Happy Birthday Canada.
As I’m sure every one knows over the weekend we celebrated Canada’s 150th Birthday.
As a Canadian it was a proud day for me.
While I did have to spend the day working, and was not able to really take part in festivities in any one place, the pride I felt not only from within but from also the numerous people who were celebrating was palpable.
We are so lucky to live in this country and while I think about that most days I took soon real time to reflect on how truly lucky we really are.
We have universal health care, which means if we get sick we have far less we have to worry about in terms of financial ramifications to receiving health care, we do not live in constant war, and our governments, while maybe not doing the job we want, at least are not dictators, among a number of things.
In addition to that we are home to the second largest land mass on the planet, and it is home to some incredible places, like the Rocky Mountains in B.C., Banff, Jasper, and Drumheller in Alta., the tunnel in Moose Jaw, and the Rideau Canal in ON., just to name a few.
We are also rich in history, despite being a teenager compared to most of our European friends.
Our bravery has been shown during the wars with battles like D-Day and Vimy Ridge.
Our success on the ice with wins in the ’72 Summit Series, or Olympic Gold on home ice in Vancouver also comes to mind.
The War of 1812 was also a significant point in Canadian history, and while we were technically not a country yet Laura Secord’s bravery likely changed the course future Canada forever.
We have also produced a number of people who have made significant contributions to the world, including Alexander Graham Bell, who invented the telephone, and environmental activist David Suzuki, as well as celebrities including the band Rush, and hockey players Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe, among a wide variety of great Canadians.
This country has so much to be proud of and while we have made our mistakes, most notably with our treatment of First Nations, we still have so much to be proud of.
Remember that.
This is a great country and we have so much to be proud of.
Happy Birthday Canada.
