I am the sun

by Brandon Mayer

Canada Day has now come and gone – nearly two weeks ago, in fact. There is a topic of debate that comes up every Canada Day, and it is sufficiently polarizing that I felt that the two week “cool down” was necessary prior to adding my thoughts to the discussion. I am not talking about the debate on whether or not to have Canada Day in light of the residential school controversy. Instead, this debate is much simpler and much older – should we have fireworks on Canada Day?

Fireworks are brilliant. They are spectacular. Somehow, they are both predictable and unpredictable. They come in familiar types – the ones that are colourful and go off in groups, the white ones that sparkle and “scream”, and the single ones that make a huge boom. Despite seeing these same classic fireworks year after year, they never get old. Perhaps the surprise of seeing what order they appear in makes it worth seeing the show again next year, or perhaps there really are some things in life that can be enjoyed year after year, decade after decade, in the name of “tradition”.

Where I grew up, there were two locations where fireworks might be held every year. One was in the fairgrounds in front of our house, and the other was in the field behind our house.

I can remember the excitement every year – school having just been let out and summer vacation having just begun – of picking a blanket and setting it on the lawn to sit and watch the fireworks.

I don’t think I have ever let a Canada Day pass without seeing fireworks in person. During the pandemic, a neighbour of my parents put on spectacular shows two years in a row, so we didn’t even miss out due to COVID.

This year was shaping up to, potentially, be the first year of not seeing fireworks. I didn’t think anything of it. The kids were tired, and we had a pool party to attend the next day. We had all enjoyed a relaxing day, and, with the kids quickly approaching their teenage years, I figured I would be met with eye rolls if we announced we were piling in the car for a “family outing”. When I went to say