On last Friday June 16th, 2023, the Canadian population reached 40 million.
Contributing to this milestone was the birth of my brother-in-law's newborn - on that very day.
A few years ago, I hopped on a Greyhound bus to Cleveland. Help my brother-in-law and his wife pack their belongings into a U-haul. Then drove through the border on a pouring night.
From Dallas to Cleveland to Toronto. They kept moving north. At one time, they even wanted to move to Sault Ste. Marie. Somehow we talked them out of the idea.
I have been to Sault Ste. Marie, a beautiful and quiet city. I did not think they were ready for the winter.
My brother-in-law later took over a small fish-n-chip restaurant. He got many 5-star reviews and was even able to hire a helper. Then the pandemic hit. He was lucky to be able to sell it - between the 1st wave and the 2nd wave.
His wife, a highly trained medical professional in China and the US, had to go through a couple years in a local education program, before landing a contract job. That led to a full-time healthcare job before the pandemic, just in time.
The baby arrived right before this year’s Father’s Day. What a great gift.
Looking at my son holding his cousin, I could not help wondering what lies ahead for them.
Less affordable living. More fragmented world. They will have a harder time growing up than their parents.
However, there are positives. Productivity-boosting tech is on the horizon. People want to be connected beyond borders - there is no going back.
We will do our best for them - who made us fathers, and are future fathers.
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