Canada Day is complicated... As newcomers to Canada we made the choice to come to what we were sure would be a better life. Each of us has their own view of what life would be like in Canada, but few of us realized how much that new life would be framed by Canada's history and relationship with Indigenous people — and learning about that is changing the way many immigrants see the country and how they feel on Canada Day.  

For many newcomers, the journey to Canadian citizenship is one filled with challenges but also the hope of a better life, especially for our children. Canada Day becomes an opportunity to celebrate the sacrifices made to build a new life and to show publicly how we belong and participate. But what does it feel like for newcomers who experience racism and discrimination, who are challenged because they are different? How does it feel as we come to understand that we are settlers in this new land of ours and part of a system of colonial oppression that continues - that to see that, even an immigrant, you might be treated better than someone who is a native of this land ? And for those who come from countries with long histories of colonialism, their histories collide. 

There are so many questions... Should we celebrate? What should we celebrate? How should we celebrate... In 2023, CBC published an article by Juan Jose Zambrano Camargo exploring the thoughts and feelings of new Canadians on July 1...  Their comments included 'painful' and 'important'. There was a strong feeling that our responsibility as immigrants is to learn and be aware of the reality in Canada. Some felt that Canada Day should be spent in joy while commemorating every Canadian's story and recognizing its difficult history. For others, remembering and understanding the oppression of Indigenous people is an important part of making Canada the ideal country immigrants like them thought it was when they first arrived.

One thing's clear... wherever and however you want to acknowledge Canada Day, the most important thing is to come at it with thought and reflection.