A Reflection on '06 and the impending new Canadian Challenge

This time of the year is always a great time to dissect the year that was and what might have been. I was particularly taken by a story a friend shared with me. Her niece, while happy to be alive and utilizing all the great new technologies at our finger tips JUST could not understand that different etiquette's exist and should be respected. The gal, a thriving 14, was at RWB and being unable to take the time to appreciate the performance and event became rather enthralled in texting her pals. When asked, politely and without direction, to perhaps ejnoy the performance and put away her phone she became appalled and would not leave the texting. My question - have we gone so far with tech toys that we no longer appreciate the traditional stimulus of a wonderful performance? OR are we, as a Canadian Society, just so self absorbed that we do no longer care what others think or how our actions affect them? Now before you answer I would simply suggest that at the crux of your answer is where we must move towards and challenge not only the leaders of tomorrow but ALL Canadians to become engaged with our country and way of life and not be bystanders in the cheap seats "yelling and cat calling" AND not trying to change our world. We must try to address this new era and try to make our society a better place to live, work and play. Deep but a real challenge to All Canadians to change the direction our society is headed from the "self absorbed stop-at-no-limits-for-my-own-pleasure-seeker" of the present day to a "new way" which encompasses some of each of our past victories - the "world peace keepers" of the 1950's, the "avante garde" aviators of the 60's and cutting edge innovators of the 90's ..what lies ahead for Canada and its citizens in the 21st century?