Canada has become one of the most diverse and welcoming nations on earth. People from every continent, every culture, and every faith have helped build the country we proudly call home. That diversity is one of our greatest strengths and deserves to be celebrated. Yet in celebrating our diversity, we should never lose sight of the foundation upon which Canada itself was built. Whether one is a practising Christian or not, Christianity has profoundly shaped our laws, our institutions, our values, and our understanding of human dignity. Its influence reaches far beyond religion.
I write this not only as someone who regularly attends church, but as someone who has spent more than four decades serving Canada in uniform, building businesses, supporting charitable organizations, and working alongside Canadians from every background. Those experiences have convinced me that Christianity remains one of the greatest civilizing forces in history because it quietly challenges each of us to become better human beings.
Many of the values we now consider universal were once revolutionary. The belief that every person possesses inherent dignity. The conviction that the vulnerable deserve protection. The expectation that leaders should serve rather than dominate. The importance of forgiveness over vengeance, charity over indifference, and hope over despair. These ideas did not emerge by accident. They grew from Christian teaching and became part of the moral foundation of Western civilization.
Whether Canadians recognize it or not, that inheritance surrounds us. Our understanding of equality before the law, the worth of every individual, compassion for those in need, and the belief that rights belong to individuals rather than governments has been profoundly shaped by centuries of Christian thought. These principles have become so deeply embedded in our society that many assume they have always existed. They have not.
Canada reflects this inheritance every day. Our hospitals, universities, schools, charities, and countless community organizations owe much to Christian leadership and sacrifice. Across the country, millions of Canadians volunteer in food banks, shelters, hospices, and churches, often without recognition. They simply serve others. Those quiet acts of generosity strengthen our communities in ways government alone never can.
Christianity also helped shape the political institutions that protect our freedoms. It teaches two enduring truths: every person possesses immeasurable worth because each is created in the image of God, and every person is imperfect. Human dignity demands liberty. Human imperfection demands constitutional limits, the rule of law, and restraints on political power. Our democratic institutions reflect this balanced understanding of human nature.
None of this denies that Christians and churches have sometimes failed to live up to Christ’s example. History contains moments that require honesty, humility, and repentance. But the failures of Christians do not invalidate Christianity any more than the failures of judges invalidate justice or the failures of physicians invalidate medicine. Christianity must ultimately be measured by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Christ’s message remains as compelling today as it was 2,000 years ago. Love your neighbour. Care for the poor. Forgive those who have wronged you. Seek justice. Walk humbly. Serve others before yourself. These are timeless principles that build strong families, healthy communities, and free societies.
I also believe Christians have an obligation to look beyond denominational differences. Anglicans, Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals, and Orthodox Christians share a common faith in Jesus Christ. In an age marked by polarization, Christians should be known not for what divides them but for what unites them: humility, reconciliation, compassion, and service.
Canada has also been enriched by the contributions of Canadians of Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, and many other faith traditions, as well as those of no religious faith. Each has helped strengthen our communities, enrich our national life, and contribute to the remarkable diversity that defines modern Canada. Recognizing the foundational role Christianity has played in shaping our country’s institutions and values does not diminish those contributions. On the contrary, it reminds us that a confident nation can honour its own heritage while respecting and welcoming the traditions of others.
Canada rightly protects freedom of religion and freedom of conscience. Every Canadian should be free to worship according to their beliefs, practise another faith, or have no faith at all. Respecting religious diversity, however, does not require us to ignore or diminish the Christian heritage that helped shape our country. A confident nation understands its history, honours its inheritance, and extends that same respect to others.
As Canada confronts economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability, and growing social division, we will need more than stronger policies and better technology. We will need stronger citizens. We will need people who believe in service before self, personal responsibility, forgiveness, compassion, humility, and hope. These virtues have helped build the strongest democracies in history.
Christianity remains one of Canada’s great strengths because it continues to inspire ordinary people to live extraordinary lives of service. In that enduring example lies not only the strength of our faith, but the promise of our country.
