One nice thing about learning (and teaching) python is that it's a multiparadigm language. Students don't have to learn about indenting until you cover flow control. Classes and OOP can come way, way later.
I started with C++. Also multiparadigm, but the syntax and compiler errors were brutal, not to mention pointer arithmetic.
I'm not sure I can think of a language that would be better suited to learning. GDScript seemed kind of nice, and you get to make games.
Unlike Canada, where the consensus seems to be that the country is ruined now. Not damaged, or heading in the wrong direction or anything, but actually ruined. The only things that can save us now is banning all gender bathrooms and adopting bitcoin.