Wannaskan Almanac for June 29, 2021 Oh, Canada!

I grew up in Canada.  The real Canada...not one of the following:

1. Canada, England: A settlement within the village of Wellow in Hampshire, the region includes the church of St. Margaret of Antioch, where Florence Nightingale is buried.

2. Canada, Kansas: Founded in 1883, the town was established by the sons of David Christie, a former Speaker of the Canadian Senate. Other Canadians soon followed.

3. Canada Glacier, Antarctica: A small glacier flowing into Taylor Valley in Victoria Land, it was charted and named by the British Antarctic Expedition under Robert Scott. Charles S. Wright, a Canadian physicist, was a member of the party that explored this area.

4. Canada Park: A national park that straddles Israel and the West Bank. The park was funded by Canadians and the road leading to the popular attraction is named for former prime minister John Diefenbaker.

5. Little Canada, Minnesota: A suburb of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the city was founded by French Canadian settlers in 1844. In 1850, the first school was established and classes were taught in French.

6. Czech Canada, Czech Republic: Straddling the southern regions of Bohemia and Moravia, this densely wooded terrain is so named because of its series of lakes and rocky outcrops, as well as its hot summers and snowy winters. Popular with cyclists.

There are less and less differences between Canada and the United States.  You used to be able to tell that someone was Canadian because they said "eh", watched hockey, and drank better tasting beer.  Thanks to the globalization of media there are less and less Canadian influences on impressionable Canadian children.  Soon they will be just a better looking version of Americans.  

There are still a few things that separate Canadians and Americans.  First, and perhaps most importantly, is that Canadians have really cool looking money.  It isn't worth the paper like material it is printed on, but it looks nice.  

Monopoly anyone?

Second, Canada is fiercely bilingual.  All communication needs to be in both French and English.  This has helped Canadians to stay united and peacefully coexist.  

Graffiti to soothe the French and English

Finally, Canadians all know the value of extremely good literature.  The Canadian National Work of Literacy is, of course, The Hockey Sweater.  

So, America, as long as we have our little droplets of identity we can remain friends.  Even if you are Maple Leafs fan!  Or even a fan of the Phoenix Arizona Coyotes.