Canada: The Sleeping Giant

Recently some constituents and I decided to have a Canadian themed night. Well, I happen to love Canada (America's rather non-offensive and considerate northern neighbor). And, I've even managed to do some international travel to Canada about four times. So, you would think I would be the expert, right? Er, no. I had a hard time thinking of things distinctly "Canadian." In fact, I couldn't even think of a single movie filmed in Canada (besides some rubbish Bollywood film I once watched in a moment of weakness and boredom).

My idea was that perhaps we could sit around, wolf down some ketchup flavored chips, say "eh" lots, enthusiastically exclaim about hockey, and pretend like we live on farms. But ya know, I just knew there was more to Canada than their ketchup flavored chips.

So, here are a few things that I can think of off the top of my head that are Canadian:

1) The sport 'curling'
2) Celine Dion
3) Roots Clothing
4) Maple Leaves
5) Lots of natural resources (like petroleum)
6) Canadian Bacon (Is it really 'Canadian?')
7) Very badly marked roads in British Columbia
8) The world's biggest meteor crater lake (I once had to do a research paper on crater lakes)

Hmm, I realized my knowledge of Canada was distressingly diminutive. So, I executed some extensive research and unearthed the following facts.

1) California has more inhabitants than Canada, 36 million people, whilst Canada has only 33 million.
2) Keanu Reeves used to manage a pasta shop in Canada before becoming an actor.
3) Canada's east coast is closer to London than it is to it's west coast.
4) It' massive--the second largest country in the world.
5) There are more recreational golfers per capita in Canada than in any other country (including Estonia oddly enough).
6) Superman was created by a Canadian.
7) Pamela Anderson is from Canada.
8) Canada has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world.

Well there you have it. Useful information in regards to Canada to add to you vast knowledge of the country of caribou.

So, next time you're playing a passionate rendition of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," on your guitar, or you're pretending to be Superman, or you're participating in that odd sport of culring, just remember Canada--an often looked over country with more to it than meets the eye.