Canada Day and the Country of my Dreams

I thought that after Pride Day I'd had my fill of large crowds. But this is what my hood looked like this afternoon. And it was GREAT.

Thousands of Canadians flocking down to the waterfront to celebrate Canada Day.

Checking out the sights ....and each other.....on one of the most beautiful days of the summer so far.

Having their pictures taken with these two guys.



















Wishing they owned this yacht ...even if they couldn't go anywhere because they couldn't afford the gas bills.
















Or just whooping it up.

Like other Canadians.

And the future dog guide from the nearby Pet Centre.














And who can blame him?

I could say a lot about Canada.

I could say that we need to work harder to make this country even better. And to come to terms with who we really are. Realize that being a peaceful, tolerant country, in a world ripped apart by hatred and violence is not just more than good enough. It's Canada's greatest glory.

I could say that we need to do more to fight poverty, racism, sexism, and homophobia, and help bullied kids in our schools. Because every time I see a homeless person sleeping on a park bench...or hear that another native kid has committed suicide...I feel that we're not as great as the country we could be.

I could say that we desperately need to see a lot more women in our Parliament. And that having the best medicare and childcare system is far more important than having the best army in the world.

I could say that we need to treasure our REAL Canadian values a lot more, and realize that Stephen Harper and his rotten Republican Cons are trying to destroy them...replace them with American ones. And turn us into a jungle.

I could say all that and more. And I will because smugness is death. But not today.















Today is a day to wonder how amazingly lucky I am to live in this big beautiful country that is still young enough to know that the best years of its history are still to be written.

Young enough to dream that we can do ANYTHING...and be a force for good in a bleak world. Just by being better Canadians. In our own quiet way.

How proud I am to be one myself. These days it may not the best country in the world.

It's been treading water for far too long. But it's still pretty damn good, and it's young enough to be even better. And hope of being the best.

So from me, Sébastien , Kerouac....and his new pal the future dog guide from the Pet Centre.

Happy Canada Day everyone !!!!