As a country we tend to measure ourselves against our neighbours to the South. On the occasion of our respective national navel-gazing holidays Maclean's magazine took the time to do an in-depth comparison of the two nations. What they found can be summed up in this sentence - "The numbers are in. Compared to the U.S., we work less, live longer, enjoy better health and have more sex. And get this: now we're wealthier too."
This will no doubt be a great source of pride for all of us on this side of the 49th parallel until we remember that a Canadian team has not won a Stanley Cup since the Habs did it in '93. Nevertheless, it looks like we are doing some things right.
This large smiling gentleman is my good friend Pemalika Fiaui and he is now a Canadian citizen. In one of my favourite holiday touches, Citizenship and Immigration Canada hold citizenship ceremonies on Canada Day. Lika was one of 70 new Canadians sworn in at The Playhouse yesterday. You can check out the whole happy story here.
Lika arrived at practice one night five years ago and asked if he join us. We looked him over and told him he could do whatever he wanted. He played with us that season and then left to go back to Samoa. We had a going away party for him and he showed up in a hunting jacket and was drinking Alpine. We had him right then and there. He came back the next summer and started working for the city and is now a proud member of the Fredericton City Fire Department. He has been working and playing in Fredericton since. He and his wife Chandra have two great (and great big) kids and we are very proud and lucky to have them as part of our family at the rugby club.
Much like my post from yesterday, Lika's children's children will be able to look back on this day as the day that their grandfather became a Canadian citizen. Great stuff.
These historic tykes are a group of child immagrants landing in Saint John. They are called Home Children and between 1870 and 1930 almost 100 000 'orphaned, abandoned, or pauper children' from overcrowded cities in industrial Britain were sent to the vast spaces of Canada. In theory the children were being sent by churches and philanthropists in the hope that they would have a better life in our pastoral Dominion. In reality they were solving problems on both sides of the Atlantic; overcrowding in Britain and a labour shortage in Canada. Many were treated to the life the brochure offered while many others were treated as slaves. Either way, most stayed and became Canadians to the point that estimates surmise that 10% of present day Canadians have home children in their family trees.
I bring this up today because I am among that 10%. My great-grandfather Herbert Dawkins arrived in Halifax on July 1, 1905. In my family tree that is the first time my blood set foot on Canadian soil. Canada Day, 1905.
Herbert ended up on a farm in Stanley and I know nothing of his time there. I hope he was one of the lucky ones. What I do know is that he left Stanley for Fredericton, got married and had children, including my grandfather. My Grandfather, in turn, grew up, prospered, and raised a family that would make Herbert very proud. So from humble beginnings....I guess that is the Canadian Dream.
In a bit of news that warms the heart, Canada's last surviving World War 1 veteran, Jack Babcock, regained his Canadian citizenship after having to renounce it nearly 80 years ago. Shortly after the war Mr. Babcock moved to the U.S. and, before the advent of dual citizenship, became a U.S. citizen. He has stated that he has always considered himself a Canadian and wanted to go out of this world the same way he came in; as a Canadian citizen.That sentiment prompted him to write a letter to Prime Minister Harper who quickly sent some lackeys down there to score some PR points. Cynisism aside, it was a nice gesture and a happy day for Jack and proud Canadians everywhere.
Well the election is over and despite his best efforts (and good press)Craiger came up short in his bid for City Council in Saint John. There were an incredible 10 candidates in Ward 3 so it was an uphill battle for a relative newcomer to the city and brand nubian to the campaign trail. Craig had good things to say about the winners and hopefully he will now have their ear thanks to this exercise. Again, I can't say enough about him having the nuts to go through with this. We could use him up here in Freddy.
Speaking of which, here in Freddy, the SS Bradside will sail into his 7th term as the city's mayor while my local neighbourhood has been turned over to Eric Megarity. Not totally sure what this means long term but, in the case of Megarity, it means I can say that my vote counted towards a victory. It was all about that phone call.
To cheer Craig up I relayed to him some good news for all of us proud Canadians. For the first time in 25 years a Canadian has won Playmate of the Year honours. Jayde Nicole is the pride of Port Perry Ontario and can look forward to a very exciting few years of being groped by a octogenarian.Respect indeed.
As a country we tend to measure ourselves against our neighbours to the South. On the occasion of our respective national navel-gazing holidays Maclean's magazine took the time to do an in-depth comparison of the two nations. What they found can be summed up in this sentence - "The numbers are in. Compared to the U.S., we work less, live longer, enjoy better health and have more sex. And get this: now we're wealthier too."
