It's Canada Day up Canada way ...

[Mendalla]

Wednesday is our national holiday. Anyone got exciting plans (besides melting if you're in Ontario like I am)?

For me, it's probably just a day off. Maybe catch some Canada Day stuff on TV, write (there's a new comp on my NSFW writing site), and put on some Canadian metal.

Yes, really, we are a very metal country. From early acts like Lee Aaron and Helix in the 80s, to metal pioneers like technical death metal OGs Cryptopsy, to contemporary acts like Anciients (two-time Juno winners) and Spiritbox (who should win a Juno one of these days but keep getting beaten by Anciients), metal is very much part of this country's musical DNA.

One band that kind of flew by me originally is London, Ontario-based Kittie. Part of the nu metal scene in the late 90s, they are led by sisters Morgan and Mercedes Lander. They went on hiatus for a while in the 2010s, finally returning in 2022 which when I finally discovered them (hey, I wasn't into metal in the 90s and 00s).

The lady doing the lovely growls is Morgan Lander. Her clean vocals are pretty good, too.

Archspire is a hot, relatively new technical death metal act out of Vancouver and another Juno winner. Their 2026 album Too Fast To Die, which basically sums up their musical style, has been turning up on the best of lists from many of the metal podcasters I watch. Probably another Juno nomination coming for this one (they've been nominated for Metal/Hard Rock Album twice, won once).

So, yeah, I'm going to be headbanging my way through Canada Day, I guess. What about the rest of you?

 

[Jaebius]

Don't think I'll be doing much for Canada Day. Do have a Canada T-shirt I'll probably wear.

Used to celebrate Canada Days with my Mom at Centennial Park in Etobicoke. They were good times. So if I see some ribs available somewhere decent I'll get them

Happy birthday Canada

 

[Mendalla]

So if I see some ribs available somewhere decent I'll get them

Kalbi are better than our ribs anyhow.

Just looked at the lineup for Parliament Hill and the big national evening show and other than Barenaked Ladies and Alessia Cara, I don't really know any of them. A couple by name but don't really know their music. Not a single rock band in the bunch as far as I can tell. I'm not so naive as to think they might actually put a band like Spiritbox on the Hill on Canada Day (they should, but I'd be stunned if they did) but we have lot of good mainstream hard and soft rock bands. And the Guess Who, Rush, and Triumph are all back together, though Rush is off somewhere on tour, I think. Oh well, BNL are always good for some light, fun pop so maybe I'll tune in for them. Haven't heard Cara in a while, either, and she was quite an impressive young up-and-comer when she first hit the charts with "Scars To Your Beautiful".

 

[Nancy]

I did the International Bridge Walk on Saturday, in honour of our two countries’ birthdays. Wanted to have a picnic tomorrow but heat and rain might interfere.

 

[Mendalla]

Wonder what Canada Day is going to be like here. Forecast is 34C, humid, with 40% chance of showers and risk of a thunderstorm. Not great for outdoor events.

 

[Jaebius]

Canada Day to one and all!

 

[Mendalla]

So the Canadian who lives in Korea gets to celebrate first. That's...kind of cool, actually.

 

[KayTheCurler]

Wonder what Canada Day is going to be like here. Forecast is 34C, humid, with 40% chance of showers and risk of a thunderstorm. Not great for outdoor events.

We expect cloud and showers, Not great for the celebrations at the museum. It is their fund raising effort each year.

 

[GO3838]

For years, I always used to go to a you-pick strawberry farm on July 1st. I'd go right at opening time (8am), and then when the day got hotter, I'd feast on strawberries all afternoon while I watched some Canada Day marathon of something on TV. (One year it was Columbo, another year it was Arctic Air, etc.) I draw the line at a "Christmas in July" Hallmark movie marathon, though - I only enjoy Christmas movies at Christmas time. But sadly, the 2 strawberry you-pick farms have closed and gone fallow in the last 20 years.
When my children were young right up into their teens, we would go to a provincial park on Canada Day. We'd take a picnic lunch, and then hang out at the beach, go for walks on the trails, play frisbee, look for chipmunks, etc. Then head home for a BBQ dinner and watch fireworks, assuming they would stay awake that long.
Given the nasty forecast, I'll think I'll stay in, and feast on the strawberries I bought from a local farm, and find something to watch on TV. Maybe we could have a virtual Canada Party here on WC2 - I'll check back tomorrow.

 

[GO3838]

Happy Canada Day! The birds are chirping happily right now.
So it's 6:35 am Ontario time. There were some wicked thunderstorms last night, so I hope my garden survived.
I'll go do a walk around after my coffee. I'll be off to the pool for a morning swim (my usual routine on Weds.)
I've made waffle batter for a "red and white" lunch of homemade waffles with fresh strawberries and vanilla yogurt and cream.

 

[Luce NDs]

You have too wonder about birds and cardinal values as red and warm at a distance from mortals ... the latter being feisty at all times except when the spirit takes off sounding like a water pipe draining ... that's not waste but sometimes clearwater revival ... if you can do some balance.

There are times one utilizes the spirit (essence of will?) and times to dip into the intellect that is out and about and times to deal with the connection (messenger) allowing the 3 point approach out of which one hopes something more will come to take us to home ...

Is that a vision, dream, prescient hope ... whatever?

Mortals seem to miss the point of balance and swaying between the extremes on the medium. I'm told that the medium as random source of intelligence does not exist ... so there it can't be here right ... unless sacredly hidden away? What does the mean fear?

In a world of avarice it seems clear that something has to go ... that seems something I can sacrifice ... isn't there a song about that ... done by several including Hank Snow on Moving On and Black Diamond (onyx, or Sapphire) nights? That Thousand Night Effort ... once you get to know something do we despise it or continue to study what is involved in the give and take?

It appears we lost the ability to look deeper for an affiliation that is more profound than you'd note when swayed by wealth ...

Myself I am ready to release the phantom ... as a fading song of sadness at the state of this earth ... someone is calling to me to sing a sad song ... because life is cruel in the Ghetto. I see it and there's so little one can do in a crowded state but allow space ...

Some wise old sage once said if you do not care for what you have it goes ... it seems I've lost something in this caldron of movement ... I search for the still point ... rest ... a dark remnant?

 

[Jaebius]

So the Canadian who lives in Korea gets to celebrate first. That's...kind of cool, actually.

Yep, living here I get to experience everything first.

Except Halloween. For some reason we don't do Halloween. We do have Children's Day, though

 

[Luce NDs]

Is what comes first something that follows from the turn over of the entire sphere of influence ... surrounded in dark fabric?

Man that's the night riding all over us for purpose of induced dreams and hopes that avarice doesn't win in the end ... is there a middle point providing a coming forth of something Beta and secondly improved? Triad supporting a forth Ire ... that's an additional wind! Across time they say God is like the wind ... doth carry humor! I keep searching for it ...

 

[GO3838]

So it's now 11:00 am in ON.
So hot and hazy outside that it's sometimes difficult to tell whether sky is blue or grey.
My garden survived last night's storm - yay!
There's a "Christmas in July" marathon on (No, thanks.)
There are a few Canadian movies on (The Grand Seduction, Strange Brew) (No thanks to these as well.)
I'll go hang out my laundry and change the water in the birdbath, so the birds can have a happier Canada Day.

 

[Mendalla]

Watching the coverage on Gem but it's kind of the usual meh human interest stuff. Maybe it will pick up at noon when the ceremony and show get underway.

 

[WhyCzar]

What does it mean to be Canadian?

 

[Mendalla]

A simple dictionary definition is "holds citizenship in Canada."

But after that it gets complex and I am not sure there is one definitive answer.

I feel pride and joy when I discover new Canadian music. I have been pleasantly surprised by how often the words "from Canada" come up in the weekly reviews my favourite metal podcasters do (none of whom are Canadian, by the way). So supporting and boosting Canadian music is one of the ways I am "Canadian".

 

[Mendalla]

Oh man, PM Carney is wearing a suit in 31C. Given his background in finance and banking, that's almost a walking stereotype. I am sure Canadians would have forgiven him wearing a short sleeved sport shirt or something like that.

 

[GO3838]

Just ate my Canada Day homemade waffles with strawberries and vanilla yogurt.

A simple dictionary definition is "holds citizenship in Canada."

But after that it gets complex and I am not sure there is one definitive answer.

I'm fascinated by other people's definitions. Margaret Atwood said that "survival" was the unifying symbol of Canadians.
We all remember the 2014 beer ad "I am Canadian" which a lot of us can identify with not being classed as American.
And many people of a certain age remember Prime Minister Pearson getting a Nobel Prize for the idea of a neutral peacekeeping
forces, so I think a lot of non-Canadians think of Canadians as "neutral."

 

[GO3838]

Oh man, PM Carney is wearing a suit in 31C. Given his background in finance and banking, that's almost a walking stereotype. I am sure Canadians would have forgiven him wearing a short sleeved sport shirt or something like that.

I remember July 1st 2011 being superhot, and there was Prince William in Ottawa with a suit, and Princess Kate in an elaborate hat, and gloves,
and stockings. Royalty isn't allowed to dress for the heat, so I'm not surprised Carney isn't either.