Most of the time, I sit back, feet up, and sigh in satisfaction at the home of the Maple Leaf and all my fine nation has to offer. I thank my lucky stars that I have a roof over my head, clean water, and live in relative opulence, unlike many other countries in the world. I thank my government for the subsidized education, free health care, social safety net, and generally awesome standard of living that hundreds of years of politicians and visionaries have created for us.Aside from being glad that I wasn't born in a country full of poverty like Outer Uzbekistan (I'm not sure that is even a country, but you get my point), I am also happy that I've been born into a society that, while maybe not as wealthy as our neighbour to the south, seems to me to be more tolerant, more accepting, more peaceloving, less commercial, and more socially minded than many, America included.* But then some days, I sit back and wonder how we can call this civilization!?!?
My beef today?Thanksgiving.
My understanding is that down there in the U S of A they get a lovely 4 day weekend!!! Of course, I don't understand the whole football obsession and how it plays some kind of central role in the holiday... but for an extra day off, I'd learn to love watching big stupid men crash into one another for hours on end. This Thanksgiving thing, of course, is on top of all those OTHER holidays that they get (some of which seem kind of not worthy of a day off)... like Columbus Day, Flag Day, Washington's Birthday and the like. It seems to me that every time you turn around, poof, its a holiday down there! And that's not a bad thing! Of course, "holiday" there doesn't necessarily mean the same it does up here**, where stores and businesses are shut tight.
I've always envied countries like France, who seem to get weeks upon weeks of paid holidays as a rule. Personally, I think that one thing all of us North Americans have in common, to our own detriment, is that in North American Society, we simply work too hard and don't take enough time out to play. This is even taking in to account all those extra holidays those folks down south get.
I think that much of how a society should be judged lies squarely on quality of life. Personally, I think time off is a huge factor in that.
So, Canadian Government... if you're listening. I thank you for all of the wonderful things you've done***, however WE. NEED. MORE. HOLIDAYS! Seriously, we need to keep up with the Jones' here! So, I'm proposing you add a few holidays to our schedule. Specifically, the following:
A 4 day weekend in November, corresponding with American Thanksgiving. We can call it Pierre Trudeau's Extravaganza, or possibly Thanksgiving 2.A 3 day weekend in June. I suggest it be dedicated to Labatt Blue.
A 3 day weekend in late February, in honour of the Littlest Hobo.Magnificent Beaver Wednesday, which would fall in March.
I look forward to your response.
_______________________
* Sorry Elaine, its just how I feel. No disrespect meant.
**ie David's Bridal was open on July 4th. Shouldn't there be fireworks or something?
*** No Mr. Harper, I wasn't talking about you.
5 comments:
**Sara, you are certainly welcomed to the way you feel. I'm sure you have your reasons. However, since I'm not Canadian, I can't appreciate nor understand all what Canada has to offer. Therefore, not being American, it is likewise for you.
It's so easy to color America all the things you say. Seems like we're the whipping boy. Sure, some of it we richly deserve. Some of it, not. It has always been believed that we Americans are loud, obnoxious, rude, etc etc etc......but it's only the truly loud, obnoxious, rude (etc...) that get the most attention. As bad as some things are, there are movements to try and make things better. We don't always stand behind the cowboy.
I respect the fact that you enjoy living where you do. I wouldn't live anywhere else but here. So, I guess it's really all about what side of the fence you're on. Grass isn't always greener on the other side, sometimes it's just as green where you sit.
OH, and a note to anybody that thinks I'm slamming or insulting Sara, I AM NOT. She has the right to feel the way she does...as do I. I'm not itching for a fight. I couldn't care less to fight, debate, argue, pontificate, go toe to toe about the good of one country over another. Until we all learn to realize that no matter what color, religion, sex, sex-orientation, nationality, so on and so forth, the main ingredient in us all is that we're human and we all have the same human rights. People matter. Countries do not.
Sorry Sara, just the way I feel
Shoot....those 'Columbus Day, Flag Day, Presidents day (that's Washington and Lincoln's birthdays) Those are days that the general public don't get off. Those are days that only government officials (the same ones that vote against minimum pay raises for the public but vote themselves a fat raise), banks and the post office to have off. The rest of us poor slobs have to work for a living.
I read, a year or so ago, that the people of France were having a fit because they were suppose to go from a 30 (or 35 hour) week to a 38 hour week. The average American works more then 40 hours (myself not included in that....unless you want to count the hours I put in on household chores and other errands). Bill just had a stretch where he worked 7 days a week, for 6 weeks and he was, at times, working more then 36 straight hours. (If anybody cares, I'll show you his time card).
Sometimes, just sometimes, what looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, waddles like a duck.....ain't a duck. Don't know what the hell it is, but it's not a duck.
Holy duck.
Speaking of duck, and Thanksgiving, that's what we had for dinner this year. YUMMMMMM
International Talk Like a Pirate Day should also be a day off, don't you think?
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