charlie brown, canada and the meaning of christmas

 

charlie brown, canada and the meaning of christmas

Remember Charlie Brown at Christmas?

Everybody was caught up in the decorations, the presents, the commercialism and the excitement. Charlie Brown couldn't understand why Christmas had become so complicated. He just wanted to know what Christmas actually meant.

Sometimes I wonder if Canada has lost the plot in much the same way.

If I were running a country, my first priority would be making sure Canadians were as healthy as possible.

Not just physically healthy. Healthy in every sense.

I would want people housed, warm, properly fed and able to afford groceries. I would want children growing up with security, seniors living with dignity, caregivers supported and families able to breathe without constantly worrying about the next bill.

Because what happens when people cannot afford a home?

What happens when they cannot afford nutritious food?

What happens when someone is exhausted from caregiving, worried about their children, sleeping in an unsafe environment or wondering where their next meal is coming from?

Stress builds. Physical health suffers. Mental health suffers. Families break down. People become desperate. Some end up in emergency rooms, some in the justice system, and some simply disappear through the cracks.

How much are we spending dealing with the consequences instead of preventing the problems in the first place?

Why aren't we putting more energy into keeping people healthy, housed, fed and supported?

Meanwhile, we seem to have endless energy for international travel, negotiations, trade agreements, economic announcements and deals around the world.

Those things may matter. Canada's place in the world matters.

But what about the people who actually live here?

What about the Canadians who are struggling right now?

I don't understand why looking after our own population isn't the starting point of every major decision.

A healthy country isn't measured only by its GDP, its trade agreements, its military spending or how many international deals its leaders can negotiate.

It's measured by how its people live.

And perhaps that's where Charlie Brown comes in.

At Christmas, we talk about kindness, generosity, compassion, sharing and looking after one another.

But those values shouldn't disappear on December 26.

The meaning of Christmas shouldn't be a season of giving while the rest of the year is a struggle to survive.

Maybe the greatest investment Canada could make is in its own people.

Homes. Food. Healthcare. Prevention. Education. Support. Dignity.

Not because it's Christmas.

Because it's the right thing to do.

And because a country should be taking care of its people every single day of the year.

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown. I think we might need to hear that message again.