Canadians can take great pride in how our country is regarded on the world stage.

We have acquired an international reputation for fairness and tolerance. Canada is the chosen destination for people from faraway places who are seeking a better life for their families. We need new Canadians with diverse talents to flourish, and we can all take some measure of credit for having them choose our country as their home.

Canada today is more unified than it has been for 40 years. Our economy is proving resilient in a time of global economic uncertainty. The Canadian Armed Forces are being rebuilt and they are winning back public confidence that has gone missing. The previous federal government waffled on solid policy directions for more than a decade and we’re getting back on track.

In addition to security at home and abroad, Canadians are experiencing greater peace of mind when it comes to national unity. Just a few years ago, our country was embroiled in what seemed like a never-ending constitutional and national unity crisis. Support for Quebec sovereignty is at its lowest ebb in generations. We have replaced the failed top-down approaches of the past with a new vision based on real respect.

We were mired in a period of military under-funding that recently retired chief of defence staff General Rick Hillier called a “decade of darkness.” Our progress in just two years gives us reason to be proud. The government’s recent appointment of Canada’s new chief of defence staff is another move in the right direction. Lt-Gen. Walter Natynczyk is described as a “gentleman general” who will continue to promote the needs of our men and women in uniform.

People around the world are noticing that Canada is becoming a major international influence. This is most true in Afghanistan. Canadian soldiers, diplomats and aid workers are playing a pivotal role in the defence and reconstruction of this troubled region. They have already saved many innocent lives, and they will save many more before the mission is finished. Canada is a country that steps up to fight for international justice.

Foreign governments are noticing a new Canadian confidence on the world stage. Not only are we helping rebuild Afghanistan, we are leading international efforts to protect human rights around the globe. We’re also at the forefront of advocating environmental action from all major greenhouse gas-emitting nations. Finally, when Canadians speak, other countries are listening again.

After years of neglect, this federal government is again standing up for priorities that include defending our Far North. We are making real investments in Arctic patrol vessels, satellite surveillance, and the human presence required to ensure that no other country in the world will take Canada’s Arctic Sovereignty for granted. We are a friendly nation, but the global community knows we’re no pushover. Canadians are fiercely proud of what we have, and not willing to simply forfeit our northern sovereignty.

Canada is coming of age, and not coincidentally, it is the envy of the modern world.

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The audio version of Garry's August 18, 2008 op-ed column can be heard by clicking here