Oh Canada
By Nadia Yangin for The Canadian ExpatBy Nadia Yangin for The Canadian Expat
Canada Day is a day many Canadian expats look forward to each year. It’s an occasion to share, remember, and celebrate the country many call or have called “home”. This year is remarkably different.
A while back, we had asked for 15 volunteer Canadian expats to participate in sending videos to recreate the famous “rant”, expat version, for Canada Day. Many expats initially expressed their interest, but the recent news surrounding the horrific discoveries of hundreds (estimated thousands) of unmarked graves of Indigenous children on residential school grounds has definitely caused many to see Canada in a different light and even question celebrating Canada Day at all. We are choosing to prioritize the “rant” project for another time, but the important question that remains is - where do we as Canadians go from here?
As an expat, you probably know that life abroad comes with its challenges – red tape, culture shock, homesickness, the search for ketchup chips to comfort you during such challenges. Living as an expat during a global pandemic however – that’s something that nobody can really predict or prepare for.
The values that shape our hockey-loving, Timbit-eating home and native land are the same values that our country’s expats pack with them on their journeys throughout the world. In Planet Canada How Our Expats Are Shaping the Future, John Stackhouse brings us on a journey to hear the stories of our country’s expat innovators, change-makers, and quiet citizens who together, yet far apart, are united in the Canadian spirit and exude the globally-admired Canadian quiet confidence. The Canadian diaspora, as unique as its immigrants, is out there in every corner of the world, yet, you might not be able to find them. As Stackhouse points out, Canada is sorely lacking in its engagement with its expat community. With so many Canadians out in the world and most more than willing to give back to their country, Canada needs to connect with, support, and encourage global Canadians to represent Canada on the ever-growing world stage.
On March 16th, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement from the steps of the home that he and his family are quarantined in, that “Canadians should come home.” The question on the mind of many Canadian Expats was, “Is he referring to Canadians who are traveling, or is he referring to Canadian Expats?” . This statement was given shortly after announcing that the border is being shut to non-Canadian or non-Permanent Residents of Canada. There are a few exceptions to this rule. 
The Coronavirus, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, floods, volcanoes, and riots. These are just a few of the natural disasters and emergencies that have triggered global affairs Canada to reach out to Canadians living abroad. It's a great system that, albeit not flawless, the Canadian government, regardless of who is in parliament, has he used in the past. However, it has one major flaw. Well, maybe not a flaw, but certainly a limitation and it's this, it only works if Canadians register. You can register before you go abroad or after you set up, but it's free both in terms of cost and risk.
