Happy Birthday Canada!!!

[Allenson]

Many cheers to our neighbors!

This one always cracks me up:

[Æmeric]

Canada's birthday will go entirely unnoticed in the US. But our public officials feel obligated to make a big deal out of Cinco de Mayo which is hardly observed in Mexico.

[Sally]

Happy birthday, Canada!

[Absinthe]

[Aemma]

Why is Canada not a dominion of the UK? I know they don't have to swear an oath to the queen in parliament, but if she's their official head of state, that counts in my book.

Well we do have our own constitution now dontcha know. I don't think it would be appropriate for our parliamentarians to have to swear an oath to the Queen. That sounds a bit counter-intuitive to me. Furthermore, we don't have the same attitude towards heads of state as you southern neighbours of ours do. We're just different in our traditions and there isn't anything wrong with that in my books.

Prior to repatriating our constitution, we were always known as the Dominion of Canada, although we were created through an act of British Parliament. So we've never been known as the Dominion of the UK. Canada has always pretty much enjoyed a fairly good level of political self-determination for which I am grateful.

With respect to the monarchy, well I am more of a monarchist than not, I suppose. (Ya one of those weird French Canadians who actually does hold a certain allegiance to the monarchy). It's a matter of tradition for me, for better or for worse. (Besides I don't think that my Grandma Victoria, named after Queen Vic herself--bless her soul--would be too pleased otherwise. )

But enough about that...Happy Birthday to my fair country. May you stay strong and free.