What Canadians are proud of
On July 1, 1867, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada (Ontario and Quebec) joined into a federation. The kingdom of Canada was born.
The British North American Act, 1867, didn't give these four provinces total independence, as the British parliament and Cabinet (of the United Kingdom) kept political control, though limited, through the years. It was only the Constitution Act, which Queen Elizabeth II signed on April 17, 1982, when that vestige of authority was removed. Crowds gathered at the front of Parliament Hill to commemorate the event, a scenario expected every first of July. Recent celebrations turned informal, as one academician believe there's no central recipe on celebrating Canada's birthday. Blame it on the nature of federation.
Most communities mark the occasion with parades, fireworks, and barbecues, while Canadian expatriates organize activities to mark this special event. What was once a historical ocassion became more and more of a cultural and national observance. Non-Canadians will wonder what are the things that make this North American nation special. There are five things that Canadians are proud of:
Ice hockey. Stick-and-ball games originated in Europe. There were records that showed such activity existed during pre-Christian times. It was the British and other immigrants that brought the game to Canada, which according to John Franklin, a renowned explorer, became a morning sport. Some Canadians wouldn't agree completely, pointing out the Mi'kmaq people, the first people of Nova Scotia, who were engaging in this kind of game. Contemporary ice hockey began in Montreal, the first organized game played on March 3, 1875 and the first "world championship" featured in the annual Winter Festival of 1883. Team Canada has the most medals won in the Ice Hockey World Championships held by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It's also the winningest team in the Winter Olympics.
Denys Arcand. The native of Deschambault, Quebec is the most accomplished Canadian filmmaker, winning an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2004 for "The Barbarian Invasions". His works depict a slice of life in his native Quebec, about intellectual musings that mask the destructive effects of personal pursuits. His works may be a few decades old, but they haven't lost its relevance. Credit to Arcand's wit and the heart behind his screenplays.
Saul Bellow. The author of classics such as "The Adventures of Augie March" may have spent most of his life in America, but he was born in Lachine, Quebec. A recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature and Pulitzer Prize in Fiction in 1976, his coming-of-age tales probe into modern culture, his prose entertaining yet bittersweet.
Niagara Falls. Tourists can't figure out if this popular waterfalls is in Canada or the United States. It's both, with Horseshoe Falls, the largest, lying mostly on the Canadian side. This natural wonder is captivating from any angle, even dazzling at night time.
Maple leaf. The maple may be the national tree of many countries, but for Canada, it's a symbol of strength and endurance. One only look at the Canadian flag.
