T Minus 150

Yesterday, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016, marked the start of the 150-day countdown to the 150th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation and cities throughout the nation marked the celebration with festive event and activities.

In a longer statement to the press, Governor General David Johnston noted, “Our stories shape our country, and it's our duty to share them far and wide. In celebration of Canada's 150th birthday, I invite Canadians to share these stories and to get involved in the celebrations as a gift from one generation to the next.”

And, via Twitter, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly encouraged Canadians to post selfies showing how you celebrate your community.

But the joy over this pre-celebration of Canada’s rich history and heritage may have been dimmed some, as yesterday also marked the release of Canada’s latest employment numbers, a disheartening announcement that saw the jobless rate grow to 6.9 per cent. In total, Canada lost more than 71,000 full-time jobs last month, a number tempered only slightly by the addition of 40,000 new part-time or seasonal jobs.

But as Canadians continue to struggle with their shaky economy, tourism remains a bright spot. Although tourism numbers from Q2 2016 have not yet been released, Montreal recently reported a serious increase in travellers, citing a growth in traffic from within Canada, from the U.S. and from overseas travellers.

And while the nation’s GDP rose just 0.5 per cent during the first quarter, tourism’s GDP grew at 1.3 per cent or nearly triple the rate of the entire Canadian economy.

What’s more, during that same period domestic tourism soared, accounting for $14.6 billion in expenditures and employing nearly 637,000 people.

By using a little estimation and a lot of rough math, it is pretty obvious that if even one out of ten travelling Canadians took an extra domestic trip this year, the growth in tourism spending could to some serious growth in employment.

So feel free to take those selfies and post the high points of your community. But when you get a chance, go out and take a trip. See something new. Visit a national park. Drive the Trans Canada Highway until you end up someplace you’ve never been before.

Not only will you feed your wanderlust, but your country will thank you.

Follow @MonicaPoling