Canada Day , July 1st: Time to Toot Our Horn Again

As Canada Day celebrates its 147th birthday, I celebrate Canada’s triumphs. Next to the United States we might seem insignificant but remember,  looks are deceiving.

Last year, Maclean’s Magazine published a Canada vs. America issue proclaiming “99 Reasons Why it’s Better to Be Canadian:We’re happier, fitter and richer and our kids are smarter too.” You can read all the statistics in the July 8, 2013 edition of Maclean’s.

Of course I read this issue with glee. I am not competitive in my personal life, choosing to also praise and exhort others, but I have an ingrained, historically rooted compulsion to out rank the powerful country to the south of me. Perhaps it is a David and Goliath syndrome. Here is a list of why I love Canada, a handful of  the stats do come from Maclean’s.

Lyrics O Canada (English version)

I live in south – eastern ontario

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

1. We are more popular; wearing a maple leaf on your backpack means people treat you well in other countries
2. We say eh? a word reaching out in agreement and not huh? which just sounds like the speaker is dumb
3. One square kilometre of land for every three people
4. We are funnier- Wayne and Schuster, Lorne Michaels, John Candy, Mike Myers,Jim Carrey, Catherine O’Hara, Seth Rogen Jay Baruchel,Michael Cera….
5. Our banks are better- 4 of the top ten in the world are Canadian, the top U.s. bank ranked 9th-Citigroup
6. For our population we break more Guinness world records
7. Our government does not kill people; capital punishment was abolished in 1776 and no one has been executed since 1961. The States has 3,125 prisoners on death row.
8. maple syrup
9. We are more fit. 35.9 Americans are obese and only 24.5 OF Canadians are overweight.
10. We live longer- an average of 3 years longer than Americans
11. Americans always make fun of us because we are polite; we always say. “I’m sorry” but researchers at the University of Waterloo say it is boosts happiness. Apologizing to the police for speeding results in an average drop of $51 in fines
12. The wilderness — we still have lots of it
13. Our lobster tastes better
14. Our roads are safer
15. Fewer homicides per person and mass murders are rare
16. Our national animal, the beaver, is industrious and rugged
17. The salmon run
18. We lead in quantum computing
19. Our judges are appointed not voted in
20. We can read the cereal box and road signs in two different languages
21. A whole T.V. channel dedicated to politicians bickering
22. Place Names that come from Aboriginal languages
23. We have better skiing with more ski trails, longer runs and more snow on Canada’s Whistler Mountain compared to America’s Vail
24. We dominate hockey; it is Canada’s game
25. We get more paid holidays. 23% of Americans get no paid time off. ALL Canadian workers get at least 2 weeks paid vacation + 9 paid public holidays
26. Newfies – I love their accent and sense of humour. They are the salt of the earth
27. The north is a land of untouched beauty
28. Driving for miles across the flat prairies. We spotted a farmhouse that was 60 kilometres away!
29. Easy geography classes: we only have ten provinces and three territories
30. Excellent education system ; our 15 year-olds score in the top 10 of 65 countries. American kids are #17.
31. MORE POOR KIDS GO TO UNIVERSITY- 54% OF LOW INCOME KIDS GO TO UNIVERSITY COMPARED TO 30% OF POOR AMERICAN KIDS
32. Lots of immigrants — this is the place people from all over the world want to come to!
33. Our Government apologizes for past mistakes!
34. We get Visits from the Queen and other Royals
35. Our corporate taxes are lower
36. An almost peaceful history
37. Intelligent population
38. When spring comes, we appreciate it
39. We know how to make good, strong, HOT tea
40. The weather is a legitimate topic of conversation and we ALWAYS talk about the weather
41. Toques
42. Coffee Crisp … Only available in Canada!
43. Affordable university tuition
44. Lots of fresh water!
45. We’re less pushy than some other countries
46. We let everyone come here, and do their thing. Even if they wouldn’t do the same for us.
47. Ketchup chips … Only here.
48. Moose,Elk, Deer
49. Brown Bears,Polar Bears
50. So many rivers and lakes- we live in the land of a thousand islands
51. Great fishing, especially in fly in camps up north
52. Majestic mountains
53. Coasts on three oceans
54. Second largest country in the world
55. Largest prosperous country in the world
56. Freedom
57. Peacekeepers
58. Aboriginal people who have fought in all the wars, with an astounding war record
59. Official recognition of rights of Aboriginal Nations embedded in our national constitution
60. No one ever won between the French and the English: we just compromised!
61. Every landscape imaginable, all in one magnificent country
62. Enormous National Parks
63. Anne of Green Gables
64. Lots of hockey rinks, great outdoor skating rinks in almost every village, town and city. We even have one and our population isn’t even posted
65. Car heaters that plug-in when it’s cold. Even store parking lots provide plug-ins
66. Icicles- some are 3-4 feet long from our roof
67. Skating and hot chocolate
68. Beaver Tails
69. The longest skating rink in the world on Ottawa’s canal
70. Sound of crickets
71. The sound of Canada Geese flying back from their holiday in the South
72. We spell colour and neighbourhood the right way
73. We are proud of our British roots
74. Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis
75. We love to make fun of ourselves
76. We love to make fun of people who don’t know anything about us, especially Americans
77. Terry Fox was one of us
78. Gordon Lightfoot
79. Lenard Cohen
80. Arctic Rangers
81. The change of seasons
82. Incredible beauty
83. The tundra
84. Best opera house in North America is Toronto’s Four seasons Centre built by Jack Diamond who built Mariinsky 11 theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia by invitation of Valery Geriev
85.  by request – TIM HORTEN’S makes the best coffee