The Mood in Canada Right Now

And Now, a Message from the King of Canada

The Canadian head of state is Charles III, the current British monarch who is also King of Canada. It's one of our last remaining colonial ties to Britain. There has been much grumbling in Canada that the King has not spoken out about Trump's lies, threats and aggression against our economy and sovereignty.

Blogging buddy Liz Hinds from Wales asked in a comment on my Tuesday post --

How do you feel, Debra, about the UK's

lack of comment? Or indeed the King's?

I responded as follows--

I'm not one of those complaining about King Charles' silence

because I understand that a constitutional monarch speaks only

as directed by his government. The silence of the UK government

does show a lack of courage but, in a situation where a bully is

playing hardball, allies often melt silently away so as not to draw the

bully's attention to themselves. I understand it but am still annoyed by it.

But it seems King Charles has now indeed "spoken out" to send the USA a message in a manner that is uniquely longstanding to the British royal family -- by the use of symbolic clothing and/or jewelry. On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in London and had a private meeting with the King. On Tuesday, the day American tariffs were imposed on Canada, this happened and I quote --

Yesterday [Tuesday] King Charles was inspecting a British ship.

And YET he did so dressed as King of Canada

wearing Canadian military decorations and Canadian honours, 

[including the] Order of Canada and Canadian Order of Military Merit.

Charles is sending us and the world a message, a LOUD message.

So there we have it!

Elbows Up, Canada!

Thanks to Mike Myers for sending that "secret signal"

to his fellow Canadians via SNL last weekend!

And thanks to Gordie Howe, "Mr Elbows,"

for teaching generations of us how to do 

what has become our Canadian ninja move --

The Elbow is even immortalized by Gordie Howe's statue

in his hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan --

The tariff trade war with the Trump administration

will be a long and dirty fight, but we're ready!

Gordie taught us how!

(or should that be "howe"?)

Tariff Trade War? BRING IT ON!

And now . . . 

OUR NEW NATIONAL ANTHEM!

Oh, C'MON -- We Gotta Gloat a LITTLE!

Canada wins 3 - 2

Trump is Führious

Is It Summer Yet?

Take Off, Eh?

This Blog Is Flying the Canadian Flag Today!

Sixty years ago on February 15, 1965, Canada officially adopted its current flag as our national emblem. It was a big deal and I remember it very well. I was in Grade 2 at the time and we spent weeks using up all our red crayons to colour endless mimeographed copies of our new flag.

The new flag was one more step in Canada's evolution away from Britain. Since Confederation in 1867, our flag had been the Red Ensign, with its emphasis on the Union Jack, English, Scottish and Irish settlers, French settlers, and some maple leaf symbolism:

Apart from the Canadian Flag's 60th anniversary, Canadians are being asked today to display our flag in front of our homes, on our balconies, in our windows, on our vehicles, and everywhere else, for another reason as well.

Canadian leaders have called for a national mass display of the flag this weekend to demonstrate our unity in the face of the Trump administration's threats, bullying and intimidation tactics against our economy and especially against our sovereignty as an independent country.

I don't have an actual flag to put on my balcony, so I'm flying a virtual one here on my blog instead.

And what the hell, since I'm being patriotic anyway, here's a video of the incomparable Ginette Reno singing O Canada in French and English at a Montreal Canadiens hockey game a few years ago too.