Happy 150th Birthday Canada

[LRC1962]

Just to tell you how confusing it is to be a Canadian.
1) Yes indeed we became a nation on July 1, 1867. British Parliament reserved right of controlling legislation until 1931 and had ultimate control over any constitutional changes until 1982. Canadians were satisfied with that as we have Quebec who likes to march to its own drum and still has not officially signed on to the Canadian constitution and Bill of Rights.
2) Until WWI Canadian military had to be lead by British officers. That ended after the disgrace of Solesmes and Passchendaele where brilliant orders such as slow marches against known German machine gun emplacements were given. Explains some of the high death tolls. Canadians told British at that point if we are to die, it will be from our own generals orders or we will leave the fighting to you. Britain capitulated and Canada got control of its army.
3) Over 90% of Canadians live within 200 miles of the longest militarily undefended border in the world.
4) We no longer have a 1 cent denomination. All cash transactions are rounded to nearest 5 cents.
Googling about Canada and have found that you have to be very careful about what is and is not true about Canada. Almost every site that claims facts has got something wrong and usually it comes down to the fact as one history teacher told me. Canada is about the only nation in the world that broke every rule as to what creates a nation a nation. I guess the main unifying forces were the Hudson Bay Company which at one time or another own all natural resources in Canada and the right to envy Americans but not be Americans.
PS Our greatest sport is not Hockey it is belittling and trivializing any Canadian or Canadian achievement.

[Neven]

Congratulations. Canada is one of the countries where I would have like to have lived, but probably never will.

[oren]

Canada. I may still live there in the future, when my country completes its suicide, if I manage to get in. Probably the best place in the world in which to face the coming challenges/catastrophe, with one small caveat that it will probably be annexed by its belligerent and much stronger southern neighbour.

[magnamentis]

happy birthday indeed, have been living in nova scotia for 12 years and it IS a great country.

2 reasons finally made me move, moskitos, black flies and often 14-16C in July (adding cold ocean)

nevertheless, for someone with a fixed work place or local business it's close to perfect, great nature, lovely people, didn't even encounter a mounty more than once in twelve years LOL, was a general vehicle control.

[pikaia]

Happy birthday, Canada!