What does being a Canadian Citizen mean to you?
Posted by David Hiebert
The following was written by Amanda Waskahat, a 16 year old grade 11 student attending Amiskwacity Academy, in support of her application to go to the Rotary Adventure in Citizenship program in Ottawa. The Youth Service Committee selected her to go to Ottawa to attend the program sponsored by the Rotary Club of Ottawa May 2-5, 2010.
Being a Canadian citizen means everything to me. Canada is not only my home, but part of who I am as a person and who I've been raised to be. My own national identity has changed greatly with every day that I gain knowledge of the world around me. Being Canadian has taught me many values and the importance of acceptance of cultural differences and diversities within our society.
There are many facets of responsibility that come with being a Canadian citizen: responsibilities to our planet, the people around us, and ultimately the responsibilities to ourselves to uphold the values that make us Canadian. As part of the Aboriginal community, my ties to the land and my heritage make that sense of responsibility even greater not only to myself, but to honor the generations before me that have strived to create what we often take for granted today. There are many that go without in the world, many that fight to gain the freedoms and luxuries that we enjoy here.
It is a responsibility to be thankful for all that we have, a right to seek answers to further our own knowledge, and a hope that many others will do the same. I as a Canadian, refuse to take anything for granted and push myself to succeed to share everything I know with others and gain my own knowledge to pursue everything I've always dreamed. Being a Canadian citizen makes this possible to achieve and go above and beyond in the road to success.