Tomorrow is Canada Day. I have a great post planned, as part of my Crafting my Life series, with a definite Canadian flavour. It will be awesome. But today I wanted to take a little time aside from that to celebrate this land that I call home. So today I offer you some of the things that I think are awesome about being Canadian:
Photo credit: Ian Muttoo on Flickr
- Year-long paid maternity leave. While our system is not perfect, on the whole it’s really pretty good, and quite competitive, internationally speaking. I am so grateful that I was able to access it.
- Roch Voisine. He is made of awesome. Need I say more? No, I need not.
- Dill pickle potato chips. And ketchup potato chips. These are classic flavours people!
- The letter zed. You know, it, it comes right after X and Y. And when you sing the alphabet that way, or read American children’s books that way, the rhymes don’t work. But we like it.
- The Log Driver’s Waltz. To know it is to love it.
- French on our packaging. Reading cereal boxes as a child is how I learned such useful words and phrases as gratuit and moins de sel. I might not be bilingual, but I can speak cereal box French with the best of them.
- Canada is freaking huge, eh. There may not be many of us, and we might not be a superpower, but we’ve got space, and that’s something.
- Canada Day cake. I finally had some. In fact, I had 3 pieces. It was as good as I hoped.
- Curling. It’s not our national sport, but we’re pretty good at it. And it is the most oddly engrossing sport I have ever watched. Although, sadly, the Norwegians did manage to one-up us in the curling pants department.
- Me. I am a pretty awesome Canadian, if I do say so myself.
So, tell me, what do you think is awesome about Canada? And also, happy Canada Day!
PS – As you may know, I have started including a link-up with my monthly reviews. The reviews are an informal listing of a few things I learned in the past month. My June review will go live at 6am Pacific on Friday, July 2. If you want to play along, write a post on or before July 2, come here, and link up. I have a feeling this is going to be fun!
From the Ottawa perspective:
- Standing on the Hill on Canada Day while the air force flies over, and being able to shake the Prime MInister’s hand (if you are lucky) as he walks up to the stage.
- Thousands upon thousands of people singing Oh Canada in unison on Canada Day, after the fireworks are done, and we are all walking back to cars and busses.
- Being able to walk around the Parliament buildings to feed the cats, laugh at the fat groundhogs (yes, groundhogs live in all the stone landscaping walls), gaze out over the river behind the Parliamentary Library, and sit on the front steps for pictures. All without a special pass, or escort.
- Tulips from Holland. Every year. Gifts from their monarchy to us. We are nice people to have kept their princess safe!
- Skating on the canal with a hot chocolate and Beaver Tail pastry. A Canadian/Ottawa tradition.
- Remembrance Day at the War Memorial. I always cry, especially when the moment of silence is done.
- The Museum of Civilization’s Canada Hall with the massive Totem Poles and replica longhouse entryways reminding us how big our country is in both culture and land mass.
- The National Art Gallery and the massive Grand Maman who guards the entrance. Canadians love her, and she is a real example of how we aren’t afraid of interesting art.
And my own awesomes:
- A National Police Force that has a Musical Ride
- Money that has gorgeous artwork and colours
- Maple Syrup on pancakes
- Trilliums, wild roses, blueberries, and stinging nettles
- Algonquin Park
from an outsider (and freshly minted canadian too) Canada is just awesome! and it’s one of the few countries i’ve been too where its population denies the existence of an accent.
it’s the country of snigger-free Roots, cottaging, fanny, beaver ….. double entendre absent!
where I live is an incredible and welcoming multi-cultural experience.
happy birthday Canada!
pomomama aka ebbandflo’s last post … wordless wednesday- made for myself- by myself
Roch Voisine!! How fun is that.
And I can’t resist, but I MUST add Tim Horton’s to the list, because though it is not currently Canadian-owned, it will FOREVER be ours.
Oh and Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Christine LaRocque’s last post … Beach books and summer fun
Dill pickle and ketchup chips are Canadian?
All the recent Canadian authors that are writing kick-ass books with no incest in them (seriously. We had a national literary plague of books-about-incest for a while). Happy Canada Day.
allison’s last post … The Young Girl and the Sea
Not from Canada, but I have visited — twice!
We even considered moving up there ages ago – it seemed idyllic, but ended up in Maine for a few years instead.
I’ve never been to Western Canada though… will have to get there some day!
Canada really is a beautiful, spacious place.
With Loons. And Moose. And Snow. And all those things, I really love (and miss about Maine).
Happy Canada Day from an American!
kelly @kellynaturally’s last post … Natural Birth Conundrum- or- Epidurals and Guilt
The log song is one of my favourites.
Canada has produced many a great comedian and since we all need to laugh from time to time the world should love us all the more.
Marilyn’s last post … Cheese- Wednesday of Few Words
I’m going to be giggling over “cereal box French” all day. You’re hilarious!
Kimberly’s last post … Puddle Jumping
Cereal box French. Heh!
I love going to the doctor. When ever, you know… To chat and stuff.
Maternity leave, and general medical care.
I love that we see people as equal, and our laws reflect that.
I love that our legal age is 18, no coddling here. Your a full grown adult with real responsibility’s, now get to it!
I love that we have a Volunteer Army.
I love our peace keeping heritage and the great leaders like Lester B. Pearson who helped get us there.
I love our flag.
I love Rick Mercer and the CBC.
I love our vast parks, and wildlife.
I love this country!
0.
Poutine.
Canada Dry Ginger Ale.
Arieannna’s last post … Cloth Diapers- Vocabulary
Beaver tails.
Boo, I live in the U.S. and other than warmer weather (maybe? I’m in Oregon) it’s not as awesome as Canada. Except that our flag cake has blueberries and strawberries.
And all of our cereal boxes, etc. have English and Spanish.
Alternative Housewife’s last post … Current -38 Upcoming Summer Sales
As a Canadian permanent resident working on her citizenship, I have to say this is the most welcoming of the four countries I’ve lived in (that means it beats, hands down, the US, Scotland, England and Australia). So while I don’t usually enjoy too much nationalism, celebrating Canada Day doesn’t feel as insidious as nationalism does in other countries. I even put my 10 month old in a Canada t-shirt for a local community party today, something I would NEVER do in the country I grew up in (Australia).
My favourite things:
1. Maternity leave – LOVING it!
2. The wilderness, especially of western Canada
3. Gay and lesbian rights
4. Rick Mercer
5. The way Canada quietly goes about doing things without loudly proclaiming them to the world for everyone to see.
I love that you found the log driver’s waltz… I haven’t seen that in ages!
It’s not “school house rock,” but it has it’s own charm!
Others have written here in the comments some of my favourite Canadian qualities. And I hate to admit it but Weird Al Yankovic’s tongue-in-cheek “Canadain Idiot” song has some good points too!
We really do say “sorry” a lot.
From my own experiences….In London people looked at me like I was MAD for saying sorry when bumping them on transit. And a Parisian said she could tell I was Canadian (and not American) because I kept saying excuse me and sorry in her crowded shop. I have to say have been treated very friendly by merchants and at restaurants when travelling as soon as they find out where I am from. I think Western Canada has a good reputation or something, and I like to foster that by being on my BEST behaviour abroad.
*pol’s last post … Suburban HELL
Canada gets big props from me!
Cold Spaghetti’s last post … World of the Mouse- May 2010
Anne of Green Gables and the many, many friendly Canadians that I’ve met!
Lady M’s last post … You Know You Wanna Wampa
I love Canada. Isn’t this where Amber Strocel is from:)?
PS don’t like it when you decide to back up your blog just as I’m reading it – bad timing:)!
Francesca’s last post … Fridays Flowers in my Roman glass
We have “zed” here in Australia too. We like it!