July 1, 1867 - July 1, 2014

Back in 1867 the new born Canada was too young to have its own Coat of Arms and the Royal Coat of Arms severed as the symbol of regal authority over our Dominion.  Though heraldic devises had been granted to the colonies of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland in the 17th century everyone (or at least the College of Arms) had forgotten about that.  In 1868 Arms were granted to the four founding Provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. A shield bearing those four arms surmounted by a crown were to serve as the Coat of Arms on the Red Ensign (our unofficial flag for many years).

As more provinces joined the Confederation their Coats of Arms were added - very unofficially and without Royal Grant - to the design. By the time Alberta and Saskatchewan achieved provincial status in September of 1905 the design had become busy to the extreme.  Though displayed on the Ensign the design had never been given royal approval.  Finally in 1921 - after much maneuvering and a bit of intervention by Winston Churchill - a new Coat of Arms was granted by George V, who also by that Royal Proclamation declared red and white to be our national colours.

The Coat of Arms was to remain unchanged until in 1957 the colour of the leaves was changed to red and the Tudor crown was replaced by that of Edward the Confessor.  A further change was made in 1994 when a banner bearing the phrase Desiderantes meliorem patriam (They Desire a Better Country), the motto of the Order of Canada, was added.  Recently it has been suggested that symbols indicative of our First Nations, Inuit and Metis heritage be included.

Like our country the Arms of Her Majesty as Queen of Canada (this link will take you to a complete description of the devices) has evolved reflect the changes in our land, and the events and the peoples that have molded it. Happy 147th Birthday Canada; may you, like your Coat of Arms continue to change and evolve and always for the better.


1873: Prince Edward Island joins the Canadian Confederation.

Happy Canada Day

In searching for a video of O Canada to celebrate the day I came across this version from the opening of the Vancouver Paralympics in 2010. I found it one of the more moving versions of our National Anthem. Unfortunately I wasn't able to convert it and trim out the commercials at the end - despite a morning spent attempting to eliminate everything after 04:41 - so I'll leave that up to you.

This remarkable performance of our National Anthem was a duet of sorts - it was sung by blind vocalist Terry Kelly from Newfoundland and - though it is not obvious from the video - signed by Mari Klassen from B.C.  Truly from Sea to Sea.

We celebrated yesterday at the Embassy with a gathering of Canadians and friends from Rome and today we'll be celebrating with our good friends Marija, Daryl and their boys Tyler Vuk and Devin Ogi.

Happy Canada Day to all our friends everywhere! Bonne fête Canada!

01 lulgio - La Giornata Nazionale del Canada

And I Miss .....?

Canadian Winters?

Well given the sort of winter they've been having right across the country I'd have to say: NO!

My friend Kev is spending a few months back home on the West Coast and as he was wandering around Lost Lagoon in Vancouver's west end yesterday, he took this shot with his IPhone.

I hope Vancouverites, who are not use to the ice and snow, see the humour in it all?

08 gennaio - San Lorenzo Giustiniani

Lunedi Lunacy

Given what's been going on in Canada this past week, perhaps a quick review of what the Queen means to us is in order.



08 dicembre - L'Immacolata Concezione

Proudly Canadian

Tomorrow my country will be 141 years old - not old as countries go but as I look around me I realize how progressive it has been despite its youth.

Tomorrow will be a day of celebrating though of course those of us who call Canada home should be celebrating our country every day of our lives. We have so much to be thankful for and to be proud off. And when I read stories such as this about yesterday's Gay Pride Parade in Toronto my shallow chest puffs up just a little bit more with pride.

Another reason that I am proudly Canadian.

30 giugno - I Martiri Proromani

Proudly Canadian - a Day Late*

As a Canadian I am often self-deprecating when it comes to my home and native land - there you go, a tongue-in-check, typically Canadian phrase if there every was one. I take much for granted and while grumbling about what's wrong with Canada I often forget what is right.

Last week's cruise on the Ottawa River was a gentle reminder of the beautiful area I live in - one of many beautiful areas in a vast country. Yesterday's Canada Day celebrations were a reminder that we have so much to be proud of.

And as a gay man I was reminded twice this past week that I have many reasons to be thankful I am a Canadian.

I went to Ottawa City Hall on Friday and applied for a license for our upcoming (July 21) marriage. I mentioned to the lady processing our application that Laurent and I had been together for almost 29 years. As she gave me the license she said: Congratulations, I hope the next 29 years are as happy as the last 29.

Twice a year - New Year's Day and Canada Day - the Governor General announces a list of Canadians who have been awarded The Order of Canada - the highest civilian award my country can bestow. Amongst the names on this year's Canada Day list is Rev. Brent Hawkes, the senior pastor of MCC Toronto. Brent has been granted the title of Member of the Order for his work as a clergyman and a gay rights activist.

I didn't wear a T-Shirt proclaiming it yesterday, nor did I fly a flag from the second floor veranda but I am proud to be a Canadian.

*And if that ain't typically Canadian, what is? Eh?

Further Out of Apathy

This past week our beloved Prime Minster Stephen Harper, continued his "I'm more a patriot and more Canadian than you are" grandstanding. According to old Snake Eyes - come on now look at those eyes and tell me those don't remind you of the stars of Snakes On A Plane - if you haven't served in the military then you can't criticize his Minister of Defence. Also if you've lived and worked outside Canada you're not a patriotic Canadian. And he equates support of Canada's involvement in Afghanistan with loyalty to Canada and support of our Military. I can't imagine where he picked the idea up? Any suggestions from my American friends?

Well I question his Minister of Defense when the families of soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan are not reimbursed the cost of funerals. And I lived and worked overseas for the Department of National Defense and the Canadian Embassy when I was a diplomatic spouse in Poland. And I have difficulty with our current role in Afghanistan - though I fully support the women and men of our under-paid, under-equipped and under-staffed Armed Forces.

So according to Mr. Harper's standards I am both un-patriotic and un-Canadian. My only response to Snake Eyes would have to be the old Pierre Elliott Trudeau one-fingered salute.

Notice once again I did not provide a link to any biographical information for Mr Harper - the Wikipdia entry is obviously the work of a Conservative Party PR firm. Now if they can only rewrite the history books the same way things will be Right - excuse the pun.

Out Of Apathy

I don't normally post anything on political matters. It's not that I'm not a political animal it's just that after all of these years I've become disillusioned with politics or more particularly politicians. However one more week like this past one on Parliament Hill and I may be dragged out of my apathy and turned into a raving political activist.

Though I won't go as far as to say the current Conservative minority government is a swindling bunch of crooks any more than their predecessors where or that Prime Minister Stephen Harper is a cold calculating bastard with a hidden agenda, those thoughts have been popping into my head unbidden.

This week alone we have seen some interesting example of our "New Government" at work :

• A conservative member of Parliament [MP] strode across the floor, a parliamentary no-no, and shoved a liberal MP - a real big parliamentary no-no. And where the hell were the Sargeant-at-Arms and Speaker during all this?


• Non government organizations who depend on federal funding to employ summer students have found that funding cut or refused. The minister in charge says he has a list of worthy organizations that will receive funding but refuses to release it.


• The Executive Assistant of the Conservative leader in the Senate leaked false information accusing opposition Senators of cheating on travel expenses. Both the Senator and the EA have refused to apologize and the EA has been given a promotion.


• A 200 page handbook detailing how to stall parliamentary committees and filibuster during debate has been distributed to select Conservative MPs. Its instructions have been followed on at least three occasions this past week causing parliamentary gridlock. All the while the "New Government" - and they insist on being called that even though they've been in power for over a year - has been blaming the opposition for the situation.


• The Prime Minister is using parliamentary privilege to indefinitely delay giving a deposition in a defamation suit launched by a longtime Conservative party member.

So much for "Canada's New Government" and its commitment to openness, transparency and high ethical and moral behavior. O Canada - who stands on guard for thee? Damn if this keeps up it may have to be me.

Some of this may sound familiar to my American friends - Mr Harper has expressed his undying admiration for George W. Enough said.

The Education of S*t*e*p*h*e*n H*a*r*p*e*r

No one will ever accuse Stephen Harper, our current Prime Minister, of being an intellectual. Come to think of it, you'd have to go as far back as Pierre Elliott Trudeau before you can find a Prime Minister guilty of that sin!

In an effort to expand the cultural horizons of the Honorable Overlord of the Conservative Party and Master of the Cold Stare, one of Canada's better known authors is sending the PM a book every second week for the rest of his shaky mandate. Yann Martel, author of The Life of Pi, maintains he is not trying to "educated" the PM, only to make suggestions for a way to fill moments of "stillness" and maybe bring him some, much needed, cultural awareness.

And Martel is tracking his project at What Is Stephen Harper Reading: the book title, his accompanying letter explaining the reason for the choice and - maybe - Mr. Harper's response. Though it has been over a week since the first book was sent and not a word of thanks from the recipient as yet. Mind you he is a busy man and normally doesn't pay too much attention to those tramps and vagabonds that people the Canadian Arts Scene anyway.

I have to admit that Martel's rationale for sending Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilych had me make a detour on the way home tonight to my local bookstore. Let's hope it generates the same curiosity in our PM. Though I won't be counting on it.

You may notice that I didn't include a link to the Wikpedia entry for Mr. Harper. They indicate that the entry is written as an advertisment. Since he's already getting the Canadian tax payer to foot the bill for his election-campaign-designed-as-government-policy ads, I'll be damned if I'll give him advertising time on my blog.