As Canadians, we pride our selves on being liberal. Accepting of race, color, sex, age and handicap. This belief is further validated by the many American comics and shows who make fun of us by referring to our 2-term conservative government as liberals.

But the fact is that Canada truly is a conservative country. One in which many women are still making less than men, and people of color and race are forced to seek menial employment, or to work for others like themselves who are more established. Not to mention our forgotten natives.

We are now nearing the year 2009 and have yet to elect a woman Prime Minister in Canada or President in the US. Still, we deem ourselves to be most liberal, open-minded and forward-thinking citizens on earth.

We take offence and look-down our noses at countries like Pakistan, India, Iran, Argentina, etc. for their whole spectrum of inequalities. Yet they have, or have had, more women in their government, and as head-of-state, than us.

I wish that we could put our hardliner religious beliefs aside and really open our minds and start using our common sense. Placing women in positions of leadership would put an end to the tribal and territorial blood-baths that have plagued us for milleniums.

The transfer of wealth, the protection of the weak, the preservation of the environment and the integration of our minority groups, are just a few ways that women leaders would influence and reshape our societies.

I know what you’re guessing. That by “connections” I am referring to what you need in order to get ahead, or get that position that you like.

Well you would be partly right. However before we get to that, we might have to start by first untangling the webs of lies and deceit that we have woven for our ourselves. I find them hard to see past and hard to walk through.

Now some of you don’t have as much, if any, of these beaver-dam-like, self-made road blocks, cluttering your path and I respect and love you for that. You are the ones we all enviously look-up to, hoping to achieve the same one day.

So, once we can actually see the path(s), we can start our journey.

Back to connections. I suppose everyone has to assess their individual level of difficulty when connecting to their environment, nature, the earth and it’s inhabitants. Thankfully there are some general or common and no less important decisions that we can all make together.

For instance, do we really need that artificial or freshly-cut Christmas tree this year? A Norfolk tree would make a great year-round alternative. It offers the same basic look, feel, and price and it’s alive for us to enjoy all year round.

How about that big old SUV or eight-or-six cylinder vehicle? Could a car with only 4 cylinders do the same basic task of transporting (often just one or two occupants) us?

I will not bother you with anymore options as the list is too long and you can do your own , but if you me to wish me to provide you with some, just ask .

So now that we have taken steps to clean up our own backyards and those of our immediate families (or once in have started the process), we can go beyond our property-lines by trying to inspire our friends, and the people that we share our neighbourhoods, cities and country with.

The sky is the limit from there , as we now can cross our borders in our effort to connect with others.

So go ahead and give someone a hand with untangling their webs and mess. A hand is always appreciated and don’t think of it as a favor to them for, in the healing process, we are also helping ourselves.