Tootfinder

Opt-in global Mastodon full text search. Join the index!

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-28 12:37:02

On September 28th, 1867, Toronto officially became the capital city of the new Province of Ontario, and universally accepted as the centre of the universe. It was kind of a pity decision since Toronto had recently lost out to Ottawa when the Queen, the one in England, chose the capital for the Province of Canada. Confederation decreed that the Province of Canada would be split with Canada East becoming Quebec, and Canada West would now be known as Ontario. Toronto got the last laugh because the entire country now revolves around the city, at least in the minds of certain provincial politicians who may or may not want all of Canada to pay for a tunnel under #Hwy401.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianCapitals
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-08-29 21:01:58

started again 8min! #Space #Canada #Space

@brian_gettler@mas.to
2025-08-28 02:08:21

If you're not watching the women's #RugbyWorldCup, you're missing out. There were some really great performances at the weekend. I'm looking forward to the next round of matches. And if, like me, you're in #Canada, you've got a remarkable team to get behind.

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-07-29 11:40:31

Good Morning #Canada
March 1975, the Beaver is officially designated as a National Symbol of Canada, meaning #BeaverWeek is helping us celebrate 50 years of celebrity status for the tail slapping mammals. The National Symbol of Canada Act came about because in January of 1975, a New York Senator proposed making the Beaver an official state animal. Canadians, who loved Beavers more than Americans, moved quickly. The youngest MP in history, 23 year old Sean O’Sullivan, introduced a private member's bill to counter the American attempt to grab our Beaver. O'Sullivan should be immortalized on the $5 bill.
#CanadaIsAwesome
canadiangeographic.ca/articles

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-29 11:59:46

Good Morning #Canada
It's National Goose Day, which was intended to celebrate a roasted Goose or a special hello between very good friends. But we'll direct our energy towards the #CanadaGoose who should be our national bird but instead lost out to the Blue Jay. The original naming of the bird that really hates golfers (I'm having a flashback) is somewhat controversial. Most point to an ornithologist named John Canada, which sounds logical, but others suggest Mark Catesby (1682-1749) or Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) were responsible. Regardless of who originally named the species, we all should use the correct reference, which is Canada Goose. There is no such thing as a Canadian Goose unless they're carrying a passport.
#CanadaIsAwesome

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-08-29 20:38:26

Countdown has restarted. 10 minutes and counting!
update: nm stopped again at 9:18
#Space #Canada #Space

@dkomaran@social.linux.pizza
2025-09-28 11:28:32

#regina #canada

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-08-29 21:11:14

Looks like we got the ignition but the engine did not light. Rockets are hard! Hopefully next time.
#Space #Canada mstdn.chrisalemany.ca/@chris/1

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-28 11:07:22

Good Morning #Canada
In my opinion, Great Bear Lake doesn't get enough attention or respect. It is the largest lake entirely in Canada (Lake Superior and Lake Huron are larger but straddle the Canada–US border), the fourth-largest in North America, and the eighth-largest in the world. The lake has a surface area of 31,000 square km and a volume of 2,234 cubic km. Its maximum depth is 446 m with an average depth of 71.7 m. In the winter, ice hijghways are opened across Great Bear Lake to supply northern communities and provide heavy equipment for resource companies.
#CanadaIsAwesome
youtu.be/kJXBUbVwBNo?si=fyUDnL

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-08-29 19:54:56

NordSpace is 30 minutes away from attempting their first Sub-Orbital rocket launch. This would be the first commercial rocket launch from Canadian soil!
#Space #Canada #Space
youtube.com/watch?v=0oxDEKPSbF4

@UP8@mastodon.social
2025-08-10 13:30:09

🦠 Climate change driving major algae surge in Canada's lakes, study finds
#canada

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-27 11:52:37

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
cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/ma

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-27 11:42:41

Good Morning #Canada
After recently moving to Belle Ewart (Bell You-wart), I find myself making strange pronunciations of my town to see people's reactions. Life is short... take pleasure where you can. But if you're a Canadian living in one of the towns mentioned in this CBC article, do you proudly tell people where you live, or do you mumble the answer and hope no one responds. I think you embrace the fun and show pride in your community by investing in t-shirts and hats emblazoned with your town name. But that's just me - some old retired guy with no reputation worth saving.
BTW, if you're looking for a conversation starter, here's a Geographic Fact - the distance between Dildo Newfoundland and Climax Saskatchewan is 5,551 km, about 2 days and 16 hours by car.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CivicPride
cbc.ca/television/stillstandin

@sean@scoat.es
2025-08-18 16:22:54

I’m not quite sure what it says, but it certainly says something that prices for next week have *barely* gone up to take the train from Montreal to Toronto, despite the fact that Air Canada (the biggest transportation carrier between these two biggest cities in #Canada ) might not be operating those routes (due to a labour dispute).

@primonatura@mstdn.social
2025-09-14 15:00:04

"Smoke from Canada's 2023 wildfires linked to more than 80,000 early deaths worldwide, study warns"
#Canada #Wildfires #Health

@ncoca@social.coop
2025-09-18 00:42:41

#Malaysia and #Canada, are, strangely, the only two foreign countries in the world where I can (mostly) pass as a local.

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-25 11:43:37

Good Morning #Canada
Today, while doing my morning Google thingy, I learned that Elon Musk has Canadian Citizenship. Now I need a shower.
Canada is pretty picky when we look for individuals who should be Canadian. Only 6 non-citizens have ever been recognized as Honorary Canadians, which takes an Act of Parliament to be designated with the honour. It provides zero rights or privileges but looks good on your resume. It is far more likely that non-citizens could be awarded the Order of Canada as they are eligible if they have made a significant contribution to Canadian society or had a positive impact on the world at large. As of August 2025, 8,647 people have been appointed to the order, an average of 150 per year since the honour was established in 1967. There is no list of non-Canadian recipients, as the government doesn't track them separately, but Queen Elizabeth II was awarded her Sovereign badge in 1970.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Welcome
cbc.ca/news/canada/who-are-the

@doktrock@toad.social
2025-09-09 13:12:11

Hourly maps at ground level of Wildfire Smoke Fine Particulate Matter PM2.5, for regions and North America | Environment #Canada
weather.gc.ca/firework/firewor

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-08-29 16:34:02

Imagine getting to lend your croc to a 6-time Olympic medalist!
Dream moment on the West Coast Trail. And here I am still dreaming of completing the trail myself. I will one day!!
#Olympian #hiking #Canada #ClaraHughes #WestCoastTrail
cbc.ca/news/canada/british-col

@newstik@social.heise.de
2025-10-07 17:42:13

#Ikea 's smaller "city-centre store" does not always work. One of 2 such smaller stores in #Canada will close.

@qurlyjoe@mstdn.social
2025-10-01 20:50:50

This guy, Josh Johnson, is funny af. He’s been on the #DailyShow this season, and is gonna host it next week. Here’s a 45 min clip of him doing a gig in #Canada on why Canada won’t be the 51st state. Spoiler: Canada’s favorite sport is hockey. Also, a guy in Florida robbing a liquor store, with an alli…

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-29 11:17:13

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
todayinconservation.com/2018/1

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-10-29 01:17:44

The only thing that consistently annoys me about commercials during the World Series is Rogers constantly reminding us that they own the Blue Jays.
#bluejays #canada #mlb #worldseries
Screw u Rogers!
Go Blue Jays!
Go Canada!

@gscherer2@social.linux.pizza
2025-08-20 15:43:54

Gosling (Canada Goose), foraging in the grass. Watchful parents are not far away! LA Arboretum, Arcadia, California, USA. April, 2025. #laarboretum #goose #canadagoose

Close-up of a baby goose, facing to the left, with its beak open and its head down towards the grass.  The gosling is covered in fine yellow and tan fuzz.  The bird is standing on short grass.
@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-28 12:41:58

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
dailyhive.com/vancouver/canadi

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-29 11:49:14

Good Morning #Canada
We are wrapping up a Canada-cation with the family at Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ontario. This area has exploded as a year-round resort since my wife and I skied here in the mid-70s. One of the big tourist attractions that we never visited was Blue Mountain Pottery. Started in 1953 to help increase revenues in the gift shop for the ski resort, it produced pottery with distinctive mixtures of glazes, the most common of which included a blue-green and a dark grey or black glaze. The pottery became popular in Canada in the 1960s and 1970s; it was also exported to the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. After Blue Mountain Pottery closed in 2004, the pottery became popular among collectors, and examples are held by the Royal Ontario Museum and the George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Pottery #CanadaCation
mountainlifemedia.ca/2014/07/h

@primonatura@mstdn.social
2025-08-07 14:00:16

"What's slimy, green and flourishing thanks to climate change?"
#Canada #Climate #ClimateChange

@smurthys@hachyderm.io
2025-10-21 14:29:24

How is my Bluesky feed mostly Canadian? 🤔
I mean I love Canada but not that much as far as networking goes. 🇨🇦✌️
#Canada #Bluesky #socialMedia #mystery

@tezoatlipoca@mas.to
2025-10-01 19:13:11

While the #us is a #shitshow we also are letting the rich assholes get away with too much shit up here in #Canada
Axe! Axe! Axe!

@doktrock@toad.social
2025-09-14 18:42:42

Oiumet Canyon, Ontario, #Canada, near the north shore of Lake Superior. The gorge is about 100 meters (330 ft) deep, by 150 meters (490 ft) wide. One hypothesis for its formation is it's a glacial outlet channel of Glacial Lake Agasssiz cut into Precambrian bedrock. Or, it may have formed by subglacial erosion. (Photo from the archives, Sept 2017.)

A gorge with abundant eroded blocks at the bottom, sheer black cliffs on either side, and forest near the tops.
@JSkier@social.linux.pizza
2025-07-31 21:36:29

Thanks #Canada for the superb #running weather /sarcasm. The AQI at 171, but the temperature and humidity were good. A little trouble with breathing, but I didn't need the inhaler.
Saint Paul is getting no love lately; the city was also hit by a cyberattack late last week as well. …

@brian_gettler@mas.to
2025-09-01 12:51:45

No, #LaborDay is not simply Americans refusing to be like everyone else and celebrate May 1st. If you're looking for something on the holiday's #history in #Canada, Heron and Penfold's "The Workers' Festival&…

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-20 11:11:49

Good Morning #Canada
In August 1998, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Quebec could not legally secede from Canada unilaterally. The court's decision affirmed that any secession would require a constitutional amendment negotiated with the federal government and other provinces. This ruling stemmed from a reference case initiated by the federal government following a close referendum on Quebec sovereignty in 1995. Although Quebec was represented at the Supreme Supreme Court hearing, they did not participate in presenting arguments. They essentially ignored the ruling and planned a future referendum, which never happened.
This ruling established an important precedent that Alberta separatists should pay attention to. But details such as this ruling, aboriginal rights, or common sense seem to escape their attention spans.
#CanadaIsAwesome
cbc.ca/news/canada/supreme-cou

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-22 11:54:25

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
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-09-28 19:37:05

Had to detach some of the existing fencing from the posts so we can keep it without losing any of the greenery already establsihed.
Now that that is done. BASEBALL ⚾️
go Jays!!
and as I type... GRAND SLAM
#poolpond i #grandslam #mlb #bluejays #toronto #canada

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-23 11:22:55

Good Morning #Canada
On this day in 1950, the first mountain rescue by helicopter in Canada took place. Albert David Flowers, a BC Forestry fire lookout man, suffered a leg injury at the Azure Mountain Lookout. He was accompanied by his son Gerald Flowers, who was 15 years old. They radioed for help, and a 2-seater open cockpit helicopter was dispatched from a local mining site. The 15 year old Gerald had to cut down trees to prepare a landing site. There was no room for the teen in the helicopter, so he then undertook a 2-day 45km hike off the mountain.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Helicopter
barrierestarjournal.com/column

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-07-29 04:59:45

A big shout out to another Canadian Senator from Alberta joining the Fediverse!!
Big welcome to Senator Wells! @…
One at a time, we'll get them here!
I am sure @… had something to do with this! :)
#CanPoli #cdnPoli #Fediverse #welcome #canada #mastodon
mastodon.social/@KristopherWel

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-07-29 04:54:51

Canadians who are interested in passenger rail should take a look at what is happening in Mexico right now. They have a National Railway Plan to build 3400km of passenger rail track alongside existing private freight.
CPKC (the merged Canadian Pacific, Kansas City Southern railway) is front and centre.
"CPKC is actively collaborating with the Mexican government to support implementation specifically for the Mexico City – Queretaro and the Saltillo – Nuevo Laredo segments,” the Class I told Vantuono. “CPKC is making steady progress, actively and closely working with Mexican authorities on technical review of project segments. That includes providing detailed assessments and alternatives to facilitate decision-making, and mutual agreements. We are working toward clear agreements that minimize shared infrastructure usage between passenger and freight services. Where interactions are unavoidable, CPKC has proposed infrastructure solutions and operational adjustments, ensuring that the impacts on freight operations and growth remains minimal.””
#Transportation #Railway #Canada #CanPoli #ClimateChange #ClimateAction #EndFossilFuels

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-23 11:19:33

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
pointseastcoastaldrive.com/sca

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-16 12:05:30

Good Morning #Canada
I have one final chapter for The Dirt on Canadian Farming, and it's more of an opinion piece.
As I conducted research on each province for information on their agriculture, there were numerous news stories about how farmers and farm organizations were fighting against loss of farmland. Urban growth, new housing development, and sprawling industrial parks are gobbling up prime farmland. The attached article is just one example. The statistics released by each province have common trends:the average age of farmers increasing, individual farm operators in decline, larger farms are increasing, renting of farmland is growing, and overall arable land is in decline. With the sparsely populated prairies holding the majority of fertile farmland, Canada likely won't lose our global impact because of development for houses or industry. But elsewhere, our food chain will be pushed further away from where we live. Or disappear.
#CanadaIsAwesome #SaveOurFarmland
cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-w

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-12 12:37:35

Good Morning #Canada
Recent news may have some of you panicking with the announcement that AOL Dial Up Services will officially shut down on September 30th of this year. Yikes! But, the Canadian government has your backup plan as they attempt to provide high-speed internet services to 100% of Canadians by 2030. Current estimates put access at 94.5%, and the next target is 98% by the end of 2026.
I kinda miss the phone couplers, bragging about the size of my "Baud Rate," and the beep booping screeching announcement of going online. OK.... not really.
#CanadaIsAwesome
ised-isde.canada.ca/site/high-

@primonatura@mstdn.social
2025-08-21 17:00:43

"The Peak Numbers Canada’s Oil-Friendly Newspapers Keep Ignoring"
#Canada #FossilFuels #Climate #ClimateChange

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-26 12:07:59

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
madeinca.ca/marriage-statistic

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-09-26 20:03:53

Here is CUPW's fact sheet on Postal Banking “A Bank for Everyone”
Fun fact!
"our post office used to have a national savings bank – up until 1969 – and there is no reason we shouldn't have one today”
Some other reasons:
"Banks are failing to meet the needs of a growing number of Canadians. Thousands of towns and villages across our country do not have a bank. But many of them have a post office that could provide access to financial and banking services.”
"Postal banking is lucrative!
New Zealand: Kiwibank generated 81% of New Zealand Post's after tax profits.”
"France: Banque Postale has an obligation to provide products and services to as many people as possible. It provides a Livret A or passbook savings account, at no charge, to anyone who requests it. It also provides banking services to the financially vulnerable and financing for social housing, voluntary organizations and microentrepreneurs lacking bank credit.”
"Canada Post's secret postal banking study
Canada Post conducted a secret four-year study on postal banking that indicates that adding this service "would be a win-win strategy" for the corporation. This study was obtained though an Access to Information (ATI) request. Unfortunately, 701 of the study's 811 pages were redacted. CUPW has asked Canada Post's President to release the full report, but he has refused.”
#CanadaPost #UPW #Strike #Union #Solidarity
cupw.ca/en/campaign/resources/

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-09-25 17:38:30

Nothing more to be said here…
“An inmate who has pleaded guilty to murdering Robert Pickton in prison last year says he did it for the serial killer's victims.
Martin Charest admitted on Thursday morning to fatally assaulting Pickton with a broken broom handle at the Port-Cartier federal penitentiary in May 2024.
Charest pleaded guilty to first-degree murder during a court appearance in Sept-Îles, Que., northeast of Quebec City.
Pickton was convicted in 2007 of six counts of second-degree murder, but confessed to killing a total of 49 women whom he lured to his pig farm near Vancouver.
A statement of facts read out in court detailed how Charest locked himself into a room with Pickton and assaulted him twice while guards were unable to enter.
Charest told the judge he murdered Pickton after the serial killer had continued to brag about the murders and told other inmates he'd commit more crimes if he was ever released.”
#Justice #Canada #RobertPickton #MMIWG #Indigenous
cbc.ca/news/canada/british-col

@brian_gettler@mas.to
2025-10-01 11:48:52

You know, Parliament could amend the Canada Post Corporation Act, removing "the need to conduct its operations on a self-sustaining financial basis." It won't, but it could.
#cdnpoli #CanadaPost

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-08-26 01:42:49

Thanks Neo-Liberals and Conservatives of the 20th and 21st century!
"Experts say growing inequality is the result of decades of government policy choices and dramatic increases in executive pay.
And the biggest factor has been gains for the highest-earning one per cent of Canadians."
Looking at you: Liberal Party of Canada, Conservative Party ("Progressive" and not) and the neo-Liberal wing of the NDP.
#liberals #canada #canpoli #cdnpoli #cpc #ndp
thetyee.ca/News/2025/08/25/How

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-16 12:41:28

Good Morning #Canada
Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, as of January 2025, only 38 countries recognize same-sex marriage, out of 195 recognized nations. Canada has been a leader in LGTBQ rights and, in a recent ranking, places us 5th worldwide in protecting same sex and gender affirmation. The USA ranks 23rd but is likely to drop further as the report was based on 2024 data before the MAGA morons took office.
#CanadaIsAwesome #LGTBQI
worldpopulationreview.com/coun

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-10-26 18:46:35

If any Canadian artists out there would like to attempt a design of an appropriately tongue-in-cheek T-Shirt for “ByeChuck.ca”, let me know.
Purpose: A humorous campaign to abolish Canada’s connection to the Monarchy.
Proceeds would go to website maintenance, the original artist, and any excess to a deserving charity.
All designs welcome. My only requirement would be that it is fully made by a person, no AI.
byechuck.ca (redirects to UK Republic page for now)
#canada #monarchy #art #artist

@primonatura@mstdn.social
2025-09-19 10:00:23

"Canadian cities can prepare for climate change by building with nature"
#Canada #Climate #ClimateChange #Nature

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-09-26 17:18:03

I stand in solidarity with Canada Post CUPW workers as they stand against the austerity measures of the Mark Carney government and every government before.
Canada Post must be reformed, expanded, and allowed to thrive as a public service. Home delivery is not the real reason the service is going bankrupt and it should not be the scapegoat!
Create a National Public Postal Bank!
#CanadaPost #UPW #Strike #Union #Solidarity
bbc.com/news/articles/c2dn7zl9

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-18 12:45:38

Good Morning #Canada
A Canadian inventor gave Mothers across North America a device that was beneficial and a little scary. We are, of course, talking about the Jolly Jumper, once referred to as "the Canadian Nanny" on a 1957 CBC broadcast. Susan Olivia Poole (1889–1975) was an Indigenous Canadian inventor who created the Jolly Jumper in 1910, but it was not until 1948 that they were produced for the retail market, and patented in 1957. They continue to be manufactured in Ontario by the company that purchased the rights in 1960.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Inventors
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-27 11:10:38

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Mike Smith (1972) and Cory Bowles (1973), Canadian actors who both starred in the groundbreaking series "Trailer Park Boys." The Canadian mockumentary television sitcom began airing in 2001 as a continuation of his 1999 film bearing the same name. The show follows the misadventures of a group of trailer park residents, including two lead characters in and out of prison, living in the fictional "Sunnyvale Trailer Park" in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The series premiered on Showcase on April 22, 2001, and originally ran for seven seasons before concluding on December 7, 2008. During its run the series also spawned four films.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Comedy #Legends
youtu.be/8INC618ybFo?si=r6ZSLH

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-09-26 13:34:40

Absolutely insane. Perhaps someone should show this to the US Ambassador so he can understand perhaps who is “anti” whom.
“NEVER COME TO THE US AGAIN”
Yells a US Customs Border Agent while overtaking an Ontario driver on the interstate just south of the border in NY.
#usa #canada #border #canpoli #cdnpoli mstdn.ca/@chad/115269544279217

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-04 11:43:15

Good Morning #Canada
It's a holiday across most of our nation today, so why not take 14 minutes to find out why Alaska isn't part of Canada and discover why Lord Alverstone is the villain you've likely never heard of.
Lord Alverstone, whose full name was Richard Everard Webster, 1st Viscount Alverstone, played a key role in the Alaska Boundary Dispute of 1903. As the British representative on the arbitration tribunal, he ultimately sided with the United States, leading to a decision that favored the US claim over Canada's claims regarding the Alaska panhandle. At the time, the British government was trying to rebuild relationships with the U.S. and likely instructed Lord Alverstone to rule against Canadian border claims.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
youtu.be/woXBk3OAtSM?si=-pTwI7

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-24 11:56:13

Good Morning #Canada
Today, we celebrate #PunctuationDay. I restrained myself from placing several exclamation marks after that opening line. You're welcome¡
Canada generally follows the American rules for punctuation, except when we don't. I believe punctuation was invented because the English language was not confusing enough for English professors who needed more than a comma to get angry about. But I'm not here to discuss the proper rules of using the squiggly bits because I don't know them, and rules are for civilized people.
Instead, I would like to offer an article from the archives of that radical media provider Reader's Digest Canada. Here are some unique punctuation marks that I highly recommend that we start us8ng to confuse and enrage those pesky English professors.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CreativeWriting
readersdigest.ca/culture/littl

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-09-22 20:25:05

Brutal, the CFL is essentially going to take everything about the game that is unique to Canada (larger field, goal posts, points) and scrap it so it looks more like the NFL.
Why? well just because apparently…
Hey CFL: Read the room/stadium!
#elbowsup #canada #CFL #NFL
cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/cfl

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-09 12:18:11

Good Morning #Canada
The Webster–Ashburton Treaty was signed August 9, 1842, and resolved several border issues between the United States and the British North American colonies (the region that very soon would become the Dominion of Canada). The treaty would end disputes and controversies over the vague indefinite terms and text of the old peace agreement of the Treaty of Paris of 1783, which ended the American Revolutionary War. Specifically, it defined borders between Maine and New Brunswick, territory surrounding Lake Superior, and reaffirmed the western border on the 49th parallel. More importantly, it began a period of peace and friendly diplomacy between the two countries... until Americans decided a moronic spray tanner, suspected abuser of women, convicted felon, golf cheat, and narcissistic conman should be their president.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-14 11:08:59

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
nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/19

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-26 11:58:53

Good Morning #Canada
Collingwood Ontario today is known as a resort town, supporting skiers at Blue Mountains and swimmers at nearby Wasaga Beach. But the town was built on their reputation for ship building for over 100 years. The Collingwood Shipyard, established in 1882, was a major shipbuilding center, building over 200 ships including Great Lakes freighters, naval vessels, and the HMCS Hochelaga. During #WWII the shipyard launched ships for the Canadian Navy. The shipyard was famous for its unique side-launching technique, necessary due to harbour constraints, which became a significant local spectacle. It closed in 1986, and after significant remediation efforts, the site is now a waterfront park with mixed housing and a marina.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
definingmomentscanada.ca/all-f

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-14 11:31:35

Good Morning #Canada
Normally, I'm posting about history or geography or trivia, but the July tourism numbers are dominating the news. We "Nasty" Canadians are choosing not to visit the USA, and trips across the border continue to drop month after month. At the end of 2024, U.S. tourism revenue from Canadians was projected to increase 16%. Surprise! Losses by USA businesses are already estimated to be in excess of $20B USD, and some states are bracing for government cuts due to a decrease in sales taxes.
#CanadaIsAwesome #ElbowsUp
forbes.com/sites/suzannerowank

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-10-24 13:23:58

CBC: Canada government caught off guard by Trump’s reaction.
Really? Every single person I talk to is not surprised at all.
What kind of reality distortion field is our government/PMO in exactly that they didn’t at least see this as a possibility?
Do better!
#theAmericanFascist #canpoli #cdnpoli #tradewar #ford #canada #usa

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-13 11:47:34

Good Morning #Canada
For those of you dreaming of moving to an idyllic lifestyle in beautiful #PEI, consider this to be a public service announcement. No disrespect to our beloved potato province.
#CanadaIsAwesome
youtu.be/CJxffIMhBd0?si=89VPMf

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-09-25 17:10:52

And with a thud felt on every doorstep, the Austerity Times of Mark Carney's Liberal government lands.
Massive layoffs on the way in the public service, likely starting at Canada Post.
Everyone remembers what came after the government of the last austerity-Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin*, right? RIGHT?
(shockingly, also a "Finance Guy”)
#CanPoli #CdnPoli #Economy #CanadaPost #Liberalism #Centrism #Rightwing #Pandering #EndStageCapitalism
cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-po

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-12 12:57:46

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
prairiepast.com/blog/explore-3

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-08-22 16:16:11

“ave US Tariff rate has risen from 2% to 16% over the past year”
"Countries must now buy access to the world's largest market (USA)”
"The USA reaffirmed CUSMA will not be subject to tariffs.”
"Actual US tariff rate on Canadian goods is actually 5.6%”.
"More than 85% of Canada/US trade is tariff free”
"Canada has the best deal of any country in the world.”
"We must do everything we can to preserve this unique advantage for Canadians”
"The Canadian government will now match the USA, by removing all tariffs on goods covered by CUSMA”
... he goes into French repeating most of this.
#Live #CBC #Canada #CanPoli #CdnPoli #Trump #TradeWar

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-24 12:22:12

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
cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswi

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-24 11:13:54

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to me. It's my 69th, and mentally, I feel young, but parts of my body have exceeded the "best before date." According to bornglorious .com there are 137 "famous" Canadians born on August 24th. Most are nobodies like me - politicians, actors, or NHL players you've never heard of. But there are a few notables. Like Alex Colville (1920-2013), a favourite Canadian conceptual painter. Or chain-smoker René Lévesque (1922-1987), who tried to tear Canada apart. But perhaps the Canadian born on this day with the most impact is Rocky Johnson (1944-2020). Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Johnson was a Canadian pro wrestler and the first black champion in WWE history. Oh yeah.... he was also the father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Famous
youtu.be/dhdOPhTHeoE?si=U6ddnj

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-26 11:59:38

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Lilly Saini Singh, actor, comedian, author, television host, born on this day in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario. As a well-known Internet personality, Lilly Singh has amassed nearly 15 million subscribers and more than 3 billion views since launching her popular channel of #YouTube videos under the name IISuperwomanII in 2010. She has since appeared as an actor in films and TV series and published the book How To Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life (2017), which topped the New York Times Business Best Sellers list. In 2017, she ranked No. 10 on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid YouTube stars. And occasionally, she lampooned our American neighbours.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Comedy
youtu.be/bcmbKN1aIOU?si=FDL23I

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-17 11:54:22

Good Morning #Canada
I don't pay attention to #WorkLifeBalance much since I'm retired. I mean, every day is a weekend. But apparently, Canada ranks 7th worldwide in a study of 60 countries ranked on factors that provide the best Work-Life Balance. Canada scored well in most of the criteria that evaluated paid time off, health care, public safety, and happiness. Canada slipped out of the top 5 in this recent study, and we fell closely behind Norway and Denmark, and just ahead of Australia. The USA ranked 59th, finishing barely ahead of Nigeria.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Downtime
narcity.com/canada-ranked-best

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-25 12:58:01

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
youtu.be/ru_QvokcIeo?si=O395AS

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-20 11:45:44

Good Morning #Canada
Our recent move to Innisfil, with a short walk to Lake Simcoe, has provided us with hourly flyovers of Canada Geese. Another of our country's iconic animals respected for its monogamy, aerial prowess, and prodigious ability to crap everywhere. Throughout the day, we see hundreds passing overhead as they find resting spots on Cook's Bay, the southern arm of Lake Simcoe. On visits to our community beach, there are flotillas of geese too large to count. In the early 1900s, Canada Geese had been decimated due to habitat loss and hunting, but today it's estimated that there are more than 5 millon across North America thanks to conservation efforts and regulations.
I've had #BeaverWeek and #MooseWeek series. Don't be surprised if in the future I sneak up on you from behind with a Goose Week.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadaGoose
canadiangeographic.ca/articles

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-19 11:38:21

Good Morning #Canada
#Aaarrr ....
If you're a follower of #Pastafarianism then you understand. Yes, it's #TalkLikeAPirate Day, which makes it a great opportunity to post about those scoundrels who sailed the eastern coast of Canada during the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the best-known pirates to make his mark on Canada was Peter Easton. In 1612, Easton embarked on a series of raids on European fishing fleets in coastal harbours in Newfoundland and Labrador. He turned Harbour Grace into his headquarters and destroyed a Basque fleet that was intent on capturing his fort there. Part of his myth involved capturing an Irish princess who later married one of his lieutenant and settled in Newfoundland. Easton was the rare pirate who retired in France with his wealth. He was succeeded in Canadian waters by Black Bart who captured more than 400 ships over 2 year period, but who met a bloody end when he was put out of business by the British navy.
#CanadaIsAwesome
thisiscanadiana.com/episode-pa

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-10-10 17:30:08

“"Why should a person be entitled to drive again after that?" she said.”
Indeed... why do people get away with a slap on the wrist even when they kill someone with their vehicle!?
#BCPoli #Canada #Driving #law
cbc.ca/news/canada/british-col

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-23 11:50:55

Good Morning #Canada
Yesterday, hundreds of women flocked to Washington D.C. to tryout for a few dozen spots in the new Women's Professional Baseball League. It's #Historic because it last happened over 70 years ago. It gives hope to young women who played baseball or softball at a high level in their youth, but there was no career path that involved a sport they loved. Many of those participating in the tryouts are from Canada, and certainly, one of the most interesting is Alli Schroder. At age 16, Schroder pitched the final inning for Canada’s National Team that won Bronze, and more recently, she has been striking out men in a university league in B.C. while her day job is fighting wildfires. Here's a TSN feature on her released a few years ago.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Baseball #Historic
youtu.be/_cOhV3giZZc?si=W3mLdd

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-07-31 12:22:52

Good Morning #Canada
Conservationists who focus on restoration of wetlands are increasingly "Leaving It To Beaver." Beavers are considered the ultimate Keystone Species because they area they re-engineer offer benefits to many other species, and an entire ecosystem can collapse if a Beaver is removed. A Beaver dam doesn't just hold and conserve water. Beavers increase the population of frogs, fish, insects, birds, and small mammals and extend the range of larger mammals like moose, deer, and bears. The quantity and variety of vegetation are increased. Water is filtered and saturates the land, refilling artesian wells. It's unbelievable that we almost lost this amazing creature because of a hat fashion trend.
#CanadaIsAwesome #BeaverWeek
news.maryland.gov/dnr/2021/01/

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-08-11 15:02:33

Is anyone in Canada considering the possibility, however remote, that Trump
might just hand Alaska over?
no seriously. He's stupid and insane. This is the kind of thing governments have to imagine.
There is also the fact that Russia State TV was talking about the inevitability of taking Alaska at some point.
source: Jake Bro's latest video. @…
#russiaUkraine #Alaska #Canada #USA

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-09-08 16:13:41

Glad this did not turn into a Waco situation. In fact, it doesn't look like it was even close to that. But Didulo is obviously completely off her rocker and knows how to manipulate people for money and influence in whatever scheme she dreams up.
I'm glad she's essentially the face of the Sovereign Citizen movement... making it clear it’s not a place for responsible people.
#Cult #Canada #RomanaDidulo #QueenofCanada #SovereignCitizen #CanPoli #CdnPoli
cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewa

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-21 11:53:55

Good Morning #Canada
I think most Canadians know what an #Inukshuk is, but this post is intended to give you a greater understanding of these iconic piles of rock. An inuksuk, or inukshuk (plural inuksuit) is a type of stone landmark or cairn built and used by Inuit, including Iñupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other peoples of the North American Arctic. These structures are found in northern Canada, north of the Arctic Circle, which is dominated by the tundra biome and has areas with few natural landmarks. These structures, often resembling human figures, serve various purposes, primarily as navigational aids and markers, but also as symbols of the Arctic landscape and Inuit culture.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Inuit #Sculpture
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-22 12:51:49

Good Morning #Canada
Today, we celebrate the #FallEquinox, not to be confused with the Chevy Equinox, which is an entirely different thing. The Fall Equinox means summer is officially over, and some of you missed 3 weeks of nice weather when you gave up back on Labour Day. Right now, day and night are roughly equal, more or less, across Canada, but our days are getting shorter for the next several months, until December 21st-ish. Start thinking about snow tires and Christmas shopping because the calendar moves quickly this time of year. If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, please ignore this message.
Some bonus content - your Fall 2025 #Horoscope. It's from the CBC, our national news service, so you know it must be accurate. I read mine (Virgo) several times and haven't got a clue what it means. So I've got that going for me.
#CanadaIsAwesome ##WinterIsComing
cbc.ca/life/culture/fall-equin

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-22 11:55:01

Good Morning #Canada
Yesterday, we upgraded our water filtration and, to ease the pain in my wallet, I thought I would share some facts on well water for those who care.
- approximately 11% of Canadians rely on non-municipal water sources.
- the vast majority of wells are drilled wells because they are safer, provide higher volume, and generally last longer.
- dug wells (like ours) are less common and are usually placed where there is a high water table. They are more susceptible to surface runoff.
- well water, although free, is not necessarily cheaper than municipal supply. There is a large upfront cost, which can vary greatly depending on soil conditions, but $25K for drilled and $10K for dug is not uncommon.
- a pump and filtration equipment can cost another $10K, depending on water treatment needed. We needed an additional Iron Filter due to high concentration. Sediment filters and UV treatment require annual maintenance, typically $400 .
#CanadaIsAwesome #Water #GlassHalfFull

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-08-05 15:42:10

Spanish police busted a human smuggling network that had migrants in Greece pay €3000 to be handed a boarding pass and fake passport and travel documents so they could then fly to the UK or Canada. The Canada Border Service Agency flagged it to the Spanish police in 2024.
Spanish Police release (en Español): #spain #españa #humansmuggling #uk #canada #immigration #españa #greece

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-18 11:48:26

Good Morning #Canada
If your next #RoadTrip takes you to today's #BigStuffInSmallTowns destination, your GPS might get confused. The only border city in Canada is Lloydminster, which straddles the provincial border between Alberta and Saskatchewan. This bi-provincial city is recognized for being the only one of its kind in Canada, with its unique situation reflected in its single municipal administration, which operates under a special charter approved by both provinces. And on the dividing line between the Lloydminsters are 4 of the largest border markers on the planet. Each one is 100 feet high and they stand on the boundary for the third and fourth meridian. Erected in 1994, each marker represents an important theme: oil and gas, the Barr Colonists, agriculture and First Nations & Métis.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Borderlands
youtu.be/kaDRDtn1-3w?si=cp99_A

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-05 12:09:21

Good Morning #Canada
There are #RunfortheCure events all across Canada this morning. My wife and I will be participating in Barrie in support of our two daughters. But our running days are long past so we'll be walking for the Cure.
Canada has some outstanding cancer treatment centres, like Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, recognized internationally. The World Health Organization (WHO) gives Canada a "B" grade in its evaluation of our country's treatment of cancer. Canada ranks highly in the survivability of lung and colon cancers and Universal Healthcare generally leads to better outcomes versus other countries. But WHO also notes that Canada needs to improve diagnostic processes and technology, early detection programs, and more research into prevention.
#CanadaIsAwesome #FuckCancer
cancer.ca/en/research/cancer-s

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-21 11:20:12

Good Morning #Canada
A very busy day and evening yesterday as we hosted some of our family in an impromptu open house. So I'm kinda "mailing it in" this morning with a ##MercerMemories. Rick and Jann visit a donkey sanctuary near Calgary Alberta.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Donkeys
youtu.be/jhO-FP-eDb8?si=_cJ2k3

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-03 11:58:51

Good Morning #Canada
Summer may be over, at least emotionally, but there's lots of nice weather as we enter Fall Fair season in Canada. Canada has incredible agricultural potential in every province - and maybe we need a series of posts on that - and fall is when rural communities celebrate the harvest with demonstrations and competitions. But city folk are invited and encouraged to visit your local event and get acquainted with plowing matches, the price of a new tractor, cattle judging, and who has the biggest watermelons. Here's a small list of some of the most prominent Fall Fairs out of the hundreds that take place annually.
BTW - In my only plant submission to one of these festivals (Erin Fall Fair), I got 3rd place for the tallest sunflower. Rookie mistake, I cut my plant at ground level, and it was 11.5 feet high. The winners ahead of me dug out the roots and submitted the entire plant. I was robbed!
#CanadaIsAwesome #FallFairs #Farming
mapquest.com/travel/the-12-bes

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-07 11:36:44

Good Morning #Canada
On August 7, 1927, the Peace Bridge, an international bridge spanning the Niagara River between Buffalo, New York, and Fort Erie, Ontario, was dedicated. This event commemorated over a century of peace between the United States and Canada. I'm guessing there won't be a ceremony for 200 years of peace since we're now the "nasty Canadians."
#CanadaIsAwesome #History #ElbowsUp
veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-15 12:15:37

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to
Sir James Douglas (August 15, 1803 – August 2, 1877) who was a Canadian fur trader and politician who became the first Governor of the Colony of British Columbia. He is often credited as "The Father of British Columbia." Douglas was born in Guyana to a wealthy Scottish planter and a free woman of colour. He was educated in Scotland, and in 1819, at age 16, he went to Canada to work for the North West Company and then the Hudson's Bay Company. After a long career managing remote outposts, in 1851, he became Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver. In 1858, he became Governor of the Colony of British Columbia, where he oversaw gold rushes and fought against American annexation.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-19 11:47:09

Good Morning #Canada
On August 19th, 1942, Operation Jubilee was launched. Commonly known as the Dieppe Raid, it was a disastrous Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port in northern France. Over 6,050 infantry, predominantly Canadian, supported by a regiment of tanks, were put ashore from a naval force operating under the protection of Royal Air Force fighter aircraft. Aerial and naval support was insufficient to enable the ground forces to achieve their objectives. The tanks were trapped on the beach, and the infantry was largely prevented from entering the town by obstacles and German fire. After less than six hours, mounting casualties forced a retreat. Within ten hours, 3,623 of the 6,086 men who landed had been killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. 5,000 were Canadians, who suffered a 68% casualty rate, with 3,367 killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. The operation was a fiasco and a dark day for Canada’s military.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History #WWII
youtu.be/jiFKJNiXFok?si=fWzmci

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-06 11:33:56

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Sir Isaac Brock (1769 - 1812), who kept Canada from becoming the 51st state. Technically, we would have become the 19th at that time if the U.S. didn't retreat so frequently. Brock was the military commander and administrator of Upper Canada when the War of 1812 commenced. His early capture of Fort Mackinac, forcing the total surrender of American troops, was a rallying cry for Canada and took away USA military momentum. His actions in that victory were considered rash, and his next rash decision cost him his life at the battle of Queenston Heights.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanadianHeroes
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-10 11:40:31

Good Morning #Canada
To all you CFAs out there, you would find Newfoundland right scary. Large white ghostly shapes looming out of the fog and winds screaming through hundreds of abandoned settlements. OK... maybe icebergs aren't frightening, unless you sail into one, and all those abandoned towns were the result of government resettlement programs in the 60s. But.... boo. One of the largest communities to be resettled was Merasheen, whose name supposedly means "Ocean of Seadogs." How scary is that. The town of almost 400 was incorporated in 1963, but by the end of that decade, all the residents were gone. Merasheen today continues to haunt us through a website: merasheen.org
#CanadaIsAwesome #Halloween #CanadianGhostTowns
cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundlan

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-02 11:51:20

Good Morning #Canada
I think I'm starting a semi-regular series on #CanadianCapitals, highlighting the governmental centres of power in each province. Toronto, beloved by all Canadians, was featured last weekend and I'll randomly post about the remaining eleven to fill in between my other Good Morning posts. But today, let's review how each provincial capital got its name. Halifax could have been named Dunktown but was saved by a city founder having a fancy title. Imagine living in PEI's capital if King George III was married to someone named Bertha. Native names are used for many capital cities, like Pile of Bones or Muddy Water. And I think Newfoundland missed an opportunity to have an exotic sounding capital when the original name "Rio de San Johem" was lost.
BTW - I know all Canadians will be cheering for the Hogtown Blue Jays in the upcoming playoffs.
#CanadaIsAwesome #WhatsInAName
natural-resources.canada.ca/ma

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-18 11:46:51

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
youtu.be/6huskbX8Hh8?si=oowVXF

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-08-03 11:19:56

On the final day of #BeaverWeek, we focus on Beaver Rescue efforts. Many organizations across Canada care for injured Beavers, abandoned kits, or bonded pairs that have to be relocated. Here is a list of recognized Beaver rescue organizations (worldwide) in case you're feeling generous and looking for a charitable organization to support.
#CanadaIsAwesome
martinezbeavers.org/beaver-fri

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-03 11:59:13

Good Morning #Canada
#HappyBirthday to Kenojuak Ashevak, one of Canada’s most famous Inuk artists. She was born in 1927 at Camp Kerrasak on southern Baffin Island and died on January 8, 2013, in Cape Dorset, Nunavut. Known primarily for her drawings as a graphic artist, she had a diverse artistic experience, making sculpture and engraving and working with textiles and also on stained glass. She is celebrated as a leading figure of modern Inuit art and one of Canada's preeminent artists and cultural icons. She was the first Inuk artist inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame (2001), was made an Officer of the Order of Canada (1967), and promoted to Companion in 1982. She received the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts (2008) and the Order of Nunavut (2012). Her work, with its superb design qualities, was used for Canadian stamps, coins and banknotes, including her best-known work, The Enchanted Owl
#CanadaIsAwesome #IndigenousArt
youtu.be/u4a2V_jQU98?si=s80cCe

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-15 11:16:52

Good Morning #Canada
We've arrived at our final province on Day #12 of The Dirt on Canadian Farming. It may not be the middle of the country, but I think we can all agree that it's the centre of the universe.
Ontario leads the nation in agricultural exports and is #1 in the number of farms, poultry and egg production, sheep and goat, vegetable and melon, and greenhouse, nursery and floriculture (31.8%). The province is home to one-quarter (25.5%) of total farms in Canada while making up 7.7% of the total farm area. It also employs 870K, more than any other province. There are numerous agricultural centers in Ontario but the Holland Marsh is significant. Just 50 Km north of Toronto lies 21,500 acres of rich black soil that provides vegetables to nearby cities and exports into the USA.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Farming
canadaaction.ca/ontario-farmin

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-17 11:23:51

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

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-11 12:36:31

Good Morning #Canada
Day #8 of The Dirt on Canadian Farming takes us back east to New Brunswick, which is not that "new" BTW. If it seems like we're jumping around the country in this series, with no logic, well, congratulations, you're paying attention.
New Brunswick's agricultural and agri-food sector reached a record of $1.23 billion in farm cash receipts in 2023, with potatoes, blueberries, maple syrup, and dairy all key products. Within that number lies good and bad news. The province had one of the largest decreases in farm operators in the country, but profits per farm have increased. Blueberry farms increased, and the province is 2nd in Canada in production. In 2024, New Brunswick announced the Agricultural Sustainability Program to assist farmers with reducing tillage, maintaining ponds and wetlands, and protecting pollinator habitat, critical and marginal landscapes, trees, riparian areas and crop management.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Farming
www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/95

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-09-14 12:15:40

Good Morning #Canada
The 2nd last province has arrived on Day #11 of our series The Dirt on Canadian Farming. What will be the final province? The suspense is killing me!
Manitoba is home to 14,791 farms on 17.1 million acres and, in partnership with Saskatchewan, invented Canola. So Canola and wheat dominate as crops, but a very close 3rd is Hogs, and the average farm in that sector has 5,000 pigs. Not surprising since the Bacon Centre of Excellence is located in Manitoba. Like many of our provinces with large tracts of fertile land, the agriculture in Manitoba is varied, which helps to create stability from year to year. They passed PEI in potato production a few years ago, placing them 2nd behind Alberta. They produce 72M eggs and 1.7M turkeys every year, and ranked #3 in Canada in beef and bison.
#CanadaIsAwesome #MmmmBacon
manitoba.ca/agriculture/market

@paulbusch@mstdn.ca
2025-10-16 11:29:12

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
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose_Vi