There are many reasons for us to celebrate the 155th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. 

That comes from Kelvin Goertzen, Steinbach MLA and Manitoba’s Attorney General. 

“I do think we should celebrate Canada Day,” he says. “But celebrating something doesn't mean that you're celebrating it with the thought that it's perfect, or that it's always been perfect, or that it will always be perfect. There are lots of challenges that have happened in Canada. When we're recognizing those today and we talk about reconciliation, we talk about other things that need to be addressed. 

“But the celebration of Canada isn't because it's a perfect country. It's because we're recognizing where things need to be addressed,” Goertzen explains. “We're looking at ways that things need to be improved. And we're the kind of country that allows for that sort of thing. We allow for the discourse of concerns. We allow for improvement. We ask people to come forward with their ideas and make us a better country.” 

Goertzen says that is one of the important reasons Canadians have for celebrating today. 

“Because that doesn't happen in every other country. There's lots of countries where you can't have those discussions about things that have happened in the past that are that are negative.” 

There are many Canada Day festivities throughout southeastern Manitoba and Goertzen hopes that everyone has an opportunity to take a moment to be thankful for the life we enjoy in our country. 

"Celebrate Canada for all the great things that it is today; democratic, free, welcoming for people around the world,” he says. “But also celebrate it because we recognize that not everything has been perfect, and there needs to be reconciliation, and there needs to be things that have to be addressed. But we can do it in a country like Canada, and that's worth celebrating, too.” 

During the past few years, Goertzen has had numerous opportunities to meet with ambassadors from around the world. Many of those visits have taken place at the Manitoba Legislature. 

He highlights some of the more recent meetings. 

“There's been lots of visitors coming that have connection to Ukraine and that's been very, very important,” Goertzen says. “So, Manitoba’s connection to Ukraine is very, very strong.” 

The Canada-Ukraine connection is rooted in history and there are many Manitobans who have ancestral connection to Ukraine, he notes. 

“In this time, when Ukraine is going through this unjustified and unjustifiable war with Russia and the aggression by Vladimir Putin, it's really important that we keep those connections up,” Goertzen says. 

Over the past week, Goertzen has met with representatives from the Ukrainian Council of Canada, as well as Chantelle Kreviazuk, who is doing some advocacy work and fundraising for Ukraine. 

He says those meetings reminded him of how lucky we are in Canada, but that we have a responsibility. 

“We have a responsibility to support countries like Ukraine when they're going through this unjustifiable war, and Manitoba really has,” says Goertzen. “And one of the things I heard most clearly from Chantelle Kreviazuk and from the Ukrainian Council of Canada was that Manitoba has stepped up in an extraordinary way, with their welcome center, with job fairs, that's happened here in Steinbach, bringing folks from Ukraine to get connected into employment here. I think, and I've heard this repeatedly, that Manitoba is one of, if not the best province, in terms of the organization from supporting those who are coming from Ukraine. 

“So, it ties into Canada Day in that way in that we have unique privileges, but with those privileges come unique responsibilities and part of that is supporting Ukraine.”