Our land, glorious and free
Over the Canada Day weekend, I’ve been reflecting on memories and moments, icons and images, that define this country for me.
Here are some of them, in totally random order ...
• The Canadian flag on soldier’s uniform
• Jim Cuddy singing the high note in “Try”
• Joni Mitchell singing the chorus of “Big Yellow Taxi”
• Alan Doyle counting in a song ... “And a one, two, three, four”
• Rush’s “Tom Sawyer”
• The amazing (and free) care of emergency room doctors and nurses
• Wayne Gretzky skating over the blue and circling back before making an amazing pass
• The late-night crowd at the Lower Deck in Halifax, singing, swaying to “Barrett’s Privateers”
• Burton Cummings, covered in sweat, sitting at a piano, bridging between “No Sugar Tonight/new Mother Nature”
• Jim Prowse playing “The Last Post” under the caribou statue at the Beaumont Hamel Newfoundland Memorial in France
• The solemn face of Mother Canada at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial
• Canada’s peacekeeping reputation
• Roberta Bondar
• Ken Dryden leaning on his stick
• The sound and smell of Canadian bacon sizzling on a grill
• Rick Mercer ranting through a graffiti-covered alley
• Nikki Payne
• The incredible taste of Quebec maple syrup
• The feeling of freedom and freezing from a cold, winter wind blowing through your bones
• A nation of weather hopefuls • Our flag, and how the Maple Leaf stands out from a distance
• Our collective kindness
• The Toronto Maple Leafs
• The great players of the Montreal Canadiens
• Being refreshed by cool, clear water from a mountain spring
• The athleticism and attitude of Hayley Wickenheiser
• The sound of the mill whistle in Corner Brook, Newfoundland
• The eloquence and legacy of Adrienne Clarkson
• The amazing soccer ability of Christine Sinclair
• Bob Cole calling a goal
• The sound of the Atlantic Ocean rolling and crashing against the shore
• My kids clapping Canada Day thunder sticks while listening to the Sheepdogs play live
• How I could listen to K.D. Lang’s “Constant Craving” all day long
• How you can be blown away by beauty no matter what part of Canada you’re standing in or flying over * Terry Fox
• Ron Mclean’s segues from one topic to the next
• A search and rescue tech jumping from a hovering helicopter into the cold Atlantic Ocean to save someone
• John Mann singing “You’ll have to excuse me, I’m not at my best ...”
• The North Head Trail, Signal Hill
• Chester, Nova Scotia
• North Rustico, PEI
• The privilege and grown-up feeling that comes with voting
• The crowd’s reaction to Sidney Crosbie’s winning goal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics
• Gord Downie, in T-shirt and fedora with feather, giving a two-finger salute, saying goodbye
• My kids making sure we celebrate Canada’s birthday and wearing red and white with pride.