North of the 49th | Amway

What is national pride? Can you pinpoint it? Is there a standardised definition to which we all adhere?

I don’t know if I can define it; but I know it when I feel it.

It’s that moment… that lump in the bottom of your throat; a stray tear falling from the corner of your eye; that feeling of your heart swelling in your chest. Usually those moments come in a group – someone starts singing O Canada in the back of the crowd and slowly the entire throng joins in; it’s those moments of shared joy (I hate to be stereotypical, but let’s use Olympic hockey as an example); or political relief (I’ve lived through my share of Quebec referenda – there’s nothing like that mixture of pride and relief you get when you’re in the middle of it all.)

But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It can be that moment when you’re standing by the banks of a river, admiring the beauty of the Canadian landscape; it can be the simple joy of hearing your favourite song by your favourite Canadian band (Sloan, look ‘em up!); or it can be the smile that seeing the world’s coolest flag flapping gracefully in the wind.

Canada Day is upon us and the maple leaf will be out in full force. While July 1 is the one time when we allow ourselves to be unabashed in our celebration of being Canadian, that doesn’t mean our pride doesn’t run deep.

I used to look on with envy at our friends south of the border. I loved driving through small-town USA and seeing the Stars and Stripes hanging from every porch and wondered why we Canadians didn’t do the same. It was a wonderment that bordered on lament.

But since then, I’ve discovered that our Canadian pride is uniquely Canadian. Polite, reserved, but no less fierce. We may not be ostentatious about our displays of national affection, but those feelings run deep.

And why not? There’s so much of which to be proud. Our cultural mosaic mentality allows people from all races, religions, and creeds to hold fast to their history whilst becoming an integral part of our future. In general, we’re a tolerant lot and we believe in supporting each other (hello universal health care and social programs!). Sure, we have our nutbars on both sides of the spectrum, but for the most part we ascribe to a rhetoric over violence approach to bridging our differences.

This, in part, is why the Amway business opportunity works in Canada. Regardless of where you’re from, who you are, or what you believe, there’s an opportunity for you. Effort, talent, and dedication are found within all people, so there’s an equal opportunity for success.

As mentioned, we’re a supportive group, which also lends itself well to the community nature of the business. Success through helping others succeed – it may not be uniquely Canadian, but it certainly meshes well with our national identity.

Now I open it to you. What does being Canadian mean to you? When do you feel national pride and how do you display it? And, if you’re affiliated with Amway Canada, do you agree that the business opportunity has a certain flair of Canadiana?

Happy Canada Day everyone. I’m going to take the liberty of speaking for everyone here at Amway Canada in wishing you a happy, healthy, and safe long weekend! And to our neighbours to the south, I wish you the same for your Independence Day.

All the best,

Jay