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Sunday, October 12, 2008
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The greatest country in the world |
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Written by BRUCE STRACHAN
Citizen columnist
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Wednesday, 02 July 2008 |
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SECOND WORLD WARPRIME MINISTER
From the perspective of a political junkie, here’s my take on Canada’s enviable place in the international scheme of things.
To begin, and by any measure, Canada is an international economic powerhouse.
On the Gross Domestic Product scale, we come in ninth in the world. Not bad for a nation of just 33 million people.
Just to put that number in context, California has a larger population than Canada.
From sea to shining sea, Canada is the second largest country in the world.
Canada is a member of the group of eight world countries. The G8 club is composed of the eight leading economies in the world.
Within that august international group, Canada is the most successful. Canada is the only member of the G8 group to post annual budget surpluses and reduce its debt, while at the same time reducing sales and income taxes.
We have a robust political system. We embrace political philosophies that range from the far left to the fundamentalist right to shades of bright green and liberal tapioca. We even have a separatist party in our Canadian House of Commons. How’s that for a fair-play democracy?
We can hold a federal election and know the results of every poll by 11:30 p.m. Pacific Time, pretty amazing for the second largest country in the world.
We have politicians who can make a minority government work and actually get things done.
We have universal health care and a high-quality education system.
There are no substandard Canadian universities.
There are no bad Canadian medical schools.
We have a Prime Minister who can offer Canada Day greetings to the whole country and do it in just one minute and 45 seconds. And don’t forget, that’s the same guy who’s stick handling his legislation through the House of Commons with a minority government.
We have an actuarially sound Canadian pension plan.
We have a remarkably successful middle class.
We are a net exporter of energy and probably always will be. There are countries that would kill - and indeed are - for energy independence.
All of the above are givens. Facts you can look up anywhere.
However, to get to the best part of being Canadian, you have to leave the country. Learn how others feel about us.
On that note, I want to finish my tribute to Canada from a personal experience.
This year my wife and I visited Juno Beach, Normandy for the June 6th anniversary of the D-day Allied landing, the military action that began the end of the Second World War.
There were five beaches, all code named, and the Canadian Army landed on Juno at a French seaside village named Courseulles-sur-Mer.
My father and my uncle were with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, one of the regiments with the Third Canadian infantry division. This was a trip I had to take.
That day, the Canadian troops went farther inland than any of the other invading armies.
That’s the history, but the way Canadians are remembered is what really hits home.
Canada’s D-day history begins at the Juno Beach Centre, a stunning building saluting the commitment and sacrifice made by Canadians in the liberation of Europe. I should point out the centre began as a private-sector initiative by a group of D-day veterans in Toronto. They raised $5 million on their own before getting the support of governments in Canada and France.
Everywhere you go in the eight kilometres of the D-day beaches you see Canadian flags.
In the city of Caen, 15 kilometres inland, there are a number of monuments naming and thanking the Canadian regiments who helped free the city.
The airport serving Caen is at the village of Carpiquet. It was the scene of six days of bitter fighting before Canadian forces took the site. There’s a cairn at the airport saluting the Canadian regiments who fought there. There’s also a large Canadian flag flying proudly on the airport grounds.
When you see our Maple Leaf and understand the significant contribution our country made to the liberation of Europe, it makes you feel truly proud to be a Canadian.
I know we all grouse about life in Canada, it’s part of our psyche I guess. But look around; try to find a better place to live, or raise a family, or call home.
As I asked, in the opening line, “Isn’t it great being Canadian?”
For a whole lot of reasons, you bet it is.
*** ***
Politics on the hill.
Dumping UNBC president Don Cozzetto - $492,000.
Having superstar past president Chuck Jago on hand to take over - priceless.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 07 September 2008 )
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