Canada Day

Today, July the first has been a very nice Canada day. Not too hot but very sunny. Popped down to Maffeo-Sutton Park on the seafront and mingled with the crowds, dribbled ice cream, mended fences with Wife, of whom I have been neglectful of late.

Unlike a British event it was populated mostly with relaxed smiling people, apart from the one heavily tattooed guy we saw the RCMP leading away. He looked pissed off, but everyone else simply got on with enjoying the music and the day. There was a local Kayaking club recruiting new members, the Army, RCMP, local utility companies, and some community and conservation minded folk garnering support for their objection to the Cable Bay development, which will take badly needed funding away from downtown Nanaimo and spend it building a new suburb instead of tidying up the city. Downtown needs a bit of cosmetic treatment if they want the tourists to come.

A few of the local Beauty contest winners were handing out free flags and badges, and just generally being real people. Noisy, but well behaved kids all over the place. A really good humoured affair. Nanaimo is that kind of place. I found myself wryly reflecting that if this were Britain, and Union or St Georges flags were being handed out to all and sundry, then the local council would be round in a jiffy to nip all this damnable subversive patriotism in the bud matey, citing 'elf & safety' or a complaint from someone who is basically in the wrong country.

For myself, I believe that when in Canada, do as the Canadians do. Which is very nicely thank you. Happy Canada day.