During my recent trip north I learned a little about Canada Day, which is being celebrated today. I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t know much about the history of Canada’s origins, but thanks to an article in the paper at the hotel, I learned a little something.
Way back in 1867, the British Parliament passed the British North America Act, which organized the four original provinces into a confederation. This was done mainly to counter the Manifest Destiny practiced by the rabble-rousers to their south.
Over the years, various other acts were passed, granting more and more power to the Canadian parliament, until the 1982 passing of the Canada Act. The Canada Act finally granted Canada full control over its constitution, although Queen Elizabeth II remains the Queen of Canada, and Canada remains part of the commonwealth of nations (UK, Australia, Jamaica, etc) who share the Queen as Head of State.
So on this grand day, I say thank you to the nation that gave us the Ski-Doo (so-named thanks to a typo of the name “Ski-Dog”), the green plastic garbage bag, and Alex Trebek.
