HealthiaCynthia

1- Liberty: Freedom of Religion and Separation of Church and State (no one is telling us what to believe)

2-  Vision: We can grow hemp in this country to supply a huge demand, domestic and otherwise,for this healthy, versatile seed and fibre. 

3-  Gifts: I enjoy the gifts of art and entertainment from the stellar likes of Joni Mitchell and Margaret Atwood to Feist, the Fringe Festival and Barenaked Ladies… sometimes our indigenous artists go elsewhere, but we continue to honour them as Made in Canada.

4-  We still continue to have Gun Control laws in Canada.  Thanks to Michael Moore (in "Bowling for Columbine") for appreciating us so much that we have started to recognize for ourselves how important an issue this is to uphold.

5-   Lots and lots of fresh air (spend time in a disadvantaged tropical country and see what it means to return to lots and lots of fresh air and clean water).

6-   We have CBC.  As a child I was a little frustrated that my parents always had the radio turned to CBC (including the opera programs)…. then when our kids came along, they called CBC "Mom's opera station"…. now I notice that they listen to CBC on their car radios… it's a lovely tradition

7-  CBC showed us that over a million voting Canadians feel passionately about 25,000 nominated "Wonders of Canada".  The final Seven Wonders of Canada can be seen here, along with other nominations. 

8- I love living in Canada because I can always find someone who knows someone I know wherever I travel.  It's probably because our population is still relatively small (and we are quitemobile?)  Our Church community, for example, accommodates newcomers and long-timers with a
down-home welcome– the executive of the Canadian conference might be picking up garbage with you this summer at the end of a Camp Meeting.)

9- I love hearing my friends who came to Canada as refugees tell me that although they originally wanted to go to the US, after they came here and settled they were so relieved to be living in a "nice Canadian" city, and that they hear from compatriots in other countries that there is more hurtful racism, crime and huge medical costs.  Most people I know who come here as refugees are grateful and feel safe. 
10-  I love living on Vancouver Island where almost all my neighbors came from the Canadian Prairies somewhere and we can all rejoice in having had a "much nicer winter here" (than we would have had in Saskatchewan), even though the locals tell us that this is the worst winter they have had in 50 years.  When you have lived through rough Canadian Prairie winters you know that you can deal with anything that comes your way.

-Cynthia at Healthia Cynthia 

 11) We are blessed with a huge country, giving us lots of room to spread out without stepping on each other’s toes

12) We produce vast quantities of Maple Syrup

13) We are loved everywhere we travel thanks to our kind and gentle personalities

14) We invent some of the top technology in the world (and then we sell it to other countries… )

15) Our beer commercials are awesome and loved by all

16) We represent acceptance of multiculturalism

17) We support Medicare

18) We represent one of the widest artist communities

19) We have a hard education system that challenges our students to grow 20) Our universities are cost efficient and accessible as well as highly rated

-Natalie at Logo Tree Designs

21. Freedom to work in field you want.

22. Disability available if you can not.

23. Freedom of expression.

24. You can still be a stay at home mom if you wish to.

25. Everyone gets health insurance.

26. Our young people have a choice to join the military if they want– they are not forced.

27. We can have animals as pets and part of our household.

28. We can have our faith.

29. We do have a voice and exercise it in voting.

Patricia Buchanan (a "Facebook" Friend)

30-I honestly love a crisp -28 morning, as long as there’s no wind. The snow crunches, the sun shines, and I feel warm and free. I like the way the air feels so fresh in my lungs. Think I’m crazy? Walk outside in a t-shirt on a calm -30 morning. Just don’t touch anything metal.
Yes weather - we can hit +40 and -40 within one calendar year.
31-Scenery - we have diverse, incredible scenery.
32-Sunsets - dusk and dawn are best in the north.
33-Mounties - who else has something SO cool?
34-Lakes, rivers, prairie, mountains, The Canadian Shield, tundra, forests.

Conrad Jantzen (a "Facebook" Friend)

35.  The people.  The diversity.  The warmth.  People around the world are always happy to meet a Canadian

36.  The Geography.  Wow..this country is HUGE.  We have every type of geography and weather covered in this country.   The mountains take my breath away every single day.

37.  Our Political System.  For all it’s flaws and corruption, it has thankfully been fairly transparent AND changeable.  When the people speak, they are generally heard.  Thankfully here, the governments still seems (mostly) to work for us and not the other way around.

38.  Our Healthcare.   Again, it is dreadfully flawed and needs a total overhaul from the ground up, but I am still thankful it exists.

39.  The Canadian sense of humour.  (see..H.U.M.O.U.R. - the REAL spelling)  I think we have some of the funniest people around.

40.  CBC.   I love the CBC…especially the Radio.  I listen to Radio One as much as I can.  I think it is the voice of Canada.

41.  Our National Anthem.  It is a good song and thank goodness easy to memorize!

42.  The Animal Kingdom.  I like that this country is still very wild.  That bears and cougars lurk at the edge of civilization.  I love that Eagles fly over my head.

43.   Our Flag.  It took long enough, but it was a great choice

44.  Our International affairs……again, there are flaws, but for a large country with a small population, we do the best that we can.

Crunchy Carpets blogging on Wet Coast Women  

45.Free medical care
46.No President Bush
47.Our trails, mountains and lakes
48.Diversity-We are welcoming of those who are “different”.
49.We are not at war with nations around the world.
50.Four seasons
51.Our friendly nature.
52.Canada’s education system ranks among the best in the world.
53.Seniors are a cared for priority.
54.Quality of the environment.

Rose of Today's Woman  

55. Freedom (that encompasses a lot!)

56. Safety (in comparison to other places in the world)
57. the change of seasons

58. real maple syrup
59. multiple cultures
60. health care6

61. the Great Lakes
62. lots of forests, rivers, green space

63. hockey
64. civil rights

Laurie blogging at Threat Assessment

65) Canada is blessed with abundant clean air and clean water and not enough people to mess it up, yet. However, we are working on selling off the clean water.

66) Canadian consumers have access to a huge variety of foodstuffs, particularly fresh produce, from around the world. The prices of these goods are inexpensive compared to other nations as Canada allows other countries to dump their cheap excess production into the Canadian market-place. Of course, the Canadian farmer is an almost extinct entity but, right now, shoppers, it’s all good!

67) Canadians consider the “weather” to be a brilliant topic of conversation so everyone is able to communicate with one another.

68) Canadians are unsophisticated and proud of it. Proof: the ‘beaver’ as a nation symbol and the “loon” threatening to usurp that icon.

69) Canada is blessed with the absence of a large and varied population of poisonous insects and snakes.

70) Canada is a world leader. Canada shelters the largest and earliest manifestation of the phenomena known as the “Baby Boomers”. How Canada responds to managing this unwieldy group is setting an example to other countries who are not so hugely impacted. Of course, most of the’go to’ people of the Baby Boomer era have ‘gone’ but do return ‘home’, occassionally, to pick up prizes and host CBC specials.

71) Canadians are not easily seduced bt “pretty words from pretty faces”. Attempts by leaders to create and ‘elegant and elitist’ persona for themselves or their families are usually greeted with scorn and derision. However, the Trudeau Clan were able to suck us in.

72) Canada is a ‘nice guy’ and accepting of the foibles of others…almost to the point that Canada is unaware that evil and ‘wrong’ do exist which leaves the populace struggling with a surfeit of analysis leading to paralysis. A Royal Commission, anybody?

73) Canadians honour traditional values. But seek ways to undermine those standards without actually admitting that change has occurred - witness the establishment of a system of ‘fines’ imposed by the Federal gov’y. on Provincial gov’ts. for any breach of the national Health Care P{olicy. Of course, the infractions continue because that is what is required for the Heath system to function. However, it is easier to ‘fine’ than to admit that improvements have outstripped the ability of the general populace to remedy all the ills that society suffers from. Canadians are not big on personal responsibility and prefer to abdicate their well-being to whomever is in charge.

74) Canadians are peace keepers - who, more and more, require an ever increasing military arsenal to maintain that illusion.

Patricia Maddocks (Patricia is a ToastMaster with Cynthia at the Comox Valley ToastMasters Club )