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By Jennifer Blatherwick, MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville

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CANADA DAY is a time to come together and remember values that make our country and our province truly special: resilience, diversity, and pride. We know that people still face many challenges, but we also have a lot to be proud of.

But this Canada Day felt different than others. Canadians stood united this year against the threat of Trump’s tariffs, and all agreed that Canada will never be the 51st state.

There is so much going on in the world, including a lot of economic uncertainty, and, in the face of that, British Columbians have once again shown that we are stronger together.

Our government has been focusing on the things that mean the most to people here in B.C.: delivering the services people need, driving forward economic projects and making sure our economy is strong for years to come.

We’ve heard British Columbians loud and clear – strong public healthcare, safe communities, housing people can afford, and childcare are the things that we need to help our province thrive, and those are supported by a strong economy.

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That’s why we’re working every day to create good paying jobs and drive forward projects in clean energy infrastructure so that people can get reliable jobs in the province they love and build good lives.

In my own community, I was so grateful to be able to attend the Canada Day Celebration at Town Centre Park in Coquitlam, where so many people from my community came together to celebrate our country, and reflect on how we can continue to make Canada a better place for all people.

As we move into the rest of the summer, I know we will keep seeing British Columbians supporting each other, while our government works hard to bring you the services you need.

It was great to talk to people in my community over the weekend and on Tuesday, and I know we’ve got a good summer ahead of us here in the Tri Cities.

One way we can all contribute to a strong economy this summer is by coming together to attend local events and by shopping locally.

Whether it’s shopping at your local farmer’s market for B.C. grown fruits and vegetables, local cheeses, sustainable meat and seafood, or handcrafted goods from hometown artisans, or attending concerts and events in your town, every dollar spent locally strengthens our communities.

The BuyBC program helps highlight homegrown talent and also helps reduce our reliance on global supply chains — creating more food security at home.

If shopping local is a priority for you, make sure you look for the BuyBC logo at the grocery store and market this summer.

We know there’s more work to do, and by growing our economy and delivering services people need, we’re building a stronger future, together.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.