NEWS: 10 Reasons Canada Matters

CULTURE: 10 Reasons Canada Matters

It's Canada Day. Today -- July 1st -- thirty-two million Canadians gather to rejoice and respect each other nationwide in a celebration of all things maple leaf. Although slightly more low-key than the Fourth of July celebrations held by our American cousins, Canada Day is a crucial holiday because it allows Canadians for one day to stop asking each other what it means to live here and simply appreciate everything we have.

Boo ya, a global reminder...10 reasons why everyone worldwide should be celebratin' Canada Day today:

10) Security and Prosperity Partnership. A trilateral working group undertaking subtle initiatives seeking to streamline government processes and business systems that link Canada, Mexico and the United States. Other than SuicideGirls.com, our best chance at establishing one continent of progressive peoples. Viva la raza, eh?

9) Basketball. Every time you witness an earth-rattling dunk or spy Jack Torrance sitting courtside, remember, you may love this game, but Canadian doctor James Naismith made this shit up.

8) Tim Hortons. You can keep your cupcakes, frappuccino and baklava. The Double Double and crueller have been bringing together crooks, cops, CEOs and ordinary working folk for decades.

7) Kensington Market. Look what Jah Jah gave us. 80 miles from the US border at Niagara Falls lies an unconventional outdoor street market in the heart of Canada's largest city where poets, punk, Rastafari, shoppers and the orthodox and unorthodox alike gather to peacefully discuss...peace and stuff. Not to overlook that hotness abounds here, the Market is surreal, sketchy and infinitely satisfying at once. A model for outdoor neighborhood markets and city living everywhere. Worth the cost of travel here alone.

6) The Oilsands. Okay, America has a love affair with the automobile but an obvious love-hate relationship with the mechanisms of conflict that some aspects of the auto industry are occasionally blamed for creating. Outside of Saudi Arabia, Canada has the second largest oil reserves on the planet and continues to be the single most stable country for secure energy supplies. Plans by the government here to spend more money on technology, innovation and exploration will translate to more peace, more green and less wars.

5) The Facebook Takeover. Seems Facebook, the social networking website that may or may not be deeply connected to CIA and US Department of Defense insiders, has more users in Toronto than LA, San Francisco and New York combined. Whatev, how else are you going to get details about the next Cherry Beach rave or find out which Canadians support Hillary Clinton in '08?

4) Harm Reduction. A progressive but not-entirely homegrown concept that seeks to find solutions to reducing drug abuse and associated criminal activity through education rather than incarceration.

3) Montréal. You like to party. We like to party. Welcome to the City of Mary. What happens in Vegas...started in Montréal. Tabernac!

2) The Trans-Canada Highway. The story of Canada is revealed when traveling across the country on the primary highway linking the nation. Whether the excitement of coasting into Vancouver from Hope, the reflection inspired by a prairie sunset or the hard work associated with a Newfoundland fishing expedition, time spent along the Trans-Canada is hardly time at all.

1) You. You need to be here. We buy the beer. No fighting. Happy Canada Day.

The world has a lot of respect for Canada. I know I do, certainly.
It's always been just North of the USA, whereas the rest of the civilised world has only been there twenty years or so ^^

Forget basketball, the world should thank Canada for hockey! Happy Canada Day to all, and to all a good night!

Happy Canada Day!!

Any nation that produces The Kids In The Hall can't be bad.

Here's to you, Canada.

nothing about their health care?

i enjoyed your beers when i was there, so enjoy the day canada

Damn it do I love Canada. If it weren't for my wife, I would have been a Canadian a long time ago.....and the top 10 list left out Hockey of all things. That bothers me a bit, though Tim Hortons at least get's you close, though most people outside of canada have no clue who he was or that he was a hockey player.

heh... isn't that awesome ? Happy Canada Day to everyone !

Montreal representin'!!

Mmmm... Timmy HoHos... I miss you Canada, can I come back home?

I'm in awe that you forgot to include Arielle & Ges in that list!!

Happy day to you all.

Hell yes. I am in strong support of this thread. Fuck, I speak like a Canadian anyway, so I might as well be.

Happy Canada Day

Yay Happy Canada Day!!

The United States imports more oil from Canada than from any other single country.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html

OMGZ WE DO NOT SPEAK LIKE CANADIANS!

Jeez.

Plus, once I tried to claim that as Minnesotans, we may as well just be part of Canada, and I seem to recall FreakPirate responding and rejecting the whole lot of us. I'm still bitter.

Hey, I said Canadians, not people from NoDak

+1

after seeing SiCKO, i will move back one day.

Happy Canada day eh! lol Hockey didnt make the list but I was glad to see Tim's on there!

Dear Canada,
Thanks for the Poutine, SG's and many of my ancestors.

I love Canada.

But I reserve the right to hate Celine Dion.

8 more reasons...

yay for Canadia!