Relentless decency.

So in a video the other day, I sort of soft-launched my merch store by wearing this t-shirt, and that got a lot of emojis like— So let me explain what I mean by relentless decency, because judging from some of the comments, uh, American commenters mostly, um, they read it as soft. It isn't. It's the opposite. You know, Canada's history is, is, is not about conquest. We've had big triumphs for sure, but we are at our proudest when we can help fix something broken in the world. That is our superpower. Not being the loudest, not even being the proudest, but by doing right by the things that matter. There's a saying in addiction recovery circles: progress, not perfection. As a nation, we have messed up before. We have treated people poorly. We are not perfect. But relentless decency is about progress. It's about moving forward without sweeping the bad shit under the rug. I talk with a lot of American healthcare workers these days. Some of them end up moving here, um, and they always ask what they can expect, and I tell them the truth. You will not get perfection here in Canada. We have racists here, we have assholes, but we have more people who care about each other, people who will try, you know, like people who will show up on the worst day of your life, even if their own day has already gone sideways. That's what I mean. That's what I mean by relentless decency. It's, it's filing the complaint without screaming at the 19-year-old behind the counter. It's choosing to try to understand where someone is coming from when being petty would be a lot more satisfying. It's not flashy, it's not loud, but I have always believed it's what holds this place together. So when I put that phrase on a shirt, I was trying to name something that Canadians have practiced for generations, a way of living that doesn't, uh, need applause. And by the way, if you're American and you want a way to show your neighbors that you still believe that Canada should remain a sovereign country, I have stuff for you too. Part of the proceeds for the whole merch shop, by the way, each year go to help forge a better relationship between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous people of this country. Details on the site. So wear it on your chest. Or don't. I— all of this is very uncomfortable for me. Either way, thanks for considering it. It really does help me keep doing this work. You know, my goal for this channel is to provide a pause in the doom scrolling. Like maybe, maybe just a minute or two of hope or a reflection on how we got to who we are. And if one of these ends up in your closet, well, I hope it reminds you of who we are when we are at our best.