When someone raises a flag on Canada Day, sure, terrific. Bob and Doug forever. When it's time to honour our brave war veterans, no doubt, they're the champs. But when I attend a game to cheer on the local collection of rink-circlers, I don't feel it's a relevant or appropriate place for the anthem.

Only now are we starting to address the damage done by the colonization which refused to acknowledge the rights and respect the culture of the First Peoples of Canada. We have much more work to do. We have to admit the racism and prejudice that exists and fight it every day in our lives.

"I'm going to bike across Canada this summer, you in?" The words floated out of my roommate's mouth mouth like he was asking if I wanted to go see a movie. I had no idea how to answer. Yet, just a few months later, I dipped the tire of my new road bike into the Atlantic and I thought of Terry Fox.