Happy Canada Day

For us American-centric USA dwellers I want you to take a moment and celebrate our great neighbor to the north, Canada for today is Canada Day. It is a little like fourth of July, but without all that celebration about not being part of Great Britain anymore. 
Canada does not get the credit it deserves for putting up with us. I have never heard mention by anyone Canadian the need to put up a big ass wall to keep their southern neighbors from trying to sneak in the country and do a hard days work for underpayment. Not only do they not talk about a wall, they never talk bout making us pay for anything for them.
Unlike the isolationist crowd who thoughtlessly voted for Brexit in the UK, Canada is a most welcoming place. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to accept 25,000 Syrian refugees into Canada and even went to the Toronto Airport when the first group came in 2015. That same year we said we would only take 10,000 then many states started putting up barriers to let any into their state. If I were a refugee, I think I would pick Canada over the US.
In the years that I had the pleasure of working in Canada I was welcomed into many of my clients’ homes for meals when I would come to visit their city. Stuart and Saundra Wright, two of my favorite people I got to know while working with Stuart are a shining example of Canadian hospitality. 
Of course there is my best Canadian friend, David MacKay. Thanks to the kindness of his family I got to know Canadian cottage life at Grand Lake in New Brunswick.  
If you have never been to Canada I suggest you make it your next vacation destination. From the maritimes in the east, the French Canadians in Quebec, the metropolitan life of Toronto in Ontario, the windiest corner in North America in Winnipeg, the comically named capital of Saskatchewan –Regina, the cowboys in Alberta, or the spectacular mountains of British Columbia, Canada has something for everyone and they are not selfish about keeping it to themselves.
We are lucky to have such a nice neighbor to our north. I hope we can learn from their example and be an equally good neighbor to the north and the south. Happy Canada Day! You are a wonderful country full of the nicest people.