Speak of the Week VIII With Appendix

This week's Speak is near and dear to my heart:

And lest ye think I'm mad for loving this grand and yet cozy land, a handful of reasons:

Health Care for all.  Since 1957.  We like this one so much that Tommy Douglas, the legislator most responsible for its development and implementation was voted the Greatest Canadian in History some years ago. 

Terry Fox.  The guy I personally voted for in the above mentioned poll for Greatest Canadian.  Despite initial derision and scorn, a one-legged cancer survivor decided to run across Canada (that's 7,821 km (4,860 miles)) by running the equivalent of a MARATHON A DAY to raise money to cure the disease that had taken his leg.  He was ignored for a long while but eventually the media took notice and Fox became not just a national celebrity but a true national hero.  He was shy, selfless and as genuine as hell.  We loved him and the country mourned when he had to cut short his Marathon of Hope when it was found that cancer had spread to his lungs.  He had run for 143 days, 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles) and carried an entire nation on his back.  We mourned again a year later when he died.  Even typing this little paragraph brings me near to tears all these years later. 

Gay marriage.  We've had it for a while and we're still here.  It's made exactly zero difference to anyone not directly involved such a union.  To those who are directly involved in a same sex marriage, Canadians say love who you love with our apologies for not getting this done sooner.  Find your happiness where you can and rejoice in it.

Peace.  Year in, year out Canada ranks 5 or 6 on the Global Peace Index.  To compare, our Commonwealth brethren in the United Kingdom rank around 45.  The United Arab Emirates clocks in at 53rd this year.  The United States at 128. 

Legal weed.  I don't partake myself but all my life I've known dozens of people who did (illegally then) who were no criminals, so when the Liberal government made good on their promise to legalize I was pleased for my toking acquaintances.  Probably has a bit to do with where we rank on the Peace Index, truth be told...

Wishing you a healthy, heroic, loving, peaceful and lightly baked Canada Day!