Pearson: Canadians undivided on thankfulness for our country

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We’ve been observing Thanksgiving for 145 years as a country.

In our early years as a nation, the population was predominantly rural. Approximately 80 to 85 per cent of people lived on farms or in small towns or villages; the remaining 20 to 15 per cent resided in larger urban areas.

This Thanksgiving, those numbers have flipped, with 82 per cent of Canadians living in urban areas, while 18 per cent live in rural regions. Signs of increasing centralization already were evident 100 years ago when urbanization began rearranging the population of Canada. Nevertheless, in the city or the country, labour was hard and it frequently involved the entire family.

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Despite the hardships, the economy remained stable following the First World War, setting the stage for a remarkable economic transition. Tractors and mechanical threshers increased food production in the country. In the cities, department stores, running water, electricity, and public transportation paved the way for Canada’s progress to prosperity.

Labour unions humanized the workplace. And Canadian women began challenging traditional expectations, including struggling for better wages for both genders and emphasizing the needs of the modern family.

Increasing numbers of schools and universities provided the prospect of education for those able to pay for it. School attendance became compulsory, and more resources enabled broader capacities.

But there was a downside. Disruption was everywhere as people abandoned rural life for the cities. Immigration began shaping our greater prosperity, but with it came prejudices and outright racism. For our Indigenous Peoples, life was severe, and the endless fight against senseless assimilation left them exhausted.

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All these transformations paved the way toward much of what we are thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day of 2024. Three of four Canadians have a “strong” or “somewhat strong sense” of belonging to Canada. We forget this every time we encounter divisions. Too often, we fear we live in a country coming unglued, but recent polling suggests we’re growing tired of those seeking to estrange us from one another.

Those 75 and older hold the strongest sense of belonging to and believing in Canada. As well, some 77 per cent of recent immigrants report a “very strong” or “strong” sense of belonging to Canada. And more than three of every four people born in Canada express their positive allegiance to the country.

While our provinces seem increasingly divided politically, inhabitants of all provinces share a common confidence in this land. In every province, those 15 and older expressed a strong belief in Canada, ranging from 81 per cent in Nova Scotia to 62 per cent in Quebec. This affirmation of where they live applied equally to rural regions and urban centres.

And of what Canadian asset are respondents most proud? The answer shouldn’t surprise us: health care. More than 74 per cent or respondents across the nation view it as our greatest asset, followed by our democratic system (68 per cent), the constitution (67 per cent), the social safety net (66 per cent), and scientific and technological achievements (65 per cent).

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Whichever way you look at it, these are impressive numbers. They speak to why the tensions Canada faces don’t lead to the more violent outcomes faced in other places. This country doesn’t just occupy a large part of the world’s map; it also holds a place of importance in its citizens’ hearts. There’s a little of Canada in all of us, and a lot of Canadian goodness in the world.

We have much to learn, to forgive, to heal from, and to get right, but there is something essential about this country in the human experience. It’s a kind of genius that prompted John E. Thomson to observe: “I think Canada is the most interesting country in the world.” Even with our flaws, we are a special, kind people. We should be collectively thankful as we look in our mirror.

Glen Pearson is co-director of the London Food Bank and a former Liberal MP for London North Centre. glen@glenpearson.ca

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