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On February 21 The Social did a segment talking about a motion being introduced by MP Iqra Khalid to fight Islamaphobia in the wake of the terrorist attack in Quebec City, and the disgustingly racist things that were said to her because of it. I was so moved by her story that I felt compelled to write her though she is not my Member of Parliament. Luckily in Canada it is free to write any MP in Ottawa.

Today I opened my mailbox to find she had written me back! I use an exclamation point here because I really was that excited. It’s not the first time I’ve written to an MP, but getting a handwritten response is quite special. It reminds you that the people who serve in government are just that… people.

Sometimes this simple fact can be overlooked when politics and policies get involved. It is easy to be cynical about politicians, especially ones we see quite frequently on the news. And sure, there are those who might be doing the job for the wrong reasons. However, there are also a lot of civil servants who just want to make their country better.

MPs like Iqra Khalid make me proud to be a Canadian. The Social, a show featuring 5 women of various ethnicities talking about world events every day makes me proud to be a Canadian.

I am so happy to call this place home.