Every year on Canada Day I post about Canada. I’m (naturally) a big fan and to let her Birthday slide by unnoticed? Not this knitter. The first year I did “Things for a knitter to do on Canada Day”, the next it was “You know You Are a Canadian Knitter when…” and last year it was “20 Interesting Things about Canada” This year I give you the A-Z of neat stuff about Canada.
A is for Afghanistan. While Canada chose not to take part in the Iraq war, the Canadian forces are present in Afghanistan. While there is a continuing debate about this plan and Canada’s role and purpose there, it is worth noting that in keeping with The Ottawa Treaty and the Canadian military’s position on landmines, Canadians have helped clear about one third of the 10 to 15 million land mines in that country, which can’t be a bad thing.
B is for Briggs and Little. Making and selling yarn Canadian yarn made from Canadian sheep at a Canadian mill in New Brunswick for 150 years.
C is for chips, which in Canada come in flavours like curry, ketchup, Fries and gravy, pizza, roast chicken, smokey bacon and chili garlic.
(We know, but we like it anyway.)
D is for Doughnut shops, most commonly Tims. Canada has more doughnut shops per capita than any other country on earth. We don’t know why. (It is worth noting that Krispy Kreme was a pretty big failure here, not enough people thought they were…well, doughnuts.)
E is for Ethnic Diversity. Canada is the most Ethnically diverse country in the world. Other countries may have more foreign born citizens, but Canada has the most variety.
F is for Flickr. Started in Vancouver.
G is for Gun control. The Supreme Court of Canada states “Guns cannot be divided neatly into two categories — those that are dangerous and those that are not dangerous. All guns are capable of being used in crime. All guns are capable of killing and maiming. It follows that all guns pose a threat to public safety. As such, their control falls within the criminal law power.”
H is for Hockey. (Duh)
I is for internet. Canadians love it, ranking first for internet reach (70% of households online) and first for time spent per month.
(Apparently my contribution has not gone unnoticed.) There are 650, 000 Torontonians on Facebook and that’s more than the combined Facebook users of New York, Boston and Los Angeles.
(Joe wondered if they took that measurement in the winter. Would explain a lot.)
J is for Joints.
K is for Koigu.
L is for Legal to be “top free” for women. Since gender equality is written into the constitution, women are allowed to be bare on top anywhere that men are. This was most famously upheld in Ontario, where the law was tested in court, and hardly anybody took of their top anyway.
M is for maple syrup, Canada produces 80% of the worlds supply. (M is also for Mounties. Arguably the hottest police force in the world.)
N is for Nunavut, a brand new Territory changing Canada’s map in 1999.
O is for Oil. Canada has oil reserves second only to Saudi Arabia, and is the top provider of oil to the US.
P is for Patons. Seriously. Could it be anything else? (Well. Maybe Peacekeepers.)
Q is for Quarters with poppies on them causing a stir.
R is for resources. Canada leads the world in the production of zinc, uranium, pulp and paper and is a major producer of gold, silver, diamonds and lead.
S is for size, and Canada has tons of it. Second largest country in the world, bowing only to Russia.
T is for Terms. Canada has no term limits, and a Prime Minister can be re-elected forever. On the other side of the coin, while an election has to occur at least every 4 years, one can be called anytime the government loses a vote of confidence. William Lyon Mackenzie King was Prime Minister for 21 years and 4 1/2 months, while Sir Charles Tupper was only in office for 2 months and 7 days.
U is for Universal Health Care.
V is for Vineyard, Canada is a big wine producer, producing many prize winning wines and is the worlds leading producer of Ice Wine.
W is for water. Canada has more fresh water than any other country, more than half of the worlds lakes are within it’s borders and it touches three oceans. (Further to that, a Canadian was once famously defined as “someone who knows how to make love in a canoe”. Don’t laugh. It’s harder than you think. Those things are tippy.)
X is for X-files, filmed in Vancouver. (That one was hard. Thanks Lene.)
Y is for Yarn and yarn stuff. (I can’t believe how long that took me. Idiot.) There’s not just Koigu, Briggs and Little, but Fleece Artist, Handmaiden, Mission Falls, Philosophers wool, Mary Maxim, Treenway Silks, Soak, Oceanwind Knits, Apple Laine, Knitty, Fiddlesticks Knitting, Needle Arts Bookshop, Lana Knits, Lucy Neatby …the list goes on and on and on.
Z is for Zed. Not Zee.
Your turn! Let’s hear your Canadian fun and Facts.
Happy Canada Day, eh?
Yay! Happy Canada Day! I’m celebrating by packing up my knitting for vacation, and rolling my change for summer purchases…nothing like knitting by the ocean!
Wow, I’m almost first! I wanted to add to the “Resources” category that Canada has the richest gold deposit IN THE WORLD, right here in Red Lake where I’m currently working as a student geologist!
My job is actually looking for other extensions of that deposit 😀
Hey Stephanie,
Enjoyed all your interesting info on Canada. My info is that my husband and I honeymooned there in January of 1982. We had a lot of fun and would like to come back to visit soon!
What? S wasn’t for Squirrels? hee hee..
I have some too. I don’t have fleece to steal, but they keep planting walnuts in my planters.
A gem of a Canada Day post, as always. Off to raise a brew and a doughnut to my country!
Hello Stephanie!
That was absolutely fascinating! I hadn’t heard about the poppy quarters fiasco. My boyfriend and I have been talking about vacationing up there sometime next year and now I REALLY hope I make it up there.
We took the ferry over to Victoria from Anacortes, about 40 years ago. The traffic signals were out. It was near dinner time. People took turns at the lights. Imagine that: tired, hungry, and still polite! And our waiter looked like Terry Thomas.
Happy Canada Day, Stephanie!! My husband was just commenting on it!! Loved your list! Especially J, I had to click on it to see just exactly what you were refering too! You never know, it could be sleazy joints, or stiff joints, or just plain old joints:)! Great list! Happy day!!
Happy Canada day! We honeymooned there and we fell in love with the place – absoLUTEly. I’d love to live there!
The people were so incredibly friendly and the mountains, wow, the mountains. And it was great to see totem poles, and we saw a whale, and we were upgraded to the presidential suite in the hotel cos it was our honeymoon and….. I just love the country, I really do.
Happy Canada Day! Canada of course is close to my heart as in this house C is for Craig- my Canadian husband. We came within a hair’s breadth of moving to Kitchener/Waterloo last year. We were really excited about the prospect and raising our boys as Canadians- alas it was not to be. We do get to raise them as Seattlites which is a pretty okay 2nd. At least we are closer to Vancouver. Yay!
Canada’s health insurance system is much better than ours too!
S is for Stargate, because 10 years of SG-1 and now three movies are being filmed there, and for four years of SG:Atlantis, which makes me ridiculously happy.
S is also for Stephanie, ambassador of knitters to muggles around the world, uniting us all in stitches with your humor (oh god the PUNS! :D), sock photos and general all around superfantasticness.
::raises glass to Canada:: Here’s to you!
As a self respecting Mainer, I do happen to know how to make love in a canoe, all about beer, decent hockey (once the Bruins lose, I turn my hopes up North), and the fact that my hubby was born in Leftbridge.
Of course, he’s been a right ass this past week, so my hopes of defecting North don’t include him at the moment…
P is also for People, because on every single trip I’ve made to Canada, I’ve met kind, friendly polite people. Amazing.
And T is for Tourism, because your tourist stations are a marvel. Wonderful, knowledgeable people who can find restaurants and maps, explain about food, make hotel reservations, explain that they can’t recommend one hotel over another, but will indicate that you should look at the room first (hint, hint).
A lovely, wonderful country that is much under-appreciated.
If I may be so bold I would like to take “I” for Icelandic. There are more of my brothers and sisters here then anywhere else in the world…well…um…outside Iceland. Lopi rocks!
SO jealous about that Universal health care thing.
P is for Polite. We’re the only country in the world where road rage is when you’re ticked off because the guy driving the car you just let in ahead of you didn’t wave “thanks”.
I moved here 37 years ago, became a citizen as soon as I could, and absolutely love it. Yay, Canada.
S is for same-sex marriage.
Here’s a joke about Canada:
How do you get a crowd of rowdy, drunken Canadians out of your swimming pool?
You say “Everyone please leave the pool.”
B is for Beer. Canadian beer has a higher alcohol content than American beer.
Happy Canada Day. I used to live one mile from the border in North Dakota. I thank god that Canadians are our neighbors to the north. My grandparents were french speaking so I think that they may have come across the border at some point. Enjoy your day!!!! and happy knitting.
Didn’t Macleans magazine once have a contest to come up with a motto to explain Canadianism, and give first prize to “As Canadian as possible, under the circumstances.”?
Judith
Formerly of Michigan, the southernmost Canadian province.
V is for Vimy, to which many historians trace the beginnings of a Canadian identity separate from the British Empire.
Oo save me some curry chips and ice wine please! Yum!
Wow – this was very informative – and fun! Thank you for sharing!!
Today isn’t Canada Day!!!!! When it falls on a Sunday, it is officially moved to July 2nd. Stupid, but true. Not Canada Day today.
W is for Windsor! It’s the answer to the Jeopardy question: Where is Canada SOUTH of the lower 48 states of the USA?
Most people don’t believe that, but take a look at a map! Every year Detroit and Windsor jointly celebrate the Freedom Festival.
Here’s to a wonderful neighbor!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Mary
I want to add a flavor to C is for Chips — All Dressed! Those are the best chips in the world!
Happy Canada Day
We have Tim Horton’s here in Ohio, and their coffee is scary addictive!!! BUT, having grown up near the birthplace of Krispy Kreme (Winston-Salem, NC), I have a hard time believing that Tim Horton’s doughnuts are, well, doughnuts!!!
C is for Chilkoot trail, cause while it may start near Skagway, Ak most of it is in Canada. I flew in to Whitehorse and hiked the trail last summer and I loved the whole Yukon thing. And the nice people. And the fact that the yarn shop was selling Brown Sheep, and the factory is 90 miles from my house. I flew how many miles for that yarn?!
T is for The Town Pants, my favourite Celtic-flavoured fast folk band. They’re based in Vancouver.
I’ve not been to a Canadian city I didn’t like (and plenty of small towns in between). I think Tim Horton’s is slowly taking over western New York and planning to annex it back into Ontario, as it creeps forth from Niagara Falls and all. I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. 🙂
B is for back bacon. Man, now I want bacon and we don’t have any. Darn you anyhow.
You hoser.
W is for wildlife, because boy do we have a lot of neat critters here!
Jennifer E: No, today is still Canada Day, it’s the work holiday that gets moved. Basically today is Canada Day and tomorrow is Canada Day Observed. So it’s like having 2 Canada Days. Which is even better.
B is for Butter Tarts, which I would not have known about had I not been a knitter 🙂 You should be appointed to the head of chamber of commerce. If ever I were to relocate, it would be there.
I’m with B on the “S is same-sex marriage”, as David & I plan to honeymoon in your fair land next summer and make it official. And, as a Southern boy, I have to side with whitney on the Krispy Kreme, especially when they’re fresh and hot. On the other hand, we’ve been fairly well flooded with Tim’s here in Maine over the past couple years. I thought it was part of a plan to annex us to the Maritimes (I wouldn’t complain), but my Newfie coworker tells me they were bought by an American firm.
S is for Synchronized Swimming because like it or not, we invented it!
C is for Cajun, the descendents of those who were kicked out of Nova Scotia and then created the best cuisine ever (IMHO) down in Lousiana!
Well, if an entire country agrees with me that Krispy Kreme is not that great, then I must not be so weird after all. I shall use this information when looked at strangely for rejecting the Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
Loved the M especially the second part, I am married to one sexy Mountie. Definitely the hottest cop I know!!
The list just goes to further my desire to relocate to Canada. Perhaps someday, it will be so. I’d love being that close to that much yarn and in a place where the arts are supported. Y is for YAY CANADA!!!!
H is also for the Hudson Bay Company.. the oldest retail establishment in the world (it had is 400th birthday some years (10?–about 10) years ago. (we share a birhtday Hudson Bay Comp and I, only they are bit older!)–
Canada is world best neighbor too, (especially considering who it has to be neighbors with!) but its an unfailing friend to us (US!)
H is for Hocky (duh)
Sign posted at the check in desk of a motel in Nakusp BC during the PeeWee Hocky tourney in town.
“POSITIVELY NO HOCKY PLAYING IN THE HALLWAYS”
(Thank You)
Honestly, we took a picture of the sign
HOCKEY!! HOCKEY HOCKEY
forgot the e….
E is for eh?
G is for grad, not prom!
I love Canada, and all its alphabet goodness!
Hey, Jennifer – actually, today IS Canada Day – the festivities are always observed on July 1st.
However, we live in a country that nicely grants us the Statutory Holiday day in lieu, whenever a national holiday falls on a weekend. Same as when Christmas or Boxing Day are on a weekend.
I have colleagues in the states who had to go to work with no holiday for Christmas a couple years ago when Christmas was on Saturday. Bummer! I don’t know where that falls alphabetically, but maybe “S is for Statutory Holidays in Lieu!”
But, the fireworks are on July 1! I’m heading up to my roof tonight.
Thank you, from another proud Canadian! I am the wife of a retired service man, mother of a serving service man and mother-in-law of a serving service man. Thanks for the boost for our service people!
Canada Day is JULY 1
always JULY 1
and my Dad and Diana’s birthdays-both in a safer place now
Thanks for the Canada Day post Stephanie and
Happy Independence Day (July 4- always July4!) coming up for our neighbours
cool list, but I had to add my USD 0.02.
“R” is for Rush! The best band in the universe.
M is for Maple Leaf!
Happy Canada Day! Although I’m an Australian rather than a Canadian, perhaps I could add U is for the extra vowel in ColoUr, favoUrite, honoUr and all those other words that persons from non-Commonwealth countries think are misspelled 😉 I could also mention S is for Skiing and W is for Whistler … we’ve had great fun doing a few ski trips there these last few years.
“Canada’s Really Big” by the Arrogant Worms (you should look it up, they’re fun).
(spoken)
Thank you very much
now we’re very, uh, we’re very patriotic Canadians and we’d like to take this moment to, uh, to do our national anthem, that we wrote.
When I look around me, I can’t believe what i see it seems as if this country has lost its will to live. The economy is lousy, we barely have an army but we can still stand proudly ’cause Canada’s really big. We’re the second largest country on this planet Earth, and if Russia keeps on shrinking, then soon we’ll be first (as long as we keep Quebec)!
The USA has tanks, and Switzerland has banks.
They can keep them, thanks; they just don’t amount. ‘Cause when you get down to it, you find out what the truth is, it isn’t what you do with it, it’s the size that counts. Most people will tell you that France is pretty large, but you can put fourteen Frances into this land of ours(it’d take a lot of work; it’d take a whole lot of work)!
We’re larger than Malaysia, almost as big as Asia. We’re bigger than Australia and it’s a continent! So big we seldom bother to go see one another, although we often go to other countries for vacations. Our mountains are very pointy, our prairies are not. The rest is kinda bumpy, but man do we have a lot (we’ve got a lot of land, we’ve got a whole lot of land)!
So stand up and be proud and sing it very loud:
we stand out from the crowd, cause Canada’s really big!
H is for Humour … Canada has been responsible for a lot of very funny people, especially when you consider it on a per capita basis.
S is for spelling … because we are just as happy to use some french spelling as we are to use some english spelling (not as often with the american spelling, though).
And the Southern Tip of Vancouver Island (from Ladysmith down) is also below the Canada/U.S. mainland border. If you live in Victoria you stare at the Olympic mountain range and Mt. Baker.
What? ‘P’ isn’t for “Poutine”? OK, fair enough, Paton’s is awfully important. But I think you might have to have two entries for that letter – I can’t bear to think of either of them superseding the other.
Happy Canada Day!
happy canada day! i remember celebrating it w/canadian fellow members of the newspaper guild in washington, d.c., in 1976.
i honeymooned in canada w/huz no. 1 in 1971 and visited it also w/huz no. 2 about 1990. i have fonder memories of kitchener, toronto, montreal and quebec city than of either/both of my now-exes. i also visited vancouver with my daughter and 100 or so of her nearest and dearest indpls children’s choir friends in 1998.
in all my visits, i found the people friendly, the bookstores outstanding, the scenery beautiful and the public transportation great.
so here’s a toast to canada from a south-of-the-border fan.
I think it’s funny how you Canadians call potato crisps Chips (like the Americans would), but Z is Zed (like the English)… Anyway, happy Canada Day!
Thank you for the list. It makes me want to visit Canada that much more, especially Toronto, particularly for Romni Wools. 6,000 sq. ft. of yarn. What does it say about me that I find that more attractive than the mounted police?
I know some other people have commented on this, but July 1 is definitely Canada Day, Sunday or not. My husband and I are in Ottawa (a stopover on our trip across Canada from Nova Scotia), and judging by the thousands of people around and the buskers and the prime minister and the governor general and the mounties and the changing of the guards and the Snowbirds and the maple leaf stickers on people’s faces and the bands and the chip wagons and the closed streets and the fireworks later tonight, it’s Canada Day.
Given L, I’d guess breastfeeding in public is much better accepted up north? Hope so.
that was great! Happy Canada Day to you and the other Canadians—– celebrate on!
Canada means knitting year round cause summer doesn’t last long here.
B is also for Blue Jays, the American League team that plays our Red Sox. When they come to town, I get to hear “Oh, Canada”, which I like a lot more than the Star Spangled Banner. Happy Canada Day!
F is for funny, too. All the funniest people in show biz seem to come from Canada. Dan Akroyd, John Candy, Jim Carrey, Tommy Chong (of all people!), Phil Hartman, all the Kids in the Hall (obviously), Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis, Lorne Michaels (go figure), Mike Meyers, and the completely incomparable Martin Short.
That being said, America still refuses to forgive Canada for Tom Green.
Don’t forget “S”uper “N”atural, and “W”orld Cup Soccer right now for the under 20 squad. Awesome, friendly, Aurora Borealis, opportunity, camping, – I could go on and on. Our family are a mix of English, Scottish and Brazilian, but together we are all Canadian and proud of it.
We are so fortunate to live here and belong to this fantastic country. Thanks for your reminder list – not that we will ever lose our appreciation for what we have.
Janet MF up in Yellowknife
“H” is also for Harlot!
I can’t believe Y wasn’t for Yarn Harlot.
Lord, I love Ice Wine! Discovered it at Peller Vineyards (Niagara on the Lake) several years ago and may still have one bottle left. Do you know why they aren’t crazy about letting Canadian wine into the US? Because it would RUIN the northern New York state wineries. Their stuff is swill compared to the Canadian wine!
H is for hosers, coined by the M is for Mackenzie Brothers, who drank a lot of B is for (Canadian)Beer, which is undisputedly preferable to that brewed south of the border – okay, not undisputedly, but in my opinion as a proud C is for Canadian.
Thanks, Stephanie, I am proud of my heritage all over again…
D is for dogf***er and dogger. Not a word common in any other country. Call a person from the U.S. one and they’ll get mad because they are pretty sure it isn’t a nice name, but they might not necessarily know what it means.
Please don’t say that bit about Canada having great big oil reserves too loudly, Steph, or W will find some reason to “bring democracy to Canada”.
The nicest people I ever met (except my husband, my neighbors Dick’n’Deb & Sarah) are Canadians and the best coffee shops too. I fell in love with Tim’s in the 80’s and have gone back a couple of times since just for good coffee and a donut.
I wish we could all be Canadians just for the pride they take in their country, their good manners and sense, their great government (votes of no confidence) and their health care. God bless Canada!
Can I move? As if the whole new election with a vote of no confidence, universal health care, and gun control sensabilities weren’t enough, the chips and the koigu really pushed me over the top. I grew up in Niagara Falls, constantly dealing with our inferiority to the “other side.” The only thing I would be giving up would be our far better beer, now that I live in Oregon.
Go Canada! There’s a reason New Zealander and Canadians get along so well – apart from the size thing, we have so much in common!
I should mention that Patons is not exclusively Canadian though. There’s Australian Patons and English Patons, they have the same logo but they all seem to produce different yarns (with a little crossover)! It’s mystifying.
I realize why ‘you’ could do the “Y” is for Yarn Harlot…there, done, and “R” is for Rabbitch…. “F” is for fuzzylogic..and fey…
A very Happy Canada Day to all!
criminy…I realize why YOU could/would NOT do the “Y” for Yarn Harlot…etc…
Thanks for a most enjoyable interlude to my day. Appreciate it.
C is for Canadian National Anthem. Canadians rise up and sing their National Anthem loudly and proudly at their sports games, unlike the timid or disinterested southerners. (Maybe this should be “O for O Canada?)
Happy Canada Day!
I got my Canadian citizenship in 2004, but we soon moved home to Australia (I have dual citizenship) to be closer to grandma when we had our first child!
How one can miss 8 months of straight rain (we lived on the west coast) is beyond me, but somehow I do – I miss it a lot! Maybe because we are in drought here Downunder!
Anyway hope to get back there one day soon!
S is also for the Shaw Festival, which stages superb performances of the plays of George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries (Wilde, Chekhov, Ibsen, Friel) every summer in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON.
And how about the late, great Ernie Coombs, aka Mr. Dressup?
Canada Day!
Canada Day became a bigger deal for me when I moved to the UK. It always makes me a bit homesick. No fireworks here – but I celebrated by forcing everyone to listen to Canadian CDs all day.
We here in the states are learning the love of Tims. I went to college in Buffalo NY and there were just as many Timmy Ho’s as there were anything else. Many a professor was smiled upon for bringing some TimBits to class.
I totally agree with “S”–and follow that with “T” being for Toronto where my partner and I had a fab time at Pride for the second year in a row.
Still couldn’t sneak in even a bit of a yarn crawl though.
Although your L was very interesting…what about L is for Lendrum? I was spinning today and the label just happened to catch my eye!
F is for FRANTICS, the single funniest group I have ever heard. I want ALL their stuff, so anyone who has recordings of stuff not on ‘Boot To The Head’ album, please PLEASE let me know.
F is also for FRIENDS. Some of the nicest folks I know live up thataway!
And T? It’s for TEMPERATURE, of course, since you show off your HUMOUR by making a hellish 108F into a truly understated 45C. Also listed under S for SARCASM. 🙂
Happy Canada Day!
Why is it I want to ask you how you know about making love in a canoe?? Happy Canada Day!
happy canada day! i’m a canadian in the UK & wasn’t really missing canada today until i read your list. i might add “B” is for the barenaked ladies – greatest band ever, so good they almost make up for celine dion! 🙂
Dammit someone beat me to posting Canada’s Really Big *lol*
Continuing in the Arrogant Worms vein, Proud To Be Canadian (first verse):
Our fair country Canada is north of the USA
Our Maritimes are lovely and our Prairies give us hay
You may think you Yankees are better than us Canucks
But we don’t need no microchips inside our hockey pucks… 😉
“O” is for Old Fort William, a reconstructed fur trading fort in Thunder Bay ON, where in summer you can see how a fort from that time actually operated, and once a year there’s a Voyageur festival 🙂
“S” is for the Sleeping Giant, also a Thunder Bay landmark – a peninsula (IIRC) jutting into Lake Superior that looks like a giant in repose. The legend attached to it I can’t remember offhand; I believe it had to do with white men attempting to mine that area…
“U” is for Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the end of the Underground Railroad located in Dresden ON. (Despite the fact that a great deal of my mother’s side of the family hails from there and I’ve been in Dresden many times for reunions… I have yet to actually go to the cabin itself)
B is for bunnyhug! (okay, that seems to be a more Saskatchewan thing, but ever since I found out about it I use it).
D is for Dinosaurs!
There’s just so much to enjoy about Canada, you could go on and on. My son even has a really cute Alphabet book called M is for Maple.
Happy Canada day!
W is for Whippet cookies, far better than Moon Pies.
N is for Niagara Falls – the Canadian side.
M is for Musicians – Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, The Be Good Tanyas, The Wailin’ Jennies, Gordon Lightfoot, to name only a few.
Many of those Lays chip flavours are being imported from the UK, where they did or are doing their turn under the Walkers crisps brand. (Same company, slowly converging brand imagery.) Curry’s a recent example.
With luck, the Marmite won’t migrate.
I only do variations on plain/ready-salted chips for the most part. Being chased across the Atlantic by the curry things was most disconcerting.
(Hi. I’m a dual national who’s afraid of fireworks.)
G is for Gun control. “…All guns are capable of killing and maiming. It follows that all guns pose a threat to public safety. As such, their control falls within the criminal law power.”
All I can say is, ‘WOW.’ Short, sweet and simple.
S is for Serenity.
F is for Firefly.
Sheesh! How could you forget that?
F is for the Friendly Giant too!
And hurrah for E! I went to a citizenship ceremony today (after 10 years, the boyfriend’s cousins are now citizens!), and there were 140 people (for 140 years of Canada) from 39 different countries. The list went from Afghanistan to Yugoslavia.
I married a Canadian, and stole him back to Australia. In our house, pickle flavoured chips rule supreme 🙂
A is also for Anne of Green Gables, one of the best loved heroines in literature, written by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Happy Canada Day!
Sigh. I want to live in Canada. I’ve about (a-boot) had it with the US. Any American expatriates want to tell me about life in Canada?? I’m dying to hear.
Posting again, but you can’t forget that I is for Insulin!
I think I’ll start later in the alphabet.
R is for a Reasonable Immigration Policy.
S is for Skilled Worker Immigration.
T is for the wonderful city of Toronto.
U is for the wonderful University of Toronto.
V is for, erm, V-aiting patiently to follow my study permits with a work permits, and TN visas, and permanent residence. And then I’ll be thrilled to come back around to C, for Canada Day.
It’s a great country–you can tell by all the people trying to get in!
C is for “creton” lowfat spiced pork breakfast spread you can only get in Quebec. Sounds gross, I know – but it’s awesome on toast.
C is also for cod cheeks and tongues fried in cornmeal and fatback – but I’m sure Joe already told you that!
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!
Yay, Canada! I’m currently in the other major country bordering the US. It’s considerably more foreign. (This may have something to do with speaking French but not Spanish.)
If I ever get back to Europe I plan to practice saying “eh” at the end of every sentence in the hope that people will think I’m Canadian.
barenaked ladies.!!!!
bachman turner overdrive!!!!!!
bruce cockburn!!!!!!!
ferron!!!!!!!!!!
and I think that the ladies from HEART (ann and nancy wilson) started out in the b.c. area….
but please dont flame me, I am a mariners fan (seattle) and didnt they win yesterday? against toronto?????? go mariners.
Sigh. I don’t suppose they give knitters priority in the immigration lottery?
I’ve been looking forward tot his post all day! V-is for VIA rail – a wonderful way to see the country!
Happy Canada Day to you and yours, bet that “J” got a lot of clicks…I know I clicked on it, but was not too surprised !!
Canada is clearly made of awesome.
THANK YOU! I’ll be in New Brunswick in just a couple of weeks. I had NO IDEA about Briggs and Little. Must set my uncle to finding it, and tour times if they have them!
My childhood got me to Canada almost every year. Something has gone decidedly south … I haven’t made it back in far too long. (But I secretly want to move there)
ok so stupid question time. When Americans sing the Alphabet song, the last bit is “…why and zee. Now I know my A-B-Cs, next time won’t you sing with me.” Because zee, C, and me all rhyme, I’ve always wondered: what do Canadians sing for the last bit? Are the final two lines the same, or is there a special Canadian version?
Also: is your publisher planning on sending you to Seattle any time soon? We have wool here, too, you know!
I would’ve said “P is for poutine” – certainly my favorite Canadian food! Happy Canada Day!
the home of much loved family members. the place where my grandparents were married in the middle of the night by the danish seaman’s priest in order not to live in sin. she brought his children and her nephew and niece there to marry her late sister’s husband (who had passed away in australia). a place i have been to three times. the home of joni mitchell, rufus wainwright, mcgarrigle sisters, martha wainwright, neil young and younge street. all in all an important place to me.
I is for Immigrant, which some of us may become, depending on how things go in 2008.
And A is for Antihistamine. Canada had way better OTC drugs than the US for a long time. Any time I was near the border, I’d pop over to stock up on Seldane and Hismanal.
I love the story about the Quarters. I’m sharing it as fast as I can. Now I want one!
I would have said “F is for ‘forty below zero and exposed skin freezes in thirty seconds'”, which is what the pilot of the plane said just before we disembarked the one and only time I ever visited Canada. Edmonton. Middle of winter. Which probably explains why I never returned.
I’m with Amy, Y is for Yarn Harlot! Happy Canada Day.
Hell yeah Mounties are hot! I might be a little biased though, since I’m married to one.
To all hosers everywhere, a good Canada Day to you.
And dill pickle chips! One of the most disgusting things on earth, but totally worth the ew-factor.
And Nanaimo bars (someone above beat me to butter tarts).
God, I miss being Canadian.
Happy Canada Day!
And “P” is also for Paul Gross, as he’s one of your most beautiful exports. 🙂
How about B for Bowling? Your 5-pin bowling is infinitley more challenging (and fun) than plain old American 10-pin bowling.
And yay G is for Gun Control!!!
S is for Smarties…so much better than M&Ms!!!
Right on, eh.
Though I’ve lived there, you never cease to re-educate me about the coolness of Canada.
Thanks!
M for Mr. Dressup. A for apologetic. S for short growing season, or snow. W for warm vacations. (see S)
Thanks for the flag waving; we are more subtle than citizens of other counries, but that does not mean that our hearts beat any fainter for our country.
About the buttertarts…they have buttertart ice cream now…I just found out about this.
M is for the Maritimes, my new favourite place in the whole wide world. Perhaps Canada’s best kept secret, or so it seems.
and
S is for Smarties, those delightfully colourful chocolate coated little pieces of happiness.
“C” is for Carmen’s Diner in St Stephens, NB — the first meal I ate in Canada last week was at Carmen’s with WONDERFUL real seafood chowder and the best fish and chips I have had since I was a child in England more than 50 years ago!
F is for Funny. As pointed out by my 14 year old son at your book signing at Powell’s in Portland, Canada has the funniest people. He put you right in there with Jim Carrey and Mike Myers. (Lorne Michaels, The Kids in the Hall.)
Liz R, check out the Quirky Nomads blog at http://www.quirkynomads.com. A family from the US that transplanted themselves to Toronto.
M is for Murchie’s Tea. Especially the Empress Blend served at the Empress Hotel in Victoria — the only place I’ve ever had crumpets.
Oh, and Krispy Kremes aren’t doughnuts. I don’t know what they are (besides nasty) but the Canadians are right.
And of course you all know how Canada got it’s name? Instead of squabbling, the forefathers politely decided to randomly pull letters out of a hat, and whatever it spelled would be the name of the new country. So the letter selector pulled out “C, eh!, N, eh! D, eh!”
About 8 years ago or so, my husband, almost 2 year old son, and I flew from FL up to Buffalo then drove up to Toronto for lasik surgery. Apparantly CA had approved the astigmatism one way back and at the time it wasn’t approved yet in the US, and my husband wanted it BAD. So, we got a Canadian vacation out of it. I fell in love. Toronto is one of the most beautiful places, and not just because of the scenery. After the surgery, I suddenly became very very nervous because I realized 2 things
1.) I’d have to drive back to the hotel that I didn’t know where it was due to my husband having driven everywhere before and I didn’t pay any attention.
2.) It was rush hour. I’m terrified of rush hour. I grew up way outside of Chicago, and heard horror stories, then moved down to FL and had to actually drive in it into Tampa. The drivers, bless their hearts, were usually one of 3 categories, very very old people going very very slowly, tourists who didn’t know where they were going, and re-located New Yorkers and New Jerseyians driving, well, again, bless their hearts, rudely.
Back to Toronto rush hour. Oh My Gosh. As I attempted to merge onto the highway, I put my signal on. Someone actually slowed down and hand-motioned me in! I thought I’d cry. Then when I had to change lanes, I put my signal on again, and someone did it again!
God Bless America and all that, but if we ever move out of the country, Toronto here we come.
Side note, Banff is great too, but Fairmont Hot Springs in July, not so much. Bless it’s little heart.
M is for Moose Factory, the first English-speaking settlement in Ontario. I loved your list; I just also enjoyed our week on Moose Factory in 2001. (I have a thing for tidal rivers and my husband found a rare species of wildflower that the residents had not known was there.) Hope you had a wonderful Canada Day!
C is for chesterfield!
F is for fiddleheads, that other ferny vegetable taste treat available here for only a short time in the spring, even though asparagus seems to get all the good press.
O is for O Canada, verse 2 (my personal favourite)
O Canda,
Where pines and maples grow,
Great prairies spread,
And lordly rivers flow.
How dear to us, thy broad domain
From East to Western Sea.
Thou land of hope
For all who toil
Thou True North, strong and free!
God keep our land
Glorious and free
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
Born in New Brunswick, raised in Ontario. I love this country!
Happy Canada Day, Stephanie!
What a great list! I love learning all these different facts and nuances about Canada. It sounds like a wonderful place to live. Happy Canada Day!
C – Coffee Crisp, A lady and I spotted the last one on the shelf in Oregon and in true Canadian fashion, split it in the parking lot. W – White Spot Hamburger with Triple O sauce. B – Bics YumYums, H – HP Sauce. O Canada! – Yeh eh!
h is for harvey’s. every time we visit, we look for one. try finding one in saskatchewan!
p for poutine (not so easy to replicate here in the states). altho patons is a great choice too!
can i move up there?
C is for cursing, because I learned my first curse words in French when I was a kid. (C could also be for Curling, which is fun I dont care what anyone says.)
K is for Kinder, as in Kinder Eggs! Woo!
L is for Leafs! GO LEAFS!
M is for Miss, because I miss Canada ever single day I am not there.
O is for Orangina.
S is for sad…. see “M”
Helen
Have a great time in NB
Love Canada’s east coast!!!
Briggs and Little is in Harvey Station
wish I was going too
Happy Canada Day!!
Gwen in Bowmanville:
love your version
buttertarts and the Yarn Harlot rule
whoa! “L” is for Leafs?
“S” is for Senators!
“H” is for Hockey
I totally miss all those flavored chips. I use to go up to Victoria for the Victoria Day Parade every year with my school band (I was a total band geek) and march in the parade. We ate ketchup chips and pickle chips. I LOVED them. They now have a dill pickle chip down here but it pales in comparison. But no ketchup ones. I desperately loved those one. Who knew?? You sassy Canadians! That’s who!
E is for Excited — I’m leaving tomorrow (Monday) morning for about a month in your lovely country! See blog for details (click on the Background Information label).
Happy Canada Day!! Driving from Montreal to Windsor last summer was one of the best experiences I’ve had in my life. I’m proudly wearing my “Canada Original” shirt today, and appreciating the Canadian blood I get from my great-grandma.
Oooh, I’m not Canadian but I LOVE CANADA. Here are my alphabet ideas:
M = music. Canada has some great great musicians. Avril Lavigne, Alannis Morrisette, Bare Naked Ladies, Tragically Hip and last, but not least, Great Big Sea. That’s just to name a few.
H = harlot. As in THE yarn harlot. Couldn’t help it, it HAD to be said.
T = Toronto. Best city in the world. Ever. ‘nuf said.
Oooh, and P = podcasts as is Chub Creek and Quirky Nomads. Good stuff.
I’m only half Canadian in the real world, but I got 100% on the ‘Are You Canadian?’ quiz (http://www.gotoquiz.com/how_canadian_are_you_1)…Maybe it’s just because I was always fascinated by the bags of milk my grandmother always had at her house when we visited…I mean, really, *bags* of *milk*?? *grin* Oh, and Canadian Tire money is really fun to play with when you’re four…
Happy Canada Day anyway!
Lots of ’em here, I hope you don’t freak. 😉
A is for Ashley MacIsaac – more of whose music I need to get, as I just got given a CD of his last year, so I’m still a new fan.
B is for Bailey’s Irish Cream, which you can get for lovely prices at the duty-free shops in airports when you are, regretfully, leaving Canada. (I like the way Vancouver International funnels all international travelers *through* the duty-free shop to get to the departure gates. Vancouver is the only airport I’ve ever entered/exited another country through, so I have no idea if this is SOP or not; but whatever, I’m in awe at the sheer sneakiness of the idea.)
Note: The following entry is meant to be taken tongue firmly in cheek, mind you. Do not invade the US en masse and defenestrate me, I beg you. I love Canada. It’s simply that it was a wee shock, the first time around.
E is for exercise, healthful – which Vancouver International Airport thoughtfully provides for international passengers arriving on Horizon Air flights from Portland, OR at Gates E(also for)-69 through E-96 by having you exit the plane down a ladder directly to the tarmac, thence walking through a long, outdoor canvas-covered-and-pipe tunnel before you actually get to the entrance to the international terminal, thence through an even longer corridor, down an escalator, through another (short, for a miracle) corridor with a turn (by this time I can’t remember which direction, or even precisely what the sequence is), thence *up* an escalator, thence through another – or is it two? surely it can’t be three – long corridors, with some doors in there somewhere, and a few more turns, by which time you’re finally approaching the *habited* part of the airport (people are pretty thin on the ground before this point, except for your fellow hikers – I mean passengers), when suddenly, without warning, you debouch into the main international terminal and see stretching before you the vast, echoing arrivals and Customs area – and the first restrooms you encounter are hidden way over on the right side, kind of back behind some escalators or something, if I remember right, and you have to go a bit in the wrong direction from the Customs and Immigration lines to get to them, but even if those lines are fast – and they always have been, in my experience – you’re definitely going to want to hit the restrooms before you get in line, ’cause you may not make it if you wait until after you get checked through and rush to find if your baggage is still waiting patiently for you, after all that distance (and time) between plane and Customs – and really, when you come in through Gates E-69 through E-96? – the signs should actually read, “Welcome to Canada. Bienvenue au Canada. Please enjoy the thoughtful opportunity we have given you for a brisk, energetic bout of healthy exercise as you enter Canada.” [vbg]
After Customs, the closest seats to sit down on I can think of are in the main lobby. Remember that, ’cause you’re gonna need ’em.
Not that I’m complaining or anything. It’s just the first time I flew to Vancouver, I didn’t have wheeled luggage, and I was hoicking along a gigantic duffel bag weighing about 40 lbs. over one shoulder; properly wearing a backpack weighing another 20 lbs. or so; and had a carry-on bag amounting to about 8 lbs. slung over the elbow opposite the shoulder supporting the duffel bag, as I had to hold onto the damned duffel strap with both hands to keep the damned thing from sliding off my damned shoulder and toppling me over like a ninepin. I nearly had a heart attack. (Again, tongue firmly in cheek. It’s a lovely airport. Just a bit of a hike, there, when you fly Horizon from the US.)
I is for incredibly lucky, when my husband, his daughter and I were on vacation and we cut through Canada on our way to another part of Washington…and at the border we blithely and with total memory lapse declared we had nothing illegal on our persons or in the car; forgetting the .22 target rifle and a box of ammo snugly nestled in the trunk, so we could do some target shooting when we got to my parent’s place in the wilds of NE Washington. The border guard didn’t even ask to look in the trunk. When we stopped at a motel (in Canada) that night and opened the trunk, boy, were we freaked out! They didn’t ask to look in the trunk when we crossed back into the US, either. Thank god!
L is for Loreena McKennitt and her magnificent music, of which I’ve been enamored for about a decade. L is also for Locations – in Vancouver, used on all those TV shows, which leads to seeing some pretty cool stuff on tours during cons.
M is for the managerial staff of the hotel where the Seacouver 2000 Highlander con (I was working on it) was held in Vancouver, when the city’s service staff unions went out on strike the day our con started. The managerial staff took over the duties, and they did a rousing good job. Especially the manager of the three restaurants, who was a gorgeous blond French-Canadian we all swooned over. He was waiting tables, even the day after he’d taken his daughter roller-blading and was limping and massively bruised from what was apparently a magnificent wipe-out, poor guy. But oh, did he look good in his sweats that day. Even better than in his suits. [g] (And Mounties, oh yeah. Although I’ve still only ever seen ’em on TV. Drat! OH! And the book Mrs. Mike, by Benedict and Nancy Freedman, about the American girl who married a Mountie! I don’t think they were Canadian authors, but the book is a wonderful depiction of Canada in the early 1900’s.)
P is for peppermint rock, which a pearlie from England, with a barrow, was selling on a street in Victoria the first time we visited Canada, when I was 12 or so. (And I second Paul Gross, 2nd year in a row.)
H is for Highlander: The Series, and yes I know it’s out of alpha order, but it goes with
T is for The Sentinel – Two more great TV series that were filmed in…
V for Vancouver, one of the prettiest cities I’ve been in. Especially for all those Highlander conventions. 😉 (And these three are repeats from last year – I checked – but the last three times I’ve been to Vancouver were for HL-related reasons, so it’s kinda karmic repetition. [g] Wonder if I can work them in a third time for next year?) (And hey, Steph – doesn’t Portland remind you a bit of Vancouver?? Huh? Just a bit?)
Happy Canada Day!
B is for Bands – Barenaked Ladies, The Tragically Hip, The Cowboy Junkies (and more I hadn’t thought of, give the prior comments!!). If I couldn’t grow up Canadian, at least I was privileged to live near Detroit where I could hear Canadian-content radio and these great bands. (Is David Wisdom still on late-night CBC radio? Gotta google that one.)
C IS for curling – I second whoever said that one.
M is for Maple Leafs – who don’t spell it “Leaves” (yeah!), my second-favorite hockey team (go Wings!)
T is for Trip to Canada – which clearly I am overdue for!!
Wait, wait, waitaminnit!!!
Sorry to stick another comment in here, but I was reading up the list and saw someone said something about butter tart flavored ice cream??? Who makes it??? Please don’t tell me that it’s something I can only get up north…
OMG I loves me some butter tarts…*begins drawing up elaborate plan for Canadian uncle to FedEx ice cream to the US*
Happy Canada Day!!
C (and L) are for Leonard Cohen, an album of whose I just bought from iTunes and have been singing along all afternoon. Yay, Canada!
I is also for “Ice Road Truckers.” Which I absolutely love, and it takes place in Canada.
Happy Canada Day! 🙂
Very interesting and informative! I’d just like to add my “G” for Great Big Sea. I can’t imagine life without them (and yarn of course)!
Happy Canada Day!
In celebration I opened a new yarn store. Yes, today! I am excited.
I have a little online already, I started with yarn from Fiddlesticks, one of the greatest Canadian designers, so hard to pick since we have so many.
I love curry chips, and Soo, I hope Marmite does migrate here, I craved that when I was pregnant.
I am a British transplant here in Ontario, just north of the big T.O, the big thing I miss about Britain is Guy Fawkes night, so I totally love Canada Day.
Kathy
Don’t forget Lendrum under yarn stuff. Best traveling wheel ever!
I am so with Kathy over Guy Fawkes night, been here almost 30 years and still miss it, especially potatoes baked in the bonfire 😉
B has to be for Bare Naked Ladies, eh?
Happy Day to you all!! Love the post
Happy Canada day! I learned the the 2 dollar bill is called the toonie..yeah I also heard from my friend that everyone in Canada has health care I think it is pretty cool. I live in the U.S. so you have tp apply for state health insurance every year which in my opinion sucks.. Anyway Happy Canada day
As an American who has an undying love of Canadian chips (ketchup..brilliant. But hubby likes the chicken), go Canada!
Also, all those other good things about Canada 🙂
I share a birthday with Canada, though I’m not quite as old! I’ve always thought it was nice of the Canadians to have a holiday for my birthday, even though my country of birth got it off by three days.
When we celebrate Canada Day overseas we invite Americans and anybody else who wants to come and it is usually a rocking party.
I have celebrated Canada Day in Alaska, China and Taiwan
S is for Smarties. Canadian Smarties are WAY better than the American version. Do you have Dill Pickle chips there? We do in Michigan and my neices love them. I think they are nasty.
D is for “Due South.” Yum.
N is for Nanaimo Bar.
T is for Tim Hortons. I tried one a few weeks ago when I was in Erie, and it was so sweet it made my teeth (T is for Teeth) hurt. Awesome coffee, though.
V is for Victoria, home of Beehive Yarns.
Y is for Yarn Harlot. Who else?
Happy Canada day!
At least we have something to aim for…
My ONE trip to Canada was for Expo 67. Yes. 19-67.
(sigh) I just dated myself, didn’t I?
I loved it. It was soooooo cool.
I had an uncle who was French Canadian (he was cool, too).
And I have a cousin who lives in Canada (she’s very cool).
Hmmm…that much yarny goodness is Canadian? WOW!
I may move. There are such good things in Canada – not to mention I might actually get to one of your speaking events, IF I lived there!
lolol
Happy Canada Day!
(((Hugs)))
i think b could have been for buttertarts. i’m not canadian, but yummy!
and i agree about krispy kreme. that’s not a donut. the independent bakeries make the best donuts!
So…uh, about that canoe trick… How does that work exactly? 😀
F is for fiddle music, of which Canada is blessed with an abundant variety, from crooked Quebecois tunes to Acadian music to Cape Breton’s jigs and reels.
I’m sure you’ve heard of it before, but one of my son’s favorite books is ABC of Canada. Since his birthday is on Canada Day, my Toronto-born friend (who now suffers under the oppressive Texas heat) bought it for him. Z is for Zamboni is among the favorite pages.
Canadians are great forlks. Happy Canada Day, and yay for the lower legal age in Ontario. I went to high school over the border from Sarnia and would go out with friends to drink when we were 19, two whole years before we could do so legally at home! Although I live in San Francisco now, I still have a soft spot for Labatt’s.
Paul
Pardon my ignorance, but how do you pronounce “Zed”, does it rhyme with Ted? or is it Zeed like Seed?
And F is also for Famous knitters–you, Lucy Neatby, let’s see, isn’t Sally Melville from up north? And lots that I can’t think of right off.
Nothing against Nunavut, but N should be for Nanaimo bars!!! I was introduced to them on a business trip to Ottowa a few years back and I was instantly hooked! Those things are like crack in a cookie! If only I could find a bakery who would ship them to the US, I’d be fat and happy (I’ve tried baking them myself, but it’s just not the same).
🙂
Thank you! Learned a little more about our great country Canada 🙂
*tear* Now you’ve gone and made me miss Canada. I moved here around a decade ago and I still remember the first few bars of “Oh Canada.” =) I remember we had to sing it every morning at my school. It took me until a few years ago to learn the “Star Spangled Banner.” Still actually don’t know all the verses in order. Not sure if my words are right either… Oops? Happy Canada Day!!
Do Canadian sheep say “Beh?”
Happy Canada Day from America! I knew many very nice Canadians while I was going to school, and currently work for one now! The first time I heard “zed” instead of “zee”, I thought this person was crazy…she then explained to me! Also, great info on the oil imports, from what the American news and “leader” says…99.9% of our oil comes from the Middle East…not so true…glad to have that info!
Happy Canada Day!
K is for Ken!
L is for Lettuce Knit.
R is for RUSH, G is for Geddy, A is for Alex, N is for Neal, you get the idea.
My best Canada story is from when I was 10 years old and we went to Niagara Falls for summer vacation. We crossed the border and had dinner in a restaurant with a rotating outer ring high above the city, which was pretty cool. My brother and I both got Peanuts compilation books from some souvenir place, and a T-shirt for each of us plus one for our neighbor kid Joe. When we got stopped at the border on the way back and were asked what we had purchased in Canada, my dad answered, “Three T-shirts and two funny books!”
Happy Canada Day Stephanie, great post!
I just returned from our local Canada Day Celebration (where surprisingly I didn’t see one person taking sock pictures), where I was able to enjoy some sock knitting while volunteering at our Multicultural Association Booth (E is for Ethnic Diversity was one of my favourite parts of your post).
Proud to Be Canadian!
Happy Canada day!, Canada sounds a lot like New Zealand – just bigger, and I can vouch for the Ice Wine – my daughter is heading for your fair shores when she graduates from her winemaking degree in just over a year – she will be learning to make that much vaunted vino.
N is for Nice, one of my favorite things about our trip to Victoria was how kind everyone was to the lost Americans, even the cab drivers!
As referenced by boingboing (but as something dear to my own heart – having bought the NFB’s animated collection with this, The Cat Came Back and The Sweater) – The Logdriver’s Waltz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPDi9DzihrE
LOVE when you do this! Such fun. And I’m with ya on the Krispie Kremes…I thought it was a New England thing not to like them but I guess it’s just a good taste thing.
Mine are strictly personal.
B is for Banff, a city in the midst of a beautiful part of the Rockies.
E is for Earle, my dad, who taught me and my siblings the true meaning of charity and understand what it meant to be poor (he was the breadwinner of the family during the Depression. Not only did he work for two newspapers but he also raised chickens and sold their eggs). He was born in the Red Deer Valley of Alberta, 100 miles east of Calgary, in a single construction house papered with newspaper. His fingers were shortened from frostbite.
G is for Gay Rights, which were granted for the entire nation (including marriage) while the US whined and bickered in terror of “the other lifestyle”.
M is for Montreal, which to me is an incredibly beautiful rich city with many friendly folks.
and of course in a syncophantic moment
Y for Yarn Harlot!!
Happy Canada Day!
C is for Caesar, that very Canadian cocktail invented in Calgary, AB!
R = Rat Free…
Well only 2 parts of Canada are rat-free but from what I understand, there are only a few places in the world that can say that. Anyways, both the Arctic and Alberta are rat-free. The Arctic is, I suppose, because of the sparse human habitation and extreme cold and Alberta because of an eradication program that goes back over 50 years plus favourable geography. (you asked for the facts, ma’am)
D is for Doug and the Slugs, the BEST band for dancing!
L is for Loonie.
W for Robertson Davies, Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro, Brian Moore, and I’m sure many more (I’ve kind of abandoned fiction for knitting the last few years). Writers, of course!
I think I’d better stop here…
Thanks for the list. Fun to read. However, is this from personal experience (I’m not sure I need to really know) about the “W”…canoes are hard to make love in? hehehe
C – curling – while not invented in Canada, and enjoyed in other northern climes, yah gotta love a country that has televised bonspiels.
D – Due South – you get your Mountie and your Canadian humor in one entry.
R – Red Green – keep your stick on the ice, eh?
Many is the time I have considered a life in Nova Scotia. Sigh. Maine may be as far as I can get, but one can hope.
D is for defect, which your list makes me want to do. 😉
Oh, I am so glad to have found you again. I kept going back to the last post before that whole closet thing. I was worried! So! Up with the new stove! Down with delinquent squirrels. And with unreasonable internet people who manage blog space (I don’t pretend to understand this.) And congratulations and Happy Canada Day. A is for Anne of Green Gables, or M could be for Lucy Maude Montgomery, both of whom gave two daughters and me a lot of pleasure. Reading, though my mom when elderly enjoyed the viewing, too. Welcome back. (Belatedly.)
Love the list. I must be hungry as I thought of Dill Pickle chips and All Dressed (my favourites)… and P is for Poutine!
I had cheese fries here recently. There was a Velveeta-like substance on top and it was awful, especially when compared to poutine.
Thanks for the fun… Happy Canada Day!
I’ve taken to calling Tims “Tortons,” which is what they call it in the Maritimes I believe.
After 16 years of marriage to a National Park Warden who has taken the family on some wonderful back country trips, we have never seen a Grizzly Bear and today while going for a spectacular drive on the Smith-Dorrien Highway in Kananaskis we saw our first Grizzly Bear!!!! Happy Birthday Canada
Zed is pronounced like Ted – less confusing than zee (which sounds like cee).
We don’t have $2 bills, we have a coin called a toonie. It’s a bi-coloured coin, with a golden centre disk and silver outer ring.
Our $1 coin is called a loonie as it has a loon on it. The loonies with poppies on them were only available for a short time around Rememberance Day (Nov. 11) to celebrate the end of the First World War. You can find them on E-Bay now.
A is for apology – we seem to apologise for everything.
B is definitely for the Bare Naked Ladies and Blue Rodeo.
B is for Bonhomme – the snowman mascot of Quebec City’s winter carnival.
B is also for the Bluenose, a schooner that’s featured on our dimes.
H is for “Have a nice day!”, a cheery greeting often heard in the line up at Tim Hortons.
M is for maple syrup (yum, yum!)
P is also for Plenty of Fish (http://www.plentyoffish.com), a singles (dating) site run by a guy named Marcus (Big Fish) in Vancouver. It’s the largest completely free dating site in the world.
T is for Timbit – doughnut holes.
W is for Winterlude – a celebration of winter centered around the Rideau Canal (the world’s longest skating rink when it’s frozen) in the capital, Ottawa.
Y is for Yarn Harlot. No arguments, no discussion, it just is. 🙂
T is for tuque, of course . . . (did I spell that right?)
Marcy
hi! I look forward to your Canada Day post every year – always willing to learn some interesting facts about my neighbors. Do you suppose all the yarn production and knitting related Canada facts have anything to do with the need to keep warm and have something to do in the winter? I wonder what the per capita consumption of Ott lights is?
Thanks for making sure that at least the knitting cognoscenti are better informed
Oh, yes:
I is for “I’se the Bye” (and Ian and Sylvia).
S is for Stan Rogers.
G is for the Great One.
Happy Canada Day. We just got back from a family get together celebrating the 4th of July early.
Okay, last one from me:
C is for CBC.
My boyfriend brought me Ice Wine once, and the most romantic evening in history ensued. I am addicted to Ice Wine and I might just storm Canada from here in Atlanta to get more.
Beware. 😉
Happy Canada Day! and D is for Davinci’s Inquest, my favorite show filmed in Canada. (Even though it’s an old one.)
Okay, so by the time I read this post, it is now only Canada Day in the western part of the country, but Happy (belated) Canada Day to all! It’s still timely since you get to celebrate tomorrow, right? 🙂
“…is the top provider of oil to the US.”
For which, if it hasn’t been mentioned lately, we are supremely grateful.
Happy Canada Day! And thank you for all of the information about Canada.
I am yet another person who had their honeymoon in Canada…Toronto…YAY! Love Toronto and Montreal both. We used to live in Upstate NY about an hour from Montreal and we would go up just for dinner sometimes. Just try to find a bad restaurant in Montreal anyone — I dare you!
I liked the winter activities you mentioned about ice skating down the river and visiting the vendors, getting treats, etc. It sounded so good I decided that I will need to do this for myself someday.
I think W should be for the winter river fun.
Happy Canada Day! I think I’d like to be Canadian if I wasn’t Tasmanian already!! I think ‘S’ should definately be for squirrel – we don’t have any of the ‘little darling creatures’ here – maybe Steph should move over here and bring all her great knitting ideas with her – or at least come and visit!
Happy Canada Day!
Canada sounds lovely and I’d like to spend some time there (or even live there some day?) To bad it’s so far away from the Netherlands…
You missed nickel (in Resources). Canada tops the list. Best, Kika (non-Canadian)
Oh and the fir-tree wood used by piano makers (Steinway and such use mainly Canadian fir trees)–highly coveted due to its hardness and uniform structure. Love, Kik
Happy Canada Day! I thought of you last week when I saw it coming up on my calendar. Your annual Canada Days posts are so interesting.
I have wonderful memories of Canada and wish I could visit again. My brother spent several years living in Welland and I drove up there a few times (when I lived in Pennsylvania) to visit. I loved it. Each time I’d spend a couple of days in Toronto – what a great city!
C is for Coffee Crisps! I will now investigate why they are available in Oregon and not Ohio?? Both start with O, don’t ya know.
C is also for Crispie Cremes. They started in Portsmouth, Ohio, by Mrs. Renison in the 1920’s (I think), and still produced there only. The Krispie Kremes were started nationally by her brother’s family with her permission and recipe, but they aren’t the same (or as good).
C is for Canada—a wonderful country and culture.
Happy Canada Day (observed), Stephanie.
T is for The Be Good Tanyas!!! Happy Canada Day!
Not meaning to knit pick, but since Hong Kong went back to China, Canada is now the third largest country in the world. China’s got us beat but a couple of square kilometres.
B is for beavertail, which I had neither heard nor eaten of until I saw it here. I had one during our trip to Whistler this spring, delicious :o)
OK, now I seriously want to emigrate to Canada.
Oh, and T is for Tiger Tail ice cream, only available (as far as I know) in southern Ontario. It’s a swirl of orange sherbet and licorice ice cream, for those who need to know, and quite, quite delicious.
So, when will you bring out maple-flavoured chips? Seems only sensible to combine two great tastes…
Or, better yet, maple-scented Koigu 😛
X is for Xaviera Hollander, the Happy Hooker (of another sort) who once lived in Toronto.
T is for talent — authors (atwood, Lawrence, Montgommery, Mowatt, Pearl-MacPhee and more!), sporting greats (Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretsky), musicians (Rsuh, The Tragically Hip, Bryan Adams, Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morrisette, Great Big Sea – the list goes on and on), Artists (the Group of Seven, Yousef Karsh, Robert Bateman, Emily Carr, Alex Coville, Tom Thomson, etc.), Comedians (Mike Myers, Jim Carrey, Leslie Neilson, etc.), and Actors (Donald and Keifer Sutherland, Michael J. Fox, William Shatner, another endless list!).
I – ingenious – We are a land filled with inventive people … the zipper, velcro, snow blower, telephone, television, Flickr, walkie talkies, and the zamboni are all Canadian!
B : is for Brampton, Toronto’s International Airport, which allows you to come see us
C : is for the Canucks Hockey team
M : is for Molson Golden Beer (nuff said!)
N : is for Niagra Falls, which never fails to amaze me
P : is for the Peace Bridge, which is one of the gateways between our countries
=:8
B : is for Brampton, Toronto’s International Airport, which allows you to come see us… Or maybe Bryan Adams (should that be for “A” ?)
C : is for the Canucks Hockey team
D : is for Dan Akroyd 🙂
M : is for Molson Golden Beer (nuff said!)
N : is for Niagra Falls, which never fails to amaze me
P : is for the Peace Bridge, which is one of the gateways between our countries
=:8
S is for Savage Chickens (http://www.savagechickens.com/) the fummy little cartoon on post-its 🙂
Oh!!
D : is for Dan Akroyd, one of the most versatile actors in television and film (ever see him in the Arrow movie?)
Oooooooohhhhhhh. Tim Hortons. When will he make his way to Philly?
S: for Sleeping Giant, wonder of Canada!
Last night I celebrated by knitting on the shores of Lake Superior, in site of the Sleeping Giant, along with thousands of others at Thunder Bay’s great party at the marina. I cast on and managed to knit the 11 rows of the picot edging to the other monkey sock. yay!
Happy Canada Day!
While Nunnavut is a wonderful ~N~. For me, ~N~ will always stand for Nathan Fillion. Actor Extroridinarie from Firefly & Serenity. Our Captain. *sigh*
“J”?? – Well joint isn’t really setting a good example for our young Canadians so how about “Juno” as in the music awards.
Otherwise – good choices.
Love your list, I’m half Canadian but I live in Maine, we have Tim’s, our turnpike accepts Canadian money, the last soccer tournament the kids played in had Canadian teams, some of our rest areas have both American and Canadian flags. Yesterday, Canada Day, Bath had it’s fireworks, it was a bit controversial, if you are interested you can read about it here: http://www.timesrecord.com/website/archives.nsf/56606056e44e37508525696f00737257/8525696e00630dfe052572f1006ac3a9?OpenDocument
M for Music…Stan Rogers, Great Big Sea, Joni Mitchell, etc. Canada rocks!!
L is for Labatt Blue!
Q is for Qiviut–the stuff you can buy in lace weight comes from Canada
C is for Casino Windsor!
A is for eh!
I is for islands including: Newfoundland home of the dog of the same name and Great Big Sea, the musicians (Great Big Sea, the yarn, is by Handmaiden and Fleece Artist and hails from Nova Scotia). Then on the west coast there is Vancouver Island and it’s islands and channels just across Boundry Pass and Haro Strait from the San Juan Islands, my place.
Happy Canadian Day to the lovely neighbors in the North – hope you had a great party to celebrate!
I second the comment above about I being for islands, and add how about N for Newfoundland dogs — a friend has now acquired his second puppy from up north, and like her big brother she has the sweetest friendliest personality ever! (Okay yes, they do tend to drool, and shed. And sit on your feet.)
Mounties are ARGUABLY the hottest police force in the world?
::rewatches Due South dvd’s::
No, really, no argument there.
D is for Dr. Rodney McKay of Stargate Atlantis, my favorite Canadian character. *g*
Happy Canada Day!
S was for Sams (Sam the Record Man) who closed yesterday. A store renowned for its breadth and depth of both stock and employee knowledge and the happy hunting ground for serious music fans.
H is for Harlot.
I thought S would be for squeaky cheese! And for the canoe, I suppose one could beach it first… Happy Canada Day (observed)!
Happy Canada Day (one day late)! The A-Z list was fun, informative and increased my appreciation of Canada immensely. I must visit!
Joanne
Every year, I read your Canada Day list and it makes me want to move to Canada. I love an odd flavored potato chip and who knew Canada revered the unusual chip. My favorites (although not on your list): dill pickle and Herr’s brand Crab Chips (flavored with Old Bay seasoning). On a cold cold day, the crab chips are superb with a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.
I just was home in June and now you’ve made me homesick all over again! I may have to make buttertarts…
that’s it. i’m moving up there. thanks for the great p.r.!
That story about the quarters perfectly illustrates the difference between the American national personality & the Canadian national personality. Why are Americans so uptight & paranoid & Canadians so relaxed & friendly? I have no idea but I once hitch hiked (with a friend) through eastern Canada from Sarnia to a border crossing into Vermont. You could feel the difference immediately when you crossed from one country to the next. I cannot imagine a similar trip through the US – one would worry constantly about serial killers & rapists (I know they exist in Canada too but they somehow don’t seem as prevalent). We were treated so kindly & generously by all – even by the farmer who spoke only French.
I thought for sure P was going to be for Poutine.
Please! Don’t forget our Red Bird Knits under yarn!
Hooray for Tim Hortons!
I find it kind of sad to think that aside from the facts on your list that I just learned, I know very little about Canada(though I do agree it is quite a dandy place). Here are some things that come to mind.: Syrup. nuff said/ Lots of Canadians say the word about as “aboot” and lots of them call a couch a chesterfield/ Canada is very cold, except in the very short summer when it is very hot(at least in Toronto). I promise I know more than that, just can’t think of it right now. Happy Canada Day!
Happy b-lated Canada Day. You have made this ignorant American a little smarter 🙂 Growing up in a border town I always had a great appreciation for Canada, but you have given me even more reasons to love it.
I’ve already thanked Canada for Cajuns on my blogpost yesterday, but I wanted to be sure to say thanks, live and in person, over here. The Candian influence is what makes Louisiana a tolerable place to live in spite of the fact that, when the weather isn’t trying to kill you, somebody leaves the sauna on 180 days of the year. If it wasn’t for Cajuns, Louisiana would just be the Eastern Territories of Texas, and also? I might have ended up as a character in a Jeff Foxworthy joke.
Please come visit us soon, dear Harlot. I’ll cook, and we’ll do a zydeco version of “O Canada.”
W is for winter. We have a real winter up here in Canada. Hence, there is a real need for knitted mittens, hats, gloves, sweaters, afghans etc. I came to Canada from England as a 5 year old and I am ridiculously proud of being a Canadian. By the way, I live in Kitchener near Weber St East and also near old King Street. Steph, judging by the results of your last trip here, you would never find me !
American here and I do love my country…but, I do also envy Canadians (and American northerners)for their Donuts…here in the land of Krispy Kremes, I no longer eat donuts. How is Canada regarding Pie(s) another favorite they don’t appreciate here in the South.
I made my comment then read the other comments, Ladies you need to expand your Canadian music listening
A is for Jann Arden, Dan Akroyd (the blues brothers count), April Wine, African Guitar Summit and Paul Anka
B is for BARK-Blackie and The Rodeo Kings B is also for The Band-yes folks south of the border only Levon was one of yours B is also for Jim Byrnes for all intents unknown but fab none the less (try listening to CBC 1 you’ll get a much larger variety of music then regular commercial Radio
C is for Crowbar, Wilf Carter, Tom Cochrane, Bruce Cockburn, Holly Cole, Stompin Tom Connors The Crew Cuts (Sh-Boom) David Clayton-Thomas and Leonard Cohen
D is for Doug and the Slugs and Luke Doucet, Downchild and we’d like to apologize for Celine Dion
E is for Fred Eaglesmith and Edward Bear
F-is for Percy Faith (heck even I didn’t know that), David Foster and Roy Forbes
G-is for Goddo (Oh Carol Kiss My Whip) Glen Gould, The Guess Who, The Good Brothers
and we can’t forget BOBBY GIMBY-CA-NA-DA
H -is for Sarah Harmer trying to save the escarpment, Ronnie Hawkins(see the Band they started as the Hawks) and Jeff Healey
I-is for Ian and Sylvia
J- is for Colin James-always a rockin show live
K-is for The Kings-“Nothing matters but the Weekend”
L-is for k.d. Lang, Gordon Lightfoot, Light house and Guy Lombardo
M-is for Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Murray McLauchlan and Mainline (McKenna Mendelson Mainline) Sarah Mclachlan, Don Messer and Joni Mitchell “wish I had a river to skate away on” Anne Murray and Matt Mays
N-is for The Nylons, a Cappella anyone?
O-is for Walter Ostanek, King of the Polka
P-is for Joel Plaskett Emergency and Prairie Oyster
Q-is for….. OK I’m stumped surely there’s someone
R-is for Rough Trade (there’s that Carol), Stan Rogers and Robbie Robertson and perhaps Leon Redbone (lord knows he hung around Toronto for years a mysterious but wonderful musician) anyone know for sure?
S-is for William Shatner (seriously go find “Has Been” it’s excellent), Buffy Saint Marie, Hank Snow and Steppenwolf
T-is for Shania Twain and Teenage Head
U-is for The Ugly Ducklings
V-is for Valdy and… “oh dear”…. Gino Vannelli
W-is for David Wicox “please don’t feed the Teddy Bears” Rufus and Martha Wainwright and Jesse Winchester
Y- NEIL YOUNG
Z-I need help again
Can Con is a wonderful thing go, out and Buy Canadian music you won’t be disappointed
During the late 1980s my husband had a long term consulting gig in Toronto & so had an apartment there. And, as I missed him a lot and we had good friends there, I would frequently join him. I love Toronto. It’s like NY but on a more human scale. One thing that stands out for me (and I guess I can only speak about Toronto, not the whole of Canada) is the food. The restaurants are so fabulous and varied and diverse and plentiful! Oh, so wonderful. And I loved the Textile Museum in Toronto, too. What a great city you live in (except for the cold). Count your blessings — I would love to live there (ditto on the cold).
That’s it, I’m moving.
Just thought of another neat thing about Canada! It has “0 Avenue” and that’s “zero”, not “oh”. Hop out of your car, hop across the ditch, and you’re in America. I drove on the American side when I was in Washington.
T is for tea, as in “a proper cup of.”
Here’s my favorite Canada-related anecdote:
My adviser in graduate school was from Canada. One day he brought beer and doughnuts to our group meeting. He called the combination “Canadian Breakfast”.
I’m pretty sure he just wanted to see how we would react.
I got it
Q is for Quartette
Z is for Alfie Zappacosta (spelling?)
X is for X-porting Canadians to other countries (probably to civilize them) … I have people from Canada, mys sister-in-law (who also knits) does, her son-in-law does, and there are cousins out there too.
Happy Canada Day! ‘N’ is for my awesome friend Natalie who lives in Ontario. 🙂
(Also: the “Y for yarn” bit cracked me up. Of course it stands for yarn! That’s what that letter is for!)
Yea, Canada! So, would Canada be willing to take Wisconsin and the UP as another new Province? I’m ready anytime. I don’t know if the UP is really ready, but, if Wisconsin goes, so does the UP. I’ve already been accused of talking like a Canadian. I love winter and my snowshoes would like it up there. I think the only thing I wouldn’t be able to do is to put gravy on my fries.
Gordon Lightfoot, Tanya Huff, Busch Gardens, Victoria, The better half of Niagara falls, Gun Control (it needs saying twice) and a functioning bi-lingual culture. You’re not doing anything to make me want to stay here in Nor-Cal you know…
And another favorite Canadian yarn producer: Shelridge Farms (http://www.shelridge.com)
I <3 Canada. 🙂
You know, if it were easier for your average American to work there, I’d be packing my bags. Sigh.
I live in Ont for 3 years coming from the West Coast(USA), and really didn’t want some of that remembered.
N is for Newfoundland and Newfies – where my mom grew up, where I still have family and where I spent some faboo summers
G is for gooseberries. Picking them with my cousins during those faboo summers.
F is for fish and bruise – which I haven’t eaten in at least, oh, 10 years, but will always be one of my top 3 meals of all time. My Nana was happy to see me leave because I made her cook it for me a zillion times.
M is for macrame which I spent an entire 6 weeks doing one summer to the point even my Nana’s dog had a macrame collar.
Oh, I could continue on this trip down memory lane, but I will spare you.
That was great! Thanks for all the Canada info 🙂 I hope you had a very Happy Canada Day!
O CANADA! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVEEEE THEE! i’ll be back later when i think of/google some interesting facts. but i just needed to blurt that out right away! thanks for the awesome post steph!
Best thing? CBC’s The Nation. I just moved to North Dakota and was able to watch the CBC broadcast of the Canada Day festivities…and the 7 Wonders contest winners. Favorite music (and dance( from the festivities was Delhi2Dublin (http://www.delhi2dublin.com/).
N is for Naturopathic medicine, recognized by several provinces in Canada.
C is for civilized. (You are. So much wilderness, yet so much etiquette. I adore it.)
V is for vocabulary. I always laugh when I cross the border and see the signs that state “Seat belt wearing is compulsory”. Heehee! We wouldn’t use such big words in the US; we would assume folks wouldn’t understand. More’s the pity.
B is for bilingual. Go Quebec!
C is for the Calgary Stampede.
Can you tell that I fantasize about running away to Canada? Specifically to Ontario, and probably the Niagara region. (I’m a Naturopathic Doctor, licensed in the State of Oregon, currently practicing in Illinois, where we are not licensed–yet. But I dream of moving to Ontario to ply my trade).
Thanks for this list!! Very fun and I learned a lot. 🙂
Thanks for the list. I miss Canada. I lived there as an exchange student in 1991-2 in Manitoba. I hope to move back to Canada someday.
N is for nice people. Nicest and the most helpful people in the world are in Canada.
Oh, as if I didn’t already want to be Canadian enough you have now enlightened me as to 26 MORE reasons why Canada is cooler.
If only my forefathers and mothers had stayed in Canada during the Revolution…………….
Do you think Homeland Security will come find me for saying that? They wouldn’t if I were Canadian. sigh. Too bad I’m already married. To an American.
So educational! Thanks!
See? This is why, with every move, I find myself closer and closer to Canada.
Happy Birthday Canada! And Bravo Stephanie – that was a superb list 🙂 Sharing a birthday with Canada has always been an honour and a privilege – one of the MANY things I miss about living in the US now is that I don’t get fireworks ‘for my birthday’ anymore 😉
N is for Nanaimo bars. Yummy. B is for Labatts Blue. The real Blue – not the stuff we get in the States. (Sigh…..can you tell I spent six months on an exchange in Ottawa?)
Wha…wha…WHA?????
There’s a marijuana party being held in Canada?
Talk about KUI! It’s a good thing that yarn isn’t edible 😉
As for universal health care, when I think of all of the $$$ spent by our current administration in Iraq and how it could have been used to cover the MILLIONS of uninsured in this country, it makes me virulently angry. Bad monkeys!! Go AWAY!!!
Happy CD……
i love it! I especially like the X-Files:-)
Now, how are you going to top this next year? May I suggest Canada represented in knitting? Or, perhaps, the sock can present a photo log.
Looking forward to my own Canada trip this fall.
I have another one.
G is for Gravy – used on fries. Yummie 😉
C is for Curling
A is for Anne of Green Gables
L is for languages–recognizing at least two of them, French and English, better than we do here in the US where “Everyone” speaks English
K is for kd lang, to whom I’m listening right now
Q is for Quebec where I studied French in 1971
S is for good sense, which Canada seems to have in great quantity!
“S” is also for the SNOW KING see http://www.snowking.ca who builds a fabulous snow castle up here on the lake every year. Well worth a visit to in the spring.
M could be for mosquitos and B for black flies, but I’d rather forget them.
Janet MF up in YK
Q is for quartet – that is, the amazing and wonderful St. Lawrence String Quartet, winner of Juno awards, Grammy nominations (for the south of the border folk), magnificent interpreters of works by Murray Shafer (also a Canadian) and other modern composers as well as the classics. Their recording of Tchaikovsky’s quartets is a stunner!
and H – for the worlds finest harlet!
And S – for sanity when compared with its closest neighbor.
can i immigrate to your tropical zone, please?
S is also for spinning. Huge tradition of production spinning in Canada, notably in Québec. Of course, now you can practically count the handspinners in Québec on one hand, but this will change. Bwahahahaha.
F is also for F***ing cold. Joe is totally right about when they measured internet usage. I swear the entire reason I’ve managed to keep weight off since I moved here is that I have to run as fast as I can between heated buildings everywhere I go in the winter, in order to not freeze my face off.
And F is also for French, which is the Other Language in the bilingual equation.
S is for Shoveling The Car Out, which we refer to around here as a Canadian National Sport. Oh, and Skating, too. Though not at the same time. Usually.
S is for the Sci-Fi series “Stargate” that I think was filmed somewhere around Toronto? What is it with Canada and sci-fi? Am not complaining though.
I’m American- but love Canada too!
Yes, you’re right- the Mounties ARE the hottest cops in the world 🙂
Yesterday my American husband placed my Canadian Maple Leaf flag out in front of our American house (you can see it here: http://knitlesstolife.blogspot.com). He does this every July 1st (which is Canada Day, or as we used to call it Dominion Day), because if he did not he couldn’t put out his American Star Spangled Banner on the 4th.
I immigrated to Canada from Scotland when I was 11 and became a Canadian citizen when I was in high school. I am always proud to be a Canadian, we can go anywhere in the world and are always welcome, what other nation can say that. If you are wearing the Maple Leaf you will be asked more times than you can count in a day, “I have a cousin in Winnipeg, or Toronto, or Montreal names Jack, do you know him.”
What other nation can boast that ethnic diversity is embranced not discouraged, where we encourage you to keep your language, your national dress, your ethnic food, your culture, and to educate other equally diverse Canadians at festivals, fairs, highland games, and other multi-cultural events across the country.
I sound like Joe in the rant, but let’s face it, we are the true north strong and free.
I wanted to add a correction to Jocelynn’s comment , it was the Acadians who moved to Louisiana, they didn’t become Cajuns until after they were there.
S should be for Scarlet Fever, which is what you have if you are “hot” for a mountie. (really, that’s what it’s called).
coming out of lurkdom to say D is for Donald Sutherland
Travelling in the UK a few years ago, hubby and I got talking to a sweet little old lady on the bus… told her where we’d been, what we’d seen… mentioned that it was getting a bit annoying that everyone thought we were American… “Oh, I knew you were Canadian when I first heard you talking to each other… you talk like Donald Sutherland.”
re Marmite: saw it in the grocery store yesterday. Mind you, I live in Vancouver at present, which I don’t really consider to be part of Canada… it’s its own bizarro little universe. That tiger tail ice cream comment really made me homesick.
ack, hate to be nitpicky, but it’s a 5-year term limit on prime ministers (and premiers), not 4.
wow, that was pretty anal-retentive.
love the list, though.
L is for Luci – my favorite SIL from Toronto.
V is for the annual two week vacations taken in North Bay!
I’m coming to Canada just for the chips! Wow! Dill Pickle Lays is my favorite but I’d like to try some of the other flavors that are currently not offered here in Massachusetts. I bet they go great with beer!
Having lived in Canada for four years, I have to say that no.1 I love the list, and no 2 I have some additions:
A is for Alpine. They just don’t make good beer in the US.
C is for Curling. If H is for hockey, C is for curling.
G is for Garlic Fingers. It’s another really great food that does not exist anywhere else in the world.
M is for Mount A. My alma mater, and the best undergrad university in Canada.
J is for Joeys. It’s the ABSOLUTELY BEST pizza place anywhere. I wish I had a website for them, but no luck. They’re in Sackville, NB if you want to check them out.
P is for Putin (putine?) I have yet to find any place in the US where I can find either squeaky cheese or this dish.
T is for Twonies (Toonies?). They make great additions to the offering plates on Sundays, and they’re just prettier than any American coin. (I thought about making this for Tim Horton’s, but now that Tim’s have started to infiltrate into the US, it isn’t the same. BTW, did you know that the reason Tim’s coffee is so darn addictive is because they put nicotine in it?)
U is for University. It makes so much more sense to me to call 2-year schools colleges and 4-year schools universities.
Reading through all the comments above, I’m sure I must have read them too quickly – only one mention of “S is for Stompin’ Tom Connors”? Is there any other musician in the world who is so unashamedly, expressively, and 100% devoted to singing about their pride in their country?
J is for Jon, I got my husband from Canada and will be eternally grateful.
Happy Birthday Canada, indeed!
And mmm, the dill pickle chips too, not to be forgotten. Maybe I need to go out and buy some…
And don’t forget Z for zipper! 😀 Canadian-invented.
Love the G, U and of course Y!
Yes, everybody loves Canada. Oh, by the way, how do you know about the tippy canoes, hmmm?
How the hell do you pronounce Koigu? I thought it was Japanese.
Hmm, I spent a semester in ’92 studying in Quebec. I have a few.
C for Crunchie, my favorite candy bar while I was there.
G for Great Big Sea. I have four of their CD’s. I love them.
M for marijuana. Isn’t it legal there to have small amounts? And M for marriage, same-sex. Neither of these two things apply to me, but I think it’s way cool, anyway.
P for poutine. The poutine piquante at Chez Ashton was delectable.
Everytime you have these Canada posts, I get wistful. I would love to immigrate.
In no particular order:
W = Winnepeg folk festival. I think it’s the largest of it’s kind. I went as a teenager and (this is the shocking part) had a stupendous time.
B = Boarder Patrol. On my last trip in, my family was stopped, questioned and searched. On our way back home we weren’t asked any questions at all. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Y = Yarn Harlot. She’s so funny (and smart) and graceful when people act like groupies in front of her.
A = Anne of Green Gables. What a great series of books and shows!
M = Mounties ARE hot! (I think it’s the pants)
S = Sometime soon I’d like to visit Canada again. I’ve always had a really nice time there.
Just for the record. The name for Canada derives from the native Indian word Kanata. But the drawing out of a hat story is funnier 😉
‘F’ is for all the hot, hot, 911-I’m-on-fire firefighters that can be found anywhere in our fair city of Toronto and any place in Canada. And here’s to the (too few) female firefighters I’ve seen who definitely make my gender proud.
B = Best way to spend Canada Day … sitting on a blanket listening to some of our great songwriters performing (Allistair Bradley, Andy Stochansky, Ron Sexsmith and others) with more than half your city’s population (pop. over 100,000) in the same park, knitting by the light of your glowstick-wraped wrists, then watching a great fireworks show. Ahhhhh.
Thanks for always showing your flag. Happy Canada Day!
You had me at D.
You beat me to B for Butter tarts, P for poutine…
but no one else thinks S is for Stratford, Ontario? Raganau’s back deck for coffee and the paper — and I had my first butter tarts on York Street. Dandy independent bookstore on York Street, too.
you make canada sound so much better than america. I’m feeling wistful.
Speaking of tippy canoes, there is a joke about American beer being like making love in a canoe…f…ing close to water!!!
Don’t forget Sally Melville!
And, happy Canada Day to you!!! My most favorite spot in your beautiful country is St. Andrews by the Sea up in New Brunswick. Have been there twice, 30 years apart, and (much like Brigadoon) there was little change. Stayed at the same charming inn; just a lovely place. Enjoy, Ruth in NJ
A polite correction to Isobel’s comment — Acadians didn’t “become” Cajuns after they were exiled down here; nothing changed about them, it was the English-speaking people who flubbed the pronunciation. “He’s an Acadian” became “He’s a ‘Cadian” which morphed into “Cajun” in the exact same way that “Indian” became “Injun” and “did you” became “didja.” Sloppy pronunciation, mon vieux, c’est tout. Acadian culture changed very little for centuries.
So, we Cajuns are still essentially Acadians, just the pronunciation has changed. Interestingly, the old wheels for cotton spinning are still called “Acadian” wheels, and it’s quite a privilege to spin on one. Someday I hope to find an estate sale with a clueless host.
Dez in Baton Rouge, LA, who is making gumbo for dinner.
B is for Brown Thomas (owned by the Weston family)…Holt Renfrew’s sister store, here in Dublin
T is for Tim Horton doughnuts finally are being sold here in Dublin…coffee soon to come…yeah
Hope to see you when i’m in town
A is for “aboot”. Anytime you meet a Canadian away from Canada, you *have* to make them say “about”, “house” and “mouse”.
G is for “Green Gables”. Prince Edward Island is the most popular tourist destination in the WORLD for Japanese tourists and it’s all because of that redhead…
The best comment I’ve ever heard about Canadians is that “Australians are nothing more than free-range Canadians”. It’s very very true and one of the main reasons I’m moving to your beautiful country next year. The others may have somethin gto do with this blog and that redhead from PEI…
Love Tim Horton’s. Rochester, NY has quite a few and more on the way. Keep ’em coming, I say.
Are you ever going to come here for a tour stop?
I’m so ashamed to admit this, being the college student who’s way too old for it that I am:
D is for Degrassi. How on Earth could I have survived adolescence without it?
One of the things I’m proudest about in Canada is
“S for true separation of church and state”.
Many, many Candians have strong religious beliefs(of many different faiths) but they are kept out of our politics. The religious belief, or lack of it is just another fact about a politician and much less important than their view on, say, taxes; during elections there is none of the relentless barrage of pictures of the candidates going to church that one sees in some US elections, or talk of him/her “representing” a particular religious system.
Our Prime Ministers do not have weekly meetings with church leaders, Billy Graham or his counterpart does not turn up to speak with the Prime Minister after the election. In fact there would probably be a firestorm of protest and outrage if they did.
We tend to regard our political leaders as just that, hopefully competent, honest people who are working on behalf of the people and country. They are not regarded as “heros” or “role models” and nobody gives a damn about their sex lives. That’s private, just like their religious beliefs.
Did no one mention that a good chunk of the Maritimes is also below the 49th parallel? It gets pretty cold here, but we’re actually pretty far south.
I should have known YouTube would come through:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vxDDcTc64c
R is for (Canadian) raising, that lovely linguistic phenomenon that gives us “aboot” and “hoose”.
C is for CBC, which kindly delivers my Doctor Who and Little Mosque fix south of the border. (Not to mention curling!)
E is for envious, which is the way I feel every time I hear the words “universal health care”.
Hooray for Canada! Its awesomeness is enough to make a Michigander head east. 😉
B is for Blackberry (invented and made here in Waterloo)
Canoes are tough, but paddle boats are just as tough (you don’t really want to know how I know this…)
Just back from a long weekend at my favourite C – cottage. thanks for reminding us how lucky we are.
Mmmmmmm, Mounties… definitely hot…
L is for Logdrivers Waltz. Does anyone know what I’m talking about?
Happy Canada Day ! We live in So. California, but have spent 2 of the last 4 summer vacations in Montreal. In the space of about 2 months, Montreal hosts the Comedy Festival, the Jazz Festival, and the International Fireworks Competition. That city flat-out rocks ! Love having breakfast at Timmy’s ( Tim Horton’s) YUM.
Wow! ‘Logdrivers Waltz’? Oh yeah! I can still sing most of that song after all these years when I used to watch it on CBC kids mornings in the 70’s/80’s as a wee thing. When I saw the MacGarriagle (I just misspelled their name, didn’t I) Sisters at Lillith Fair years ago, I shouted to a woman next to me “Uh, who are they? I should know, right?” And she shouted back: “Logdriver’s Waltz, Baby!”
So happy to see/hear Rufus Wainwright has carried on the family tradition of fine singing and songwriting!
I’m swelling with so much patritotic pride, I could just pop!
I loved, LOVED, X-Files! Nice Canada list!
r
Happy Canada Day (a day late) to our neighbors to the north. You should be proud of your country. I must say though that some of the comments posted by some readers were not so kind to the United States. This isn’t a contest folks and knitters should all unite in kindness.
Happy belated Canada Day!
Nothing to add for letters, but…
It is my sincere belief that Krispy Kreme didn’t do so well here because the market researchers came up to Canada and said “Wow, those Canadians really like their doughnuts! We’ll make a killing!” What they missed is all the coffee that goes out the doors (or drive-throughs) of those doughnut shops. I swear Timmy’s put crack in the coffee!
R is for Royal _otanical Gardens (sorry , I lost the key cover) in Ontario- just lovely.
Happy Canada Day!
Margie
Tim Horton’s donuts are available here in Columbus–Wendy’s bought (then sold) them. They’re good, but our family and children grew up on Krispy Kremes and they’re still our favorites.
My thanksgiving task is not the turkey–my DH does that; and I don’t do the potatoes or pies, either. My job is to head out bright and early and buy four dozen Krispy Kremes to keep everyone happy until the turkey is ready to eat.
Although it didn’t work, for several years I had asked for Krispie Kreme stock for my birthdays. Had anyone taken me seriously, we’d be living on Easy Street right now. Sigh….
Abby
The story of the stir the Poppy Quarters caused is one of my all time favourites! Thanks for sharing it with such a wide audience.
You MUST stop reminding me about the hotness of Mounties! It’s not like I actually forgot about their hotness, but reminding me when I’m in Michigan is just cruel. Oh the desire to head over to Windsor just to stalk some Mounties is tempting, but not something I should give in to. 🙂 It’s time you forgot about Mounties and pictured your police force to be overweight men in blue with doughnuts in hand. And of course, they must be Krispie Kremes and not Tim’s just to complete the picture. 🙂
No, there is no nicotine in Tim Horton’s coffee; nor is there MSG or any of the other nonsense floating around. I have provided a link below to a website on urban legends. I suspect this particular piece of nonsense was a rumour started by a jealous coffee shop owner.
http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/timhortons.asp
I live in Minnesota. We’re tantalizingly close to your wonderful country, and we love you all.
I bought the piano music for your national anthem (quite a good song) because if our government gets any crazier, I think knowing all the words and music to “Oh Canada” will help prove my sincerity when I apply for political asylum.
I promise we’ll behave.
As an ex-pat living in the UK, I celebrate Canada Day by reading the Social Studies section from the Globe and Mail (oh, and I had some beer as well). I came across this tidbit that I thought you’d sympathise with:
Last month, a squirrel went on a rampage in Germany and attacked several people before a pensioner killed the beast with his walker. “It was biting and scratching and was almost impossible to fight off,” said Guenther Mittelbaum, 72. Tests revealed the animal did not have rabies.
Clearly “cute, fluffy and harmless” doesn’t always apply…
No, no, no!
“S” is for ‘Stargate’, and ‘Stargate Atlantis’ – both filmed in Vancouver and surrounds (I believe) and possibly the funniest sci-fi shows ever broadcast. Perhaps I could knit myself a Stargate…
While I’m not Canadian, I spent a fair portion of my time in Ontario, growing up across the border in Detroit. I think “O” should be for O.P.P.! Seeing the signs while driving along the 401 never ceases to make me chuckle and take me back to middle school and loving the song!
Oh, happy day. I love a good zed. (Proud Australian and ‘zee’ bigot)
Great alphabet!
B – for buttertart as some have noted.
M – Muskoka
S- Stargate (filmed in Vancouver with great Canadian in-jokes like the ZedPM)
H – for Harlot
C- for Celsius temperatures
L – for Loonies
P – definitely for Peacekeepers
Happy Canada Day!!
I would have voted “Forever Knight” for “F”, but that’s just me. *grin*
Happy (belated) Canada Day, Stephanie.
Thanks for the list… it explains us very well, I think. A couple of additions though:
V is for vinegar (to put on chips/french fries). One time I was eating a burger and fries at a restaurant in NYC and asked for vinegar. The server looked at me rather strangely… then came back 5 minutes later with a paper cup full of red wine vinegar. 😉
T is for “Take off, eh?”
My Canada Day present was a Bic lighter that says:
You know you’re Canadian …because you understand “I just dropped my poutine on the chesterfield”. 😉
Again, thanks!
I do truly love Canada. What a great list! Years ago, I spent a summer in Calgary because of a boy, but fell in love with the whole dang country instead. We often talk about leaving Virginia and moving to Vermont just to be closer to Canada …
C is for the Cirque du Soleil – world reknown acrobat/dance/music troupe out of Quebec.
Karen
Hiho,
I’m a happy Canadian (of the Newfie variety) and July 1 is my own Birthday as well.. so yay for havign Canada Day off every year. I just wanted to say, this was very nice and impressive to boot.
FYI.. some of us are on Myspace too, Facebook does not have an exclusive :-D. Also, in advance, Happy 4th of July to all my USA friends.
R is for Rachel H.
Yeah for “J” !!!!
Happy Canada Day! What a splendid alphabet! 🙂
Canoes ARE tippy … LOL … been there done *that*. Hubby and I actually won a prize for having sex in a canoe (no, we did not have to demonstrate). We won a tarp/shelter thingy from Eureka! Canada, given to us by Kevin Callan (any canoeist in Canada/Ontario knows who Kevin Callan is, I’m sure … he is to canoeing in Ontario what you are to knitting … both very awesome peeps, imho.)
Go Canada! I love you! I grew up 60 miles from the border and feel half Canadian, eh!
Thanks for posting this Steph. Your post, and the many comments, are a lovely reminder of how lucky we are to be Canadian. Our country is beautiful and life is so good here.
Proud to live in the Nation’s Capital,
Heather of Ottawa
Happy Canada Day !!! My mom is from Nova Scotia and her maiden name is McPhee !!! I know that makes me half Canadian but does it make us cousins?
PS – Your Knitting Rules book and your appearance on Knitty Gritty have turned me into a sock knitter. Wooo Hooo !!
g is for the gulf island spinning mill on saltspring island where they have the ‘fun-est’ fibre festival every other year!
c is for carstairs- another spinning mill in Alberta. or perhaps CGIT? canadian girls in training (an old 4-h/girl guides program my mum was in)
f is for 4-H and the summer exhibitions of livestock and handicrafts!
m is for music! all our awesome canadian bands (of which stuart mclean did an amazing medley on sunday!)
” as canadian as … possible under the circumstances” was definitely the winner! I remember hearing that contest on Morningside 10 + years ago.
oh and b is definitely for bunnyhugs!
although, you ontarians might not understand our Saskatchewan lingo!
Yay Nunavut! I haven’t been up there since 1994 (when it was still the Northwest Territories). Do they still have the polar bear shaped license plates? It took every ounce of my willpower not to steal one of them.
You know, posts like this make one want to move north…
w00t for Canada! I have several friends that live in Quebec. I would also include B for Blame Canada *sings*, P for poutine, even though I nearly threw up when I ate it, and T for Tim Horton’s as they are everywhere and invading the US.
V is for the Vinyl Cafe!!
How about F for our First Nations peoples?
And absolutely, S is for Stompin’ Tom!
A is for Arrogant Worms – one of the funniest comedy troupes ever.
B is for Bard on the Beach – summer Shakespeare festival held in tents on one of Vancouver’s loveliest beaches – not to be missed!
Also B is for Barenaked Ladies – where else but Canada could this band be banned?
C is for Canadarm – just about burst with pride every time that gets used.
Also, our beloved and Yarn-Harlot-featuring CBC.
Also, our Constitution – based on “peace, order and good government” – that does lead to a different end than “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.
D is for Mr Dress-Up, who shared the neighbourhood with Mr Rogers.
E is for “eh” – seriously.
F is for Farley Mowat. Really, you can’t argue with that.
G is for Great Big Sea.
H is for ….. yeah, hockey.
I is for insulin. You’re welcome, rest o’ the world.
J is for Ron James. You have not laughed until you have heard him perform.
K is for kd lang, proving that Albertans are proud of their own no matter what.
L is for Gordon Lightfoot.
M is for Mary Walsh (also Marg Delahunty, Warrior Princess) and Rick Mercer. What other country would have their comedians literally in bed with their politicians?
N is for Nanaimo bars.
O is for Olympics – coming to Canada for the 3rd time in 2010.
P is for peacekeeping forces. Also Lester B Pearson. Hmmm, and both of those won the Nobel.
Q is for Quebec. All provinces and territories tend to be distinct societies, but some are more distinct than others. My Canada includes Quebec.
R is for road hockey. CAR!!
Also, Rabbitch.
S is for smug, cuz we do get a little that way sometimes.
T is for Terry Fox, who showed that one person can make a difference.
U is for universal health care – it cannot be said often enough.
V is for variety – of foods, languages, religions, backgrounds.
Also Vimy Ridge.
W is for w-w-w-winter. We’re a northern people. We love the cold. Really. Well, we’re proud of surviving it each year.
X is for expert, which we all are on our neighbour to the south.
Z is for zed zed zed and that’s good enuf for me.
A belated Happy Canada Day to you and all the others north of the border. I feel torn every time you post things like your list, making Canada so tempting. And tempting it is, with the current regime – er – government in power.
I keep thinking what it would be like to live in Canada. I’d have to admit to being a wimp about cold. Well, maybe not a wimp, exactly, but growing up on Long Island does NOT prepare one for winter in Canada. Compared to the locals in the SF Bay Area, I rank as hero mountain woman material; they fuss when it gets below 60, 60 above, that is.
The trouble is that my family, on my mother’s side, has been here in the proto-USA since the 1630s at least, and eight that I know of fought in the Revolutionary War. I have deep connections with that history, since I spent every summer as a child and teen in the area they settled on the South Fork of Long Island. I don’t know if I could break those ties. For the New World, they’re deep roots.
Anyway, God bless Canada and Canadians. May you be a role model for us and may our government follow your lead.
D is also for….DONAIR!!!
Another east coast favourite.
I like D is for Mr. Dressup, too.
Saskatoon berries. The Calgary Stampede. Big Rock Beer. A Peace Tower on our parliament buildings. Universal Health Care. CKUA — Alberta’s public radio.
And everything else, too.
oh and M is for milk that comes in bags, which = win.
You forgot the biggest and best thing for “Y” – “yarn harlot”! Only a country as big and as diverse and as eclectically brilliant can bring forth such a wonder!
L is definitely for Leonard Cohen. He’s even hotter than the Mounties.
We just got back from a road trip to the Big C. We discovered Tim’s, and are now looking into how we can emigrate. Especially since you don’t have a B for Bush there.
And I admit readily that I might have missed it in your million comments, but S is most certainly for Stephanie!
A is for Ale! After a suck ass day in a rotten business meeting one of the administrative assistants to the full of hot air client asked if I had plans and brought me along to a wonderful pub with the best ale! Friendly people too.
I have it on good authority that TimBits are Canada’s foremost contribution to world cuisine. The nice gentleman running the Canada booth at International Night at Daughter’s school assured me of this. 🙂
For an alphabetical contribution:
C is for curling. I know it was invented by the Scots, but the Canadians turned it into an art form.
M is definitely for music. I have spent several vacations in Canada, some musical ones but I have also spent camping vacations in Canada. Quebec Province. So yes, C is for canoes but B very definitely stands for black flies. Ouch!
C is also for cider. When traveling around southern Vancouver Island last fall we stumbled upon Merridale Ciderworks and spent a wonderful time tasting their wide variety of hard ciders – some that resembled beers, and others wines. And brought some home, where we’ve savored them since (still have a little bit of one left – must be time to visit again soon)
And R is for Rankins – fun music!
I now have a severe hankering for some Smokey Bacon chips! Thank goodness I’m Canadian and can get them at the corner store!
B is for Battlestar (Galactica). Filmed in Vancouver, with sets lovingly decorated by my bro and his crew. For one more season, at least.
Oh Canada! This will be the first time in 28 years that I have not been able to make it to Northern Ontario in July. Job promotions do have consequences.
My kids don’t even count the Tim Horton’s in the states as being real. If you don’t hit the one on Hwy 17, in Sturgeon Falls, then it’s just pointless.
S is for Screw it, I’m moving to Canada, I love snow, I hate our health care system. Yep, so moving.
Being half Canadian, we celebrate the whole first week of July. I’m visiting my parents right now (also in the States), and I will see much of my Canadian relatives this week, down here. My husband brought his “Canada Rocks” t-shirt, and I’m representing with my Newfoundland and Labrador sweatshirt. (Not that I’ll need it in this heat, but still.) Unfortunately, I forgot my Canadian flag themed folding chair.
And I second the chips. When we were up last summer, I stocked up on Ketchup flavored ones. And I’d add: T for Tetley. Not a Canadian company, but it’s the largest selling brand there. We can get it here, but they don’t put enough actual tea in the bags, so I stocked up when we were up last.
Wonderful stuff, Stephanie!
We could put in another G for the “Good Old Hockey Song” by Stomping Tom.
Oh, your post brings back the fond memories of my honeymoon…My Canadian Alphabet would include:
Alberta, where
Banff is, and we met lots of wonderful
Canadians, ate
Delicious food,
Enjoyed the
Fireplace in our B&B
Guest room, floated in the
Hot springs, tasted our first
Ice wine, drove our
Jeep through the snow, shared a
Kiss at
Lake Loraine, hiked through the
Mountains, bundled up in our
North Face coats and hats. In
October, we
Photographed the scenery, amazed at the
Quiet splendor of the
Rockies, basking in the light of the
Sun,
Traipsed around the fields and
Up the banks of the
Vermillion Lakes, the
Water and Ice reflecting the
eXquisite peaks of Mt. Rundle and her friends.
Years later, we still dream of returning.
Zee End (my politically incorrect nod to the Frech Canadians, and because, Z is a hard letter!).
I am Minnesotan who is moving to Singapore. My children will be attending the Canadian International School. I have learned many wonderful things on this blog, but doesn’t G really stand for Gretzky?
E is for ‘eh’, eh.