Archives for June, 2004
Happy Canada Day
It’s Canada Day around here and here is the full story complements from our all knowing federal government
On June 20, 1868, a proclamation signed by the Governor General, Lord Monck, called upon all Her Majesty’s loving subjects throughout Canada to join in the celebration of the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1st.The July 1 holiday was established by statute in 1879, under the name Dominion Day.
There is no record of organized ceremonies after this first anniversary, except for the 50th anniversary of Confederation in 1917, at which time the new Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings, under construction, was dedicated as a memorial to the Fathers of Confederation and to the valour of Canadians fighting in the First World War in Europe.
The next celebration was held in 1927 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation. It was highlighted by the laying of the cornerstone by the Governor General of the Confederation Building on Wellington Street and the inauguration of the Carillon in the Peace Tower.
Since 1958, the government has arranged for an annual observance of Canada’s national day with the Secretary of State of Canada in charge of the coordination. The format provided for a Trooping the Colours ceremony on the lawn of Parliament Hill in the afternoon, a sunset ceremony in the evening followed by a mass band concert and fireworks display.
Another highlight was Canada’s Centennial in 1967 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attended the celebrations with Parliament Hill again being the backdrop for a large scale official ceremony.
The format changed in 1968 with the addition of multicultural and professional concerts held on Parliament Hill including a nationally televised show. Up until 1975, the focus of the celebrations, under the name “Festival Canada”, was held in the National Capital Region during the whole month of July and involved numerous cultural, artistic and sport activities, as well as municipalities and voluntary organizations. The celebration was cancelled in 1976 but was reactivated in 1977.
A new formula was developed in 1980 whereby the National Committee (the federal government organization charged with planning Canada’s Birthday celebrations) stressed and sponsored the development of local celebrations all across Canada. “Seed money” was distributed to promote popular and amateur activities organized by volunteer groups in hundreds of local communities. The same approach was also followed for the 1981 celebrations with the addition of fireworks displays in 15 major cities across the nation.
On October 27, 1982, July 1st which was known as “Dominion Day” became “Canada Day”.
Since 1985, Canada Day Committees are established in each province and territory to plan, organize and coordinate the Canada Day celebrations locally. Grants are provided by the Department to those committees.
Brian Mulroney may be given role in Air Canada
A former prime minister could soon be sitting at the controls of Canada’s largest airline. The Toronto Star reports that Brian Mulroney will likely take a spot in Air Canada’s board room later this year.
The paper says the announcement is expected when the insolvent airline emerges from bankruptcy protection.
Mulroney is currently an adviser to the New York-based hedge fund company Cerberus Capital Management. Cerberus recently agreed to swap $250 million for a 9.2 per cent interest in Air Canada.
The agreement gives Cerberus the right to appoint several people to the board of the reorganized airline’s holding company, Air Canada Enterprises.
Do we ignore what Jesus got killed for?
Tim Costello, head of World Vision Australia, sees western culture as focusing on Jesus without the Sermon on the Mount. We focus on the death, resurrection, second coming, maybe a miracle or two but the teaching that got Jesus killed isn?t talked about. We?re told that a good witness never gets in trouble, and yet Jesus got in trouble a lot. Jesus? talking about loving enemies is counter-cultural and raises many questions about war.
Missio Dei
New church plant in Minneapolis.
Another way to pester me
You can contact me on my cell phone via SMS and MSN Messenger. When I am offline but on my cell, I will be yellow with (Mobile) beside my name.
Waiting in LAX
A favorite picture from last month.
Canada Day at the Freehouse
The Freehouse is celebrating Canada Day! We are starting with food, beverages, and mp3’s playing at our place at around 3:00 p.m. Later if the entertainment and the draw of fireworks is compelling, we will head to Diefenbaker Park.
Our address is 1403 Avenue D North. All are welcome.
Stupid Credit Tricks
From the Motley Fool
If you’re looking for a fall guy for the state of America’s finances, better take a gander in the mirror. At the end of last year, U.S. households had $10.4 trillion in outstanding debt, and one out of every 73 filed for bankruptcy. The Commerce Department reports that our personal savings rate is a wafer-thin 1.8%. As a nation, we’re borrowing money at a record clip to pay for a lifestyle well beyond our means.I don’t care what the Joneses have parked in their garage. Evidently, a lot of other people do. On average, we carry eight credit cards per person and have a balance of $8,400 in credit card debt. Twenty percent of our cards are maxed out, reports CardWeb.com, which tracks the lending industry’s machinations. And just 40% of Americans pay off their accounts in full at the end of the month. The average line of credit is around $3,500. (A decade ago, it was just $1,800.) The average household pays its lender $1,000 a year in finance charges.
It’s not just that we’re borrowing more money and paying it back more slowly; it’s that we’re spending money we used to consider off-limits. Home equity loans are more popular than ever as people borrow against their home to feed their spending binge. Today, average homeowners owe nearly 50% of their home’s value. Twenty years ago, that figure stood at 30%.
How prominent candidates fared
A couple of late results changed things but here is the good, the bad, and the upsets.
Grant Devine lost
So did high profile Liberal candidate Chris Axworthy. Saskatoon all went Conservative. Election turnout was quite low and I thought all the parties ran very bad campaigns which I think is partly to blame.
In the end, they all lost. Paul Martin lost a strong majority and was reduced to a minority. Stephen Harper could have won a majority but got undisciplined and saw is slip away. Jack Layton made almost no difference in his party’s seat total as they aren’t even going to be a recognized in the House of Commons.
Of course the big winner of the election is Saskatoon as Jim Pankiw will not be representing us anymore and hopefully will disapear from public view (but I am not counting on it).
Voting
Wendy and I voted earlier this afternoon and then spent the rest of it running some errands. We went in the afternoon and there was no one at my polling station which doesn’t mean a lot. I work in a blue collar neighborhood so at 2:00 p.m., I didn’t expect many people there.
Our polling station was at Church at Saskatoon. A church, two blocks down and one that I think is a church plant but other than that I know nothing about. I have looked on the web for it and even wandered by a couple of times with the intention of stopping in but to no avail. It’s kind of weird that for two years or so I have been trying to find out about a church two blocks away but can’t. While I waiting for Wendy to mark her ballot, I tried to find something about it but there was nothing visible for me to read or check out. Maybe next election.
If you haven’t voted today already, make sure you do. There is a lot you can do with your vote and in many ways it is the one day where the entire country is listening to what you have to say.
Apple sales lagging
Even as overall PC shipments grew 12% in 2003, Apple’s computer shipments were flat for the year, according to research firm Fulcrum Global Partners. At the end of March, Apple dropped out of research firm IDC’s top 10 list of world-wide computer makers for the first time ever. Apple’s share of the global computer market has eroded across the home, business and government markets over the past year, dropping to 1.7% overall at the end of March, down from 1.8% in early 2003, says Gartner (though its share is up in the education market). And in the company’s last fiscal quarter, Apple’s computer sales were sequentially flat or down across all models, particularly for its flagship iMac desktops.
Who to vote for
Today is election day in Canada. It could rival the American election of 2000 as far as how long we may have to wait until we find out but that’s okay.
Warren Kinsella has his predictions on the race. He used a variety of sources for polling data and the experience as a political operative. I think it will be much closer based on my vast experience in winning a couple of election pools in the early 90’s.
Wendy and I haven’t voted yet but plan to shortly.
There won’t be any election night coverage here as I have to work tonight but check out Warren Kinsella, Andrew Coyne, and James Bow for some excellent commentary that I am sure will be appearing on their blogs. Wendy is also promising election coverage on her blog.
For me the race to watch will be if Grant Devine wins.
shhh…
Jonny Baker has a post about some new possibilities using infra-red and worship.
kottke.org redesign
As someone that has been criticized by some people everytime I have redesigned this site, I understand a little bit of the hard work and anguish that he talks about in his redesign post. Whatever it is worth, I like his new site and the thought that he put into it.
Our Cabin Weblog- Recently listened to music
- David Gray – Be Mine October 19, 2008
- David Gray – December October 19, 2008
- David Gray – Knowhere October 19, 2008
- David Gray – Real Love October 19, 2008
- David Gray – Last Boat To America October 19, 2008
- Recently additions to my library
- Messy Faith: Daring to Live by Grace by A. J. Gregory October 28, 2008
- Rediscovering Church: The Story and Vision of Willow Creek Community Church by Lynne Hybels October 26, 2008
- The Teeth of the Tiger, A Novel by Tom Clancy October 26, 2008
- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by John C. Maxwell October 26, 2008
- The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy October 26, 2008
-
Search
Recent Photos
