Happy 159th birthday, Canada! As our maple leaf flag is waved from coast to coast to coast, families gather in homes, backyards, and parks, and fireworks light up the sky. We celebrate not only the history of our great nation but also the freedom that allows us to worship together in peace. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees “freedom of conscience and religion” as one of the “fundamental freedoms” that Canadians enjoy (Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, sec. 2[a]).
Canada Day is not just about flags and festivities; it is also a day to celebrate the right to live our faith without fear of persecution. Canada Day calls us to think deeply about legacy, the kind that lasts long after the sparklers fade.
Using Our Gifts to Bless Others Leads to Peace and Unity
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that our mortal lives are for making and keeping covenants, nurturing and strengthening families, and ministering to one another. These are important foundations of a lasting legacy. This truth shone through in a recent video call with our seven‑year‑old granddaughter. On the call, Lily proudly told us about her “gift”: her ability to help others. “It makes me happy,” our granddaughter explained, “when I help a friend at school who is sad or hurt.” Our hearts were filled with gratitude to see this child of God learning how to minister in the most natural way, through love and kindness.
As our conversation continued, we talked about developing our gifts through practice, patience, and prayer. Lily is learning at a very young age that gifts are divine endowments, not accidents. They are meant to build up others, to heal, and to invite the Spirit into everyday moments. We love others by using our divine gifts, and that is how we leave a legacy. As I reflected on this conversation, I so wanted my community to learn this unifying message as exemplified by our granddaughter. It seems so simple!
Canada’s greatness and its commitment to rights and freedoms are a reflection of how its citizens choose to respect and lift each other. Our nation’s legacy will rise or fall based on how we treat one another. Canada Day becomes a reminder that each of us has daily choices: kindness over callousness, respect over contempt, and a vigorous defense of religious freedom over indifference. Such noble efforts contribute to a national legacy we can proudly pass on to future generations of Canadians.
In a time of division and strife, it is natural to ask, “What legacy are we leaving our children and grandchildren?”
Peacemaking Requires Action
The scriptures foretell that in the last days there will be “wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:26). We are living in such days. That is why President Dallin H. Oaks’ recent call for us to be peacemakers is so timely and urgent.
In the April 2026 general conference of the Church, President Oaks invited us to be peacemakers, community builders, and defenders of religious freedom. “Peacemakers! How it would change the world if followers of Christ would forgo harsh and hurtful words in all their communications. In general conference, President Russell M. Nelson challenged us ‘to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.’” President Oaks continues, “My brothers and sisters, as followers of Christ, let us follow Him by forgoing contention and by using the language and methods of peacemakers” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2026).
Peacemaking is not passive—it requires humility, conviction, and action.
President Oaks ties peacemaking directly to Christ’s commandment to love God and our neighbours, including those who do not share our beliefs or covenant obligations. He encourages us to “live peaceably and lovingly” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2026) with others while still upholding our Christ-like values. Peacemaking is not a call to compromise our faith, but to express it with such grace and humility that others feel invited, not attacked.
Blessed Are The Peacemakers
On Canada Day, we celebrate shared values: cooperation, dignity, kindness, respect, empathy, and patience. Such values align with the teachings of the Saviour, who reminds us, “blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). When we defend religious freedom, minister to a lonely neighbor, speak kindly in a heated conversation, or help a child recognize their spiritual gifts, we are bearing the fruits of discipleship. “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20).
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are taught to be good citizens and to remember the importance of obeying, honouring, and sustaining the laws of the land (Article of Faith 1:12). We are called to support religious freedom by being “Steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works” (Mosiah 5:15).
Honouring Canada on July 1 means not only waving the maple leaf but also striving to create a kinder, more respectful society in which conscience and faith are protected. That is a legacy we should all strive to leave behind.
As we celebrate our 159th birthday as a nation, may we also celebrate our potential as peacemaking citizens. May we honour Canada by defending the freedom to worship and to live our faith openly. And may we leave for our children and grandchildren not only fireworks and picnics but a legacy of Christlike principles: love, respect, compassion, and a commitment to peace.