Canada Day

Yesterday was Canada Day. I grew up in Ottawa, so I have a deep-rooted love of this national holiday. On July 1st, wearing red and white are mandatory in our house. And getting out to some sort of festivities and waving a flag around is also a must. A good 'ol singing of the national anthem shouldn't be missed either.

This being said, as I am learning more about our forefathers and the way we treated indigenous peoples, it is becoming a complicated celebration for me. Atrocities are very much a part of our country's history, and I recognize that this cannot be glossed over.

So I am left trying to determine how I can teach my daughter to be filled with national pride, love and gratitude for our country, while also ensuring that we're acknowledging the role that our ancestors played in the deaths and oppression of so many... 

History is complicated like that. And so is grief.

Can we celebrate a country despite the horrific actions of our leaders in the past?
Can we celebrate the life of a loved one, despite a complicated and/or painful relationship during life?

And how do we support those who may take a viewpoint completely opposite to our own?