Happy Canada Day

July 1st, 1867 marks the date that my country was founded as Canada. Less than a decade after that, Sir John A. McDonald, Prime Minister of Canada would create the North-West Mounted Police. Our country would grow and progress in the century that followed, including some positive and some negative. As with all things in life. There’s been a lot of negative press about our country in recent weeks and I won’t get into any of that, since I think the press, mainstream media and certain groups have done an adequate job of providing the negative side of our country’s history.

No matter what side of the equation you fall on or what aspect of the propaganda you believe, there’s no denying that Canada is the best fucking country in the world. And yes, I’m totally biased because this is MY home and native land. Although there have been dark stains on our history, show me a country where that hasn’t been the case. I could list what each and every modern country did to establish itself. But I’m not here to start I fight. I just felt that today would be a good day to express what my country means to me. Maybe you’ll agree with some of it.

I first learned our country’s national anthem when I was 4 years old. I didn’t need Shazam to tell me what it was and I didn’t have to Google the lyrics. I learned the fucking lyrics myself and was proud of them. I grew up understanding and appreciating the fact that I had liberties and freedoms that brave men like my grandfather left their families to ensure. We have health care and and resources that most countries don’t. We’re viewed as progressive and peaceful.

Our landscape is unlike any other in the world. We have the Arctic Ocean to the North, which touches the top of the world. We have the Pacific Ocean to the West and the Atlantic Ocean to the East. We have the longest existing border with our neighbouring country, in the world. We also have the longest natural sandbar in the world, which is ironically located outside my hometown of Dalhousie, New Brunswick. We have Appalachians, Rockies and the Great Lakes. We have some of the most beautiful landscapes and scenic attractions in the world.

Canada gave birth to the man who created insulin, Sir Frederick Banting. If not for that very fact, I wouldn’t be alive today. Nor would the 463 million people, worldwide. Canada is responsible for the invention of basketball, hockey and Tim Hortons. This country has made more contributions to the world that can be measured. This is what should be recognized today. The rest of the year can be for everything else. But let today be about pride in our country and how far we’ve come. I thought I’d close out this post by sharing a YouTube clip of the CBC end-of-day clip that used to play when I’d fall asleep in front of the television as a child. ☯