My Very Canadian Week

Oh Canada, what a week!  One might think I have maple syrup coursing through my veins in a week filled with events truly Canuck in nature. It all began last weekend with our annual Association of Canadian Publisher’s meeting in downtown Toronto. After two days filled with discussing, debating and planning for the future in Canadian publishing, I was the lucky one who also got to attend the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Gala at Roy Thompson Hall in honour of Canadians from all walks of life who have made significant contributions to society. I was one of just over 20 local photographers who documented individual medal ceremonies in the vast rotunda at Roy Thompson Hall. My “pinning partner” was none other than Craig Kielburger whose work with Free the Children and We Day drew many to our corner to shake hands with one of Canada’s most inspiring young people who personifies global changemaker. Please check out all the snaps from this stunning evening here.

What else makes this week truly Canadian? How about a massive snow storm that actually met and surpassed the dire predictions of local weather forecasters. Nick-named “Snowpocalypse,” Friday’s winter blast left my adopted city of Toronto under a blanket of the thick, heavy white stuff. No, we didn’t call in the army, but you have to admit, Toronto looks good in snow…Check out these images that pay homage to perhaps the two most well-loved words in the Canadian lexicon: snow day.

To cap off my all-things-Canadian week, I dug my Jeep out of a snow drift early yesterday morning and drove east to lovely Peterborough, Ontario to take in CBC’s Hockey Day in Canada. Each year the CBC picks a deserving location in Canada to honour our beloved game, hockey.  This year’s venue was spectacular! As you can see above, the historic Peterborough Lift Lock acted as the backdrop to a series of outdoor hockey rinks lining a length of the Trent Canal.  The organizers of the event must be commended for waiting out Friday’s storm and then tackling the massive job of clearing the canal of snow at midnight early Saturday morning. I could not have had a better time taking in the fresh wintry air, the obvious good spirits of the many families that lined the canal cheering on their teams, and recognizing the reverence that we Canadians have for a sport that personifies our very spirit. Perhaps Stephen Leacock said it best: “Hockey captures the essence of Canadian experience in the New World. In a land so inescapably and inhospitably cold, hockey is the chance of life, and an affirmation that despite the deathly chill of winter we are alive.”

For me, hockey means family.  Growing up on a tiny farm in Southwestern Ontario, we worked hard every week and celebrated the lack of chores on Saturday night by watching Hockey Night in Canada together. I was a professed hockey nut at a very early age and nothing could match the anticipation I felt for Saturday night games and my desperate hopes for a Leaf victory each week. I grew up cheering for my favourite net minder, Mike Palmateer, a fellow red-head. Yesterday I wore my Palmateer jersey with pride amidst a sea of Toronto, Montreal and Team Canada jerseys lining the Trent Canal. And for me, the highlight of my day was seeing my all-time favourite Hockey Night in Canada personality, Ron MacLean, as he graciously hosted the afternoon’s events. A fellow punster, I am fond of his quick wit coupled with his ironic, bionic eyebrows. 🙂 I did bring my camera along, and if you would like to see more from yesterday’s Hockey Day in Canada, please visit my new gallery here.

To end my post, I thought I would share a rare treat with you. It combines my love of all things CBC with a native of Peterborough singing a lovely, unexpected duet. Don’t miss this!

Oh ya, I almost forgot to mention that my awesome Hockey Day in Canada was capped off appropriately with a game between the most storied Canadian hockey rivalry, the Leafs vs. Canadians. My beloved Leafs won of course! The perfect end to a perfect day! Go Leafs!