Our land, glorious and free
Personal reflections on memories and moments, icons and images, that define this country
Over the Canada Day weekend, I reflected 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.
“Gord Downie, in T-shirt and fedora with feather, giving a two-finger salute, saying goodbye.”