Episode 1:
Today I am introducing a new occasional series. “Made in Canada, eh?” This will be a sometimes humorous, sometimes serious look at events in Canada that should be of interest to our American and international readers. Sometimes we may even foray into dangerous terrritory and take a look at American events from a Canadian perspective.
Today will be a double post, this introduction, and and additional commentary by Dennis Maione, on a recent Canadian Supreme Court ruling. My series on “Why I am an Ally” will return next Friday. (My apologies to Geoff who has been waiting six years for this.)
For the uninitiated, you may have a few misconceptions about Canada.
Yes we have a Prime Minister with a six pack (though I don’t think it is quite as good as drawn), we have mountains (except where we don’t), and polar bears (I saw one in zoo once), and Canada geese (way too many). Riding a moose, however, will get you arrested.
There are a number of subtle and not so subtle differences between Canadians and Americans. To explain some of these differences, here is my friend, radio host, bike racing champion, and Canadian icon, Jeff Douglas on his take 25 years ago. I might add that both the commercial and Jeff have aged well.
I hope you enjoy the series!
The Internet Monk Archives 
My father said ‘Zedd’ for ‘Z’ . . . . we, his American spawn, always ‘corrected’ him very politely, as he was our father and no one disrespected him ever . . . . . but that was out of love, not fear.
Pop was born in St. Armand just north of the border. His people had been in Canada since the first Frenchmen came over into that region.
Pepere (grandfather) WAS a ‘lumberjack’ in his youth, but I remember the great tall pepere with the wooden leg that was the result of a building accident.
Grandmother (memere) and the aunts all shared the family trait, something the Germans call ‘gemutlich’ meaning a very pleasant positive demeanor that was a joy to be around . . . lots of laughter, food, and love. Good people. I remember the laughter, and SO MUCH FOOD.
I’m in love with Montreal, or as some call it: the Paris of the North. 🙂 We honey-mooned there fifty years ago. I remember it like yesterday . . . . the rich coffee, not like our ‘American’ coffee (things have progressed coffee-wise in this country yes) . . . . the pastries, ooooh the pastries . . . . . . . the nightlife . . . . the sparkling clean streets, like they were swept and polished . . . . Canada is CLEAN! and the people are dignified and have a certain je ne sais quo (sp?) or ‘eclat’ or whatever you want to call style and a good pride in how they do their jobs.
We still have people in Canada, mostly in Quebec. My great aunt who was a cloistered nun, Sr. St. Gabriel, passed away some years ago. But there are cousins still. And they are bi-lingual. But most of the immediate family descending from my pepere and memere are in New England now, still a little French is mixed in, the occasional phrase, but they are no longer bilingual, sadly.
Canada, I think of it as ‘strong’ and ‘hardy’ and beautiful and COLD. And I’m proud my Pop called it the land of his birth. Very proud, indeed.
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–> “I have sort of slipped back into my old Friday spot…”
Whoo hooo!!! Good to have you here more consistently again!
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I have sort of slipped back into my old Friday spot, and will try to keep it up.
The “Made in Canada, eh?”, will make irregular appearances.
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There have been a couple of cases of yahoos in motorboats jumping on to the back of a swimming moose.
This is an action that endangers the animal.
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Fridays are for De Great White North, Eh?
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“Riding a moose, however, will get you arrested.”
Seriously? There’s an actual law against that? I would have that that it would annoy the moose, which given the disparity in size between a moose and a human should be sufficient disincentive.
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This should be interesting…
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