General Chat

I would like to wish our neighbours a wonderful and happy Canada Day.

Happy Canada Day to all Canadians everywhere! I've been here since 1966 and I'm so glad I chose to live in Canada! We have a lot to be grateful for in this beautiful country. Andrea

I would like to add my best wishes too.

Hi Lisa; Happy Canada day to you too! I am so glad my parents made the big leap across the ocean thirty eight years ago. We love Canada and are so appreciative of our parents sacrifices to come here. I will email you later today re results from my trip.

Happy canada day to you all. My brother is there for 6 months in Labrador with the RAF. It's his second stint there and he loves it. Christine

Happy Canada day to every one. I moved here 8 years ago, it was hard leaving my family, but it was the best move ever, my children have been so lucky to see both sides of the world and we love the country. Debbie

Happy canada day (ok i'm a day late...but i didn't know)hope this works:- [img]http://img58.photobucket.com/albums/v177/marilyn777/Marilynpictures/Animations/canada5.gif[/img]

Congratulations everyone! (Sorry I'm late, as an ignorant Brit, I don't know half the national days in the rest of the world, mea culpa!) What special things do Canucks do on your national day? Does maple syrup play a role? Celebrate! (We don't seem to do so, in GB/ England/ even Devon! lol!) Philip

Philip Canadians usually celebrate Canada Day by having firework displays in their own communities and by various gatherings such as parades, public BBQ's etc. or just by hanging out with friends and family. In Ottawa (the nation's capital) there is always a big concert, speeches from the Prime Minister etc etc. and of course, fireworks! I'm sure Maple Syrup figures somewhere amidst all that celebrating! It's also a national holiday of course and is one of the few that is celebrated on the actual day July 1st falls on instead of the nearest weekend! Don't feel bad about not knowing about other countries 'special national days', most people don't know about them either! lol I didn't know much of anything about Canada before I emigrated here! I do think it's a shame that England doesn't celebrate some kind of national day.

Hallo all Canadians, ex-British as well as 'real' born and bred Canadians. I'm also one of the ignorant ones who doesn't know exactly how old Canada is. How old is she? Nice to see you back Di, was going to ask where you were, but join the fold. Sylvia

hello all, a belated happy Canada day to all. My Canada friends apart from GC are those met through work and they are the most delightful colleagues one could wish for...especailly when they take the lead in Paris when I cannot speak many words of french... seriously, they have always helped so much and I admire tiheir professionalism as well as valuing their frienship J.A.

Hello Andrea, Many thanks for your reply. I'm not feeling too guilty about my ignorance, bu we can be very parochial in our offshore island retreat! After all, we did once rule huge areas of the world, and yet I bey we're tremendously ignorant about much of the culture, important festivals etc of the countries that now form the Commonwealth. Not encouraged by schools either, we're well into PC-ism, and relating to our past is now verboten! Answering Sylvia's question, the confederation of Canada was originally formed in 1867 (that IS one fact I can remember from A level history at school!). Originally one of the main driving forces for Canadian unity was to provide an alternative to the increasingly dominant cousin south of the border (and I don't mean down Mexico way!). I think it was in the 1840s when the Americans' cry was "54 50' or fight!" (a reference to the more northerly parallel of latitude they wanted agreeing by the British as the international border. We must have had some diplomatic skills in those days, as we prevailed upon them to accept the well known 49th parallel. If we hadn't, most of Canada's industry and population would have become American then, and Canada as a separate nation would probably never have been formed or survived. I agree entirely with J.A's sentiments, I've always found Canadians charming and courteous, possibly this comes from living in the shadow of the noisy cousin! Finally, Andrea, one of your fellow emigres from GB is a fourth cousin of my father. We were in touch briefly in the early 90s, although I'm afraid I don't know if he's still alive. Very interesting guy, went out to Canada after the war to work for Rolls Royce. What I didn't know until very recently is that he was one of The Illustrious Few, he flew Spitfires during the Battle of Britain. If I'd known that when I was in touch, I'd've wrapped him in cotton wool and preserved him as a very special person! Philip

Hi to all you wonderful Canadians. I lived over there and have just returned to England after living in Canada for thirty two years!! I still have children and grandchildren, and also one great granchild over there and they are all very proud Canadians!! God Bless you all, and I hope you all had a wonderful Canada Day, I was thinking of you guys Mavis

Hello All, Just to let you know that Canada was 137 years young on July 1st 2004! Barbara