For those who still believe that this tiny corner of the globe that we lovingly call Canada is but a sleepy and boring country that sits just north of the United States, then you need to think again.
We are very much alive! We know how to celebrate! We know how to play fairly! We surely know how to call a spade a spade as they say! And most important of all! We definitely know how to provide a warm and livable home to millions of citizens of the world and to appreciate what we have!
We are often thought of as polite, considerate, apologetic, and accommodating but let it be known that there is a lot more to Canada and Canadians than this! Most of the world like us and welcome us and more often than not we are considered to be fair players in the arena of politics but there is a lot more to us than this!
Canada has so much to be proud of and this was clearly shown on Monday June 17 when hundreds of thousands of people living in Toronto came out to celebrate the historic victory of the Raptors Basketball team! You see! Our beloved Raptors did something unthinkable when they clinched the NBA’s most coveted trophy! This being the National title! A very first for a team outside of the United States and let us not forget that the game of Basketball was invented right here in Canada! So as they say, it was time for things to come full circle!
From moms pushing toddlers in strollers to kids playing hooky and from thousands streaming and spilling out of subway stations to doctors and nurses in scrubs running out of hospitals and from those coming out of stores and restaurants to postmen dropping their mail bags on the sidewalk to watch the Raptors team as they rode by atop their trucks! Even men and women in suits and off duty law men were there!
They all came to say thank you and to raise their salutes! Even the politicians were there! From Mayor of the City and even the Prime Minister!
Persons of all ages came out! From the youngest to the oldest! Men, women, kids, young adults! Persons of all races, diversities and ethnicities! They all came out!
And after many hours of celebrating and cheering we were all proud to say that this was our Canada! Not just a sleepy Canada! But one that celebrated from coast to coast! A country that not only celebrated in Toronto but from the West Pacific Lands to the Eastern Shores of the Maritimes!
Just my two cents for today!