O Canada

Well, yesterday was Canada Day -- a nice time to relax and celebrate with family. It always gets me thinking about Canada, and what a truly great country this is. We Canadians have had a low self-image over the past century or so, kind of the self-effacing nice guys on the world stage. While that's good, I think it's time we remembered our roots -- and I don't just mean those cozy sweatshirts.

I'll admit it, we've got a pretty checquered past. Our European ancestors did a lot of things of which we're not so proud. But there are a lot of good things, too. How about Brock and Tecumseh, the brilliant leaders in the war of 1812? Without them, we wouldn't even be Canada. The railroad that united East and West, social reforms that brought about public health care, a peacekeeping legacy around the globe -- these things are worth celebrating. It's good to be Canadian, and I'm grateful to raise my kids here.