Thankful November 7

Today I may be in a feisty mood, but I am going to have to say how thankful I am to be Canadian.  Having spent many years living in the United States of American, I am also grateful for that wonderful country, but today I am especially grateful that I call Canada home. There are certainly things I have to complain about around our own election time, but since it isn't that time, I'll be grateful for all the things I like about the True White North. One of the prevailing arguments I saw from my American friends was for or against social assistance, with good people flippantly calling the other side heartless, uncaring and too rich to know what's going on in the world, or leaches, careless and lazy, draining their country's coffers. (The funny thing is, I know wealthy and hardworking on both sides of the argument, and struggling and hardworking as well.)  I'm thankful that I can live in a country who takes care of it's poor without having to be a "dirty liberal" (heard that one several times on Facebook.)  I remember the first time an American confidently declared to me that I was a communist; if it takes being a communist in the eyes of some Americans to live in a country where we can go to the doctor without going bankrupt, or get student loans to better our lives without fearing the stigma of being a drain on society, I'll take it!  I'm not certain, but I don't think anyone has ever wondered where I got my smartphone from, or worried how I pay for my food, and I'm grateful for that (although, my phone is not very smart, so maybe that's why.) Anyway, without declaring whether I'm disappointed or joyous at the outcome of yesterday's election (although, I will say that I'm not at all surprised), I will say that I am grateful I don't have to be one of the many who jokingly (I hope) say that they are moving to Canada, because I'm already here!