Tootfinder

Good Morning #Canada
There have been many dark days in Canada, from natural disasters to personal tragedies. And there are also emotional dark days like when Doug Ford was elected Premier.... twice.
The most mysterious darkest day in Canadian history occurred on November 7, 1819, when the sun refused to rise over New Brunswick. And it wasn't even a Monday. Although 1st person accounts described it as an unusually dreary day, later newspaper accounts were slightly more sensational. Reporters documented that a "black veil" or intense, unnatural darkness descended upon New Brunswick. The sky remained so dark that residents were forced to light candles in the middle of the day. Apparently the phenomenon caused widespread alarm with many believing it was the apocalypse or a divine awful visitation. According to newspaper reports there was mild hysteria, outright madness, and praying and searching for cover. Just like the day after Ford was elected.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Meteorology
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/201-years-since-new-brunswick-s-darkest-day-1.5791283

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
It's a balmy -22°C here in beautiful Belle Ewart Ontario. Apparently, with the wind chill, it would feel like -26°C if I were to stupidly wander outside. Now before you start reporting colder temperatures in your area - it ain't a competition people - let's remember our country's coldest day in history.
Canada's coldest recorded temperature was a staggering -63°C in Snag, Yukon on February 3, 1947. The temperature was so extreme it broke thermometers and made Snag famous for the record for North America's coldest spot, caused by stalled Siberian air. Other extremely cold locations included Fort Vermilion, AB (-60.6°C) and Old Crow, YT (-59.4°C). Nobody was tonguing steel poles that day.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Weather
https://www.readersdigest.ca/travel/canada/coldest-day-in-canadian-history/

#22 on our countdown is the 893 km La Grande River, which drains a modest watershed of 97,600 km2 in Quebec and flows westward into James Bay. In French, La Grande Rivière, and its original Cree name, Chisasibi, both mean "great river") and it is the second-longest river in the province. The river has been extensively developed as a source of hydroelectric power by Hydro-Québec, starting in 1974 a total of 8 hydroelectric dams have been built on the waterway. As a result of the development projects, the Cree people of the region lost parts of their traditional hunting and trapping territories. Organic mercury levels increased in the fish, which forms an important part of their diet, as the organic material is trapped by the rising waters in the new reservoirs.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadaRivers
https://chisasibi.ca/about-chisasibi/

Good Morning #Canada
Everyone knows that Canada's 243,000 km of coastline are the longest in the world. At a pace of about 20 km each day, the stroll would take 33 years. Inside of that long shoreline, did you know that Canada is divided into seven physiographic regions? We're not talking mind altering drugs but instead reference the distinct geological formation that defines the landscape. The Canadian Shield, with the oldest exposed rocks on the planet, dominates the centre of the country with stable immovable bedrock. Kinda like Toronto being the centre of the universe. Each physiographic region gives that area of our country unique features and scenery that provides us with a seemingly inexhaustible opportunity to explore. I should be writing travel brochures...
#CanadaIsAwesome #Geography
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/physiographic-regions

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Loreena McKennitt, born OTD in 1957 in Morden Manitoba. In her small town she sang in a choir and studied classical piano and voice. In 1975, she moved to Winnipeg to study veterinary science, but before graduating, she discovered a passion for Celtic music and soon found herself performing in Winnipeg clubs. McKennitt pursued a decades-long quest of discovery into the music and nomadic history of the Celts. Relocating to Stratford, Ontario in 1981, she appeared as an actress, singer, and composer for the Stratford Festival. After learning to play the troubadour harp, in 1985 she embarked on a solo and self-managed music career. She founded her Quinlan Road label and financed her Irish-based debut recording, “Elemental,” by busking in Toronto. After some early success she negotiated a distribution deal with Warner Brothers and became more widely known.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianArtist
https://youtu.be/qxTpvA-pUG0

Good Morning #Canada
Can Canada's new trade deal with China for #ElectricVehicles jumpstart a shrinking market? Will 49K Chinese #EVs force current Canadian auto suppliers to provide more competitive offerings?
Canada was an anomaly in worldwide EV sales as our electric vehicle sales declined while every other major nation saw substantial increases. Even the U.S. had a modest increase in battery electric vehicles despite Trump's attempts to kill them. Canada EV sales dropped by almost 50% due to canceled government rebates, slow expansion of a charging network, increased pricing, and auto manufacturers cutting back production in favour of hybrids and gas engines. And North American manufacturers invested substantial lobbying dollars to roll back zero emission mandates.
While Canadian manufacturers cry foul, auto dealers are cautiously optimistic. They see cheaper vehicles as a good alternative to what's available today.
#CanadaIsAwesome #ZeroEmission
https://cleanenergycanada.org/canada-broke-its-electric-vehicle-market-in-2025-and-it-did-so-alone/

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Jean Drapeau, Mayor of Montreal 1954-57 and 1960-86. Born on this day in 1916, in Montreal, he passed away in 1999. His legacy includes delivering Canada's Centennial birthday party #Expo67 and the 1976 #SummerOlympics to the city. But his most famous quote haunted him for years...
“The Games could no more run a deficit than a man could have a baby."
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianLegends
https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/50-years-of-aislin-pregnant-pause-for-mayor-jean-drapeau

Good Morning #Canada
Here in beautiful Belle Ewart the temp is -22°C, feeling like -31°C with the wind. But it's a dry cold....
Out west they are struggling with double digit temperatures on the plus side. Edmonton's winter festival organizers are making snow, protecting ice blocks and praying for plunging temps to save their skating rink. The unseasonable weather has impacted events throughput Alberta. The Banff and Lake Louise ice carving festival, Art of Ice, had to take down sculptures because they weren't safe. They were similarly impacted last year. The World’s Longest Hockey Game (WLHG) got underway last Thursday and players are dealing with slushy conditions while golf driving ranges are packed with eager duffers.
I'd gladly make the sacrifice and swap weather conditions with our fellow Canucks out west. It would be a burden that I'd gladly carry.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Weather
https://youtu.be/W59Pi5S-Vic

Good Morning #Canada
Most of us are celebrating a long weekend because of #FamilyDay, except Quebec and Newfoundland Labrador. Those two provinces will answer the phones while the rest of Canada is off gallivanting across the country. Family Day was first introduced by Don Getty, Premier of Alberta in 1990. Critics pointed out that he launched the new holiday to distract voters from the fact his son was in trouble with the law, accused of selling cocaine to an undercover narc in an Edmonton motel room. Whatever... we now get a break between January 1st and the May 24 long weekend.
It's a good day to look back on the past 30 years of marriage and family trends. Common-law unions are up while traditional marriages are down. Divorces, particularly among younger couples, has decreased, and we have more single parents today. There is no available data on the impact of Family Day on teenage sons selling illegal drugs.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Parents
https://vanierinstitute.ca/resource/then-and-now-a-30-year-look-at-family-structures-in-canada/

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
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
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
Supreme Court Justice Sheilah Martin announced her retirement effective May 30th, opening up a vacancy on bench. It's a good time to review the process on how a Canadian #SupremeCourt Justice is chosen, and why we mostly avoid controversy and politicalization of the process. Mostly...
Supreme Court judges are shortlisted by an independent advisory board process, emphasizing candidates who are highly skilled, functionally bilingual, a judge of 10 years on their regional court system, and specific regional representation (3 from Quebec, 3 from Ontario, 2 from West and North, 1 from Atlantic). The PM then recommends 1 of the candidates to the Governor-in-Council for formal appointment.
The new process and legislation was introduced by PM Martin in 2004 and PM Harper attempted to ignore it (surprise). PM Trudeau strengthened the process in 2016 but also tried to alter it for Quebec. But mostly little controversy.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanPoli
https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/news/general/scc-justice-sheilah-martin-to-retire-opening-up-vacancy-for-new-western-or-northern-canada-appointee/393573

Good Morning #Canada
On this day in 2012 Leonard Cohen releases "Old Ideas", an album that becomes No.1 in 10 countries. It easy to forget just how big an impact Cohen made in music from the late 60s through to this album. Many fans were introduced to his music via his song "Hallelujah". Cohen first released it on his 1984 album Various Positions, though it gained massive popularity through covers by artists like Jeff Buckley and K.D. Lang. He had an incredible journey, starting as a poet, enjoying stardom in the 70s, retiring to a monastery in the 90s, and having to tour later in life to rebuild his fortune after suffering embezzlement by his agent.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianLegends
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Cohen

Good Morning #Canada
Today is a twofer of #CanadaRivers as we countdown the longest rivers in Canada.
#23 is the Red River which flows for 890 km, originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota, flowing northward through the Red River Valley and continuing into Manitoba. It empties into Lake Winnipeg, whose waters join the Nelson River and ultimately flow into Hudson Bay. The river only falls 70 metres over it's length, so there are no hydroelectric opportunities, but because it drains a large watershed of 287,500 km2 it experiences significant spring volumes. This has led to calamitous (love that word) floods plaguing southern Manitoba for centuries. Flood canals and ice cutting (physical removal of large blocks every spring) have mitigated the risks but not eliminated them.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Hydrology
https://www.gov.mb.ca/mti/wms/floodcontrol/redriverbasin/historic.html

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
A lot of Canadians make fun of the public transit systems in their cities. Putting aside the fact that Toronto (actually the Ontario Government) took 16 years to build a few kilometers of light rail transit, Canadian cities rank in the top 10 of systems based on ridership metrics. We, North America, lag behind Europe and some Asian cities, but in general we have a lot to be proud of.
Now if only the government gave public transit the same funding that we threw at highways, that would be amazing. Or to really attack #Affordable commuting, make public transit systems free.
#CanadaIsAwesome #PublicTransit
https://youtu.be/17upoRCn01s

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
Apparently the earth moved last night but I didn't feel a thing. An earthquake, a magnitude 3.7 to 4.1 depending on different reports, was reported in my neighbourhood near Orilla Ontario last night. The epicenter was across Lake Simcoe, approximately 35km away from my home and 5km deep. Maybe the lake reduced the impact and we do have a pretty good mattress.
There are 4,000 ish earthquakes measured in Canada annually but most are minor. Perhaps 40 might be large enough or not remote, and people will feel the ground shaking. That's about 1 every 8 days. Most of our earthquakes occur along the West Coast, the High Arctic, and lower frequency along the eastern seaboard. Earthquakes are monitored by the National Seismograph Network with approximately 100 seismographs distributed across Canada.
I know you're wondering about the 10 largest earthquakes ever felt in Canada. I got you covered...
#CanadaIsAwesome #Seismology
https://www.earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/pprs-pprp/pubs/GF-GI/GEOFACT_largest-earthquakes_e.pdf

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
If you are tuning in for Canadian trivia and bad puns.... prepare to be disappointed. I'm once again hijacking my morning post to ask all Canadian Mastodonians for input.
Question for all MastoCanucks - how would you convince a politician or government dept/agency to join Mastodon? What are the key points that should be made to motivate our government accounts to make a move?
There will be lots of repetitive answers but feel free to expand on those. Also chime in on what questions or resources government accounts might need to successfully launch a Mastodon account (overcoming resistance). If you volunteer to help contact government individuals, what resources do you need to help support your efforts (enabling scale and shared purpose)?
Respond to this post and please boost for reach into all corners of Canada. Follow #MastoCanadaGOV for future updates. Remember, there are no bad ideas, just bad puns by yours truly.
cc: @…
#CanadaIsAwesome #ElbowsUp #MastodonCanada

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
Today is a Public Service Announcement for all our non-Canadian Mastodonians. I know you're sad that you aren't Canadian but please don't hate us because we're awesome. This video will teach you a little bit about Canada and by practicing some of these phrases you can feel like one of us. Watch with caution as you might develop a love for mullets, maple syrup, and beavers. You've been warned.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Culture
https://youtu.be/evvzG0Xz69Q

Good Morning #Canada
Canadian inventors have vastly improved every day life. Consider the innovations that global citizens are now thankful for: the telephone, basketball, snowmobiles, Imax movies, hockey, canoes, bras, insulin, zippers, paint rollers, athletic support, and poutine. Sorry we're so awesome.
Now an invention by a Dartmouth emergency physician in 2022 has made it easier for emergency rooms to safely remove rings from fingers. Previously doctors and nurses would have relied on tools from hardware stores with all the scary moments a patient could experience. "You might want to look away while I do this...". A serendipitous meeting at a medical tradeshow will likely give the invention an added boost.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianInventions
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/dartmouth-doctor-ring-rescue-medical-drama-the-pitt-hbo-9.7126246

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
#HappyBirthday to Maude Elizabeth Seymour Abbott (Mar 18, 1868 – Sept 2, 1940), a physician and researcher who contributed to the early study of congenital heart disease. She was born in St. Andrews East, Quebec, and was among the first women in Canada to earn a medical degree and one of the first women to receive a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University. After being denied admission to McGill’s medical faculty, she completed her medical education at Bishop’s University and went on to develop a career in pathology, medical curation, and clinical research. Abbott held curatorial and teaching roles at McGill, co-founded the International Association of Medical Museums, and published extensively. She established organizations supporting women in medicine, received an honorary medical degree from McGill and was posthumously recognized through several national and institutional honours.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/maude-abbott

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Donald Scott Smith, Canadian rock bassist for Loverboy, born OTD in 1955 in Winnipeg Manitoba. Unfortunately tragedy struck on November 30, 2000, when Smith was sailing his 36-foot boat Sea Major near the Golden Gate Bridge. A 25-to-35-foot wave swept him overboard and his body was never recovered.
A short post this morning as the wife and I are taking the #GOTrain into Toronto to attend the auto show. Apparently McLaren has some new vehicles that might interest me.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Weekend #TGIF
https://youtu.be/dsgBpsNPQ50

Good Morning #Canada
Yesterday @… posted an article from CTV that reported on the political risks faced by Canada in 2026. I hope Canadians read it and share it because IMO it's important.
The article is based on a report by the Eurasia Group, a consultancy that advises companies and countries about potential risks. They tie together known facts to form opinion on potential risks that could require deft navigation in the year ahead. Canada definitely faces more tariffs and trade challenges, we should expect U.S. interference in an Alberta referendum, it's likely we may have to come to the defence of Greenland, and if we resist too strongly we become a target.
The CTVNews article is attached via Snowy's post, and I'll link the original Eurasia Group summaries in the next post. It's not surprising yet incredible that so much global turmoil has resulted from arguably the worst person to be elected by a flawed American democracy.
#CanadaIsAwesome #RiskManagement #CanPoli
https://social.vivaldi.net/@SnowyCA/115871023586628322

Good Morning #Canada
We move onto #24 in our countdown of #CanadaRivers with the Koksoak River. At 874 km it is the largest river in the Nunavik region of northern Quebec. The name Koksoak is believed to originate from Moravian missionaries who evangelized among the Inuit of the area at the beginning of British rule and incorrectly spelled the Inuktitut word Kuujjuaq, meaning "great river." It drains a watershed of 133,400 km/2 and because of its volume, 2,800 square metres per second, its waters have been diverted as part of the massive James Bay hydroelectric project. That project drowned 7,000 square miles of Cree hunting land causing decades of conflict between Indigenous peoples and the Quebec government, with major issues resolved by a treaty signed in 2002.
Two rivers into our countdown and I'm sensing a trend: big river -> hydroelectric development -> trampling of Indigenous rights -> treaty to resolve injustices.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Geography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koksoak_River

Good Morning #Canada
2026 has been designated as the International Year of the Woman Farmer by the United Nations, in an effort to increase and improve food security across the planet. Once again we call upon the fairer sex to save humanity.
Women led farms are on the rise in Canada. From the 2021 #StatsCan report, there were 80,000 female farm operators, representing 30% of total farm operators, up from 25% in 1991. In general female participation is increasing while men are decreasing. Farming is an industry where women operators can achieve wage parity with male counterparts because compensation is based on market conditions, but currently most women led farms are smaller with less annual revenues.
A helpful #AI tells me a female farmer could could be called a farmerette, a farmeress, or farmHER. So helpful...
Two articles are linked - a feel good news piece from the CBC, and more solid demographic info from FCC-FAC.ca.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Agriculture
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/women-career-agriculture-1.7443846
https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/knowledge/women-in-canadian-agriculture

Good Morning #Canada
On this day in 1955, the passion of French Canadian #Hockey fans spilled over into the streets outside of the Montreal Forum. The Richard Riot was named after the Canadiens star player Maurice (Rocket) Richard. Following a violent altercation on March 13th, in which Richard hit a linesman, #NHL president Clarence Campbell suspended him for the remainder of the 1954–55 NHL season (3 games) and the entire playoffs. Montreal fans protested that the suspension was too severe and the Francophone fan base claimed the length of the suspension was motivated by Richard's French Canadian ethnicity. On March 17th the Canadiens played Boston, with the Rocket watching from the players bench in street clothes. The Forum was surrounded by chanting fans and when Clarence Campbell took his usual seat at the Forum the anger ignited. The resulting riot damaged neighbourhood stores and buildings, and led to dozens of arrests.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CrazyCanucks
https://www.nhl.com/news/richard-riot-still-chilling-memory-in-montreal-70-years-later

Good Morning #Canada
It's time for our first post in the #CanadaRivers series with #25 in our countdown. The Churchill River, in Atlantic Canada, flows for 856 km from Lake Melville into the Atlantic Ocean. It drains a watershed that covers 79,800 km/2 and has an average volume of 1,580 square metres per second.
The power development at Churchill Falls has backed up the river and created the enormous Smallwood Reservoir. Farther upstream, a hydroelectric plant at the outfall from Menihek Lakes provides power for the former iron-mining town of Schefferville, Québec. With a heavy flow and large drop from the Labrador Plateau, the river has probably the greatest hydroelectric potential of any in North America. The Churchill Falls Generating Station deserves it's own post as it is a massive 5,428 MW underground hydro power plant.
Don't get used to calling it the Churchill River as there are recent campaigns to return to its traditional native name.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Geography
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/churchill-river-innu-name-change-mishta-shipu-1.6444142

Good Morning #Canada
I was in My local hardware store yesterday and saw that they had pallets of salt piled high. Just as spring is on the brink of pushing another winter from our memory, the salt mines have apparently turned the corner on earlier supply chain issues. Upon returning home my curiosity, and a lack of having anything important to do in #Retirement, prompted me to look at sources of road salt. I kinda knew it was mined in Ontario, because of Windsor Salt in (checks notes) Windsor. But I was surprised that Canada was a salt powerhouse in terms of production, and that the largest salt mine in the world is in Goderich, Ontario. More accurately, over 540 metres below the prettiest town in Ontario and extending 3.7km under Lake Huron.
#CanadaIsAwesome #NeedsSalt #Geology
https://youtu.be/Xt7GzKiAqBs

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
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
The oldest winter festival opened its ice gates to the public yesterday and runs to February 15th. The Quebec Winter Carnival was first held in 1894 but became an annual event starting in 1955. It's not the largest in the world but it's in the top 2, and record crowds are expected since most Canadians aren't interested in being interrogated at our southern border.
#Bonhomme is the generic term for a figure ( bonhomme de sucre , "sugar baby"; bonhomme de neige , "snowman"). The beloved character who represents the Quebec Winter Carnival lives a pampered life. He has the keys to the city, from the mayor in 1955, and has a new ice castle built for him every year. He also retires someplace cozy after the event and returns refreshed and ready for next year, unlike European festival snowmen who are burned at the close of activities to bring forth spring. Bonhomme has a better manager obviously.
#CanadaIsAwesome #WinterWonderland
https://www.quebec-cite.com/en/what-to-do-quebec-city/events/quebec-winter-carnival

Good Morning #Canada
It's a brisk -23°C this morning but the infallible #Weather app is telling me that we will be -5°C or warmer over the next few weeks. Break out the shorts, Spring has arrived.
In preparation for the big thaw, I think we need a semi-regular series on the top 25 rivers in Canada. Why top 25? Hey, it's my account, my nonsensical rules. We'll count down to #1 in terms of length because size matters.
Today an honourable mention, the St. Lawrence River, commonly referred to as the St. Lawrence Seaway. Although one of the most recognizable rivers in eastern Canada, and one that drains the largest watershed on the planet, it doesn't make it into the top 50 longest rivers in the country.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Geography #CanadaRivers
https://youtu.be/IjKoi1_ZCQk

Good Morning #Canada
Just a few years after we were married my wife and I rented the upper half of a duplex near High Park. The East-West road we lived on was considerably higher than the one south of us and we could see Lake Ontario through gaps in the houses across the street. I learned this week that a few years ago I could have had beachfront access out my front door.
Glacial Lake Iroquois was a prehistoric proglacial lake that existed at the end of the last ice age approximately 13,000 years ago. It was essentially an enlargement of the present Lake Ontario that formed because the St. Lawrence River downstream from the lake was blocked by the ice sheet near the present Thousand Islands. The level of the lake was approximately 30 m above the present level of Lake Ontario. Being born 13,000 years too late probably saved me from paying a lakefront premium on my rent.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History #Geology
https://youtu.be/v5ApDf97RZI

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
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
Yesterday my wife and I had to pay for a small renovation which necessitated some budget shuffling. Needless to say we didn't make the list of the Richest Canadians. The McLeans and Canadian Business 2025 ranking saw lots of new names, which is surprising because $4.8B only earns you a spot at #40. Tech, primarily AI and data centre related, and cryptocurrency pushed some fortunes upwards, while the usual group of staid family wealth looked on with disdain. The saying "the rich gets richer" holds true as the combined net worth of the 10 wealthiest people on the list is $310 billion, a nearly 20% increase over 2024. It's difficult to read the individual summaries and not be disappointed at the level of wealth disparity with the bottom 50% of Canadians. IMO Governments avoid higher taxes on the wealthy because they believe Capitalism drives the economy, not the people who work for capitalists.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Capitalism #TaxTheRich
The Rich List - Macleans.ca
https://macleans.ca/longforms/the-rich-list/

Good Morning #Canada
February 3rd, 1916, a fire breaks out in Canada’s Parliament buildings resulting in a total loss of the structure with only the library saved. In the midst of #WWI, German sabotage was suspected but a later investigation found that a burning cigar in some furniture was more likely. Our current Parliament building replaced the ruins and have served faithfully ever since. But approximately a year ago the rehabilitation of Canada’s Centre Block on Parliament Hill started. Expected to cost $4.5B to $5B, it is a multi-year project targeted for completion by 2031. Crumbling mortar, outdated electrical and HVAC, and weak supporting structure are all on the to-do list, as well as modernizing the building.
I started watching this 2-part CPAC video last night (2 hours in total) and it's full of history and architecture details. Spoiler: there are no tips for your bathroom reno.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
https://youtu.be/Y14ObQPGdho

Good Morning #Canada
I spent the weekend with my youngest daughter and she mentioned that the non-profit she works for, #RainbowRailroad, had launched a new website. Despite the fact that she refuses to join Mastodon, I thought I'd give her organization some Fediverse love. Rainbow Railroad literally saves #LGBTQ lives through counseling, support and emergency evacuation from hostile countries. They have assisted 45,000 individuals since their founding in 2006.
The other charitable organization we support is the Canadian Cancer Society, specifically focused on #BreastCancer because our oldest daughter is a survivor. She also works in non-profit, writing grant and funding proposals for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. I might have to dedicate a Good Morning post for her work just to be fair.
There's definitely some humble bragging and parental pride this morning, sorry for that. But they both do important work that benefits many others.
#CanadaIsAwesome
https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/

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
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
Today we all finally come to our senses and bow down to the knowledge of prognosticating rodents. Yes, it's #GroundHogDay2026. Beyond the obvious impact of totally rearranging your next 6 weeks based on the prediction of some small mammal, or lobster, there is the economic impact. Wharton, Ontario, a town of 1,900 seemingly sensible Canadians will generate enough tourism dollars to keep Willie in the lifestyle to which he is accustomed.
Some rodent in Pennsylvania has already predicted 6 more weeks of winter, but let's face facts, the U.S. is not really trustworthy these days. Lucy the Lobster in Nova Scotia and Fred La Marmotte in Quebec are both reporting an early spring. The link below provides an update from others across Canada.
Why don't we have a prognosticating beaver?
#CanadaIsAwesome #Weather
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/weather/forecasts/groundhog-day-2026

Good Morning #Canada
I'm up early, cooking breakfast and got an 80s playlist on in the kitchen. What was happening in Canada in 1983...
- The metric system of weights and measures is officially adopted by the federal government
- Saskatchewan MLA Colin Thatcher resigns as Minister of Energy and Mines and a week later murders his wife, Joann
- Population of Canada hits 25M in November
- Steve Podborski wins Gold at the World Cup of Skiing
- Pierre Trudeau is PM
- Pay television begins operating in Canada
- Bill 101, protecting the French language in Quebec is ruled unconstitutional
- Brian Mulroney replaces Joe Clark as leader of Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
- Gas costs 47 cents/litre
- BC Place in Vancouver opens
- Air Canada flight 143 makes an emergency landing in Gimli, Manitoba
- Jeanne Sauvé is appointed Canada's first female Governor General
- Average house price is $74,500, 5-yr mortgage rate was 13.5%
#CanadaIsAwesome #History #CanadaFlashback
https://youtu.be/IPznPZLNQhI

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to the Honourable Cairine Reay Mackay Wilson who the first woman to be appointed to the Senate in Canada. Her appointment in 1930 marked the end of an era during which women in Canada were denied civil rights. Born in Montréal on February 4, 1885, into a wealthy Scottish-Canadian family, Cairine Reay Mackay married Norman F. Wilson, the Liberal Member of Parliament for Russell, Ontario, in 1909. In 1919, the Wilson family moved to Ottawa, where Mrs. Wilson soon became heavily involved in politics. Her privileged background did not stop her from publicly denouncing appeasement of Hitler, defying her own government to bring in #WWII Jewish refugees, or a lifetime commitment to child poverty and refugees. And she had time to fight for women's rights to be in government by founding the National Federation of Liberal Women of Canada in 1928 and the Twentieth Century Liberal Association in 1930.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairine_Wilson

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

Good Morning #Canada
It's probably a good idea to review that "longest undefended border" thingy in light of an increasingly belligerent American government. This delightfully quaint 12-year old video, from when we were still kinda buddies, presents some history and oddities on how the Canadian-USA border was established. The reference to a "no touching zone" is somewhat ironic when you consider that their current president has a reputation for being "hands on", usually without consent. Not sorry...
#CanadaIsAwesome #Geography
https://youtu.be/qMkYlIA7mgw

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Lucille Teasdale-Corti (January 30, 1929 – August 1, 1996). She was a Canadian physician and pediatric surgeon, who worked in Uganda from 1961 until her death in 1996. She met her husband, Dr. Piero Corti, during her internship and together they founded a university hospital in the north of Uganda - St. Mary's. For 35 years they battled disease and war to bring medical aid to an impoverished nation. She contracted HIV while operating on patients in the mid-1980s and despite being given a short time to live, she continued to work for 11 more years, eventually dying of AIDS-related complications in 1996.
The attached article from 2011 is written from her daughters perspective. Dr. Dominique Corti has continued to build on her parents legacy and today St. Mary's is an important teaching hospital that has churned out a generation’s worth of homegrown Ugandan doctors and nurses.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
https://globalnews.ca/news/137248/teasdales-daughter-carries-on-legacy-for-canadian-doctors-african-adventure/

Good Morning #Canada
Today is National Toast Day, like you didn't have it circled on your fake holiday calendar. Canadians consume approximately 1.4 billion kilograms of #Bread annually which sounds like a lot until you compare us with Turkey where per capita consumption is almost 200 kilos annually. Bread consumption in Canada was down slightly in 2025, attributed to higher prices due to tariffs. But home baking and shopping at local bakeries all increased. Healthier bread options also increased their market share as customers opted for high-fibre ingredients and foods enriched with prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics... and a bunch-of-other-otics. It may be good news that there are plenty of gut-friendly options available in the shape of whole grain and rich-in-fibre bakery products, but IMO a lot of them taste like cardboard. I said it... not sorry...
#CanadaIsAwesome #ALittleBitOfToast
What is your favourite type of toast?
Plain white sandwich bread
Sourdough
Bagel of any type
Calabrese
English Muffin

Good Morning #Canada
The 18th river in our countdown is the Albany River, known to the Cree as Kistachowan, which flows northeast from Lake St. Joseph in Northwestern Ontario and empties into James Bay. It is 982 kilometres long, tying it with the Severn River for the title of longest river entirely in Ontario. Dropping 371 m along it's length, and draining a watershed of 135,200 km2, it is one of the most pristine rivers in Ontario and a draw for serious #Canoe and #Fishing enthusiasts. Albany River Provincial Park protects the headwaters and a only a limited number of lodges are allowed on the river, which is known for its Pike, Trout and Walleye fishing excursions.
The river was named after James, Duke of York and Albany, who later became King James II of England. The land north of the Albany River was part of the Northwest Territories until 1912, when it was transferred to Ontario in the Ontario Boundaries Extension Act, 1912.
#CanadaIsAwesome
http://wildernessnorth.com/three-species-albany-river/

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
#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
I'm in Toronto staying at my daughter's apartment and just on our way out for breakfast. This afternoon we're off to see the Toronto Sceptres take on the Seattle Torrent. First time for me at a #PWHL game and I'll update you later on my impressions.
Women's hockey in Canada has a long history dating back to the 1890s with teams supported by colleges and universities. They played in hoop skirts because hockey pants would have been scandalous, but originally hitting was allowed.
The attached article reports on a golden era during #WWI when Women's Hockey had some commercial success. Actually it was about exploitation and the commercial success only benefited the male organizers.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Hockey
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/all-the-rage-womens-hockey-in-central-canada-19151920

Good Morning #Canada
As a belated public service announcement, here is some fairly bland reporting on snow removal tools. If you live in Toronto, where 50 cm of the white just fell, all shovels and snow blowers will be sold out in every store by 8:42 am. Pro tip - salt doesn't work on 2 feet of snow. Here in Belle Ewart, where we received 20ish cm from #MotherNature, I will be using 2 regular shovels, one with an ergonomic sexy curve, and my handy single stage battery blower. The electric blower struggles with the chunky heavy stuff the evil plow operator dumps at the end of my driveway but so far it hasn't been defeated. Remember to lift with your legs, which I've never seen anyone do.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Snowstorm
https://youtu.be/6Svjwzy9Yu4

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
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 Benjamin Mink, born January 22, 1951, in Detroit, Michigan. He became a Canadian after he moved with his parents to Toronto at age 11. He is likely one of Canada’s least known musical talents despite his long career as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. His industry connections are extensive as he has produced and/or performed with K.D Lang, Barenaked Ladies, Anne Murray, Dan Hill, Mendelson Joe, Prairie Oyster, Raffi, Jane Siberry, Ian and Sylvia Tyson, Valdy, Bruce Cockburn, Murray McLauchlan, Mick Jagger, Susan Aglukark, Methodman, Alison Krauss, Feist, Daniel Lanois, Sarah McLachlan, Roy Orbison, Elton John, and Heart.
Despite releasing only one album under his own name, Mink has multiple Juno, Genie, Gemini, and Grammy Awards.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianMusic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Mink

Good Morning #Canada
I'm heading out for an early appointment in Barrie and checking the weather to see if I'll have any challenges during my 25 minute travel time. I'll have to navigate through some snow - duh... it's Barrie - but poorly salted roads is also an issue. Ontario is facing a shortage of road salt due to an early onset of winter, higher than normal ice days early in the season and some supply chain issues with suppliers. Currently municipalities are trying to stretch their dwindling supply and mixing in more sand. That additional use of sand will result in higher cleaning costs in the spring but right now it's their only option. Suppliers believe that they'll solve the shortage problem in the next month but for now, get used to a bit more snow on your roads.
#CanadaIsAwesome #WinterDriving #SlipnSlide
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/road-salt-shortage-ontario-cities-ration-supply-9.7041857

Good Morning #Canada
On January 20th, 1953, American TV shows were broadcast into Canada from Buffalo New York, via a CBC communication link. But did you know that TV broadcasting had existed in Canada for 2 decades before Public Television in the U.S. started asking for your money? The attached article provides a rambling but pretty exhaustive overview of how the TV industry evolved in Canada, both regionally and nationally. It's long, probably a 2-coffee read, but full of interesting trivia and name-dropping of some Canadian legends.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History #Television
https://broadcastermagazine.com/features/the-roots-of-canadian-television/

Good Morning #Canada
Breakfast is done, coffee is brewing, and a slice of banana bread is awaiting it's demise. So I have no time for crafting my usually informative yet idiotic posts. It's almost time for #TeamCanada to once again take on our rivals across our southern border. You will have to make do with this compilation of #OlympicHockey records for Canada's men's and women's teams.
Let's go Canada....
#CanadaIsAwesome #CoffeeFirst
https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/by-the-numbers-canada-at-the-olympic-winter-games

Good Morning #Canada
The Severn River, #19 on our #CanadaRivers countdown, flows for 982 km, from Deer Lake near Kenora to Fort Severn on the shore of Hudson's Bay. It's the same length as the Albany River (next on our list) and both are the longest rivers entirely within Ontario. The Severn River drainage basin area is 102,800 km2 , a small portion of which is in Manitoba, and it has a modest volume of 645 m3/s as it meanders northeast. Historical records state that the mouth of the river was located by the English in 1631, but I'm pretty sure Indigenous people discovered it a few thousand years before that. Fort Severn was established as a trading post in 1689 by the Hudson's Bay Company but was captured by Pierre le Moyne, sieur d'Iberville in 1690. The post, rebuilt in 1759, has been in continuous operation to this day making this community one of the oldest European settlements in Ontario.
#CanadaIsAwesome #HBC
https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/settlement-immigration/the-founding-of-fort-severn

Good Morning #Canada
Tod Maffin, former #CBC Broadcaster, is now referred to as an expert on Canadian culture and Identity, and a viral content creator. If you have followed Tod over the past few years you have seen a progression from explaining Canadians to our southern neighbours to becoming politely militant in the face of an increasingly hostile U.S. government. His latest contribution deserves the Order of Canada and a superhero cape. He launched a social media campaign to attract American #Healthcare workers to his community and from there the Healthcare Infusion Organization was born. There are now 20 chapters across Canada focused on recruiting and supporting doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals in local communities facing staff shortages. He has done more to improve Canadian Healthcare than any level of government in this country.
Follow him at @…
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
https://youtube.com/shorts/K6HOJyoHrpo

Good Morning #Canada
#12 on our #CanadaRivers countdown is the 1,287 km long North Saskatchewan River. Starting as glacier-fed in Banff National Park, it flows through Edmonton into Saskatchewan, joining with the South Saskatchewan River to make up the Saskatchewan River, which drains into Lake Winnipeg. The Saskatchewan River system is the largest shared between the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, with the North Saskatchewan River watershed covering an area of 122,800 km2.
The river acted as a natural boundary between plains Blackfoot of the south and woodland Cree of the north. Archaeologists found evidence of nearly 800 permanent or temporary occupation sites in the Edmonton region alone, dating back hundreds and sometimes thousands of years.
Edmonton's 18,000 km2 North Saskatchewan River valley parks system is the largest system of urban parks in Canada with a network of trails approaching 100 km. Here's the history of its development.
#CanadaIsAwesome #UrbanParks
https://www.ervcc.com/brief-history-of-nsr

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
#HappyBirthday to Elliot Page, born February 21, 1987, in Halifax Nova Scotia. Page is a Canadian actor, producer, and activist, known for his leading roles across Canadian and American film and television, and for his outspoken work as an activist for #LGBTQ rights and against discrimination. His accolades include nominations for an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a SAG Award. While most of his career was performed as Ellen Page, he came out as gay in 2014 and as transgender in 2020.
Next time we try to summon the courage to defend or joyfully acknowledge a LGBTQ friend or relative, we should recognize the struggle that most experience just to find a little bit of happiness. Everyone deserves to love and be loved.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
https://www.biography.com/actors/elliot-page

Good Morning #Canada
My daily post is being hijacked once again, but this should be the last time.
The #MastoCanadaGOV initiative now has it's own account for communication and you can follow the team at @…. They have some updates scheduled over the next few days on progress towards convincing our government and politicians to build a presence in the Fediverse. It's small contribution towards #DigitalSovereignty by getting our government contacts off of U.S. controlled social media platforms.
My account can now return to meeting your expectation of Canadian trivia and bad puns... and the occasional beaver joke.
#CanadaIsAwesome #MastodonCanada
https://thecanadian.social/@ElbowsUpforDigitalSovereignty

Good Morning #Canada
A few weeks ago our local #CBCradio host was interviewing an debt counselor, likely due to the arrival of Christmas credit card bills. The segment reinforced the data that Canadians carry high levels of debt, unfortunately among the highest percentage of income worldwide. Mortgage debt, according to ##StatsCan, is flat to slightly declining, likely because new home purchases by younger Canadians is down, but car loans, personal lines of credit, and credit card debt are all up in 2025.
Our government continues to try and respond by offering tax credits and supplemental payments which invariably get sucked up by corporations. They have to change the game - build public housing or invest in leasehold or cooperative homes, build public options for utilities, internet, food or other necessities. Invest heavily in public transit and subsidize it so that it's low cost or free. Remove corporate profits from necessities.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Finance
https://globalnews.ca/news/11544814/canadians-debts-rise-survey/

Good Morning #Canada
My morning routine includes #CBCRadio with my coffee and this morning they had an interesting segment on Canadian youth returning to church. According #StatsCan 2022 data, 22% of Canadians ages 15-24 attended religious services at least once a month. That's a significant increase compared to ages 25 to 64. Angus Reid found that positive views of religion by #GenZ adults grew from 35 to 40% between 2023 to 2025, while views from every other generation significantly decreased.
This led me to read several news articles from late last year that reported on these studies, one of which is linked below. It appears the trend became noticeable during and after COVID lockdowns. The words of multiple interviewees tells me that young people's were looking for community and human interaction with something grounded with a sense of morality. That's positive even if you don't believe in her holiness above.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Hallelujah
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/return-to-faith-church-attendance-increasing-for-first-time-in-decades/

Good Morning #Canada
#20 on our countdown of #CanadaRivers is the Back River, which flows for 974km across NWT and Nunavut. It drains an area of 106,500 km2, flowing from Contwoyto Lake north of Great Slave Lake, NWT, northeast across the Barren Lands of Nunavut to Chantrey Inlet in the Arctic. The river is named for Sir George Back, who first explored it in 1834. The original name was Thlew-ee-choh, likely Dogrib for "great fish river." It has a vertical drop of just over 380m over it's length with 83 rapids challenging serious canoists and kayakers. The British film, Beacon Six, was televised by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, showing the rugged landscape during a 1962 canoe expedition.
From 1963–1965, anthropologist Jean Briggs did field research with the Utkusiksalinmiut Inuit living at the opening of Back River and Chantrey Inlet, resulting in her work Never in Anger, as well as helping to compile an Utkuhiksalik dictionary.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Adventure
https://community.nrs.com/duct-tape/2014/10/17/35-days-arctic-canoeing-back-river/

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
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
#HappyBirthday to Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott (March 12, 1821 – October 30, 1893) who was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 3rd prime minister of Canada from 1891 to 1892. Probably not well known by Canadians he nonetheless lived an interesting life and the attached Wiki is full of details both fascinating and informative, such as being the great-grandfather of Christopher Plummer. He was Canada's 1st native born PM, and one of just 2 Prime Ministers, the other being Mackenzie Bowell, to have held the office while serving in the Senate rather than the House of Commons. His political career had to overcome his signing of a declaration to join with the United States, and he was at the center of the CPR bribery scandal that brought down Macdonald's government. His 17 months as PM were regarded as effective, despite the fact that he spent a considerable amount of time trying to nominate John Thompson to take his place.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Abbott

Good Morning #Canada
For North American male sports fans of a certain vintage (old guys) Bronko Nagurski will be somewhat familiar. Bronko was a legend in professional football & wrestling in the years leading up to #WWII, and he was Canadian, born in Rainy River Ontario in 1908. He's the subject of today's post because OTD in 1941 Bronko Nagurski regained the World Wrestling title from Ray Steele in Minnesota, after losing to him a year earlier. In 1943, 6 years after retiring from the Chicago Bears, he rejoined the team and led them to the league Championship. His son Bronko Jr., born Christmas Day 1937, played football at the University of Notre Dame, and became an all-star with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League.
Despite being born a decade after the end of Bronko's sporting career, I'm aware of his Canadianship because my father would use it as a bit of trivia when his friends talked about the legend.
Great Wiki on Bronko.
#CanadaIsAwesome #SportsLegend
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronko_Nagurski

Good Morning #Canada
We still have 20 rivers to highlight in this #CanadaRivers series and a couple of things stand out. We are now listing rivers that are close to 1,000 kms, and despite the size there are many I've never heard of. Add in several million lakes and you gotta agree that Canada is blessed with #Hydrology features.
The Thelon River, called Akilinik in Inuit, is #21 on our list and stretches 904 kms across northern Canada. Its source is Whitefish Lake in the Northwest Territories, and it flows east to Baker Lake in Nunavut, ultimately draining into Hudson Bay. It is fed by a watershed of 142,400 km2 but with a vertical drop of less than 400 metres over its length it is not suitable for hydroelectric development. The Thelon is one of the easiest tundra rivers to paddle, with a steady current, few rapids and no portages. It therefore is a destination for paddling vacations and tourists looking to experience Canada's north.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Adventure #Canoeing
https://paddlingmag.com/trips/destinations/thelon-river/

Good Morning #Canada
Empire Day was 1st celebrated in May 1898 in Dundas, Ontario, created by Canadian author Clementina Trenholme. It was celebrated at various times of year throughout the British Empire and in 1958 the name was changed to #CommonwealthDay. In 1973, Brian Graves, from the Royal Commonwealth Society of Canada, wrote to PM Pierre Trudeau proposing that Commonwealth Day be observed on the same day throughout the Commonwealth. His proposal was approved at the Third Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, held in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1975. That's why the 2nd Monday in March is so special to Canadians and chock full of awesome activities. (Note: we need a sarcasm font)
Other than flying the Royal Union Flag at federal government buildings and a statement from the Governor General, I suspect the day will slip by quietly for 40 million Canadians. I might honour the day by boiling some food at lunch. (I'm a little bit sorry for that)
#CanadaIsAwesome #Colonialism
https://youtu.be/aWsvHuuV-qE

#13 is a lucky number for me as I wore it on my hockey jersey for 20 years of unremarkable performance in industrial and adult leagues and didn't die. And that brings us to #13 on our countdown of #CanadaRivers.
The Ottawa River begins at Lac des Outaouais, north of the Laurentian Mountains of central Quebec, flowing west to Lake Timiskaming. From there its route has been used to define the interprovincial border between Quebec and Ontario. The 1,271 km river has a watershed of 146,300 km2, ultimately draining into the St. Lawrence River. It served as a major trade route for Indigenous people and Ottawa means "to trade" in Algonquin. The river, it's surrounding forests and Indigenous people were all severely impacted by the forestry industry. Lumberjacks brought disease and over-hunted local game, logs jammed the river and dams were constructed to control water levels for moving timber. Today 50 dams, reservoir and hydroelectric, exist on the Ottawa.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Hydrology
https://leveller.ca/2015/11/ottawa-river-watershed/

Good Morning #Canada
I think I slept in this morning... or maybe I woke up early. This confusion is typical across Canada except in Saskatchewan, and going forward British Columbia.
With B.C. officially freezing their clocks on UTC-7, will the rest of Canada follow along? It's a "Maybe" for Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, but no plans everywhere else.
Here's the latest information on #DaylightSavings in Canada. Included is this interesting fact nugget. Port Arthur, Ontario (now part of Thunder Bay), was the first municipality in the world to enact daylight saving time, on July 1, 1908, a full decade ahead of most of the country.
I think if we really want to send a message to the U.S. we should eliminate Daylight Savings from the entirety of Canada. Let them deal with the confusion of time changes and cost to update software applications.
#CanadaIsAwesome #SpringForward #NapLater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_in_Canada

Good Morning #Canada
Almost all remaining #CanadaRivers on our countdown are legendary and/or have historical significance, and #14 is an example. The Athabasca River in Alberta, Canada, originates at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park and flows more than 1,231 km, or 1,538 km depending on the information source. It is the longest river that flows entirely within Alberta, emptying into Lake Athabasca after draining an area of roughly 95,300 km2. Much of the land along its banks is protected in national and provincial parks, and the river is designated a Canadian heritage river for its historical and cultural importance. The Athabasca River and tributaries have provided vital transportation routes for Indigenous People for 1,000s of years, and a relative heartbeat for European explorers, and the fur traders. Preservation errorts conflict with resource extraction as uranium mines, pulp & paper mills and oil sands all impact the Athabasca.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/athabasca-river

Good Morning #Canada
The Liard River is #15 on our #CanadaRivers countdown, and it flows through Yukon, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. Rising in the Saint Cyr Range of the Pelly Mountains in southeastern Yukon, it flows 1,115 km southeast through British Columbia, marking the northern end of the Rocky Mountains and then curving northeast back into Yukon and Northwest Territories, draining into the Mackenzie River at Fort Simpson. The river drains approximately 277,100 km2 of boreal forest and muskeg. Marked by steep drops in the upper reaches, it has an average flow of 2,446 m3/s and has been studied extensively for future hydroelectric. There are no permanent settlements on the river although Indigenous people maintain summer camps and lodges.
#CanadaIsAwesome
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/liard-river

Good Morning #Canada
You never know what the #Algorithm will shove into your feed, and sometimes you wonder just how closely the #TechBros are tracking you. So as someone who admittedly uses too much butter, it was interesting that this YouTube video just randomly showed up in my feed. There's some good info here on butter in general and specifically on pricing, even if most of it is common knowledge. And it's Canadian focused so that's a bonus.
Remember, butter is a dairy product, like cheese and ice cream, so it's obviously very healthy when consumed in bulk...
#CanadaIsAwesome #MmmButter
https://youtu.be/DkNfQqlg1cE

Good Morning #Canada
This past weekend we were in Toronto celebrating our granddaughter's 10th birthday (they grow up so fast...) and while consuming homemade cake we were discussing the recently completed #Olympics. The controversy in the #Curling competition came up and my son-in-law mentioned it was like another Broomgate.
I had forgotten about Broomgate which is understandable because I've watched about 8 minutes of curling in my 6 decades on the planet. Broomgate was a technological leap in the sport of curling that came to the attention of non-curlers, 99.9% of the world's population, during the 2015–16 season. New brush head technologies from a new company caused an uproar as sweepers gained far more control over a sliding chunk of granite. Traditionalists cried foul, or whatever they yell after tossing their stones. It resulted in a World Curling Federation summit to regulate and standardize brushes in the sport.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Broomgate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broomgate

Good Morning #Canada
On February 28th, 1838, a small band of revolutionaries crossed into Canada from Alburg, Vermont, and immediately declared the independence of Lower Canada (Quebec). An Anglo-Quebecer physician named Dr. Robert Nelson, who was elected general of the insurrectionists and president of the future Canadian republic, distributed copies of a declaration of independence and issued proclamations of new legislation. It's doubtful the newly liberated Canadians had time to read all this as Nelson and his band of 300 men were pushed back across the border in hours, and promptly arrested by the Americans. After his release Nelson tried again in November of the same year only to fail even more spectacularly. A reminder that #Democracy is fragile and has to be protected and defended, even today.
The Dictionary of Canadian Biography gives us an excellent view of Nelson's life and failed rebellions, to be enjoyed over your morning coffee.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/nelson_robert_10E.html

Good Morning #Canada
The Assiniboine River is 1,070 km long and runs through the prairies of Western Canada in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The #16 emtry on our #CanadaRivers countdown, the Assiniboine is a typical meandering river with a single main channel embanked within a flat, shallow valley in some places and a steep valley in others. It drains a reasonably sized watershed of 182,000 km2 but a weak flow averaging 45 m3/s means it has changed course numerous times over past centuries, following its modern course for approximately 700 years. Flood control dikes and dams have been added to the upper steeper sections of the Assiniboine to reduce damage during spring melt and runoff.
Where the Red & Assiniboine rivers meet, in the heart of Winnipeg, is a area known as The Forks. It has played a complex role in the history of the region, as a meeting place for Indigenous People for 6,000 years and later as the 1st colonial settlement in western Canada.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Geography
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/the-forks

Good Morning #Canada
Back in January my daughter and I set a date to watch the #TorontoSceptres in mid March. It's a good thing we bought tickets early because interest in the Professional Women's Hockey League is surging after the #Olympics. Most of the remaining games in Canada are now sold out, merchandise sales were up over 100% in February, and the league has 5 times the web traffic versus 2025. League management is being cautious but expansion to Europe is now being discussed.
Growing up my daughters were competitive softball players and a lot of their friends played hockey or soccer. At an early age they thought it was bullshit that there were no career options for exceptional women players. Fast forward 20 years and we can now sit in the stands and enjoy professional women's basketball, soccer and hockey. It's not equal to men's sport in pay or prestige yet, but we'll enjoy the progress and cheer for more.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Sports #PWHL
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/pwhl/pwhl-resumes-play-olympic-break-2026-9.7106938

Good Morning #Canada
We finally come to a river longer than 1,000 km with #17 on our #CanadaRivers countdown, but it comes with an asterisk. The Milk River, located in the extreme southeastern corner of Alberta, is the only river in Canada to flow into the Gulf of Mexico drainage basin. It has its source in Montana, flows north into Canada and then south to join the Missouri River near Fort Peck, Montana. Only 170 km of its total length of 1173 km is within Canada, and only 6,500 km2 of it's total 61,200 km2 watershed. In Alberta the river cuts a spectacular canyon, 150 m deep and over 1.5 km wide in places, straddling the Canada-US boundary. The river was named by Lewis and Clark because of the milky colour of the water coming off the glacier in the Rocky Mountains.
The best thing about the Milk River area is the nearby Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park, a potential side tour if you're visiting Grasslands National Park.
#CanadaIsAwesome #ProvincialParks
https://youtu.be/5WfG_Snovdg