Happy Canada Day

Ok, I know I'm a day late, but it's still worth saying. This is a great country and it should be celebrated. I kept my Canada Day tradition of singing the national anthem, loudly, once in English, once in French. I wore red. I even pulled out my red and white stripped Cat-in-the-Hat hat for the fireworks. I'm still a sucker for fireworks.

I remember the day I became a Canadian. It was March in Ontario, bitterly cold. I remember walking down by the river and the wind coming off the water was so strong I thought it was going to blow me away. Our turn came and we went and stood before the judge. I was surprised that it was a real judge, in robes and everything. I wondered if she was going to decided whether we would be allowed to be citizens or not. But it wasn't like that.

She told my parents to place their hand on a Bible and read the card. Halfway through I looked over and noticed that Mark was reading it to and so I started reading right in the middle of a sentence. For ages I wondered if I really was a Canadian because I missed the beginning and never said my name, or that I solemnly declared. They gave me my certificate and my card came in the mail. They took a picture of me with a Mountie so I must be Canadian enough.

It didn't take very long in the end. I know that there were classes and tests and things that my parents had to do. I was nine so I got to skip that part. Just a few minutes on a cold day in March and this whole country was ours. It is not without its problems, but it is a great country. And it should be celebrated.