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F�te du Canada
July 01, 2005 - 1:08 p.m.

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Canadian Flag

Today is Canada Day, known to older and more patrician Canucks as Dominion Day. According to the Canadian Government's web site...

On June 20, 1868, a proclamation signed by the Governor General, Lord Monck, called upon all Her Majesty's loving subjects throughout Canada to join in the celebration of the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1st.

I'm celebrating by watching the Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa. No better way to celebrate than with Peter Mansbridge.

So far we've had Mounties in full dress serge (they must have been dying in the sweltering heat...again, isn't this supposed to be a cold country?) and a military parade of classic red-coat gaurds, towering black bearskin hats and all. If Adrienne Clarkson (for Yanks: she's the Governor General, the Queen's representative in Canada) dressed just a bit frumpier you'd have thought it was the Queen herself doing the inspection.

Now we're into the stage show. It started with what must have been an entry from Quebec...a huge puppet head rolling on stage, muttering under its breath, only to turn around and roll back off. So, so French Canadian. Oh, it's back...and it's singing about why Alberta and Saskatchewan joined Confederation. "A nation strong and free, with access to the sea, schools and roads and building codes..." Oh, dear. The children in the crowd, to whom this is ostensibly geared, look confused at best.

I suppose that's Canada. Alberta and Saskatchewan welcomed to the group, but slightly confused by Quebec.

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