Fireworks

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Canada Day concluded yesterday with a 20-minute fireworks show, which we watched from the comfort of the Safeway parking lot. The song playing is, of course, O Canada.
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Canada Day

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Today is Canada Day, celebrating the anniversary of the enactment of the British North America Act of 1867, which united Canada as a single country of four provinces.

Typical celebrations often include fireworks, cookouts (colloquially known as "Barbecues", despite the fact that no pulled pork may be present), and parades.

Since Canada Day is a federal holiday, many people will be off work today (although this is the second year in a row that the holiday has not been attached to a weekend). Some people (including Julie) will be working today, but will likely get this Friday off in exchange.

Interestingly, Canadians are not as fiercely patriotic as Americans (in fact, it's one of the reasons they don't really like Americans). I rather suspect that the reason behind this is that Canada did not fight to gain it's independence from Great Britain, but instead achieved it after a long, peaceful, and friendly process.

American independence: "Give me liberty, or give me death!"

Canadian independence: "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, what about letting us do this ourselves, eh?"
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