Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day! I've been celebrating Canada Day by doing a whole lot of very little. I started the day by bringing coffee to our church secretary, who is working today and having tomorrow off.

Happy Canada Day!

I've been celebrating Canada Day by doing a whole lot of very little.

I started the day by bringing coffee to our church secretary, who is working today and having tomorrow off. Next I took a drive downtown, just to see what was going on (not much, at that point), and then tried to find an open convenience store.

After that, it was home to check e-mail, and then go find a shady spot to enjoy a good book.

Usually I would have a "Canada Day" column to post, but while I had several ideas milling about in my head, nothing was really gelling.

One idea I had stems from a brief discussion in the News Response Forum, earlier today. That discussion included several posts that objected to the term "Dominion," that formerly decribed our country.

To some posters, the definition of the word that came to their mind was:
1 [noun] sovereignty or control: man's attempt to establish dominion over nature.

To me, the word holds a different connotation:

2 the territory of a sovereign or government, or
3 (historical) each of the self-governing territories of the British Commonwealth.

To me, "Dominion" in that context is closely related to "domain." Canada is our domain, our country.

Well, that's pretty much all I have to offer right now. So, I present a belated posting of links to previous columns, including one that explains the origins of our National Anthem, O Canada!.

While that column also includes the words to that very stirring song, it does so in a somewhat interrupted fashion, with commentary between the verses, So, I thought I would also print the words here. (My favourite is the second verse.)

O Canada!
Lyrics Adapted in 1972 from a poem by Robert Stanley Weir (1856-1926)
Music by Calixa Lavallée (1842–1891)

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
we stand on guard for thee.

Refrain
 God keep our land glorious and free!
 O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada! Where pines and maples grow.
 Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow.
 How dear to us thy broad domain,
 From East to Western Sea,
 Thou land of hope for all who toil! 
Thou True North, strong and free!

Refrain 
God keep our land... etc.

O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies
 May stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise,
 To keep thee steadfast through the years
 From East to Western Sea,
 Our own beloved native land!
 Our True North, strong and free!

Refrain
 God keep our land... etc. 

Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
 Hold our dominion within thy loving care;
 Help us to find, O God, in thee 
A lasting, rich reward,
 As waiting for the Better Day,
 We ever stand on guard.

Refrain
 God keep our land... etc.