dagblog - Comments for "True North, strong and free: a quiz"

Here's a better copy:

scofflaw — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:07:37 +0000

In reply to True North, strong and free: a quiz

Here's a better copy: http://www.nfb.ca/film/sweater/

Happy Canada Day! Voici un

scofflaw — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:05:53 +0000

In reply to True North, strong and free: a quiz

Happy Canada Day! Voici un peu de vraie Canadiana: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfLyQftk1GQ

"The Hockey Sweater", aka "Un abominable feuille d'érable sur la glace"

If you're Canadian and over 30, this'll bring you back to middle school for sure ...

The late great Roger Doucet

acanuck — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:29:10 +0000

In reply to Is there a good rendition?

The late great Roger Doucet opened every Canadiens hockey for at least a decade with his direct, moving O Canada. No extraneous bells and whistles.

I just Wikied him, and learned that his modified lyrics to the Soviet anthem were so good, the Russians adopted them. Here's his O Canada, if I can make it work:

Is there a good rendition?

Michael Wolraich — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:41:36 +0000

In reply to What a terrible rendition!

Is there a good rendition? National anthems inherently suck. They're only worth listening to when joyfully ripped from their devotional contexts, as in Hendrix's star-spangled-banner or the the Sex Pistol's god-save-the-queen.

What a terrible rendition!

acanuck — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:34:17 +0000

In reply to OK, fun's over. It's

What a terrible rendition! Thanks for reminding me to hate Celine Dion more than I already did.

Somebody mashed up this home video to go with the audio, and I guess missed the statue. Or left it in for satiric effect.

Where I live, the French usually comes first, but that may well vary across the country. There's no rule against singing a unilingual version, but that pretty well guarantees someone will take offence.

OK, fun's over. It's

Michael Wolraich — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:17:22 +0000

In reply to Happy Canada Day! In light of

OK, fun's over. It's Canada-related-music time. Giddy up.

Does the French always come first? And what's with the statue of liberty at the beginning? Did they use NYC clip art?

Since I posted so late

acanuck — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:07:40 +0000

In reply to Happy Canada Day! In light of

Since I posted so late yesterday, you should really give us a full 24 hours' respite. But your kind and surprisingly sensible words about the passage are appreciated.

It's a no-brainer that somebody has to have authority over the route, since its safe regular use will require new weather stations, search-and-rescue bases, and a conveniently positioned icebreaker or two. (Not every year is going to be equally ice-free.) Canada's the only country in position to provide that infrastructure. It also has a major environmental interest in keeping out leaky rustbuckets, which will gravitate north in order to save thousands of kilometres' worth of fuel.

Only the U.S. (with some EU support) seriously disputes Canada's territorial claim. Russia apparently backs us, and the Law of the Sea looks to be on our side.

Happy Canada Day! In light of

Michael Wolraich — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:36:32 +0000

In reply to True North, strong and free: a quiz

Happy Canada Day! In light of this special day, I will be nice to Canadians all day long. Here it goes. Ahem. American claims that the Northwest Passage goes through international waters are absurd.

OK, that's enough for this year. Fortunately, Canada Day ended an hour and a half ago. Except in BC. And maybe Alberta. But you western provinces shouldn't get too comfortable. Your time is coming.

10. Aside from free-trade

acanuck — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:03:25 +0000

In reply to True North, strong and free: a quiz

10. Aside from free-trade squabbles, what's our biggest looming dispute with the U.S.?
The Northwest Passage. Now that it's increasingly free of ice, Canada's claim that it is within its territorial waters becomes important, even if only to prevent another Exxon Valdez. Apparently unable to read maps, the State Department insists it's an international waterway. Very shortsighted, as you'll see when the North Koreans and Iranians send their powerful fleets through.

9. How many provinces are

acanuck — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:02:20 +0000

In reply to True North, strong and free: a quiz

9. How many provinces are there? Territories?
Ten and three. The newest territory, Nunavut, split off from the Northwest Territories in 1999. It retained one admirable N.W.T. tradition: territorial candidates run as individuals; there are no political parties. The legislature then elects a premier from among its members. Classy.