Tuesday, July 04, 2017

My Fabulous Canada Day Long Weekend



Well I must say my Canada 150 long weekend was about 150% better than I had hoped it would be.

The music and the fireworks were amazing. Some friends from Montreal were staying with me, so I was able to party in both official languages.

And for the first time I felt that our other founding nations were being recognized at last.



By a prime minister so much better than the monster Stephen Harper.

Who would have had the teepee flattened, the native demonstrators arrested. And would have used the occasion to portray himself as a Great Military Leader, who alone could restore law and order, and save us from the Muslim Menace.

The Canada 150 party would have looked more like a cross between a Nuremberg rally and the War of 1812...



Instead, Harper was no doubt VERY unhappy to see Justin Trudeau presiding over HIS party.

And no doubt very bitter...



While in the place where I live, it was a beautiful sunny day, and very red and white and happy, and peaceful. You know, very Canadian. 

And the star of the show was that big yellow duck...



That was cheered as a little tug towed it away from the place where it had been  moored.

And where it was visited by so many people, it apparently more than paid for the money that was spent to rent it.

As well as proving, contrary to some reports, that Canadians DO like to have fun.

As I imagine did those who gathered at the legendary corner of Portage and Main in Winnipeg, to create this spectacular living Maple Leaf...



Because it was brilliant, and you can't get more Canadian than that eh? 

And in the same spirit, I thought this song by the Dream Team Canada Singers managed to celebrate our young country in the proud but not militaristic way, that I like to think makes us Canadians not Americans.



As for me, I was hoping to make a fantastic video of the fireworks being fired off a large barge in the bay. My tribute to Canada's Big Birthday. 

But due to excessive partying, for which I blame my Montreal friends AND Donald Trump, I had trouble remembering where I had stored my camera, and only got the last thirty seconds...



But that's the best part isn't it?

And what a wonderful way to celebrate a country, that deserves to be celebrated, for at the very least remaining a reasonably sane peaceful place in a world growing crazier and more violent by the day.

Let's see how much better, and fairer, and more inclusive we can make it. 

And remember, next July 1 we get to raise this flag too...



And won't THAT be something to celebrate? 

My beautiful Canada, how lucky we are to live here.

Let's never let the Cons damage it again.

And let's never take what we have for granted...

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen, Simon. Let's celebrate this bastion of freedom and sanity that is Canada and NEVER allow it to go down the deranged road that our neighbours to the south went down.

Anonymous said...

Boy oh boy, someone likes to toot their own horn.

Anonymous said...

While Jason Kenney and the rest of the Reform-a-Cons were seething at the proceedings, true Canadians such as yourself Simon were celebrating the greatest country on earth, Canada.
I think Bono said it best when he and The Edge took the time out from a busy schedule to pay homage to our native land.
"When others build walls, you open doors; when others divide, your arms are open wide; where you lead, others follow. That’s the real reason The Edge and myself are here today."
JD

Anonymous said...

I think this sums up the occasion very well.

http://nationalpost.com/opinion/christie-blatchford-the-dangers-of-canada-shaming-on-the-day-of-our-birthday/wcm/feea7aa5-f7d8-4e33-b4bb-1cb97337218e

Anonymous said...

Binging on jingoism and nationalism... Whatever rocks your boat, Simon.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful post. I loved everything in it from the duck to the fireworks. You are so talented.

Anonymous said...

Bonjour "MC," I see you're not signing your name anymore. Sourpuss.

Simon said...

Hi anon....I always thought that Canada,as quiet and as boring as it might appear, was following a better path, but now that our poor neighbours are living through a nightmare, I think it's obvious to all. And we must learn from what's happening, and never let it happen here...

Simon said...

Hi anon...I am tooting my own horn? What? Your comment makes no sense. This post is not about me, it's about my country...

Simon said...

Hi JD...Jason Kenney is more like a Republican politician than a Canadian one. He is a disgusting religious fanatic and bigot, and an absolute disgrace. I can only pray that his Alberta campaign ends disastrously so we can bury him one and for all...

Simon said...

Hi anon 2:06...don't be absurd. Where on earth do you get jingoism out of this post. What a bleak world you must inhabit. I feel sorry for you. I will never apologize for celebrating this country in a quiet Canadian manner, And you should get a life...

Simon said...

Hi anon 3:20...I had to delete about half a dozen foul comments, but I couldn't even be bothered to check whether they were from MC or the Mound of Misogny and Homophobia. If a comment has even a whiff of Con about it, I now delete it immediately.
Life is too short to print that kind of loser garbage...

Simon said...

Hi anon...thanks for your kind words. However I feel that the way I bungled my birthday video disqualifies me from being called talented. Sad... ;)

Anonymous said...

We'll do our best Simon! From what I've gleaned to this point, he won't have an easy time of it. This entailed me holding my nose twice and taking out a membership in the PC party and the WRP so I can vote NO twice. I consider it $20 well spent.