Skip to content

Minister’s Minute: O Canada!

One of the standout features of our national Parliament building in Ottawa is the Peace Tower, a beautiful edifice that gives grandeur to the whole of the building.
Canada Day Ministers Minute

One of the standout features of our national Parliament building in Ottawa is the Peace Tower, a beautiful edifice that gives grandeur to the whole of the building. It lifts so very high, our flag as an emblem of the pride we have for our true and native land.

At its base is a memorial chamber that honours the many who gave their life to give us this peace, a lasting testament that true peace comes at a cost. And inscribed throughout the tower are scriptures that remind us that all of this is by the grace of God.

This Canada Day we celebrate our great peace. As citizens we enjoy a rich freedom that allows us to raise our voice without fear of retribution, a privilege I see often in the papers, on the news, piped into my social media accounts and enjoyed around tables at coffee shops.

But just as our Parliament was built to express honour and reverence for God, so our lives as citizens should be kept humble before God. Even when we are protesting and standing up for rights - we do well to allow God to govern our actions and our tongues. The verse from the scriptures that resonates so strongly about our nation is this: He shall have dominion also from sea to sea.” (Psalm 72:8)

Canada Day is rightly a day to call us to step back from our many tasks and take some time to celebrate our great nation. But it is also a day to remember that we need divine help to keep it that way. So let’s follow the admonition of Paul from 1 Timothy 2 and lift up holy hands and pray for our nation, its leaders and all of its citizens. Happy Canada Day!