I have spent a good deal of time thinking about age lately, not least because today marks yet another year’s anniversary of my birth. My last birthday, if you remember, was a Big One so this year’s festivities are understandably paling by comparison. As with most of our average-birthday celebrations, this one has been left until the last minute to be cobbled together and will likely be underwhelming. That doesn’t bother me even a little bit, as I am still riding the high of having been made such a fuss over last year!
Today’s milestone has not vaulted me into a new age category nor allowed me new opportunities that have thus far eluded me, but it has reminded me of the yearly excitement of reaching whatever year’s number I, and my childhood cronies (why don’t we ever use that word except when referencing old men?), had been pining for all year long. Back then, each year seemed to come with more possibilities and eagerly anticipated maturity. Our society generally puts milestone birthdays aside once we move into our 20s and then yanks them out again as soon as the age that begets seniors’ discounts starts to peek over the horizon.
On the early end of the scale, the biggest triumph in a young life is turning 5 years old–the age when one is handed the opportunity To Go To School! Mind you (and we don’t tell the kids this), school attendance is only mandatory for 5-year-olds in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In most other provinces and the territories, one needn’t legally attend school until they ripen to 6 years of age. That mandatory age stretches even further, to 7, for the children who live in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
On the other end of the academic legal spectrum, some kids in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon, long to reach the age of 16 so that they can finally quit going to school, if they choose. Those in Manitoba, Ontario, Nunavut, and New Brunswick aren’t accorded that luxury until they turn 18.
A kid from Alberta can set their sights on the age of 14 as the milestone to hit in order to obtain their Learners License so they can start to practice driving their parent’s fully loaded Ford pickup. Young people in the 3 Territories eagerly look forward to their 15th birthday in order to apply for their Learners. In Manitoba, you must be 15 years and 6 months old to legally start the journey and Saskatchewan’s age is 15, but that comes with some provisions. It won’t be until the next year, the magical age of 16, that the rest of the country’s youth can rush to grab that highly prized license for themselves.
At 16 years old, the world becomes your oyster! Hit that goal and you can apply for an Adult Passport, get married with your parents’ consent, legally write out your will, and get a job without your parents’ consent (though surprisingly few yearn for that one).
To finally achieve the age of 17 allows you to join the army with parental consent, and you are welcome to donate blood.
Once you turn 18, you are allowed in to see Restricted movies without sneaking, your employment worth hits the level of the country’s minimum wage, and you can finally vote in an election. Also, the law states that you can run in an election (Saints preserve us!). Albertans, Manitobans, Ontarians, Prince Edward Islanders, Quebecers, and folks from Saskatchewan, are legally allowed to drink. They can also be called to jury duty.
Then comes the heady and coveted 19th birthday! At that age, no Canadian needs parental permission to marry, change their name, or join the army. They can adopt a pet from the SPCA, drink alcohol in every province/territory, legally gamble their meagre wages away, buy smokes, sign up for a credit card, become a juror, and sue somebody. And get sued, just to be clear. 19 seems like the age when all hairy heck breaks loose!
Come 20 and, while you may get carded for a couple of years yet, no one cares about how old you are.
Until you are bumped back into the Milestone Game by turning 60!
Oh, there are a few crumbs tossed your way once you’ve made it to 55—Denny’s and Church’s Chicken have certain days each week when they pretend it matters, and IHOP as well as the Salisbury House in Winnipeg will let you start ordering off the seniors’ menu, but those trifles won’t sway the group’s choices.
However, at 60, the banks start to sit up and take notice, handing over things you’d never even thought to ask for. Canada’s Wonderland, Michael’s, and Home Hardware try to woo you with discounts.
These localized indulgences are only a taste of the prizes which that noteworthy birthday, looming ominously in the distance, holds. It’s the birthday you anticipate and plan for. Sixty-Five! The Government suggests that they begin sending your OAS and CPP to you and stop expecting you to serve on a jury, the bank helpfully switches your RRSPs to RRIFs, and the retailers can’t keep their hands off you! Laura Secord, the Marriott, the Canadian Canoe Museum, the Bulk Barn (Wednesdays), all manner of transportation. You mean the world to all of them and so many more!
Not since you were 19 has society flung open its arms to embrace you solely based on your age. You’ve made it and, darn it, you should be celebrated!!!
Well, for me, it’s just one of those in-between birthdays this year–a placeholder year until I haul myself up to that next plateau. For now, I’m left to just dream about the benefits yet to be showered upon me once I’m finally ‘old enough’. While I wait, maybe I’ll head over to Cobs to pick up my free Birthday Cinnamon Bun, which they offer for any birth year celebration (to those who use their points app). That should be enough to keep me quiet until the Birthday Cake arrives!
Happy belated Jennifer! I always knew you were special – mu sister’s birthday was on Friday too💕