Tootfinder

Good Morning #Canada
December 8th, 1869, Timothy Eaton opened a small dry-goods and haberdashery business at 178 Yonge Street in the city of Toronto. From that humble start grew a national retail chain that eventually would bring Christmas Window Displays that attracted crowds for 100 years, and the tradition continues today. The heyday for the window displays was the 1940s to 1980s when Eatons and Simpsons competed for children's noses pressed up against their windows. But every store, large or small, had their own creative display in December. In the 1990s retail chains started to falter and disappear and some displays, like those from Woodwards and Ogilvys, were preserved by museums. I remember our annual visit to Eatons and Simpsons on Yonge Street in the early 60s, when Mom and Dad would load up the car with 7 kids and we'd tour the Christmas displays.
#CanadaIsAwesome #HappyHolidays
https://www.tvo.org/article/walking-in-a-window-wonderland-a-brief-history-of-torontos-department-store-christmas-displays

Good Morning #Canada
Did you know that a Dodecahedron is a 12-letter name for any 12-sided shape. And did you also know that on this day in 1962, the Canadian Government decreed that our dodecahedron nickel was decadent and that round was right. Pre-1962 nickels are now pretty worth a nickel, but a coin in "mint condition" has been known to fetch a few pennies more.
Have you noticed there are more coin buying events in your neighbourhoods over the past few years? Some of that activity is driven by buyers taking advantage of people wanting to sell old jewelry, collectibles, or jars of coins that are sitting in the back of drawers or closets. But the rise of digital transactions, particularly increased during COVID when no one wanted to touch your infected money, has increased the collectible value of coins and, in some cases, the actual metal value exceeds the face value.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Numismatist
http://canadiancoinnews.com/otd-12-sided-five-cent-coin-becomes-round/

Good Morning #Canada
Yesterday we had a Yellow snowfall warning and today it's a Yellow freezing rain warning. It seems like the winter of 2025 - 2026 is going to prompt more conversation than usual about the weather. Therefore I'm providing this Wiki article as a public service. You can meteorologicaly mesmerize your family, friends, and coworkers with these wild bits of trivia on Canadian extreme weather. And even if you don't awkwardly wedge some of this into your conversations, the crazy numbers appeal to the weather nerds in all of us.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Weather
Weather extremes in Canada - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_extremes_in_Canada

Good Morning #Canada
Before #WWII, Canada could still be considered a tiny nation in terms of our influence on world affairs. But after the conflict broke out, we contributed well beyond expectations and our navy was an example. The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) started the war with only 13 vessels, but when WWII ended, we had the 4th largest navy in the world. By 1945 the RCN had 450 ships in all, plus many smaller auxiliary units. This 1945 figure breaks down as follows: 2 cruisers, 17 destroyers, 68 frigates, 112 corvettes, 67 minesweepers, 12 escort ships, 75 Fairmile motor launches. During WWII, Canadian shipyards built a total of 4,047 naval vessels and 410 merchant ships for a grand total of 4,457 ships. The naval vessels included over 300 anti-submarine warships, as well as thousands of landing craft, escort ships, minesweepers, and tugs.
#CanadaIsAwesome #RemembranceDay
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Royal-Canadian-Navy/Second-World-War

Good Morning #Canada
Today we reach the end of the #CanadianCapitals series and I've left the Keystone Province for last. Manitoba, with IMO the best Premier and worst flag, has Winnipeg as its capital. The city lies at the junction of the Assiniboine River and the Red River, an historic focal point for canoe routes travelled by Aboriginal peoples for thousands of years. The fur trade brought forts, both British and French, and conflict amongst trappers and indigenous people. In 1869, the Hudson's Bay Company formally surrendered its charter rights over the western half of Canada, prompting Louis Riel to attempt a rebellion and become an independent territory before the Canadian government got organized. That ended badly for Louis and in 1870 Manitoba became a province with Winnipeg as its capital. A fun fact: The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is Canada’s oldest dance company and also the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/winnipeg

Good Morning #Canada
B.C. is full of hipsters, Alberta is oil obsessed, Ontario has a superiority complex, PEI prays to potatoes, and all Newfies drink Screech at breakfast. Every Province and Territory is known for their unique habits, culture, and views of the world. And we all hold expectations and misconceptions of our neighbours across internal borders. Hey, it's a long winter and we need some gossip to get us to the end of it.
The attached video provides a detailed rundown of stereotypes for each Province and Territory, and some of the content is accurate, like Toronto being the centre of the universe. It's a bit long but you can select a chapter to check out your Province, or one that you dislike. My favourite is Albertans pouring oil on their cereal.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Stereotypes
https://youtu.be/tFEar1K_Y6w

Good Morning #Canada
There's been a lot of references to Badlands on social media lately, something about a movie or something. Seems like an opportunity to revisit some real bad lands in Alberta. Seventy-five million years ago, give or take a million years, when dinosaurs walked the earth, southern Alberta was a subtropical paradise of towering redwoods and giant ferns. But then the glaciers came and had their way with the landscape. Today, fertile plains suddenly drop away into a world of multi-hued canyons and wind-sculpted hoodoos. Spanning east from Drumheller to the Saskatchewan border and south to the United States, this region is known as the Canadian Badlands. It is home to the largest deposits of dinosaur bones in the world. It's a little bit more famous than the Cheltenham Badlands in Ontario.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Badlands
https://youtu.be/faf8DEXtMtU?si=ryTB_1Eo7dKCoyRb

Good Morning #Canada
We are almost at the end of our #CanadianCapitals series and today's post is about the sunniest city in Canada. Yellowknife and its surrounding water bodies were named after a local Dene tribe, who were known as the "Copper Indians" or "Yellowknife Indians", because they traded tools made from copper deposits near the Arctic Coast. Yellowknife is a relatively new capital becoming the seat of Government for the Northwest Territories in 1967. The settlement was founded in 1934 with the discovery of gold and became a centre of economic activity in the NWT. As gold production began to decrease, Yellowknife shifted from being a mining town to a centre of government services in the 1980s but a new mining boom started with the discovery of diamonds north of the city in 1991. Established on the shore of the world's 9th largest lake, Yellowknife is a popular tourist destination for watching the Northern Lights.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History #Geography
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/yellowknife-nwt

Good Morning #Canada
How did I not know that Dogtoberfest is a thing?
Yesterday, the tapping of the keg officially kicked off #Octoberfest in the Kitchener-Waterloo region of Ontario. For those Canadians who live in a cave, KWs Octoberfest is the largest beer festival in the world outside of Germany. It is the 57th anniversary of the event, and in my student days, the big draw was beer and buxom women serving and keeping us in line. But in recent years, there has been an effort to reduce drunkenness and increase the family friendly activities. Kidtoberfest and Dogtoberfest are now part of the festivities that draw happy participants from across Ontario and beyond. It also has the added economic benefit of increased lederhosen production for Canadian factories. Seriously, Google dog lederhosen.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Dogtoberfest #DogsOfMastadon #ZIckeZacke
https://www.oktoberfest.ca/events/dogtoberfest2025/

Good Morning #Canada
Overnight news of Trump attacking another country in a blatant attempt to seize their resources should be a wakeup call for Canada. Does anyone here think a strike on Ottawa to remove the current government couldn't happen? Could the U.S. find a stooge willing to become the interim leader? How much oil, aluminum, uranium, hydropower or other resources would be looted before Trump strokes out from too many big macs. Yesterday I would have laughed at this scenario but today it starts to be less of a fantasy.
I glossed over this article when it was first published back in November but now I'm leaning towards support of developing a volunteer force in Canada. Perhaps a 2-year voluntary military service for our youth to provide employment and training. I don't want a volunteer military force to ever be used and hopefully it becomes a deterrent. But unfortunately a serious discussion is needed.
#CanadaIsAwesome #ElbowsUp
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/the-military-plans-for-a-volunteer-force-to-defend-canada/

Good Morning #Canada
On the eve of #RemembranceDay, it's fitting that we wish a ##HappyBirthday to Charles Cecil Ingersoll Merritt, who was born on this day in 1908. Merritt was the first Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross in #WWII, the highest award for bravery among troops of the British Empire. He was also the son of Captain Cecil Mack Merritt, who was killed in the Second Battle of Ypres on April 23rd, 1915. Merritt commanded The South Saskatchewan Regiment, Canadian Army, (Canadian Infantry Corps), and led his regiment at the failed Dieppe Raid on August 19th, 1942. He led multiple charges against fortified positions, was wounded twice, and stayed on the beach to defend his troops as they were withdrawn. He was captured by the Germans and remained a prisoner until the end of the war.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/charles-cecil-merritt-vc

Good Morning #Canada
Congratulations to me on hitting 1000 Good Morning posts. Actually I have no idea how many posts I've published and I even asked Google Gemini and it didn't have a clue. Stupid #AI. My guesstimate would be 1,100 , based on when I started the habit. Last summer I thought about celebrating #1000 and calculated September 30th would be relatively close... and then forgot about the idea.
Most mornings I wake without any content I plan to post. So it's a relaxing web surf with coffee to find something interesting or humorous. I keep this commitment because I enjoy learning about Canada's heroes, history, geography, trivia, and quirks.
I don't remember enough about my posts, and too lazy to go back and review, to list any favourites. Some of the weekly series are fun, I enjoy the #BigStuffInSmallTowns features, and anything involving #Beavers is patriotic and an opportunity to drag you all down to my level.
And Yes, today's post is kinda a filler....
#CanadaIsAwesome #Anniversary

Good Morning #Canada
Sunday mornings should include some relaxation, a good cup of coffee, and a tale of one man forging a legacy of independence. Today we present to you the story of American businessman Russell Arundel who, in 1949, claimed sovereignty over approximately 4 acres of Outer Bald Tusket Island, off the southern tip of Nova Scotia. After purchasing the island for $750, Arundel announced the principality of Outer Baldonia with its own charter, a flag, currency, passports, and an organized military that consisted of 69 fishermen (all Admirals). Citizens of the principality who caught a Bluefin tuna and paid a $50 fee were accorded the rank of prince. Government officials included Prince of Princes Russell Arundel, Chancellor Elson Boudreau, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary Ron Wallace. The Canadian government mostly ignored the farce but an official Russian communication declared Outer Baldonia a fascist state.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
https://backyardhistory.ca/f/the-nova-scotian-island-that-declared-independence

Good Morning #Canada
It's National Throw Out Your Leftovers Day, the fake holiday brought to you by greedy grocery conglomerates. I live on lunches that are 90% leftovers from our dinners so I know throwing out perfectly good food is a waste. But you need to be safe so here's some information about how to store food so that it doesn't kill you later that week. Most of it is common sense - like not storing leftovers on your stove top for 5 days before you decide to eat it. I won't do that again...
#CanadaIsAwesome #SmellTest
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/leftovers-food-safety-faq-1.7412668

Good Morning #Canada
There are several important Archeology sites in Canada that contribute to our knowledge of how the Americas evolved and the early inhabitants. One site, the Bluefish Caves located in the Yukon, was the source of decades of acrimonious debate because it directly challenged mainstream scientific thinking. Jacques Cinq-Mars, curator of the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, discovered bones of extinct horses and wooly mammoths bearing marks from human butchering and toolmaking. Radiocarbon test results dated the oldest finds to around 24,000 years ago. This directly challenged established science that humans first reached the Americas some 13,000 years ago, when Asian hunters crossed a now submerged landmass known as Beringia, which joined Siberia to Alaska during the last ice age. What followed was 40 years of dismissal and derision.
This excellent award winning article by Heather Pringle covers this story.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Archeology
https://hakaimagazine.com/features/vilified-vindicated-story-jacques-cinq-mars/#:~:text=In three hollows known as,24,000 years before the present.

Good Morning #Canada
I hope you're waking up to a scrumptious smell from the kitchen because it's National Bacon Day. While you're waiting for it to finish cooking, here are some facts to salivate over:
- Canadian Bacon, aka Back Bacon or Peameal Bacon, is a Canadian invention. It's also healthier than regular bacon, with far less saturated fats
- 42% of Canadians prefer their bacon crispy while 49% enjoy it limp. I assume 9% eat it raw?
- Winnipeg, home of the Bacon Centre of Excellence, is the Bacon Capital of Canada
- Canadians consume over 50M kilos of bacon annually. I ate my 1.25 kilos this year.
- Canadian Bacon, the movie, was a box office flop, only earning $178K on a production budget of $11M
- The average weight of a pig prior to processing is 111.2 kilos
- Canadian producers exported 18.6M kilos of cured bacon and 202K kilos of back bacon
- There are over 14M hogs in Canada
- 82% of Canadians add bacon on their burgers
- Kevin Bacon is not Canadian
#CanadaIsAwesome #MMMBacon

Good Morning #Canada
While the excitement and disappointment of the #BlueJays season is fading a little, we can still take pride in the fact that we invented the game of baseball. You read that correctly - Canada was the birthplace of North American baseball as we know it today. From Wikipedia:
"... the first official baseball game with a documented score card took place not in the U.S., but in Canada in 1838. While Canada invented the version of baseball we know today, innovations made by New York City clubs became the basis for the modern game, far removed from its English ancestor, but extremely similar to the Canadian version".
It turns out that the earliest, detailed, reputable account of baseball being played in North America came out of a game in Beachville, Ontario on, June 4, 1838. And there are decades of records detailing Ontario teams regularly beating American competitors in league play or matches.
#CanadaIsAwesome ##SportsHistory
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadians-in-baseball-the-lost-tribe-feature

BTW - I don't think we should brag but, we invented #Hockey, #Basketball, #Baseball, AND #Football.
#CanadaIsAwesome #YoureWelcome
https://www.cbc.ca/sportslongform/entry/how-canada-invented-american-football-baseball-basketball-and-hockey

Good Morning #Canada
Last week I registered with Ontario's Healthcare Connect program to help us get a family doctor in the Barrie area. Our previous family doctor retired in November and we were still covered by the clinic but it's in Brampton, more than 90 minutes away. So I'm now relying on Dougie to keep his promise to find a family doctor for all Ontarians by June 2026. I mean he's done so well with housing, environmental goals, Eglinton Crosstown....
Did you know that 83% of Canadians now report they have regular access to a family doctor which means an approximate 500K improvement in the past two years. That still leaves about 6M of us without a family physician. Family physician shortages are the highest in the territories (>55%), Quebec (21.5%) and British Columbia (17.7%), and the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia have the fewest family physicians per 100 000 persons in the population.
#CanadaIsAwesome #HealthCare
https://www.cihi.ca/en/taking-the-pulse-measuring-shared-priorities-for-canadian-health-care-2025/primary-health-care-2025/most-canadians-have-a-regular-health-care-provider

Good Morning #Canada
Finally, arriving at our our 10th province, Manitoba, and putting this series to rest means no more nightmares. Friendly Manitoba, it says so right on their license plates, also has hundreds of abandoned towns, but today we'll focus on Scarf. Named for William Scarf, not for winter clothing or the more recent term for eating quickly, the settlement began in the 1880s, started to flourish after train service arrived in 1907, and died slowly after train service stopped, with the last residents leaving in the 1980s. But in 2013, the regional mayor decided to sell parcels of land in the ghost town for $10. I wasn't able to find out if this plan to bring Scarf back from the dead was successful, but perhaps the area is cursed. In 2020, a tornado touched down near Scarf, killing two teenagers when their vehicle was swept off the road.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianGhostTowns
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-rm-looks-to-sell-ghost-town-lots-for-10-1.2086700

Good Morning #Canada
Instead of the usual useless trivia and bad jokes, today I'm using my daily post to highlight an interesting interaction that I kinda inserted myself into late yesterday. It started as a discussion between @… and @…, who were talking about how to motivate politicians to join Mastodon. After I butted in, I also dragged @… into the conversation (sorry Chad). I'm going to summarize yesterday's thread, starting in part 2 below, but I've provided a link to the original if you wish to view it. I also encourage the original participants to fill in gaps, correct any errors (all mine), or add new material.
Ideas from the community at large are welcome. I'm including the #MastodonCanada tag to bring in others who have been providing tips specific to our geography.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Mastodon
https://mastodon.online/@ZebKing/115855189413785017

Good Morning #Canada
A bit late this morning as we went out for a big family breakfast. I think I'll chip away at my #CanadianCapitals series by sharing some tidbits about one of our older cities. Halifax, because of its large natural harbour, served as an important military base for British ships in North America. Founded in 1749 and incorporated as a city in 1842, it is known for a number of 1sts. Halifax had the 1st public school in Canada as well as the first law school and art college. Canada’s 1st newspaper, the Halifax Gazette, was established in 1752, and the city had the first all electric city lighting grid in North America. The harbour was also the site for the world's largest man-made explosion in #WWI when a munitions transport collided with another ship. Awesome place to visit but try not to jump when they fire the traditional noon cannon.
#CanadaIsAwesome
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/halifax

Good Morning #Canada
You don't have to like numbers to appreciate Statistics Canada, aka StatsCan. Jean Talon could be considered Canada's first official statistician when he arrived in North America in 1665 on a mission for King Louis XIV to conduct Canada's first census in 1666. In 1918, the Statistics Act created the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, a national statistics office that ultimately would become Statistics Canada. Besides conducting the Census of Population and the Census of Agriculture every five years, StatCan has more than 450 active surveys on virtually all aspects of life in Canada. Results are published twice a month and can be accessed via The Daily web page.
One of my favourite web pages is Canada's Population Clock (real-time model). It's fascinating to watch, and our population increased by 11 while I typed this post.
#CanadaIsAwesome #StatsCan
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/71-607-x2018005-eng.htm

Good #Morning #Canada
You may not like #PeePee but you gotta respect his ability to promote a divided Canada. Today, the Duke of Divisiveness will ask the house to vote on whether they support the Liberal's MOU with the province of Alberta. He knows that there is environmental grumbling amongst the Liberals in Parliament and he thinks this is an opportunity to weaken Carney's leadership image. A vote could cause friction within the Liberal ranks and at the very least put individuals on record so their vote can be used against them in the future. It should be an interesting day.
Recently Angus Reid released survey results showing 50% of Canadians would support a new pipeline. What about you? There is a straight forward question below - Yes or No - but please add any opinions, comments or caveats to support your choice.
Do you support a new pipeline from Alberta to the coast of British Columbia? Please boost for additional reach.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanPoli #PipelineMOU #Pipeline
No, I do not support a new pipeline
Yes, I support a new pipeline

Good Morning #Canada
In 1882, Lieutenant-Governor Dewdney acquired land adjacent to the route of the future CPR line at a site known as Pile-of-Bones. He then announced that this featureless site, distinguished only by collections of bison bones, would be the new capital of the North West Territories in western Canada. Thus, Regina was born out of a national scandal and conflict of interest. It became the provincial capital when Saskatchewan officially joined Canada in 1905. The North West Mounted Police were headquartered in Regina, starting in 1885, and the city remains as a training centre for the RCMP. Regina survived a cyclone in 1916 and a great depression riot in 1935. Recently, they recovered from a marketing faux pas when they canceled their tourism slogan, "Regina: The City That Rhymes With Fun."
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianCapitals
https://youtu.be/L8eHaVi1yfE?si=Oc2NsqG6tnB4Zqnn

Good Morning #Canada
No nonsense news or fun facts this morning. I'm taking a few days off due to a busy schedule and a compressed family gathering. My oldest daughter has scheduled radiation treatments this morning and early on Boxing Day, so we're having a Christmas Eve dinner and exchanging gifts early tomorrow. I might post if something snark-worthy pops up but otherwise look for the next Good Morning post on the 26th.
I hope all Canadians have a safe and happy holidays.
#CanadaIsAwesome #MerryChristmas

Good Morning #Canada
The list of abandoned towns in PEI is apparently so short that no one has produced any really scary histories. It makes sense being a small island that there isn't enough distance to truly "abandon" a settlement. Maybe a house here or there, perhaps a short street. But that means you are more likely to be living next door to a haunted location. So today, we have a list of ghostly tales from around the island that may, or may not, be myth. Remember, don't go into the old shed with all the sharp farm tools....
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianGhostTowns
https://pointseastcoastaldrive.com/scary-stories-of-points-east-coastal-drive/

Good Morning #Canada
Good news... we've hit the low point of dark winter days and things will be much brighter going forward. I am referring to the Winter Solstice, which officially begins around 10am in these parts. This will be the longest night and shortest day of the winter and daylight will begin increasing tomorrow. So put away the snow shovels and slather on the tanning butter.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CelestialDays
https://www.insidehalton.com/news/ontario-canada-winter-solstice-2025/article_5adc2a0c-9ac6-50fd-9ef4-ca851ee6d6ce.html

Good Morning #Canada
In July 1871, the City of Victoria officially became the capital of British Columbia, when the province joined the rest of Canada. At the time, the city was larger than Vancouver and had served as the most important settlement in the area for decades. The Colony of Vancouver Island also stamped their little feet and demanded that Victoria be designated as the capital in return for the island to join with the mainland to become part of Canada. Captain James Cook was the first British person to set foot on Vancouver Island in 1778, and in 1843, Fort Victoria was established by the Hudson's Bay Company. There is a long history of Vancouver Island serving as a naval base, and today, Victoria is the home of Canada’s Pacific Coast naval and military headquarters in nearby Esquimalt. Victoria is a top tourist destination and is regularly rated top 5 worldwide as an awesome place to live.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianCapitals
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/victoria-bc

Good Morning #Canada
In 1905, when Alberta joined Canada, a temporary provincial legislature resided in Edmonton and they were given the task of choosing the capital. Edmonton, by a vote of 16 to 8, was selected over their southern rival Calgary. This choice was despite Calgary's larger size and incorporation as a city a full decade before Edmonton. But the new capital had used their history as an important trading post established on the fur trade route and federal relationships to secure their status as the capital. In 1941, Edmonton was still a relatively small city, ranking 9th in population in Canada. Oil would transform the entire province, and Edmonton would rapidly grow as the gateway to the resource rich Alberta north.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianCapitals
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/edmonton

Good Morning #Canada
The month of December will typical put a dent in your paycheck, or January if you're using your credit cards, so it's tough to save any money. Canadians rank 21st worldwide with regards to how much of our salary we put into a savings account. According to World Population Review, we put away approximately 7% of our paycheck for a #RainyDay, far behind South Korea at 35%. I'm retired and therefore not a saver at this point, but even during my most successful earnings period I can't imagine I would have been able to put away a third of my salary.
I suspect the savings percentage is driven by a small group of high wage earners as individual Canadian debt has increased. According to Equifax, total consumer debt in Canada reached $2.56 trillion at the end of 2024, a 4.6 per cent increase over 2023.
#CanadaIsAwesome
https://www.equifax.ca/business/blog/all-news/-/story/stable-versus-struggling-canada-s-financial-divide-widens/

Good Morning #Canada
Are you still looking for that perfect Christmas gift? Years ago I found myself shopping for my wife's Christmas present on December 23rd. Never again. For those of you still shopping it's inevitable that you're going to be standing in front of the Gift Card rack and mentally convincing yourself that the recipient will love a full gas tank or a Timmies coffee and donut. Canadians will buy close to $12 billion in Gift Cards in 2025, with a lot of that in the next 5 days. Recent changes to legislation have made it illegal to charge processing or activation fees on cards purchased with cash and there is no expiry date. That last point is important because companies are betting that a certain percentage of cards are never redeemed and it's estimated that approximately 40% of all cards are never used. I personally like getting a gift card as it allows me to choose something I want, and I always thank the gifter once I've used it.
#CanadaIsAwesome #GiftCards
YES, I love giving and receiving Gift Cards
NO, I'm not happy when I have to buy or get a Gift Card

Good Morning #Canada
I don't post much about #Hockey as I've fallen out of love for the game in recent years. But in my youth, I was a goalie, and one of my early sports heroes was Glenn Hall. On this day in 1962, Hall set a record that will never be broken when he played in his 502nd consecutive NHL regular-season game and 552 straight, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This was an era when goalies didn't wear masks or helmets and were routinely stitched up after being cut so they could return to the net. I didn't become a fan until after his streak ended, but his dominance over the next few years made an impression on me and my style of goaltending. He was the pioneer of the butterfly style, which at the time enraged NHL coaches and confounded scorers. His goaltending for St. Louis in the Stanley Cup series of 1968 was some of the best I've ever seen.
#CanadaIsAwesome #NHL #GOAT
https://www.nhl.com/news/glenn-hall-holds-nhl-record-that-likely-will-never-be-broken

Good Morning #Canada
Listening to Christmas tunes and watching the snow fall.
Notable Canadian snowstorms:
- 1913 Great Lakes Storm. The most destructive natural disaster on the Great Lakes, causing 250 deaths & destroying 19 ships.
- 1941 March Blizzard: Brought 100 km/h winds and temps of -45°C to Saskatchewan and Manitoba, leading to the deaths of 72 people.
- 1944: 47 cm of snow hit Toronto in a single day. Unfortunately, the Canadian Army was overseas.
- 1971 Montreal: 45 cm of snow on March 4th & wind gusts of 110 km/h. 200 Ski-Doo owners provided emergency transport.
- 1977: This blizzard struck Southern Ontario January 28 to February 1. Toronto DID NOT call the Army.
- 1999 Toronto Snowstorm: A series of snowfalls paralyze the city, total snowfall for January reached 118 cm. Yes, the mayor called the Army.
- 2007 February 2007: Storm hits Central and Eastern Canada, with Ottawa setting a single-day snowfall record of 35.7 cm.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Snowmageddon
https://www.readersdigest.ca/travel/canada/worst-snowstorm-in-canada/

Good Morning #Canada
On this day in 1948, the longest serving political leader in the British Commonwealth retired. William Lyon Mackenzie King served 21 years and 154 days as Prime Minister of Canada, in non-consecutive terms, from 1921–1926, 1926–1930, and 1935–1948. He led Canada through the Great Depression, introduced Old Age Pensions, nationalized the Bank of Canada, passed the 1938 National Housing Act to improve housing affordability, established the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Trans-Canada Air Lines, and the National Film Board, and implemented Unemployment Insurance. His government was also responsible for Japanese Internment Camps, and he believed strongly in the occult.
This video from TVO is an excellent overview of King's career. It's probably a two coffee viewing this morning if you have the time, but IMO worth the investment.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
https://www.tvo.org/video/mackenzie-king-at-150

Good Morning #Canada
Our #CanadianCapitals feature today is the oldest European settlement in North America as well as the most eastern city on the continent. Despite a history that goes back to he 1490s, St. John's Newfoundland was incorporated as a city in 1921 and became a provincial capital in 1949 upon joining Canada. The natural harbour served explorers and fishermen for centuries, and the settlement survived pirates, attacks by the French, and several devastating fires. If the Portuguese had more influence, it would have been named Rio de San Johem, which is a missed opportunity.
#CanadaIsAwesome
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/st-johns

Good Morning #Canada
There is a lot of news coverage about a USA president that lusts after a Nobel Prize like he attacks a family sized bucket of KFC. So let's celebrate that OTD in 1957, the first Canadian won the peace prize - Lester B. Pearson. Before he became our 14th Prime Minister, he spent the majority of his career as a diplomat. He was one of the founders of the United Nations and almost ended up as its first Secretary General. He was instrumental in ending the Suez Canal crisis by suggesting and helping to implement the first U.N. Peacekeeping Force.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1957/pearson/facts/

Good Morning #Canada
December 15th, 1964, the Canadian House of Commons votes 163 to 78 to approve the red Maple Leaf flag. The vote put an end to years of conflict over the Liberals proposing a new flag, and gave Canada a new symbol for its upcoming 100th birthday celebration. In 1960, Lester B. Pearson, then Leader of the Opposition, declared that he was determined to solve what he called “the flag problem.” To Pearson, this issue was critical to defining Canada as a unified, independent country. As the newly elected Prime Minister in 1963, Pearson promised to resolve the question of a new national flag in time for Canada’s centennial celebrations in 1967. Traditionalists fought for their beloved Union Jack while a younger generation wanted a new modern design to represent Canada. Thousands of designs, some truly ugly, were considered and rejected, including Pearson's preferred flag. I think we did OK in the end.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
https://youtu.be/qTMdH9-kmDk?si=9G9ykcp7wpxihKQR

Good Morning #Canada
I've been thinking that it's time for another "Something" Week, perhaps related to wildlife well known by Canadians. I have already posted dedicated week-long content for the first two critters on the attached list of iconic Canadian animals. Since it's winter, something large and white might be appropriate. 🐻‍❄
The #WWF list is a good reminder of just how fragile some of these species are. Only 72 or 73 Southern Resident Orcas are estimated to remain and are critically endangered. The Monarch Butterfly is also at risk because it's long distance migratory lifestyle is impacted by environmental changes over a wide area.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Wildlife
Canada’s 10 most iconic animals - WWF.CA
https://wwf.ca/stories/canadas-10-most-iconic-animals/#:~:text=The caribou is one of,per cent for many herds.

Good Morning #Canada
There are over 100 ghost towns in Saskatchewan, including Saskatoon in early February. One was Bonne Madone, a community founded in 1902 in the scary Rural Municipality of Woooo Boooo. (Editor - it's actually Hoodoo). The area was granted by the federal government to French settlers, the main contingent of which arrived in 1902 from Dauphiné and Franche-Comté, led by fathers Laurent Voisin and Jean Garnier. A convent run by the Sisters of Providence was established there in 1905. Nuns with rulers are very scary. A school was built there in 1908, and the town's chapel was first built in 1910, and the town also had a Royal North-West Mounted Police station and a Post office. It was an active community in the 1920s and the 1930s, but its population dwindled over the next few decades, and by the end of the 1960s, it was abandoned..... and haunted.
BTW - Some provinces have a Ghost Town Trail, like this one.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianGhostTowns
https://www.prairiepast.com/blog/explore-3

Good Morning #Canada
Have you put up your #ChristmasTree yet? #StatsCan (2021 census data) reports there are 1,364 Christmas tree farms. Ontario (418) had the most farms, followed by British Columbia (276) and Quebec (257). Nova Scotia’s 213 farms were more than the combined total of the Prairie and Maritime provinces (199). Canadian Christmas tree producers earned nearly $163.5M in 2021, and exported over 2.4 million fresh Christmas trees that same year. most of which (97.2%) ended up in the United States. Final destinations for most of them were Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, North Carolina and Virginia. Trump's tariffs hit artificial trees with a 30% price hike which means it could be an excellent year for real Canadian trees in the U.S. market. Most of the remaining exports in 2021 were to warmer climates in the Western Hemisphere, including Panama, Curaçao, Bermuda, Aruba, St. Maarten (Dutch part) and Barbados.
#CanadaIsAwesome #HoHoHo
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/xmas-tree-trends-2025-9.6993539

Good Morning #Canada
Happy National Trivia Day for all nerds walking around with mostly useless facts in your head. Today is your day to shine.
I never said that there would be homework but today... there's homework. Test your knowledge of obscure Canadian trivia by taking this quiz. You can set the difficulty and length in case you're brave or timid. Full disclosure: I chose the "Surprise Me" option and got 20% correct. Using the Google thingy is not allowed. You're on the honour system, and if you're Canadian, I didn't need to say that.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Trivia #Quiz
Canada Quiz | The Canadian Encyclopedia
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/quiz/canada-quiz

Good Morning #Canada
I bet you thought that I forgot about this unfinished series, but I was just waiting for a slow historical news day. Iqaluit is our newest provincial/territorial capital, as Nunavut was officially separated from the Northwest Territories to become the largest and northernmost territory of Canada on April 1, 1999. No fooling. Iqaluit, which means "place of many fish," has a long history as an Inuit hunting and fishing ground. In 1880 the British Government transfers the Arctic archipelago to the Canadian government which begins a century of colonization efforts to protect Canada's sovereignty in the area, with a bit of resource extraction that prompted settlements in Nunavut. Officially named "Frobisher Bay" In 1942 as a military airfield during WWII, the town reverted to its Inuit name in 1987.
#CanadaIsAwesome ##CanadianCapitals
https://www.iqaluit.ca/visitors/explore-iqaluit/history

Good Morning #Canada
This morning, our old Mazda goes in for new brakes, front and back, and install the snow tires. While sipping my coffee, I was wondering about auto stats in Canada....
- Canada ranks 23rd worldwide in vehicles per 1,000 people. USA ranks 10th.
- COVID put and end to rising car ownership. In 2020 there were 473 vehicles for every 1,000 people. Today, it's estimated to be 408.
- 11% of Canadians own 3 or more vehicles, 2% own 5 or more.
- 9% own an electric vehicle or hybrid.
- 78% of Canadians say it would be impossible for them not to have a car.
- 41% wish they had better transportation options to avoid needing a car altogether.
- Compared to 2024, car ownership costs have increased 9 per cent, rising from $5,025 to $5,497 annually.
Data from Wikipedia, #StatsCan, and Car Ownership Index.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Automobile

Good Morning #Canada
At some point in the next 2 days I have to visit #ServiceCanada and renew my passport. Did you know that 70% of Canadians own a passport which puts us in the upper middle worldwide when compared to other countries. "Ownership" is technically incorrect as all Canadian passports legally remain the property of the Crown and must be returned upon request. According to the Henley Global Passport Index, Canada is among the top countries in Passport Power, ranked 8th on the global mobility spectrum. Trust in the nation issuing the document and in its citizens helps place a country in the rankings. I wonder why recently the USA dropped out of the top 10 for the 1st time? Canada is a member of the Five Nations Passport Group, an international forum for cooperation and sharing of best practices between the passport issuing authorities of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Travel
https://www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index/ranking

Good Morning #Canada
Most of us - who are not CEOs, or CFOs, or CTOs, or C-somethings - know that #AI makes the user experience shittier and we'd prefer it wasn't installed on our phone, tablets, applications or toasters. But when it gets installed on children's toys, that becomes a whole new level of evil perpetrated on us by the tech bros. Numerous media outlets reported in the past month about the dangers of letting your kids access AI via a cute and cuddly toy, most focused on a teddy bear that used Chat GPT to explain fetishes and role playing to unsuspecting children. I don't think Santa's Elves were involved in the quality control process. Stick with something low tech, like Play-Doh or LEGO.
#CanadaIsAwesome ##BeSafeOutThere
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/ai-toys-for-kids-safety-9.7001764

Good Morning #Canada
The #FIFA World Cup Final Draw is today, hosted by renowned soccer experts Heidi Klum and Kevin Hart. The Village People will be performing live so I expect we'll see some Orango Mango Tango from the U.S. president in addition to a comedic break when the FIFA Peace Prize is awarded. Canadians will be watching because #Soccer is the most popular organized sport for ages 5 to 17 in Canada. Soccer and swimming have both surpassed Hockey in youth participation for many reasons but equipment and facilities cost is a major factor and it's estimated that there are over 1M children in soccer leagues across the country. Approximately 74% of Canadians consider themselves avid sorts fans and hockey remains #1 in views with 58% following. NFL came in next at 37%, followed by MLB 34%, CFL 32%, and NBA 29%. Formula One at 24% was sixth overall, followed by Tennis 20%, with PGA Tour and Major League Soccer tied for eighth.
#CanadaIsAwesome #SportsNews
https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/study-soccer-most-popular-sport-among-canadian-kids-post-pandemic/

Good Morning #Canada
Today your reading sensibilities are collateral damage from my YouTube meandering. You're welcome.
Did you know that #Vexillology refers to the study of flags? I learned that today. Well today we can all be amateur vexillologists as we critique the design of our Canadian and Provincial flags, aided by a cartoon character who sounds smarter than me. Today I also learned that two of the worst flags in this group, for Ontario and Manitoba, are relatively new designs that can't be blamed on distant historical vexillographers. Yes, I am overusing my new word.
Here is a decent grading of flags from the Provinces and Territories.
#CanadaIsAwesome #FlagWaving
https://youtu.be/G6wYSpLtwRI?si=zNEXotG7u82n2XtX

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Nelly Kim Furtado born December 2, 1978 in Victoria British Columbia. Furtado is one of Canada's most successful recording artists having sold over 45 million records, including 35 million in album sales worldwide. She has been praised for her musical versatility and experimentation with genres. She has, at various times in her career, stepped back to deal with burnout and depression and then relaunched herself wih a new musical style. She has won countless awards and has a Star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. It has been an incredible journey from Victoria where she spent summers in her teenage years working as a chambermaid with her mother, brother and sister.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianArtist
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelly_Furtado

Good Morning #Canada
Canadians should reflect back on the glorious past few weeks and the excitement provided by the Toronto #BlueJays. A team not expected to contend for any title when the season began, they surprised the experts, the fans, and the teams that stood in their way. Some Canadians had flashbacks to previous World's Series Championships, some younger fans built their own memories, and millions jumped on board the bandwagon. We celebrated every pitch, every swing of the bat, every win that brought us closer to a championship, and each other. If you can't change the situation you're in - or the final score in a game 7 - you can always change your perspective. Don't be sad for our Blue Jays. Remember the joy they brought us individually and collectively.
#CanadaIsAwesome #LetsGoBlueJays
https://youtu.be/ENBX_v1Po1Y?si=lSY-cNmBiNozxOvM

Good Morning #Canada
Today's post about #CanadianCapitals is a town that has the most tennis courts per capita in Canada. I got that factoid from from the internet so we know it's true. As one of the 4 original provinces to join Confederation, New Brunswick joined the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867. Fredericton, previously known as Fort Nashwaak, Pointe-Sainte-Anne, and Frederick's Town, became the provincial capital. Although it was a small community at the time, It was an easy decision because the town had served as the capital of Acadia under the French, and as the seat of government for the colony of New Brunswick under British rule. The New Brunswick Legislature building was originally opened in 1788, but was destroyed by fire in 1880 and replaced in 1882. Fredericton is known for its spacious downtown with wide streets, thanks to the original street plan laid out in a detailed map in 1785.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/fredericton

Good Morning #Canada
This has been quite the roller-coaster year for my wife and I. If there was one thing that I would be thankful for it would be our much maligned #Healthcare system. Through early testing, in April 2025, both our daughters were diagnosed with a genetic defect that significantly increases risk of cancer. Breast cancer was found in our oldest daughter and her treatment included surgery, chemo, and radiation. The prognosis for a longer life is now excellent. The youngest is facing potential preventative surgery to reduce her risk. After diagnosis the medical response was immediate and both daughters have numerous stories about caring individuals that have provided treatment, counseling, and empathy.
One man had a huge impact on Canada’s status as an important centre for genetics research - Dr. Lou Siminovitch. Here is his story about how he helped establish 4 different research organizations in Toronto.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/dr-lou-siminovitch-the-force-behind-early-genetics-research-in-canada-dies-at-age-100-1.5981522

#Snowmageddon has forced me to enjoy more coffee, relax in my sunroom, and binge on some YouTube content. This got injected into my feed, and because I was born in 1956, it's absolutely accurate. OK... it's bullshit since every generation has endured tough times. I mean, my parents grew up in the depression and survived #WWII. But if you were born in this time period - 1950 to 1969 - use this as proof of your emotional and physical superiority. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a nap.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Toughness
https://youtu.be/cJFWGg-LQhY?si=JWLsqaGffl-qkPat

Good Morning #Canada
Stanley Park is a 405-hectare public park in British Columbia, Canada, that makes up the northwestern half of Vancouver's Downtown peninsula, surrounded by waters of Burrard Inlet and English Bay. It opened in September of 1888 after negotiating a lease from the federal government who owned the land for $1 per year. On this day in 1889, it was renamed and dedicated in honour of Lord Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby, a British politician who had recently been appointed Governor General of Canada. It doesn't crack the top 10 of city parks in Canada (despite what the attached article states) but it's special because much of the park remains as densely forested as it was in the late 1800s, with about a half million trees, some of which stand as tall as 76 metres and are hundreds of years old.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Parks #GetOutside
https://todayinconservation.com/2018/10/october-29-stanley-park-vancouver-dedicated-1889/

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Paul Shaffer, born OTD in 1949 in Toronto, and raised in Fort William (now part of Thunder Bay), Ontario. Shaffer is a Canadian musician, actor, and comedian who served as David Letterman's musical director, bandleader, and sidekick on Late Night with David Letterman (1982–1993) and Late Show with David Letterman (1993–2015). His father was a jazz aficionado while his mother loved show tunes. When Shaffer was 12, his parents took him on a trip to Las Vegas where they took in Nat King Cole and other shows; this was an experience Shaffer described later as "life changing" and led to his decision to become a performer. He was the musical director for the Toronto production of Godspell, a band member on SNL from 1975 to 1980, and the musical director for The Blues Brothers. Shaffer was inducted into the Order of Canada in 2007.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianMusician
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/paul-shaffer

Good Morning #Canada
Happy #Halloween to all those Canadians who enjoy dressing up, and today it's totally normal. But remember, don't go into the old shed with all the sharp farm tools.
Today, I am sharing one of my favourite radio episodes narrated by the late Stuart McLean. For 20 years, #TheVinylCafe radio show aired weekly on CBC Radio and was written and hosted by the late McLean. The radio show featured stories are about Dave, owner of a secondhand record store called "The Vinyl Cafe", and also starred Dave's wife, Morley, their two children, Sam and Stephanie, and assorted other characters. If you fondly remember The Vinyl Cafe, then this episode may spark a memory. If this is your first exposure, I warn you that you may crave more.
I first heard this episode in the lead up to Halloween over a decade ago. It's about a man who is terrorized by his sister's doll, in his youth, and into manhood.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CBCRadio
https://youtu.be/vi6KKSWO5oU?si=7Tw3a7sfKuyP-M3u

Good Morning #Canada
Happy Plush Animal Lover’s Day to all who celebrate this special holiday. Because we are an inclusive country, I hope all you Furries out there have a special day as well.
Today's holiday would be a good day to review Canada's top sports mascots because why not. Today, I learned that Curling Canada has a mascot, although it's not an animal. He/She has a curling stone for a head. I may disagree with the ranking - IMO, the Raptor should be ranked higher and Youppi! deserves #1 status - but overall, it's a decent collection of Canadian wildlife. The Canada Goose is missing, and sports teams are missing a lot of marketing mayhem by not having a Beaver mascot. I suspect there are some great mascots at lower levels of organized sport, or at the college/university level.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Mascots
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canadian-sports-mascots-ranking

Good Morning #Canada
I'm relaxing in front of a fireplace with some freshly brewed coffee and watching the Weather Network map animation loop endlessly showing the forecasted snow that will hit us in the next 24 hours. It's hypnotic and distracts you from thinking about the 25-30cm expected accumulation. If you love snow, Canada is the place to be. In fact, almost two-thirds (65%) of Canada's land mass has annual snow cover for more than six months of the year. I read that on the internet, so it's true. I'll be one of the 24% of Canadians who own a #SnowBlower throwing the white stuff everywhere, including back into my face. About half of Canadian households on the east coast own a Snow Blower versus 7% in British Columbia. Apparently, 51% of residents in Barrie use snow clearing machines, which is a statistic I should have paid attention to when we decided to move into this area.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Snowmageddon
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/2626-blowing-snow

Good Morning #Canada
I'm sitting my sunroom sipping coffee and contemplating the year that's past, and thinking about #NewYearsResolutions. I've never previously indulged in making promises to myself that I forget about in a few months, but I might make one for 2026. According to Narrative Research, 48% of Canadians made resolutions in 2025, with most setting goals related to health or finances. More than 71% are confident they’ll reach their 2025 goals. Quebec residents are more likely to have made a resolution for 2025, and resolutions are more likely for Canadians age 34 or younger, with the likelihood decreasing with age.
What about you? Please select an option from the survey below, and please boost for additional data collection. I've included a tune to set the mood.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Poll
Do you make New Years Resolutions?
Yes, and I always complete them.
Yes, but I don't remember any.
Maybe, but it's confidential and between me and my bathroom scale.
No, I prefer to enjoy life, one day at a time.
I only make resolutions for other people.

Good Morning #Canada
And #HappyNewYear. I have a suggestion for a #NewYearsResolution2026 that I hope you can participate in. At the very least, please boost the crap out of the idea, steal it and use it as your own or promote the hashtag at every opportunity.
During a random conversation with @crispius a few days ago, we sparked an idea on how to get people off of toxic tech bro social media and onto #Mastodon. What if all Mastodonians agree to convert at least one person into a Mastodon user in 2026. This could include supporting them to make them an active and loyal user. Help them find accounts to follow, finding their personal community, building relationships with followers, etc. It's a grassroots strategy for getting people to move to this platform.
We could use the hashtag #BringAFriendToMastodon to share ideas, strategies, or success. Perhaps ask your admin for help spreading the idea (shout out to @…). Maybe @… can assist in promoting this as well.
#CanadaIsAwesome

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Arthur Kent, born December 27, 1953 in MedicineHat, Alberta. Now well known as an experienced and trusted Canadian television journalist and author, he rose to international prominence during the 1991 Persian Gulf War during which he acquired the nickname "The Scud Stud". He is the brother of Canada's former Minister of the Environment Peter Kent. I have an impression from this 2018 interview with Kent that there's some dissatisfaction with the state of the news media, an industry much criticized in the 7 years since. There are some interesting insights from a journalist that has experienced and reported on significant events in recent history.
#CanadaIsAwesome #NewsMedia
https://calgaryjournal.ca/2018/12/01/arthur-kent-once-you-ve-really-been-bitten-by-the-international-news-bug-it-s-terminal/

Good Morning #Canada
Happy #BoxingDay to all Canadians, and good luck to the estimated 8.6M Canucks who will wade into this significant sales day looking for bargains. December 26th was traditionally a day when the nobility gave gifts and leftovers to their servants and staff. The practice was famously put to song when the Duke of Bohemia, patron saint of the Czech Republic, and inspiration for the Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslas," was known for feeding the poor after Christmas. His charitable nature didn't prevent his murder by his brother. Today it's known as a major shopping day, although less important than 10 years ago. Check out the attached article for a really boring look at recent retail Boxing Day trends. Summary: Boxing Day is more like a Week and shoppers are less impulsive and more focused on specific purchases that they delayed.
#CanadaIsAwesome #EverythingMustGo
https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2025/12/boxing-day-still-matters-for-canadian-retail-new-data-shows/

Good Morning #Canada
I've been a bachelor since Thursday as my wife is in Toronto helping my daughter with her latest chemo session. She's back late Monday when life, for me, returns to normal. According to #StatsCan, being married at our age (late 60s) is the most prevalent relationship. But Canadians in younger age brackets are more likely these days to be living common-law and getting married later in life, if at all. Canada has one of the highest rates of common-law relationships worldwide and the highest in the G7. Between 1981 and 2021, common-law couples increased 447% while the number of married couples grew by only 26%. Common-law unions are most prevalent in Nunavut (52%), Quebec (43%), and the Northwest Territories (36%). It's no surprise that more than half of Canadians believe that marriage is not necessary, and even less surprising that this opinion is stronger with young men versus young women.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Relationship
https://madeinca.ca/marriage-statistics-canada/

Good Morning #Canada
In honour of #Caturday, today's post is about the little known Parliament Hill Cat Sanctuary that existed from 1955 to 2013. It was a feline colony for a group of strays living on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, in a sanctuary set aside for them. The care of the cats and maintenance of the sanctuary was carried out by volunteers, and the effort was funded by donations.
Cats were brought into Parliament in 1924 to deal with a "mild plague" of rats and mice in the basement of the then brand-new Centre Block. The numbers of rodents soon fell, but when the unneutered cats began to multiply, they were banished to the outdoors overnight in the same year. In 1955, the cats were replaced by chemicals and no longer allowed access to the Parliament buildings, but the sanctuary was set aside for their colony, and volunteers looked after them for the next 6 decades.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CatsOfMastadon
https://youtu.be/ru_QvokcIeo?si=O395ASTrDPbX3OuD

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Bat Masterson, the famous American gunslinger who was born near Henryville Quebec in 1853. He's our segue to another #CanadianCapitals post, naturally about Quebec City. Explorer Samuel de Champlain founded the French settlement in 1608 and adopted the Algonquin name, which means "where the river narrows." Quebec City is one of the oldest European settlements in North America. The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) are the only fortified city walls remaining in the Americas north of Mexico. Those walls were put to good use as Québec spent the next 170 years fighting off invaders, mostly by the British but also by Americans. The city was established as the capital of Canada under British rule in 1792 and was named the provincial capital in 1867 when Canada East became Quebec.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/quebec-city

Good Morning #Canada
Have you ever dreamed of having a pet #Moose ? Probably weekly if you're a Canadian. But apparently, it's been done, and there are records of Moose being used for farming or racing, or just cuddling up with you on the couch. This CBC article documents one of the best-known examples, but be warned, there are some dark twists to the story.
#CanadaIsAwesome #MooseOfMastadon
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/canadian-stereotype-domesticated-moose-1.5369308

Good Morning #Canada
Like a Count Floyd movie night on #SCTV, the ghosts in this series are thinning out as we get to our 2nd to last province. Apparently, New Brunswick is not particularly scary unless you make an enemy of the J.D. Irving clan. (They won't find your body.) Wikipedia has no list of abandoned towns, which is definite proof they don't exist. A century old cotton mill in Fredericton, certainly ripe for ghoulish activities, is currently haunted by government employees. Ooooo....
So we'll have to rely on two of New Brunswick's most famous ghostly locations to spooky your interest, starting with the headless nun.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Halloween #CanadianGhostTowns
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/headless-nun-miramichi-1.7011713

Good Morning #Canada
Prior to #Retirement, my last decade in business was spent in #ReverseLogistics managing major retail and manufacturer clients. Reverse logistics is the process of managing customer returns with the objective of recapturing value or ensure proper disposal. It covers activities like processing, restocking where possible, repairs, recycling, refurbishing, and resale. This company in Mississauga is relatively small in comparison to a Costco or Walmart reverse logistics warehouse but it provides a glimpse at a little known industry that deals with $880B USD in annual returns worldwide. The industry is about to enter its busiest period as consumers will return over 10% of Christmas purchases, close to 30% for clothing. In the 1st 3 months of 2026 some remarketing B2B auction sites (representing Costco, Walmart, Home Depot, Target, etc) will be liquidating 100 tractor trailer loads per day, including stuff you're about to unwrap in a few days.
#CanadaIsAwesome
https://www.orilliamatters.com/ontario-news/inside-the-warehouse-poised-to-process-your-unwanted-gifts-this-holiday-11646891

Good Morning #Canada
Checking my fake holiday calendar, and I see it's Go For A Ride Day. I guess that could include cars, trains, skateboards, horses, and your favourite human, but let's focus on bicycles. Some people say Canada is too big to have a cycling culture and that's why there's only 1 bike for every 4 Canadians. But those are the people who have never heard of cities... or are named Doug Ford. Only 6% of Canadians are active commuters, meaning walking or biking, but it's more prevalent in Victoria (18.7%) and Halifax (12.3%). About one-third (34%) of neighbourhoods across Canada have no cycling infrastructure but some municipalities have invested in high-comfort bike lanes (dedicated & protected pathways), including Montréal (360 km), Vancouver (246 km), Edmonton (226 km) and Québec City (190 km).
Here's some #StatsCan data on commuting by bike.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Biking #GetOutside
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/6203-bike-work-day-cycling-through-data

Good Morning #Canada
Happy #Festivus everyone. I'm looking forward to the airing of grievances and performing feats of strength later today. But we also have to celebrate National Christmas Movie Marathon Day on December 23rd. Our pickings are slim if you want to limit yourself to Canadian classics of this holiday season. Sure, virtually every #Hallmak movie is filmed in Canada, apparently with variations of a single plot, but they don't count. Here's a list of 5 Canadian films provided by CBC to get you started and you can provide a community service by suggesting other titles for your fellow Canucks. For example, Uncle Buck feels like a Christmas movie solely because of John Candy. When your list is ready, you can wrap yourself in a Hudson's Bay blanket, munch on some Nanaimo Bars, and binge watch your favourites.
#CanadaIsAwesome #ChristmasMovie
https://www.cbc.ca/arts/have-yourself-a-canadiana-christmas-with-these-5-movies-1.3909749

Good Morning #Canada
As #Halloween creeps up on us, we continue to highlight haunted abandoned towns. Today, we are in Rowley Alberta, a failed railway town near the gates of Hell. Maybe near Drumheller.... I wasn't paying attention. Settled around 1910, it once had about 500 residents but declined after the closure of its train station in 1965, and the construction of new highways bypassing the town. Today, it's a mix of private homes and preserved historical buildings, and the remaining 9 evil residents have worked to maintain its historic charm. They have added new features and even host monthly pizza nights to lure in unsuspecting tourists. Don't go in the old shed with all the sharp farm tools....
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianGhostTowns
https://youtu.be/6huskbX8Hh8?si=oowVXFI_s2RwVipM

Good Morning #Canada
Happy National Homemade Bread Day for all those with enough dough to celebrate. There's no data on how many of us make their own bread at home, but there are 1,321 bakery product manufacturing establishments and more than 1,406 retail bakeries in Canada. Canada annually ranks in the top 10 worldwide in wheat production, 6th or 7th, depending on the year, but we don't eat a lot of bread. #StatsCan says we consume approximately 30 kg per person yearly, which doesn't put us in the top 30 internationally - Turkey's citizens eat 6 times as much as us. We spend about 10% of our grocery bill on baked goods, and that has increased almost 30% over the past 5 years. Canada exports $5.2B in baked goods annually with $5B of that going to the U.S. market.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Sandwich
My favourite type of bread: Please boost for scientific significance.
Plain White (I leave my socks on too)
Bagels (Montreal preferred)
Sourdough (nothing to do with my personality)
French - loaf or baguette (I also support Bilingualism)
Italian - loaf, focaccia, calabrese (I'm also a pasta lover)

Good Morning #Canada
Did you know that Interac, the Big Brother organization that knows if you're naughty or nice based on your shopping habits, tracks the busiest shopping day of the year? According to their data, Canadians are apparently getting smarter. A decade ago, December 23rd was traditionally the busiest day of the year for retailers based on how many debit and credit cards they swiped. About 5 years ago it began to shift to earlier in the month and in 2025 December 19th was forecasted to be the pinnacle of purchasing. Maybe we ran out of money 4 days earlier.
How prepared are you for #Christmas? Not including food prep, how organized are you for choosing gifts and getting them wrapped and ready? Please take part in our highly scientific survey below and please boost for a larger data sample.
#CanadaIsAwesome #ReadyOrNot
#POLL - My Christmas gifts are selected, wrapped, and ready for Santa to take credit by this date:
Always before December 1st (Liar)
By December 15th at least
December 20th at the latest
Can't think right now... busy wrapping...

Good Morning #Canada
In 1896, gold was discovered on a tributary of the Klondike River, leading to tens of thousands of people (mostly Americans) racing north in the #KlondikeGoldRush. Canada feared that the United States would take control of the area (they purchased Alaska in 1867), so the Canadian government sent in the North-West Mounted Police to establish control of the region. The Klondike Gold Rush established the frontier town of Whitehorse, named for the rapids lying south of the settlement. On 13 June 1898, the Yukon Territory Act created Yukon as a separate Canadian territory and placed its capital at Dawson City. During #WWII Whitehorse became an important base of operations for the U.S. military as they built the Alaska Highway. Whitehorse was incorporated as a city in 1950, and in 1953, it became the capital of Yukon when the government was moved from Dawson City.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianCapitals
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/whitehorse

Good Morning #Canada
Like many provinces, Nova Scotia has hundreds of abandoned towns because of depleted minerals, harsh living conditions, or forced relocation. But the ghost town of Broughton in Cape Breton must surely be haunted because of a suicide by one of its most important residents. Founded by the promise of coal mining, no amount of money was spared on the design of its buildings and streets. But poor management and family tragedy doomed the town, and today, only ruins remain. Oooooooo.....
Here's a delightful video on Broughton with narration that is suitable for #Halloween. Don't watch it alone...
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianGhostTowns

Good Morning #Canada
I finished my breakfast this morning only to discover that it's National Maple Syrup Day. A missed opportunity but at least I can share some important facts about Canada's sweet and sticky sauce.
- Indigenous People taught early Canadians how to harvest maple sap and boil it down into a sugary liquid.
- A maple tree can yield sap for up to 100 years, but the trees must be roughly 45 years old before it’s first tapped for syrup making.
- It takes roughly 40 gallons (150 litres) of tree sap to produce 1 gallon (3.8 litres) of syrup.
- Quebec produces 72% of the world’s maple syrup. In 2021, that equaled 133M lbs from Quebec.
- The big bottle of Costco Maple Syrup is from Quebec.
- Maple Syrup only has 1 ingredient. Sap.
- Maple Syrup has an indefinite shelf life but should be frozen if storing for more than 2 years.
And regarding the great Maple Syrup heist, this is still the best report on that famous crime.
#CanadaIsAwesome #MmmmSyrup #MapleSyrup
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/12/maple-syrup-heist?srsltid=AfmBOoq7fMx3GguT20T9cNrpZgrtVue4leiYZpZibZT_7S9WHWDfI0Ln

Good Morning #Canada
English speaking Canadians feel that Quebec ghosts are not very scary because they have funny accents. But there is a ghost town near Montreal that could send shivers down your spine, especially in early February. Out of the hundreds of abandoned towns in LA Belle Province, the town of Goose Village has the most chilling history, and ultimately, it was wiped off the face of the earth. This municipality of Montreal was officially called Victoria Town, but Goose Village was the common name. It was the infamous site of 22 quarantine sheds where thousands of immigrants, mostly Irish, died in 1847 and 1848. It continued as an impoverished neighbourhood until the entire community was bulldozed to make way for Expo 67 parking. There is ZERO chance that the area is not haunted given its history.
#CanadaIsAwesome ##CanadianGhostTowns
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose_Village

Good Morning #Canada
Like most Canadians I suspect our grocery bill this week will be over budget as we prepare for a family #Christmas dinner and a week of holiday goodies. But help is on the way in January with the implementation of the Grocery Code of Conduct. Colour me skeptical but I'm not sure this is going to solve the issue of high grocery bills. I understand the attempt to eliminate unnecessary costs in the supply food chain. As a former manager in logistics, the fines and charges for missed delivery windows, fulfillment shortages or even the wrong pallets used, are real. But any reduction in supply chain costs will likely be absorbed as profit, not passed on to consumers. A far more effective solution would be an Excess Profits Tax where companies are charged a penalty tax when they earn profit that is unreasonable or above expectations, such as during COVID or a period of inflation.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Profiteering
https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/article/what-canadians-need-to-know-about-the-grocery-code-of-conduct/

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to William Eldon O'Ree, born October 15, 1935, in Fredericton New Brunswick. O'Ree is recognized for being the first black player in the National Hockey League, playing as a winger for the Boston Bruins. His accomplishment of breaking the colour barrier in the NHL has led him to sometimes be referred to as the "Jackie Robinson of hockey." But O'Ree's legacy goes well beyond the small number of games he played in the NHL. He has spent his non-playing days as an ambassador for hockey and focused on diversity and expanding the audience for the sport. His post hockey career is undoubtedly why he has collected so many honors and awards.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_O'Ree

Good Morning #Canada
If you are a vintage Canadian, you will remember a 1973 commercial comparing the health of a 30-year-old Canadian to a 60-year-old Swede or taking a #BodyBreak with Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod. The nonprofit organization #ParticipACTION has either motivated you to start an exercise program or caused you to feel guilty about being a couch potato. From 1971 to 2001, ParticipACTION operated independently, with government support, and focused on improving the health of Canadians through physical activity. It disappeared for a few years but was relaunched in 2007 as a nonprofit with guaranteed support from the federal government (funding and administrative).
Every year, they release the ParticipACTION Report Card, and for 2025, the data shows a failing grade in most categories. I acknowledge my contribution, or lack thereof. Despite the well documented positive impact of exercise, we are falling short.
#CanadaIsAwesome #GetActive
https://www.participaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025_ParticipACTION_Report_Card_Summary.pdf

Good Morning #Canada
If you haven't been living in a cave this week, you know that the #NorthernLights were putting on a show across Canada. As you know, a solar eruption sends billions of tons of superheated plasma into space and traveling at more than 45 million miles per hour it can reach Earth in less than a day. That plasma, drawn towards the magnetic pole, interacts with our atmosphere, and we get a spectacular light show. The Aurora Borealis, named by Italian astronomer Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei, is not unique to Canada, but so much of our land is in the Northern Hemisphere that most Canadians have the opportunity to experience it. This is particularly true in the Northwest Territories, where the Northern Lights are visible for 240 days every year on average. The phenomenon has a special meaning for Indigenous Canadians, some of whom believe it shows them ancestors dancing in the sky.
#CanadaIsAwesome #GetOutside
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/how-indigenous-traditional-knowledge-is-improving-our-understanding-of-aurora-borealis-1.7414899

Good Morning #Canada
The pets have conspired to get me out of bed early, so I'm coffeed up and listening to our #Christmas playlist. I thought I'd share 12 Christmas tunes written and/or sung by Canadians. The ranking is subjective and unserious, so please no arguments as I'm trying to stay off the naughty list. Have I missed anything or anyone awesome? Reply with your favourites and I might add them to my playlist.
12 - Let It Snow - Dianna Krall
11 - Christmas Eve - Spirit of the West
10 - O Holy Night - Céline Dion
9 - Silent Night - Rita MacNeil
8 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Michael Bublé
7 - Wintersong - Sarah McLachlan
6 - Old Toy Trains - Susan Aglukark
5 - Good King Wenceslas – Loreena McKennitt
4 - Song for a Winter's Night - Gordon Lightfoot
3 - Huron Carol - Sarah McLachlan
2 - River - Blue Rodeo
1 - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings - Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan
#CanadaIsAwesome #ChristmasMusic

Good Morning #Canada
My youngest daughter is visiting this weekend, and while cooking our family breakfast, we had a long conversation about #AI and #LLM applications. She works for a nonprofit - Rainbow Railroad - and is in charge of all their data applications and funding processes. Her manager is suggesting that they need to start exploring AI/LLM, perhaps to automate email responses to donors. Her response, backed by the fundraising team, is "no effing way will a machine talk to any donor." Losing the personal touch can kill an organization that relies on the emotional empathy and kindness of the public.
That led to a new discussion - are there examples of #AI being used for good. #AskEllyn, the nonprofit chatbot that supports breast cancer patients, was the only one we could name, unfortunately, because both my daughters have relied on it over the past few months.
Tell me about other positive examples of AI - bonus points if they're Canadian.
#CanadaIsAwesome #
https://www.ctvnews.ca/kitchener/article/kitchener-ont-ai-chatbot-for-breast-cancer-patients-becomes-focus-of-national-clinical-research-study/

Good Morning #Canada
Happy #Thanksgiving to all Canadians, but in particular to the volunteers and visitors at Canada’s 5,500 #FoodBanks. Thanksgiving serves as an important focal point for food drives in an effort to provide meals for those less fortunate, as well as create long-term awareness of the role that Food Banks fill. Canadians are visiting Food Banks at record levels, some 4M visits so far in 2025, and 47% of those have children at home. It's not too late to donate to your local Food Bank, but please also consider a cash donation in the future to help them fill in the gaps in supply from farmers, producers, and retailers.
#CanadaIsAwesome #FoodInsecurity
https://globalnews.ca/news/11474846/toronto-food-bank-demand-thanksgiving-food-insecurity/

Good Morning #Canada
If you live in Montreal, Vancouver, or Victoria, congratulations. According to Condé Nast Traveler, those 3 Canadian cities were top destinations based on the results from its annual Readers' Choice Awards. No other country on the planet had 3 locations named on list of the best cities in the world for 2025. In the top 10 of large cities category, Vancouver was #7, and Montreal was #9. In the small cities category, Victoria was #1 for the 3rd consecutive year.
The article takes a few swipes at Toronto for being excluded as a top tourist destination. Why so mean?
#CanadaIsAwesome #Travel #WorldClass
https://www.narcity.com/canadian-cities-best-in-the-world-to-travel-2025

Good Morning #Canada
I slept in this morning, getting an extra 90 minutes or so of extra #ZZZs. I usually get 7 to 8 hours of sleep, meeting the Canada Health recommendations, and apparently better than most Canadians. The attached article has some sleepy stats from a study commissioned by IKEA but doesn't address sleeplessness due to stress related furniture building. Some additional data:
- 60% of Canadians say they wake up “well rested”.
- Albertans are sleep-deprived as only 9% say they never find it hard to fall asleep. Compared to Saskatchewan and Manitoba (19%), Ontario (20%), B.C. and Atlantic Canada (27%), and Quebec (28%).
- 47% of us say money and financial matters affected our sleep.
- Quebec residents use more sleep medications (11.5%) than those in Ontario (6.7%), and we have Doug Ford.
- Only 5% of Canadians would give up intimate relations for better sleep.
(Data from Research Co., Leger, #StatsCan)
#CanadaIsAwesome #WakeUp
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/canadians-are-losing-sleep-at-an-alarming-rate-recent-reports-suggest/

Good Morning #Canada
Last weekend our granddaughter visited to help decorate our tree and we watched Elf, a movie about #Christmas spirit, because we were feeling Christmassy. I think the majority of Canadians believe in the spirit of this season. We're a little bit more polite and kinder, if that's even possible, and underneath the snark, the passive aggressiveness, the ##ElbowsUp, is a pack of big cuddly beavers. You don't have to take my word for it because places like Quebec City, Banff, and Vancouver regularly end up on lists for best places to sit on Santa's knee. He lives in Canada so not a surprise. Did you know that in 2018, Canada was ranked as #1 most Christmassy country in the world. They can't put it on the internet if it isn't true.
#CanadaIsAwesome #MerryChristmas
https://dailyhive.com/mapped/canada-ranked-1-most-christmassy-country-in-the-world