With an occasion that only comes around on the first of July the chances are always pretty good that a good time will be had by a good many. That’s the story with Canada Day. It’s tidy too, because the hockey playoffs are wrapped up and the football season has barely gotten off the ground.
The best part of our patriotic focal point is that – whatever city, town, village or hamlet we may call home – we all get together to whoop it up. We share cuisine, art, the news we may not have had a chance to share in the past year, and even some red and white face paint.
This is Canada Day and there’s a good reason committees get such a head start on planning it every year.
Here’s a bit of history for anyone who wasn’t around or out of diapers around 30 years ago:
“On July 1, 1867, Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain and a federation of four provinces: Nova Scotia; New Brunswick; Ontario; and Quebec. The anniversary of this date was called Dominion Day until 1982. Since 1983, July 1 has been officially known as Canada Day.”
If you found that interesting it sets the stage for the following suggestion.
By the time Canada Day rolls around next year, why not do like some of the rest of us and make it a point to learn an interesting fact from our history. Heaven knows we’ve got enough to check through even though it’s well under 200 years. It’s a habit we can borrow from our southern neighbours, and one that many of us can make some good progress with. For example, how many Prime Ministers come to mind when we really put our minds to it?
Louis St…. who?
There will be no quiz, just a fun way to think of Canadian stuff each year on the day that Canada itself is in the national spotlight.
Sure, most of us know about John Diefenbaker (‘The Chief’ to his supporters), 13th Prime Minister who’s term in office was from 1957 to 1963. Louis St.?
Laurent, of course!
