MetaChat - Happy 129th Birthday, Canada!

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01 July 2008

Happy 129th Birthday, Canada! On June 20, 1868, a proclamation signed by the Governor General, Lord Monck, called upon all Her Majesty's loving subjects throughout Canada to join in the celebration of the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1st.
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The July 1 holiday was established by statute in 1879, under the name Dominion Day.

Traditionally the day is celebrated with a feast of hams and cod, and the singing of the British National Anthem. Some families chose to observe Canada day by stocking the Royal Spruce that every Canadian has in their home with Canadian icons such as Mountie hats and hockey pucks.

Most will follow the traditions and dress in the a Canadian Overcoat and Dominion Skirt, some Canadians just want to kick back and take a day off from the Farm, logging camp, maple syrup factory or fishing boat and just enjoy a heaping bowl of poutine.

Ask any Canadian about this and it will be denied as we are strictly forbidden from talking about it.

post by: joelf at: 02:12 | 10 comments

Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération) was the original anglophone name of the holiday that commemorated the formation of the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867.

This makes Canada 141 years old. I find this easy to remember because I was born in 1967 so Canada's 100+ my age.

posted by cleo 01 July | 05:51

Q: How many Canadians does it take to roof a house?

A: Ha ha! Say "house" again!

posted by Meatbomb 01 July | 06:31

Canada doesn't look a day over 100. Congratulations for tolerating your neighbo(u)r to the south for so long.

posted by birdherder 01 July | 06:57

Yay, Canada! My grandparents on my mom's side immigrated to Canada from England in the late 1800's, and we still have relatives up there. Happy Dominion Day, eh!

posted by redvixen 01 July | 07:16

Oh Canada. July 1st, 1923 is also occasionally still referred to as Humiliation Day in my community because of this. We'll still probably have a BBQ today and watch some fireworks.

posted by typewriter 01 July | 08:58

Happy Dominion Day!

*Waves maple leaf in northerly direction*

posted by mightshould 01 July | 09:23

Also commemorated as Memorial Day in the former Dominion (now province) of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Lest we forget.

posted by hangashore 01 July | 09:33

I like that Canadians celebrate this day by going to the outlet mall in Niagara Falls, US. It is a long standing tradition known as "avoid the thruways" day to Americans in the border cities.

posted by kellydamnit 01 July | 09:34

My father lived the last 45+ years of his life in Texas, but despite picking up much of the local patois, he retained his accent and much of the unique vocabulary of his Depression-era Windsor, Ontario childhood right to the very end. As a result, my siblings and I were always known as the kids with the dad who talked fast and "kind of funny". It also gave us kids endless hours of amusement aping his speech and mannerisms to each other in an affectionately ironical way, a bonding ritual that persists and endears him to our memories to this day.

Happy birthday, Canada! May your people always talk kind of funny.

posted by Atom Eyes 01 July | 11:33

I'm having poutine for dinner tonight. Yay Canada!

posted by deborah 01 July | 14:25

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