It's Canada Day! This year is the 150th anniversary of the British North American Act, which unified the provinces of Canada to become the Dominion Of Canada. The Act is officially considered the country's founding.
Canadians Celebrating At Canada Place
News & Notes
Happy Birthday, Canada!
Canada's Maple Leaf Re-imagined to Emphasize Canada's Diversity
Canada has been described as a mosaic (rather than a melting pot). The country is the image formed from many different colored tiles. Perhaps the clearest justification for this idea comes from Pierre Trudeau, former prime minister and father of Justin Trudeau, Canada's current rock star prime minister:
There is no such thing as a model or ideal Canadian. What could be more absurd than the concept of an 'all Canadian' boy or girl? A society which emphasizes uniformity is one which creates intolerance and hate.
So, naturally, immigrants are welcome in Canada.
-- Pierre Elliot Trudeau, 1971
A Mosaic Formed From Newly Naturalized Tiles
Vancouver has many especially bright tiles in its mosaic, which is a main reason we love it. The 2011 census revealed that 51.8% of Vancouverites are 'visible minorities'. The non-visible minority European Canadians at 46.2% and the indigenous First Nations people at 2% complete Vancouver's 600,000 tile picture.
!ndigo Bookstore, Granville Street, Vancouver
Could this diversity be why Vancouver is consistently voted 'World's Most Livable City'?
Canada's hardly perfect. The last prime minister, Harper, prohibited publication of scientific papers on climate change. Politics, especially in BC, are a circus. The government's long history of mistreatment of indigenous people is terrible and disgusting. Their internment of Japanese Canadians in WWII was likely worse than the US. Victoria, BC's capital, still pipes all its raw sewerage straight into the ocean. And there's plenty more ... Still, it's Canada Day, and we know the next 150 will be better.
The peonies have been blooming like crazy. We have three. L's is very deep read. All blossoms bloom at once and last two days. J's is pink, blooms profusely over the season and each lasts a week. Our white peony is a gift from our former neighbor, Rose Marie.
Peonies!
Since our last post, our main activity seems to be lunching. Specifically,
- Our Kyoto friends Kamon and Chikako were in town, so we joined them and Brendan and Melissa for lunch. It recalled an earlier luncheon in Kyoto when the diners also included Mizuho and Naoto, friends from Kitakyushu. That event was commemorated in a postcard.
Kamon, Chikako, L, J, Brendan, Melissa
- Gilroy California friends Ton and Hue were in town with their kids and their delightful granddaughter Delia, who already knows to say 'cheese' for photos. They stopped by for lunch and a tour of the garden. Son Kevin took this photo.
Son-in-law Chris, Daphne, Ton, Hue with Delia, L, J
- Ken and Shelley visited us in Vancouver. After brunch at the Naam we visited the Capilano Fish Hatchery. The salmon had hatched and left, swimming down this gorgeous canyon where we hiked through spectacular forest.
Ken and Shelley
And finally for our viewing pleasure, the fireboat practiced one afternoon!
Let Us Spray
UPDATE: On July 2 as part of the Canada 150 celebration Vancouver held a parade honoring its many cultural and ethnic groups.
- Of course, the parade began with Mounties, some wearing hats, some wearing turbans.
A Symbol of Canada
- Over the next two hours representatives from dozens of Vancouver's ethnic groups paraded by, often in traditional costumes and performing traditional activities.
Traditional Korean Costumes and Drumming
- Even representatives from different phyla and different galaxies were there.
Jellies from Van Aquarium - Stormtroopers from Star Wars Club
- Though the marchers highlighted important characteristics of the cultures they brought to Canada, the main evidence of Vancouver's diversity was simply a random photo of the crowd waiting for the parade to start
Waiting for the Parade
