Published by Senator James Cowan on 23 March 2009
Ken Dryden is one of the most intelligent, thoughtful and insightful persons in Canadian public life today.
His distinction as a hockey hall of famer gives him recognition beyond the reach of most politicians but it is his mind which is drawing Canadians – particularly young people – to him today.
As the caucus member tasked by Michael Ignatieff to lead our outreach efforts Ken has embarked on a cross Canada tour of university campuses meeting students, faculty and others to talk about Canada and what it means – and should mean – to be Canadian.
I had an opportunity to sit in on two such sessions last Thursday at Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie in Halifax.
Ken began each session by issuing a challenge to those attending to stop thinking about themselves and Canada as small, modest and inconsequential in comparison to others
He argued that the very characteristics which we almost apologetically assign to ourselves – civility, tolerance, stability and compromise – are the very attributes which the rest of the world is dying to have.
In a global society the biggest challenge is living together peacefully. That is what we Canadians do so well – our instinct is not conflict – it is to work things out, to get along.
As Ken says, while we may from time to time be mildly embarrassed by it all, what we have and – more importantly what we are – is exactly what the rest of the world wants and needs. His message to his listeners was simple – we need to realize that fact and believe that Canada and Canadians ARE important to the world.
Canada and Canadians have a big role to play in the world and we have a duty to assert ourselves. This confidence in ourselves and our country is essential if we are to meet the great challenges inside and outside Canada.
Ken's message and his challenge are important and inspirational.
His audiences responded by describing their own views of what it means to be Canadian and what Canada is and could be. Ken invited them to stay in touch by contacting him at ken@kendryden.ca.
If you have a chance to hear him at a campus near you do so – your country needs you!!