American neighbours, your nation was born from a revolution and over 200 years forged a dream for many–your challenges are diverse, but don’t end your democracy in silence. Take care eh! Namaste.
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Paula M
Retired Registered Nurse (Non-practicing) Storyteller, Healer, Scribe, Transformational Leader
Life of a Nurse 
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