It was a wonderful October weekend — perhaps a fitting close to summer. This coming weekend marks Canada’s Thanksgiving, a time to pause and appreciate all that we have across the district.
It may well have been the best year ever for corn; we’re still enjoying sweet cobs from the later plantings. My small garden continues to produce crisp Swiss chard, a reminder that autumn hasn’t quite taken hold. Even the fawns born in our yard earlier this year have grown — their spots now gone — and they still dance close to their mother in the evenings.
Those three deer have enjoyed their share of our daylilies and now forage for the little apples beneath the flowering crabs. With that in mind, we’ll soon be fencing off our cedar hedge and shrubs to protect them over the winter. In our nearly forty-five years on the corner, it’s only in the past decade that deer have become such a nuisance in Fort Frances. They are charming in the spring — and a challenge by fall. It seems there’s no easy solution to the problem.
Yet as Thanksgiving arrives, we truly have much to be thankful for. The harvests are in, cattle prices are strong, and there are still many job opportunities throughout the district. Our population is changing as we welcome new immigrants who bring fresh traditions, foods, and a renewed love for Canada — a reminder of the values we sometimes take for granted.
We can also be grateful for the stability of our democracy. While political divisions run deep south of the border, Canadians remain largely confident in their governments. Following this spring’s election, our new prime minister is charting a course to reduce our dependency on the United States — expanding our global trade and partnerships. Canada has begun shipping LNG to Asia, opening new markets and revenue streams. Our grain exports, too, are reaching new destinations as we build stronger alliances worldwide.
Of course, challenges remain. Health care continues to strain resources, and affordable housing is a pressing concern. Governments at all levels are working toward solutions, and even in Fort Frances, there’s hope — with plans emerging for a new 55-plus housing complex. Ontario will need nearly double its electrical capacity over the next two decades, and proposed solar farms in our region could play an important role in meeting that need.
We may not have solved every problem, but there is a growing sense of optimism — a belief that the district’s future is strong and promising. And that, more than anything, is something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
