Canada Day

I like the calm and security of this corner "where nothing untoward" is coming.

Canadians are very calm, José, especially in comparison to our English mother country. Maybe we take after our other mother country.

I presume this was the day on which Independence was granted (I doubt if 'seized' is the right word here!), but what year was that, John?

It's actually the day Canada became a federation, Andy, in 1867. For independence we had to wait another 64 years, and only got that after Canadians pushed back against the governor general rejecting the advice of the prime minister (if you're interested, the story is here: www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/king-byng-affair

So it only took us 396 years to become independent. The Canadian push-back against the governor general ended up transforming the Commonwealth, but for some reason that day (December 11, 1931).is not celebrated. A complicating factor is that some people date independence to 1982.

Thank you for the interesting link. Had heard of Mackenzie-King of course, but not Byng.
Many aspects of the case are surprisingly similar to the Spanish parliament's problem of today with no absolute majorities and governments changing on technicalities and no-confidence motions. Might also apply to the UK soon.
Sorry; another question - What happened in 1982? (The 'Quebec Libre' referendum?).

A lot of us here like minority governments, Andy, but their success seems to depend on how many parties are well represented in the legislature. At the moment there are only three here; if there were 10 minority governments would probably be a serious problem. In 1982 the British parliament passed an act giving Canada the sole right to amend its constitutional document, the British North America Act; in 1931 Canada had decided to leave that power with the British. Canadian parliament also passed an act to amend the constitution, which also became a constitutional document. So Canada finally became sovereign officially, although it's highly unlikely that Britain would have refused any Canadian request to amend the BNA Act.

Canadian politics seems to have been designed by either Heath Robinson or Rube Goldberg.

Superb shot!

Admired in:
www.ipernity.com/group/tolerance

Thanks, William.

At first I assumed these flags were for the World Cup..!!

Happy Canada Day John..!!

I took this one locally, seven years ago today: www.ipernity.com/doc/keithburton/19477245/in/album/385223

Thanks, Keith. Canada has appeared in the World Cup once, in 1986 (Mexico was the host, so CONCACAF in effect got an extra spot). We played three games, scored no goals, allowed five, collected no points, and finished last. So we don't celebrate the World Cup much.

Oh dear. You can always follow my own tiny country as it plays against Sweden, which will be enoumously confusing to Americans who can't tell the two apart.

Switzerland has a chance to avenge its shootout loss to Sweden in the world hockey championship this year, And Zlatan won't be there.

Been following this thread with amusement, John, Sarah and Keith!.
I don't think letting in only 5 goals in three games for a country of Canada's standing in world football is such a disgraceful thing at all! If you had said that the defence shipped 20 goals in 3 games, that might have been something to bury under the carpet!
I think many Brits confuse Sweden and Switzerland too. Geography (even concerning the British Isles) isn't many peoples strong point! And has Zlatan retired? Is he injured? I know he must be in his late 30s but he is still surely among Sweden's best players.
I won't go on. People here (including me, although obviously I support England first and foremost) are still too sore about Spain's unfair exit last night.

Had a look. Terrific shot, Keith!

Good point, Andy. Canada did restrict France to a goal in its first game, which was something. Zlatan retired from international play a couple of years ago. So he's still in Los Angeles with the Galaxy.

I was not happy to see Spain eliminated, especially against a team that clearly was not trying to win in regulation or extra time. To be fair, FIFA has tried to deal with this problem, but more needs to be done. North American sports may offer some solutions: first the shot clock used in basketball, which would have encouraged Spain to be more aggressive,and then the tie-breaking rules in the Stanley Cup (ice hockey) playoffs -- you just keep playing till someone breaks the tie.Sometimes the overtime lasts longer than the regulation game. That would have encouraged Russia to try some offence.

I apologize for overlooking your link, Keith. I agree with Andy -- it's a great shot. A spiffy building and a spiffy flag.

Cabadians know Sweden and Switzerland are different because they were the finalists at this year's world hockey championships.

I don't follow football........can't stand the game. It amuses me that here in England they still boast about having won the cup in 1966..!! That's really just admitting that they haven't won it in over 50 years :-))

Ha, ha...........thanks John.

Toronto hasn't won the Stanley Cup (the ice hockey championship) in 51 years, Keith, but every fall they're going to. And last year the Toronto Blue Jays were promoting the 25th anniversary of the World Series they won in 1992; they won again in 1993 then haven't won since, but let's promote failure.

Yes, alas Switzerland won't be a finalist at the World Cup. Every four years is the same sad story ... on the other hand, the Germans are out too, so that makes us happy ;-)

Thanks for the explanations, John and I agree with your footie analyses!
At least England, with a relatively poor squad in terms of quality, are playing as a team and always look to go forward. Not for them a Pique who could only see left. right and behind! (Sorry Keith!!!). Sweden will prove too strong I think.

I used to have a Toronto Blue Jays hat and scarf. A present form an uncle who lived in Edmonton butt supported the Blue Jays. This would have been in the mid or late 70s.

We were all happy when the Germans were knocked out! (With apologies to the lovely ip German contingent!)

A friend of mine thinks parity has arrives, and I have to say the differences between the top nations seem to be very small these days.