ROYALTY-FREE -- THINKSTOCK Thanksgiving Turkey DinnerStephanie Frey/Getty Images/iStockphoto
We can see this becoming a quadrennial occurrence – the pre-election Thanksgiving editorial reminding Canadians that this really isn't that bad a place to live in.
You can see the necessity for it. Under Canadian law, the second Monday in October of every year is Thanksgiving, and the third Monday in October of every fourth year is a federal election. Basically, fixed-date federal elections have ruined 25 per cent of all future Thanksgivings, starting with this one.
How can we possibly be expected to be thankful for our current situation when, day in and day out, all we hear is how badly this country is governed and how poorly we are faring economically, culturally, socially and face-coveringly – or, alternatively, how our current state of Thanksgiving-worthy happiness will be forever ruined by a vote for the wrong party?
If you were to distill the most negative statements of the party leaders into one sentence, it would look like this: Canada is an international embarrassment under attack by veiled women and Islamic terrorists that is screwed if it runs a deficit, or if it doesn't, and whose middle-class citizens are on the brink of ruin and can only be saved by tax credits – lots and lots of tax credits.
This grim inventory of our national failings and the slogan-based choices we face – change, real change or please don't change – can leave a person with spirits so sunken that they are unlikely to be lifted by a long weekend and a good meal. There is only so much that a mouthful of moist turkey breast meat can do, after all.
What's needed is perspective. As much as campaigning politicians don't want to admit it, you're all right, Canada. This is a wonderful place to live. To pretend otherwise – and not just because you want the job of fixing the political problems you've invented – is fairly insulting to the many places around the world where a good day means not getting bombed, or finding clean water, or not watching a child die of malnutrition.
The rancour of an election can make us forget just how good we have it. This is a good place. Always has been, always will be. So enjoy that turkey. And next week, don't forget to give thanks for one of the things that makes this country great. Work off Thanksgiving dinner, and show that you don't take Canada's blessings from granted, by exercising your right to vote.