The Can-eh-dian Kid

I nick named my blog post "The Can-eh-dian Kid" to be tongue in cheek; an homage to my heritage.  To reference the world-renowned dialect that makes us the country of envy and the country of ridicule.  How do you spell Canada with only 3 letters?  C, eh? N, eh?  D, eh?  I wanted this blog to showcase where I've come from, where I am currently and where I hope to spend the rest of my natural life.

Too much coffee makes you see things

Last night, I re-watched a movie that really struck a nerve in me the first time I saw it.  It's called One Week with Joshua Jackson.  I first saw this movie back in 2009 when I was on an Air Canada flight from Toronto to L.A.  I was going 'home' after going Home.  It had been my first trip back to Canada in just over a year and I was beyond homesick.  Not specifically for my family (Mom, Dad, Sis) although it was awesome to see them, but for the Country itself.  That first sip of Tim Horton's coffee was like liquid crack.  The green open space of North Toronto (I know that may seem hard to believe; Toronto...open green space) was such a welcome change from the Urban Concrete Jungle I was flying back into.

Anyways, the film talks about a guy who is diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal cancer.  He's given a 10% chance to live, but only if he starts radical treatment immediately.  Opting for the more 'rational option', he buys a Motorcycle and travels cross-country with no real rhyme or reason.  Just a goal to get to the coast. The defining moment?  Rolling up the rim on a Tim Horton's Cup and getting the following message (watch the clip):

 Throughout the trip, he stops at iconic locations that help makes this Country the quirky, beautiful land that it is.  The Big Nickel, The World's Biggest Dinosaur, The World's Largest Smoking Pipe, the Gardiner Expressway (this last one I would push in front of a moving bus if it were a person, I hate it that much).  But the use of these interesting yet often tacky landmarks was a great way of showcasing some of the more unique things that make up this great land.

Needless to say, the first time I watched the film, I had a hard time not blubbering a little. 

The Can-eh-dian Kid, far from home, headed west to face his destiny.  Cliched, I know.  But it rang true at the time.  And no, I don't have Stage 4 Terminal Cancer, but thanks for asking.

You see, I think that so many of us take this place for granted.  We bitch about taxes, gas prices, food costs, the Government, Immigration laws, the Stanley Cup, Winter, Summer, Construction.  But deep down, we live in one of the greatest Countries on this planet.  Trust me.  I know.  I've lived outside of Canada and travelled fairly extensively to less fortunate places.  I think that we sometimes forget how cool it is to truly be part of a great Nation.  Despite our flaws (AND EVERY COUNTRY HAS THEM), we should count our lucky stars.

So, besides plugging a movie and hoping to get some middleman fees for doing so, I really wanted to get people to open their eyes and soak in the culture.  To breath deep the air that makes this environment so pristine.  To smile a little wider today when you step outside and think, I live in a free country that so many other people would die (and have died trying) to get into.

Be proud of your heritage.  Don't wait until you're thousands of miles away before you truly appreciate what's right in your back yard.  'To strive, to seek, to find and not yield.'-Ulysses

Cheers.