I love my country. It’s an imperfect, often embattled country faced with major difficulties but it is a country that knows perfection is unattainable and that humility is not a vice. It is a country that has already come through serious threats to its very existence as a cohesive federation in the short span of time that has elapsed since Confederation. It is a country that understands its own worth and role in the world as a nation of compassion. It is a quiet, forceful storm of humanity in a global climate of chaos. It’s my home.
Canadians are a passionate bunch. Because we love our country so much, we’re not afraid to speak loudly about our shortcomings – even when the entire world is watching. We’re not ashamed of who we are because we know that we have come very far, very fast. We’re not overtly patriotic but we are fiercely nationalistic – never to the point of isolation, however. We refuse to allow outside forces to define us. We stand for what we believe in and we fight to maintain that autonomy. We fight hard.
We’re seen as “nice” by many in the world. Nice means being thoughtful, respectful and willing to help others when we can, but it also means disagreeing without being disagreeable and being strongly diplomatic with those we are deeply concerned about. We don’t bang the hammer of obedience. We extend the hand of compromise. And, we get results.
We embrace our diversity. We deplore those who don’t. We struggle constantly to lift our aboriginal people out of poverty and isolation. We have not yet succeeded. We strive for equal rights for all – even for those in Quebec who would rather secede. We fight daily to maintain our universal health care. We know what a treasure it is. We value our children. We want them to experience the promises of this country. We work on the premise of “peace, order and good government” – a humble reflection of our own lives. We ache for those who suffer and provide what we can. We feel safe – not a small feat in the world today. We feel hope. We feel content. We know we cannot take anything for granted. We are grateful. We live in the global community as a full partner and we understand our duties.
We believe in the words of Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata:
“With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”
We are quietly proud but never set ourselves above all others. We understand that life is a symphony – that we are just part of the orchestra and that it takes every effort in concert to achieve the beautiful music of progress.
We are Canadians. Sometimes, we just need to step back and appreciate what we have and who we are. Today is one of those days.
Crossposted at Progressive Bloggers
I love your country too.
We just spent a week in Vancouver looking for a new home. Yes, it was mostly politically motivated. In the end, the city was too big and too expensive for us…and those are the only negative things I can possibly say about it.
People were genuinely friendly and respectful. I saw workers on strike, and others supporting them. I saw lots of political posters decrying the unethical business practices of this or that company. I thought CBC and the Vancouver Sun and Province were worthwhile reporters of actual news for the most part. I saw very few SUVs, but lots of cyclists in a city that’s not particularly bike-friendly. I read about political debates between the three parties and marveled at the breadth and relative honesty of the talk.
I wish America were “nice” too.
Vancouver was just chosen as the best place to live in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit. My city of Calgary is number 10 on the list. Not too shabby.
All the cities that fell into the top “liveability” bracket were based in Canada, Australia and Western Europe.
Vancouver is notoriously expensive because of its prime location and climate. Socially though, it’s very diverse and progressive.
So give us the chamber of commerce pitch for Calgary. Some of us become more interested by the day.
Actually, you (and your compatriots) could do those of us south of the border a big favor by telling us more about what’s going on in Canada, especially at the ground level (Getting it from you isn’t the same as getting it from the Toronto Star website).
I’ll let the pros handle the tourist pitch.
We really should post more news about what’s happening here for those who are interested.
Pierre Bourque’s site is a good reference point.
My city of Calgary is number 10 on the list. Not too shabby.
I visted Calgary for a conference when I was in High School. We had a blast there. They put on a small scale “rodeo” at the stampede grounds just for our group, and the best part was that we were there just in time for the “schools out picnic” on ?Princess Island? (Can’t remember the name, I was a bit hammered! lol)
The more the problems escalate in the USA the more I miss Montreal… Considering I am an Anglophone from Quebec, that says a lot about how bad the politics are here in the USA.
“Like Frêres André, my heart will stay in Montreal.”
(Bowser & Blue)
Prince’s Island. You were close. 🙂
We have a lot of our music festivals there.
Canada, the model that Americans should now be looking to. Thanks for the diary but I’m afraid that we’ll have to invade now and spread some good ‘ol US style democracy to Canadians. 😉
A quick question for you.
I’m afraid that we’ll have to invade now and spread some good ‘ol US style democracy to Canadians.
They have seen the US military at its dysfunctional best in Afghanistan and Iraq. Places the size of a postage stamp when compared to Canada’s massive geographic footprint.
Do you really think they would have that much to worry about up north?
I have serious doubts that this US administration would have been able to put together a successful plan in a war against the superpower Grenada.
They are that dysfunctional.
This is beautiful Catnip. I’m wondering if I could honestly write such an eloquent piece about my own country nowadays.
I love Canada too, but the winter keeps me away.
one word – “hibernate”
Apparently, we’re supposed to have a mild winter this year but it snowed here yesterday. I’d heard that during bad hurricane years, our winters were supposed to be colder. Who knows? I need more sweaters.
We love Canada, too!
(I was ALMOST born in BC – almost) too bad for me that I wasn’t.
Hockey Night in Canada!!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOT! (oh wait, I’m not getting Centre Ice this season… crap!) Oh well I still love you Canadians!
At least we’ll actually have hockey this winter. The natives were getting restless last year while the strike was on. We had to do stuff like ‘reading books’ and ‘spending quality time with family members’.
What’s “Centre Ice”?
Centre Ice is a hockey package one can buy via dishnetwork. It’s hosted by Don Cherry. Great Canadian who once was the Coach for the Boston Bruins.
I was able to go to a Sharks v Flames playoff – we lost… it was all she wrote.
Managed to meet up with some excellent Calgary fans in San Jose. Much better than those Red Wing fans… 🙂 Or any other team fan, for that matter. 🙂
Don Cherry – sheesh. What a mouth that guy has!
My daughter likes him (or more to the point, she likes his ties) and he does answer mail from kids… gotta give him nods for that 🙂
But yah, he does have a mouth.
There’s always curling.
Actually, Mrs./Dr. KP had a professor in veterinary school here that was from Prince Edward Island who gave a slide show on curling one time.
And when we went to Toronto this summer on vacation we decided to experience what Canadian TV was like one evening (I sprained my ankle so we were stuck in the hotel room), and there was a sitcom centered around… you guess it, curling.
I bet you’re secretly a mean curler, eh? 🙂
My wife’s boss is a curling freak. He plays every Sunday at the only rink I know of in Seattle, and occasionally runs youth teams up to Vancouver for this tournament or that.
Me, most of my experience with curling is from watching during the Olympics and about ten minutes of seeing “Men With Brooms” on CBC TV. I couldn’t follow it — I came in somewhere toward the middle, and what I was seeing wasn’t making a lot of sense, especially since Paul Gross was acting so far out of his Benton Fraser character from Due South that my brain decided to bail while the bailing was good.
The Olympic curling was cool, though. It’s amazing how five guys can get 43 pounds of granite to behave so well.
Bocce on ice. I can’t believe rolfyboy6 is the only one to mention how good the beer is!
In my neck of New England, there’s a pub that does bocce and darts. I do darts and the owners think I’m crazy when I tell them they should flood the courts in the winter.
No, it’s not regulation, but when I see all those guys shivering outside in the cold just so they can smoke I can’t help but feel they deserve an little distraction.
As for the beer, what can you say about a country that even makes Carling Black Label taste good? Alas Budweiser, while improved, still defeats Canadian science.
I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for Canada since I was about eight, when I discovered I could hear the CBC station in Regina at my house in eastern Washington after the sun went down. I spent many an hour listening to Canadian radio. I knew the rules to hockey and had heard quite a few games before I ever got to see a game.
The US is my home. I love my country, or rather I love what my country is supposed to be. But in my darker hours I fear that someday that Democrats will get back into power and thanks to the increasing corporate control of the United States, not a thing will change in government. Those are the dark hours when I think maybe Canada is a viable option after all.
According to the parents, I was conceived in Toronto — does that get me into the country??
Right about now, i’d rather be anywhere than here….
I spent a wonderful day in Canada this weekend, it was amazing how the atmosphere changes when you cross the border! We only went as far as Toronto but people were friendly, strangers said hello, we didn’t feel threatened in the crowd, a tension we didn’t know we carried let up and we found ourselves smiling at strangers for the first time in ages. Neither of us wanted to come back-and that’s a damn sorry thing to say about my home.
I spent a few years going to school in Buffalo and wound up spending many vacations in the Ontario area – Toronto (love the Ontario Gallery of Art!), Stratford/Shakespeare Festival, at the G.B. Shaw Festival (forgot the name of the town right now – something “On the Lake”) and other beautiful places along the way. Later on, I worked for a Canadian company that produced the highest quality product.
I’ve always had a great affinity for Canada and Canadians (one of my best friends is Canadian). I always say Canadians seem to embody the best down to earth qualities of Americans with a European sensibility and sophistication. I’m a life long New Yorker, and usually have a hard time imagining my life elsewhere, but have always felt life in Toronto would be a very nice thing indeed.
You’re lucky to be a Canadian.
Niagara-on-the-Lake.
(It’s near Niagara Falls.)
I moved to Canada three years ago (first Surrey just outside Vancouver, then about 30 miles north of Toronto, now in the heart of downtown Toronto) and I can’t imagine ever wanting to go back the the US.
Toronto is one of the greatest cities in the world to live in! An acquaintance recently tried an experiment – he started singing Oh Canada! on Yonge Street in Downtown Toronto in the middle of the day. About a dozen people joined in. I wonder what would happen if someone started singing the Star Spangled Banner in the downtown of most American cities?
I love the diversity, the friendliness of almost all the people I encounter, the cultural attractions, the cleanliness of the city streets I’ve seen. Yes, the recent gun violence can be scary, and two of the recent shootings happened outside a club just a couple of blocks from our apartment. But I just don’t walk in the neighborhood late at night (both those shootings were in the wee hours). I can take the car of the bus, which stops almost in front of our apartment. I feel safer here than I did in Silicon Valley.
But I can go to a nail salon a few block from our apartment that is frequented by privileged residents of Old Cabbagetown, the lower-class neighborhood of Regent Park, and the mostly middle-class high-density apartments of St. Jamestown, where I live. Easy walking distance includes restaurants that are East Indian, West Indian, East African, Chinese, Japanese, and I’m not sure what else yet. Oh, and the ubiquitous Pizza Pizza chain seems to be on almost every block.
I can shop for foods of all kinds, and lots of other stuff I haven’t had the extra money for yet. I don’t have to take the car to go to a supermarket, I look into the windows of one from my living room window. Everything I want (except possibly a job) I can get to on my feet or using transit. I can stroll to the gay community center on Church Street (gay village) or go the library and gym (for free) just two block away.
Toronto is a great place to visit, and wonderful to live in! I love the other parts of Canada that I’ve seen so far, but I expect to make Toronto my home for many years. I guess I’ve rambled on, but this is a chance to count some of my blessings.
hi catnip – yr post reminded me of the link i sent out to my lady peeps today re: ducttapefatwa’s ‘Unauthorized Reproduction bill has been drafted’…yikes…WTF?? (hello ‘handmaid’s tale’)…i have to say after reading that – there’s no place like home!…i live in toronto, which is an amazingly rich, progressive, multicultural city (not without it’s problems, i might add – a huge increase in gun violence recently and record smog days too) however, it has never become clearer to me how ideologically different, with every given day, we are becoming from our neighbours across the way…i grew up in windsor, an a auto town, hugely union and directly across from detroit (oh, my beloved detroit)…my yank friends and i used to have great fun ribbing each other about our respective countries – now, most of them are just plain depressed…after the last election when the rethugs claimed victory i had an inbox full of apologies from my american friends – so i gave them a verbal bitch slap, told them to buck up and sent them links to kos and since boomantribune…thanks for eloquently summing up what i hold so dear about canada!
p.s – Go Leafs!
This may be the appropriate thread to point out that there’s a rumor/rumour that Margaret Atwood is one of the finalists for this year’s Nobel prize for literature. Given how the judges like to make picks to send the world a message, wouldn’t that be a slap at the Talibaptists!
need to get new copies of our birth certificates, so we can get passports — we’re planning a cruise to Canada/Alaska next year, but if it gets really bad here maybe we’ll just get off the boat in Victoria and not go back…or if BushCo. declares war on Iran, he’ll pretty much have to reinstate the draft, so I might have a nephew or two up there to mooch on anyway… 😉
I loooove Canada — Toronto’s got the great streetcar system, Victoria feels like London but the weather’s a little better, and Vancouver is gorgeous but expensive, just like San Francisco…
It’s the favorite getaway for Mrs. Omir and myself. Sometimes we take the Victoria Clipper up from Seattle, sometimes we take the train up to Vancouver and ferry over.
It’s sort of astounding to think that this city with more or less the same weather we have in Seattle is the garden spot of Canada. 🙂 (Well, at least until Canada annexes the Turks and Caicos . . . )
From Toronto to Pelee and Niagra and now our neighboring Vancouver & Victoria. And my almost-weekly Saturday breakfast raw Nanaimo oysters! My first home biz sale went to Canada, which supplies us with some of our materials, and we’re filing papers to relocate it there for good.
Gooserock with all of southernmost Canada under his sole command.
I only borrowed it!!
Oh Yeah, then why doesn’t that bunch of big strong Canadian Inperialists have the guts to annex the Turks and Caicos Islands? Huh, Catnip? Yeah, You’ll send your troops to Haiti just ’cause Big Daddy UN says so, but let a little impovershed chain of god forsaken sand spits leveled by hurricanes every year beg you to invade, and you guys go all Canadian on us. Well, uh, beauty, eh? Gotta go now, eh?
I’ve been to Edmonton and Calgary in the dead of Winter (and I do mean dead, it was on business) and heard the scrunch-scrunch noise that superfrozen snow makes under your feet while your nose hair freezes. Lucky I was a Minnesota Norwegian originally or I would have been upset about the gradation up and down the grey scale that was described as both time and weather. Good beer.
I spent a couple of very enjoyable years in Winnipeg a few decades ago. It’s a might fine city too, with lots of ethnic diversity in what they call a “mosaic”. Winters there weren’t much different than ND, they just stared a little sooner and ended a little later, ha!
My grandfather’s brother, Bard, lived in a sod shack for 50-60 years until the early seventies in the Medicine Hat area of Alberta. They used to have a replica of his home at Heritage Park Canada’s Largest Living Historical Village Calgary, AB, Canada Here which I highly recommend to anyone visiting to Calgary.
I live a hop, skip and a jump (or a short skidoo ride) from Heritage Park…but don’t tell anybody.
It’s my adopted country, which means I chose it instead of being parachuted into it by Fate.
I do have a tongue-in-cheek theory about why Canadians are so nice: they get out all their aggression on the ice. Hockey is not just a sport: it’s the national religion. Yes, there are agnostics and even atheists, but no matter: Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky are still saints, from coast to coast.
And it is a different culture. We pay higher taxes because we think it’s worth it to live in a country where health care is provided to everyone, whatever their income. And parliamentary democracy is a big improvement on the American system. And the Canadian mosaic, without the bad karma of slavery and Jim Crow, beats the heck out of the American melting pot.
Great place. Y’all come see us, hear?
“Great place. Y’all come see us, hear?”
Don’t tempt us. We might stay. 😉
I believe the current immigration policy is something like, “You have assets, we have a place for you.”
Really.
Well, that sucks then — I’ve got nothing in terms of material assets….
does marriage with a Canuck hold any appeal?
I think the spouse might have a thing or two to say about it!
😉
‘course, if we could BOTH find people who would put up with us, we could all live together in one big crazed hamster pile!
The likelihood of anyone putting up with either one of us is very slim, however!
Well, we are known for being tolerant.
Except perhaps in Alberta and parts of BC . . . .
Doesn’t chances for employment fator in there too? Do y’all need pharmacists?
That should be faCtor. NEed coffee.
Everybody needs pharmacists.
As long as it’s only coffee.
I love your country very much too. I enjoy it very much everytime I travel there or through there on my way to or from Michigan.
And the people… especially Newfies.
I was so embarrassed by this post… and then I thought, ‘It’s so Canadian of me to be embarrassed by this post!’
We Canadians hardly ever talk like this about ourselves. Our pride in our country usually takes more quiet, demure forms. But what the heck — thanks, Catnip.
You Americans who love Canada — we love ya right back. Visit often!
Please don’t be shy. I’ll re-state my request to Catnip at the top of the thread:
I don’t know what’s going on in my own country, I get all my news from DailyKos 😉
Seriously — if you want to read blogs by Canadians, check out this website. They’re all political stripes.
I read the Star website daily myself to get an idea of how the Canadian MSM is reporting things, as well as reading the Toronto stories. (Born and grew up there, now live in Muskoka.)
Oh my God, that’s funny. As I was reading upthread about all the great places to live in Canada, I considered making a comment about the Maritimes (I live in Fredericton, NB). I grew up in New Brunswick, I’ve lived in Calgary, Ottawa and Denver. Then I moved back to New Brunswick. I think it’s such a pretty, laid back province, so close to the big east coast cities, yet nobody knows we exist, it’s awesome! I could buy a 3000 square foot house for $300,000 for crying out loud! Or build it on a 2-acre lot that costs $20,000.
Anyway, my point is that I decided not to put the comment because I was too embarassed to gloat about my little Canadian city. Then I read your comment and laughed heartily! It’s so Canadian to be humble…
Canadians are funny, eh? I thought I’d stay out of this thread b/c it would just be so obvious to post in it, right? Oh well. :o)
I loved New Brunswick. Went there a couple years ago and just fell in love with the beauty of the place. I couldn’t get over the trees – everywhere! And you’re right: it’s a place not often mentioned. It’s like your own private oasis.
A picture worth a thousand words.
I hadn’t seen before, but how many can fit inside Soviet Union? (CCCP TV, SCTV is off the air).
A Tale Of Two Countries:
Ottawa to offer $2.3B in fuel relief
Will aid poor with rising prices
$800M allocated for mass transit
LES WHITTINGTON
OTTAWA BUREAU
Congress seeks to slash food aid for poor
By Libby Quaid, Associated Press Writer | October 5, 2005
These are the kinds of comparitive headlines that drive home how polarized our governments are.
This diary is so American of you.
Your are demonstrating un-Canadian nationalism and chauvinism.
But, I agree with you.
I’d emigrate, but the climate is so disagreeable to me that I’d be miserable there. Which is a great pity because, for all of its obvious problems, it does sound like a nice country.
Beautiful. I love the Desiderata connection. I had bought a poster with that on it when I was in University. It struck a chord in me way back then and still does. Your use of it in the diary is perfect. (Although I thought the author was anonymous?)
Anyway, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Those are all of the reasons I am proud to be Canadian as well.
And you have much to appreciate. My partner and I have visited twice (once to Nova Scotia, once to Quebec), and think very highly of Canada. We’re strongly tempted to move there, but family concerns would make it difficult.
(Our experiences crossing the border for the more recent visit was symbolic of the different attitude. Canadian official — professional and friendly, and complemented us for our car (a rented hybrid). US official — officious and rude, and seemed disappointed that he didn’t have an excuse to draw his weapon. No doubt there are obnoxious Canadian border guards and nice US ones, but ….)
Too true! I was at Peace Arch on the WA / BC border just a few weeks ago. Entering Canada was painless and the guard smiled at us, although we were pretty frazzled after lots of driving and probably looking angry ourselves. “Wecome to Canada, I hope you have a great time while you’re here,” or something to that effect.
On the way back…45 minutes to go 1.2 miles. Our American guard was a dead ringer for Lt. Charles Graner. “Hi,” we said. “Why haven’t you taken off your sunglasses, ma’am?” he asked my wife in an unpleasant tone. “Oops, sorry,” she smiled. He asked us the standard customs questions and after our answers said “Ok,” completely without affect.
It took us 30 seconds of him glowering at us to realize that by “Ok,” he meant “That’s all I had to ask. Welcome to United States and have a great day!” Must be a local dialect.
“Do we have to go back?” said my 9-year-old a minute later.
Crossing the border at the Peace Arch, the truck crossing nearby, and the Lewiston-Queenston bridge in Ontario, I’ve had the same thing happen many times. When I tell the US guards that I’m going to an appointment at the VA hospital I’ve had guards ask me for what! That seemed to be pushing their right to know, but I answered calmly. US guards have sometimes been polite, but usually just businesslike or sometimes cold and intimidating. The Canadian border officials have always been polite, ask far fewer questions (even when we still had California plates), and have always been pleasant. The border officer’s smile always makes me feel that I’m home.
It is hard to put into words the differences between the Canadian way of doing things and the American way of doing things. When we moved to Texas I had no intention of staying long term and here it is 6 years later and we appear to be stuck here – will try again to sell the house in the new year.
I am Canadian – and not in any kind of “Molson Slogan” way. I believe in universal health care, in recycling, in looking out for others, in a we’re all in this together kind of society.
I get really homesick sometimes and not just for stuff like Tim’s double double but for feeling like I can speak my mind – for all the claim of freedoms here in the states I never feel like I can be honest about how I feel. Part of that is feeling like a guest in someone’s home – we wouldn’t appreciate it if someone moved to Canada and told us that it was awful or that it should be done another way so I don’t complain here. But I don’t feel safe here – I wouldn’t dare put a Maple Leaf on my car because the BOYCOTT FRANCE folks might think me too Frenchy…and if I told them to mange merde I’d really be in trouble….eh?
Anyway, I’m a bit homesick now so thanks a whole lot, catnip! And happy Thanksgiving to you – my folks are coming down for the weekend so I have to try and find a turkey and turnip in Texas – not an easy task!
I know a Texan who moved to Ontario. Apart from visits, he’s made it clear he’s never coming back.
I’m an adopted Canadian, married to a French-speaking one. I’ve lived here 45 years — but it took me 35 years to take out citizenship (to vote no in the Quebec referendum) — because there were things in the Civil Rights area that I did not like about Canada. Silly me! It took me a long time to understand this country, and I don’t really think I understand it as well as I understand France, which is my other adoptive nation. Canada is a complicated place. It can’t be encapsulated in a talking point. It works, but whether it works by design or by dumb luck is hard to tell.
Our motto: “We’re north of Bismarck, North Dakota!”