Canada has grown in population as a nation though immigrants and their progeny. The immigrants were seeking a better life in Canada and immigration is a growth process that continues.
Very sadly, the early immigrants and their offspring developed the idea that their better lives required a conversion of Indigenous lives through many sordid processes including residential schools. “The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation provides an excellent opportunity for all Canadians to learn and reflect on the issues and how we must never allow this to happen ever again”, said Murray Sinclair, former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Twenty-seven years of creating “Smart” and “Intelligent” communities, cities and regions in Canada has demonstrated that real long-lasting and better lives for all Canadians can be achieved through effective understanding and collaboration between citizens within our communities and between our communities throughout Canada. It may be exciting to focus on new technologies in our Digital Revolution but Canada will only be “great” when we become world leaders in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion while also creating world class technologies and applications. We can become a world model for “better lives” if we all understand our history and participate in effective collaboration.