As Canada’s Constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Thousands of Canadians in all thirteen provinces and territories heard 100 Walrus Talks on the theme of We Desire a Better Country—fifty from emerging youth leaders and fifty from members of the Order of Canada. We also asked each of those speakers what Canadians can do to improve the country. Here is some of what they had to say:
1. BEGIN RECONCILIATION
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1. Begin Reconciliation
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
1. Begin Reconciliation
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
1. Begin Reconciliation: Daniel Poliquin
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country.
2. EMBRACE DIFFERENCE
Move from “multicultural” to “intercultural” through more intimate relationships with individuals with different backgrounds.
Make friends with a conservative/liberal.
Get out of your bubble.
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2. Embrace Difference: Molly Johnson
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
2. Embrace Difference
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
2. Embrace Difference
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country.
3. STUDY HISTORY
We need to learn more about our country. There was more Canadian content in grade school when I was growing up. Let’s make our children proud to be Canadian.
Listen. Listen. Listen. Then come to grips with the results of our history and make amends.
Learn from our history yet do not dwell on the past.
4. READ MORE
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4. Read More: Margaret Atwood
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
4. Read More: Daniel Poliquin
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country.
Follow political news and keep our leaders honest and connected.
Stop paying attention to American media and re-engage with thoughtful, in-depth, factual Canadian media such as the CBC and The Walrus.
Support good journalism.
5. PRACTICE EMPATHY
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5. Practice Empathy: Remzi Cej
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
5. Practice Empathy: Michael Redhead Champagne
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country.
Be empathetic, even if you haven’t shared a lived experience.
Talk to people who are not like you and with whom you don’t normally associate. Ask questions to learn and understand, not to argue with or try to convince.
Remember that this is our shared home and that almost every single one of us is an immigrant of just a few generations. Compassion. Compassion. Compassion.
6. GET INVOLVED
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6. Get Involved
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
6. Get Involved: Chris Zhou
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country.
Advocate and educate. Fight the apathy foisted upon us by an outdated political system interested in maintaining the status quo at the expense of equality, unity, connection, social justice, and cultural growth.
Give back by volunteering with local charities and by being kind to each other.
Build, maintain, and repair relationships with Indigenous people and with the land.
7. ADDRESS INEQUALITY
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7. Address Inequality and Poverty
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
7. Address Inequality
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country.
Give POC writers and artists a platform to share their stories.
Provide support and education to our rural areas.
Be extra kind to visible minorities.
8. GET OUT THERE
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8. Get out there: Natalie Panek
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
8. Get out There: John Geiger
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country.
Reignite our curiosity about other people and places, even within our own country.
Travel across the country to see what life is like where you don’t live and work.
Go and visit every corner of our amazing country and experience the rich diversity of its people and geography. This will foster greater appreciation of who we are as a nation and greater insight on what we need to do to make Canada even better.
9. PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
Invest in green energy and clean-tech jobs.
Switch to active commuting (e.g. walking, biking) to improve health, air quality, lower emissions, improve moods, reduce wear on roads, and engage in our communities.
Pick up litter in a small way and clean up in a large way.
10. BE PROUD
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10. Be Proud: Sheila Watt Cloutier
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
10. Be Proud: Rick Hansen
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country. -
10. Be Proud: Dani Reiss
As Canada’s constitution approached its sesquicentennial, the Walrus Talks set out on a national tour to answer this question:
What is one thing Canadians can do to make the country better?
Here are the Ten Things we gathered from Canadians across the country.
Be proud of this country, and stop being so shy about being proud.
Stay in Canada, buy Canadian, and make public education top priority.
Simply be Canadian: Face the world and each other with acceptance, respect, and a warm, welcoming attitude. That is what made Canada such an amazing country to live in.
Want more inspiration? Watch all 100 Canada150 Walrus Talks now.
Judy Gingell
John Geiger
Piers McDonald
Aimee Louw
Sarah Robinson
Zoey ‘Pricelys’ Roy
Clara Hughes
Amber Church
Shelagh Rogers
Bob McDonald
Zoe Todd
Kyla Kakfwi Scott
Jordan Bennett
Ethel Blondin Andrew
Brent Hawkes
Sylvia Pascua-Matte
Phil Fontaine
Alika Lafontaine
Jay Pitter
Prasanna Ranganathan
Hugh Segal
Vanessa Tait
John Cross
Douglas Cardinal
Michael Decter
Elizabeth Dubois
Azeezah Kanji
Michael Redhead Champagne
Jane Hilderman
Jordan Tannahill
Rick Hansen
Nmesoma Umenwofor-Nweze
Kyle Hill
Daniel Poliquin
Susan Aglukark
Laura Arngna’naaq
Alethea Arnaquq-Baril
John Ralston Saul
Anubha Momin
Caro Loutfi
Sheila Watt-Cloutier
Pierre Lassonde
Murray McLauchlan
Amanda Parris
Julie Payette
Paulette Bourgeois
Sarah Veber
Sage Petahtegoose
Rosemarie Kuptana
Remzi Cej
Alex McCarthy Noel
Mohamed Ravalia
David Helwig
Teyotsihstokwáthe Dakota Brant
Chris Zhou
Clifton Van Der Linden
Samantha Nutt
Jeff Liebert
Graham Greene
Charlotte Gray
David Adam Richards
Maxwell Hartt
Jenna Tenn Yuk
Margaret Mccain
Sara Abdessamie
Aaju Peter
Freeman Patterson
Jessica Bolduc
Jane Urquhart
Fred Fountain
Anand Mahadevan
Charles Pachter
Signature Sponsors
This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce à l’aide du gouvernement du Canada.
A Canada 150 Signature Project.
Un projet signature de Canada 150
