Well, yes I am. I was going to write about how proud I am to be a Canadian and to live in Canada. I see these travel shows about the exotic places in the world and I thought about what we have here. We are surrounded by three oceans, we have mountains and valleys and lots and lots of water. More than 50% of the world’s fresh water lakes are within our borders. That’s awesome! We have the highest tides in the world. And the best poutine.
I could probably go on and wax philosophical about the inventions Canadians are credited for: light bulbs and zippers, pablum and insulin. And the people that the world loves: Jim Carey, Mike Myers, Donald Sutherland . . .the list is quite extensive. And then, in true Canadian fashion it hit me. I was bragging.
My mother raised me to be a good girl. Mostly. I think Canadians should brag, a little. But we should also be aware of our failings. We’re not perfect. We have a history that we are not always proud of. We mistreated our native peoples. In many ways we still do. But we are trying to change. Our beautiful oceans are not as clean as they should be. We need to take responsibility for them. We are trying.
Our flora and fauna, that is in some cases found only here, don’t always get the recognition and protection they need to continue. Perhaps it’s because we don’t want the rest of the world to know we’re not perfect or because we are ashamed. We don’t need to be ashamed, we just need to fix what is broken and to protect what is not. But isn’t that the same the entire world over?
Canada truly is a beautiful country. And we are a good people, mostly. We seem to spend a lot of time apologizing for a few of us.
Butterfly Sand 
I don’t know much about Canada but I like what I do know. As for apologizing, I think you can stop. You’re a better neighbor than we are, and every country on earth should pay better attention to the subjects you raise concern about. In fact, I think it’s probably the case that if we set bar at “Canada” the worldwide results would improve. By the way, you forgot beer and ice-related sports.
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hhahaha I didn’t want to brag . . . any more! Thanks. We may not be perfect but we do care about our neighbours.
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I still think you have a great deal to be proud of as a Canadian and I don’t think it’s bragging. 🙂
But your nation does have a reputation for saying Sorry a lot! 😀
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Hahhaa We do, we really do!
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😀
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That last line there, “We seem to spend a lot of time apologizing for a few of us.” is the harsh reality of most people in the world. Oh, and I think you have every right to brag about living in Canada. It is indeed a beautiful country.
There’s nothing wrong in being proud of our heritage. Only then can we identify the undesirable aspects of that heritage and try and fix them. Love that you’re already at it.
I enjoy reading your musings. Cheers.
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Thank you. We should all be proud of who we are and where we come from.
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I have never met a Canadian who wasn’t proud to be so. Since my mother was born in Canada I have to say there are plenty of things to brag about. So you go ahead, Pam.
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Thanks John. You have Canadian blood in you!
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I do. I also lived in Detroit growing up so many fun times were spent in Windsor. I also worked on a farm in Sarnia.
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Australia, because it is such a harsh country, bred a mateship in everyone Pam. A way of helping each other out and a humor about everything to make living much easier.
Then the do gooders arrived and now it is illegal to do anything unless in triplicate. Everyone has closed over and become very insulated, where before we would always look out for each other.
The end product isn’t very nice, and to make matters worse, we’re even forced to vote for this rubbish. The equivalent of…’do you wish to be hit by a car or a train’, that is what we face each time we vote 😦
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Australia maybe a harsh country but it is incredibly beautiful with strong people. You have so much to be proud of. And who doesn’t love a roo?
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Yes, true Pam. We even had a wallaby (small type of kangaroo) bounding through the main undersea tunnel during peak hour the other day. How it got there is anyone’s guess, but it must have made the rush hour a little more happier seeing nature in the middle of our 21 century madness 😀
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We really are a humble people, aren’t we? 🙂
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I like that about us.
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Canada is a great, yes great, country. I lived there with my young family, owned land in Quebec, and would be there now except life and time does change things.
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You will always carry a piece of Canada in your heart.
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Always
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I’ve been to Canada twice. Once pleasure, once business. I loved both trips and felt I was in a very civilised place.
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I am pleased you enjoyed your visits.
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The best thing about this topic is because you are proud of living in Canada and being a Canadian despite its imperfections. Nobody is perfect though. Continue to be good and warm welcome toward others. This is all that matter, I guess. I do like your honest thoughts.
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Thank you.
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I am a proud Canadian and grateful to have been born in Canada. I really enjoyed this post. Yes we are often apologizing, the endless “sorry” “oh Sorry!” But that is the way we are. And as for bragging…I’m spending the winter in Florida and I have taken to bragging about Canada on occasion this winter. And i think i have done the right thing to do so. TaDa!
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you are quite right! We don’t need to be arrogant about it but we have every right to brag about our beautiful country. Thanks for the comment.
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