Canada Day
Its like a quieter 4th of July - On the 1st
WHERE CAN YOU FIND A CANADIAN FLAG BENEATH THE SURFACE?
The shipwreck Niagara II, built in 1930 as a 182 foot steel freighter was intentionally sunk in 1999 in Tobermory, Ontario, Canada. The Niagara II lies perfectly upright in roughly 100 feet of clear water, just east of Little Cove. The top of her wheelhouse rests is found 45 feet, and both the bow and stern decks lie in the 65 feet range.
HAPPY CANADA DAY! - From Jill
Imagine the summer of 1867 when Canada came together as a new nation. On July 1 of that year, the British North America Act came into effect, officially creating the Dominion of Canada by uniting the maritime provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with the Province of Canada (which would later split into Ontario and Quebec). It was a big deal, so they called it Dominion Day.
At first, Dominion Day wasn’t much of an observance. But as time went on, the day started to grow in importance. After World War II, Canadians began to see it as a chance to celebrate their identity and pride. In the 1960s, people started thinking that “Dominion Day” didn’t quite capture the spirit of the modern, independent Canada they were proud of. So, on October 27, 1982, the name officially changed to Canada Day, reflecting a new sense of national pride and independence.
Today, Canada Day is a full-blown party across the country. Think concerts, parades, barbecues, fireworks, and people decked out in red and white, waving flags and having a great time. Most stores are closed unless, of course, you want to grab a case of beer. In cities like Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver, the festivities are enormous, with performances by famous Canadian artists and speeches by politicians. It’s a day when everyone comes together to celebrate what it means to be Canadian. So, July 1 has become a day not just to remember the country’s history but to look forward to its future, celebrating the diverse and vibrant nation that Canada has become. - Jill
My First Canada Day As A Canadian - From Robert
I am ten years old marching down 5th Street in the Olney neighborhood of Philadelphia. I won a Cub Scout essay contest on Patriotism and was selected to lead our Den while carrying a large United States flag. It is almost ninety degrees on July Fourth and it suddenly dawns on me that carrying a heavy flag strapped into a thick leather honour guard harness while wearing white gloves is not all it was cracked up to be. Man, I feel so patriotic. And overheated.
A few days later my picture from the parade is in the newspaper. It was just the local weekly freebie, The Olney Times, but for a month or so my mother carried the clipping with her and showed it to her hairdresser, grocery clerks, and the other moms on our street. A little more than a decade later I am in the newspaper again. The esteemed Philadelphia Inquirer has featured me in their Sunday Entertainment section as part of a story about managing and promoting an up-and-coming Philly rock band. My mom didn’t carry this one around though, as she kicked me out of our house when I was seventeen after my dad died.
I continued working in the live music business for several years. Then, one day I realized that I was pretty far down the road leading to alcoholism and beyond, so I decided that the Rock & Roll lifestyle of booze, drugs, and hangers-on was unsustainable.
I joined the United States Navy. When my active duty Navy career ended, I joined the United States Army Reserve. See…Patriotism squared.
And I got sober.
Fast forward many decades. In September of 2023, I became a Canadian citizen. Seven months, and thousands of dollars later, I renounced my United States citizenship. (Did you know that one must pay $2350.00 to the US government to give up your citizenship?) That fee, along with legal expenses to handle the process is a serious financial commitment.
Now, you may ask yourself, (with apologies to David Byrne), how did he get here? The answer I like to fall back upon is “I had the good sense to marry an extraordinary Canadian woman.” And although true, it is only a part of the story.
Jill and I promised you, our subscribers, that we would not publish a political newsletter. There are hundreds of them here on Substack, and many of them are quite successful. But I can’t tell the whole story of my journey to becoming Canadian without mentioning the political and cultural shift that is taking place in the country of my birth; a country that has become somewhat unrecognizable from the one whose flag I proudly hoisted as a ten-year old.
The details of our decision to move from Florida and live out our days in Canada are well-documented in my (not-so-bestselling) book “Leaving Trump’s America.” You can get it here.
I know that many of you hold multiple citizenship. And you may be perfectly happy with your status. For me, it became increasingly difficult from a practical and moral standpoint to continue as a U.S. citizen.
I love the “ideal” of America. I learned firsthand, as a young Philadelphia school student, standing in the very same rooms where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and where the U.S. Constitution was drafted, that the United States of America was the most enlightened “Government of the People” to ever exist. And now, I watch from the North, as corrupt people, drunk with power and greed, undermine the dreams of the Founders and tear it all down.
I have lived, worked and travelled to every corner of the United States. I’m not throwing shade on Americans. The People are fantastic. Generous, kind, smart, hard-working, - just generally good folks trying to do their best. But for the last few decades, those fantastic people have been lied to and sold empty promises by their political and corporate leadership.
It is pretty evident, at least to those of us who don’t live there, that America is going through some things. And we are concerned for our friends and families that without a definitive course correction, the country we all knew and loved may never recover.
God Bless America…indeed.
I am proud and honoured to have served my birth country. From a Cub Scout to a Navy Petty Officer, to an Army Staff Sergeant, I always believed I was in service to an idea bigger than all of us. But, my medals and ribbons are now safely stowed in a small box under my bed. They may never see the light again.
It is time to begin the next chapter, here in Canada, as a Canadian. This weekend is my first “Canada Day” as a citizen, and I just placed a few small maple leaf flags in our garden.
“God, keep our land glorious and free…”
Or, even with all its faults, at the very least help us maintain this relatively smooth functioning democracy. I’m here and ready to do my part. - Robert
Robert and Jill at the conclusion of their 7000 kilometer bicycle ride across Canada, at the Terry Fox memorial in St. John’s Newfoundland.
What real life looks like six months of the year in Ontario. Jill, I don’t think we are in Florida anymore.
Robert’s Photo of the Week
Even with some of the rougher living conditions, Canadians turn it out for Canada Day.
During the pandemic shutdown, Jill and I put together a few Canadian History video segments we call “My Canada.” Here’s a link to the playlist on Youtube:
Jill dives her rebreather in the Ottawa River behind 50 Sussex, the Headquarters of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and CanGeo magazine.
Book of the Week - The World Needs More Canada
The World Needs More Canada is a collection of entries by and about prominent Canadians, each with a positive statement about the “True North, Brave and Free.”
From actor/comedian Mike Myers to “Handmaid’s Tale'“ author Margaret Atwood the book features astronauts, scientists, chefs, athletes, and many more who have had an significant impact on the greater world. The real star of the book is its layout and design. A great book for easy browsing or gifting to your wanna-be Canadian friends!
HAPPY CANADA DAY FROM JILL AND ROBERT!
And Happy 3rd of July (or whatever you and your wife celebrate) to you! Yes, moving to another country, even one with a similar culture like Canada was a very challenging endeavor. Of course, as we both have Canadian wives, the path is a bit smoother. I hold on to the hope that honest people with good intentions will eventually prevail in the USA. But there may be a few stressful years in-between. I have a brother and sister there and am concerned for them. The young people give me hope, though. I'm fairly confident that the next generation of leaders will be more kind, generous, and reasonable. Cheers!
Happy Canada Day to you guys! I hear you Robert! My wife is also a Canadian Citizen and we talk at least weekly about the possibility of us moving up north! While the thought of becoming ab immigrant a second time in my life sounds overwhelming sometimes, I do find myself in a place that I no longer understand! I grateful for the US giving me a refuge at a time I desperately needed. I guess I am hoping against hope that we will come back to come kind of moral decency! I’ll read your book when I have a minute!