The right thing to do

This morning I listened to the Governor General ask a spellbound audience at the Community Foundations of Canada conference,  to consider the impact they could have as individuals.  He asked them to consider their efforts not as a drop in the bucket, but rather as a drop of food colouring in the water.  It was a commanding metaphor in a commanding speech.

Later, Hamilton Spectator publisher Dana Robbins told the story of the paper’s courageous stand against poverty in our city.  The audience members, representing communities from coast-to-coast, were clearly intrigued by the notion of advocacy in the mainstream media, and asked whether the move had attracted new advertisers or readers.  Dana responded candidly that, if anything, the reverse was probably true — but it was just the right thing to do.

The two messages were each unique, distinct and thought-provoking in their own ways.  Together, they were a powerful challenge to each of us to consider what we can do to strengthen our communities.