July 1, 2022 Happy Canada Day Eh!

Happy 155th Birthday to our home and native land.

It was August 1864 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the beginning of a nation was born. It would take three years of negotiations that would culminate in the birth of Canada on July 1, 1867. 

There were many reasons that Canada first came together as an independent country. Great Britain was afraid of American expansionism and the threat of a newly ‘United’ States of America that had a large army and a simmering distrust of Britain. It was also the result of many colonists wanting to have a say in the future of their newly burgeoning land.

Many people in Britain and Canada saw the division in the United States and the recently ended civil war and felt that a strong central government would be more effective than a series of powerful provincial governments. The basis of Canada was formed in reaction to the world around it.

Four provinces were created from the existing colonies know as Upper and lower Canada and the Maritimes. Even from the start, Quebec was granted special recognition despite the desire for a strong central government. Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were created, and on July 1, 1867, the British North America Act was passed in London to create a new country in North America. Newfoundland and PEI rejected the act. But by 1870 PEI was broke and joined the newly confederated country in exchange for wiping out its debts. Also in 1871, British Columbia joined the new nation under the condition a railway would be built to the coast. 

By 1949 Newfoundland joined the country. But it wasn’t until 1982 that our great land gained its true independence from the motherland when our constitution was patriated by Prime Minister Trudeau.

Now we have another Prime Minister Trudeau who is in many ways more hated than his father was. Despite what Trudeau senior did for this country he is one of the most divisive figures in our history. His son is almost worse.

Our country faces more turmoil than it has since the end of the second world war.

Our founding fathers could not envision what challenges the fledgling nation would face. But in the times they existed, John A. MacDonald, George-Étienne Cartier,  Alexander Galt, Adams George Archibald, George Brown, and many others spent three years forging the basis of Canada. It was not without flaws but in the end we had the basis for our great land.

It is in part because a man like Sir John A MacDonald insisted on a strong central government that we are still a united country to this day.

Now Sir John is vilified.

We seem to have a way in Canada of demonizing our public figures.

But without John A. MacDonald and George-Étienne Cartier, our nation may not look like what it does today. 

I am very proud to call Canada my home despite all its failings. On this Canada Day, I was able to celebrate it like I have not been able to in a very long time.

After two years of living in the coronaverse people were able to come together and share their love of this great land. 

We sat on the boat under a clear darkening sky and watched the fireworks light the night. Talk about front-row seats, there was nothing between us and the barge full of fireworks. The crowds on the beach cheered as the colourful pyrotechnics lit the world above us. 

It warmed our hearts as we watched the light show unfold above our eyes. It felt like we were released from two years of pent-up energy and everything was right in the world.

Our group of friends on the boat beamed with exaltation as the grand finale’ rocked the night. 

My friend John laughed and commented how the only thing that could have made it better was Pink Floyds, The Dark Side Of The Moon. 

As we embarked into the night I cranked the stereo. We cruised back to the boat launch mesmerized as the sounds of Pink Floyd filled our senses. 

It was a Canada Day I will not soon forget. 

I’m sure those founding fathers would be proud of the great nation they formed so long ago.

Happy Birthday, Canada, I hope we can survive another 155 years.