Commentary
Father’s Day has rolled around once again. Like many fathers, I will spend part of it reflecting on my own journey as a son, a husband, a father, a business leader, and a soldier. The older I become, the more convinced I am of one simple truth: fathers matter. That statement should not be controversial. Yet in recent years it sometimes feels as though fatherhood, masculinity, and the traditional virtues associated with men have become subjects of suspicion rather than celebration.
For decades we have heard discussions about toxic masculinity. There are certainly toxic behaviours that should be condemned. Violence, abuse, irresponsibility, and neglect have no place in any family or society. But somewhere along the way, our public conversation stopped distinguishing between destructive behaviour and the positive qualities that have traditionally defined good men. Strength is not toxic. Courage is not toxic. Duty is not toxic. Sacrifice is not toxic. In fact, these are precisely the qualities that societies depend upon when times become difficult….