Canada
150 Years a Nation – going strong
15 decades – little time to create
What some would say is the best place to live
For 36 million people from all corners of the world
Canada
Self-deprecating, yet proud of its icons:
Beaver, moose and the Maple Leaf forever
Grey’and Lord Stanley’s Cup,
Inukshuk, big Nickel, and Canadarm,
And with all due respect to our neighbours to the south
Inventors of basketball and the telephone
Canada
Where civilized folks are more apt to say “sorry”,
“eh?”, “after you please” and “see you at Tim’s”
And a “Come from Away” is not looked down upon.
Canada
Home and native land to Indigenous peoples
Friend to refugee and immigrant
Over 700 languages and dialects spoken
Canada
Where ordinary people make their mark
Their footprints seen from coast to coast to coast
Communities like Gander now on Broadway
Defining the meaning of generosity
Canada
Where names like Rocket, Chief, Great One, and Sid the Kid
Reign supreme in “ice hockey’s domain”
And Group of Seven, Oscar, McRae, Marconi,
Bethune, The Hip, and Lightfoot
Share with the world their stories of Canada
Canada
Where beaver tails, poutine, maple syrup, split pea soup,
nanaimo bar, cod tongue, bison burgers, salt cod and scruncheons,
Canadian bacon, tourtiere, Montreal smoked meat,
blueberry pie, fresh butter tarts and icewine are celebrated
Canada
Inspiring, nurturing, inviting and growing
More than a nation of loggers and fishermen
Greater than bilingualism and multicultural pursuits
Canada
Lest We Forget…to name but a few…the cost of freedom at such a price!
48th Highlanders, The Black Watch, The Queen’s Own Rifles, Royal Westminster Regiment, Canadian Medical Corps, Les Voltigeurs, Duke of Connaught’s Own, Grenadiers, Cape Breton Highlanders, Nova Scotia Rifles
At Somme, Beaumont Hamel, Vimy Ridge, Passchendale, Dieppe, Hong Kong, Juno Beach, Rhineland, in Britain, France, Netherlands, Italy and in the Atlantic
Canada
Your greatness shines in humility
Through service to humanity
Compassion for the homeless
Open doors, and equal opportunities
Personified in the lyrics,
“God keep our land glorious and free
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee”
Canada
Because of you, we are
The true North, strong and free!
Michael Frederiksen
June 21, 2017
Beautifully expressed and captured, Michael!
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