Welcome to Canada Day 2025. The day where the Dominion of Canada was formed in 1867.
Fun fact: Even though the process was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the 4 original members of the Dominion of Canada were New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario. A much less violent revolution than what the Americans went through with the British.
CBC, as the public broadcaster, takes Canada Day celebrations seriously. Lots of ways to take that in through CBC TV, CBC News Network, and on radio. A reminder that CBC Listen is accessible in the United States for CBC Radio One and CBC Music (Radio 2).
The Canada Strong Pass helps out those traveling in Canada from now until September 2. There are 4 elements to the Canada Strong Pass:
We noted a few Canadian parks when The Current from CBC Radio One compiled a Canadian travel list. Your humble narrator has been to Banff National Park, which could take weeks to explore.
Via Rail is generally rather expensive, as compared to Amtrak in the States and trains in Europe. A discount on train travel in Canada is significant. Though those 25 and older don't have a direct discount.
Bill C-5, aka the One Canadian Economy Bill, passed the House of Commons. The Canadian Senate approved the bill and the bill got royal assent from Governor General Mary Simon. There are significant concerns about environmental issues in future projects and whether Indigenous rights are being trampled. Also what would Bill C-5 look like in a future Conservative government.
The promise was to break down economic trade barriers between the provinces and territories by Canada Day. The oddities about people in New Brunswick being punished for buying alcohol in Quebec and bringing it back. The argument for free trade is generally good as long as workers are protected, and we certainly aren't pro-tariff (even in responsible hands).
Many of Justin Trudeau's top people, including Chrystia Freeland, are putting this together under Mark Carney's leadership. The prime minister made this a key consideration in the new government following the election.
Besides the obvious economic advantages, Canadians may learn more about each other to break down psychological barriers between the provinces.
I was excited about the famous intersection of Portage and Main when I visited Winnipeg. I recall walking up Portage Avenue (Route 85), knowing I would connect with Main Street (Route 52). I didn't know what to expect but this was famous for a reason.
I got to Main Street on Portage Avenue. You notice a huge intersection that you can't cross above ground. There were underground paths you had to use to get to the other side. Confused and disappointed.
As of last Friday, for the first time in 46 years, you can cross the intersection, above ground, of Portage Avenue and Main Street in downtown Winnipeg.
Just from a perspective point, Canada Life Centre (home of the Winnipeg Jets) is on Portage Avenue, just under 1,000 feet from Portage and Main.
If you cry for joy at this news, good for you. Something new to do in Winnipeg. Admittedly, there are advantages to crossing underground in the winter time (escape from snow and ice) but generally, above ground crossing is better.
We saw 50 seconds for cross times on Water Street in downtown St. John's in Newfoundland and Labrador. Even Tyrone (Arte Johnson) from Laugh-In could cross Water Street in under 50 seconds. Winnipeg would be wise to implement similar times for people to cross Portage and Main.
Speaking of travel and the prairies, here is a take on the bus situation in Saskatchewan.
The original Beaverton article plays on the Newfoundland time zone, which is 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic time (1 hour ahead of Eastern time). Cape Breton is the eastern part of Nova Scotia. A funny idea. Why you should trust AI as little as possible. I joked that my late sociopathic brother could convince you the sun came up in the west. Trust but verify.
Speaking of comedy, Canadaland has a wonderful episode with Dave Thomas of SCTV fame. Canadaland normally doesn't delve into the history of Canadians in comedy. Thomas has ideas on why Saturday Night Live has lasted this long and why SCTV did not.
Traditionally, Quebec is the least into the whole Canada Day thing. July 1 traditionally in Montréal is Moving Day. Yet Montréal had a Canada Day parade for almost 5 decades. Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, the parade will not happen.
I would love to get back to Montréal. This summer is more chaotic than normal in that city with transit strikes.
One of the best eating cities in North America: bring your appetite and walking shoes.
A couple of Canada travel notes …
CBC News has a cool story on a billboard campaign to drive U.S. residents to vacation in Canada. One billboard advertised coming to Ontario by pointing out the exchange rate where American money goes farther in Canada.
Travel tip for Americans going to Canada. Exchange your money. I know you like to throw down the green when traveling (or pay by credit card). Experience the Canadian currency. Sure the $10 bill is purple but a Black woman is on the bill: Viola Desmond. You can learn her story. Get used to loonies and twoonies: the silver ring is $2 while the gold by itself is $1. No pennies. Cash transactions are rounded to the nearest nickel.
Travel tip on carrying coins: bring your empty prescription bottles and fill them with Canadian coins. Your pockets will thank you.
The New York Times reported in its Canada Letter series about the Competition Bureau's 10 recommendations for improving access to air flights within Canada. When flying from Toronto to Vancouver is more expensive than flying to Mexico or Europe (much less the United States), Canadians can't always afford to go within their own country.
"Of the bureau’s 10 recommendations, one that seemed to grab the most headlines in Canada was a suggestion to allow access to domestic routes for companies that are 100 percent foreign owned. The companies would still be required to use Canadian crews and obey domestic regulations, but the change would encourage competition in a manner that was a success in Australia, the report noted."
and
"But it’s unlikely that foreign carriers would be interested in serving the domestic routes that are most in need of competition — those that serve places other than the country’s major cities — because those are not as profitable, said Keldon Bester, the executive director of the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project, a research group founded in 2022.
"He said the other recommendations were more realistic. Those included addressing the restrictions that prevent smaller airports from offering international flights, reducing the transport minister’s discretion to disregard antitrust findings during airline mergers and increasing transparency by publishing airline performance data."
The Competition Bureau generally is as weak as what Canadians joke about American beer (do a search for the canoe joke). Still, let's hope Canada can figure out air travel and train travel and bus travel within Canada.
There are some quality Canadian MLB players these days. A new Canadian player is Denzel Clarke, an outfielder with the formerly known as Oakland A's. Clarke has only been in the majors since May 23 but is already well-known for his ability to catch the baseball.
Harold Reynolds may still be shocked by this — the man who once got paid and said this on television, "they don't play a lot of baseball in Canada, a lot of people aren't used to catching them." Harold Reynolds meet Denzel Clarke.
The catch that first put him on the MLB map was at Rogers Centre against the Toronto Blue Jays. Clarke was born in Toronto and attended Everest Academy in Thornhill, Ontario. Turns out that Clarke is a cousin of the Naylor brothers: professional players Josh (Arizona), Bo (Cleveland), and Myles (A's farm system).
His mother is heptathlete Donna Smellie. Uncle Kevin Smellie was a running back for the Toronto Argonauts (1990-1992, 1994).
The Blue Jays will catch up with Clarke in West Sacramento, CA July 11-13.
Speaking of the Toronto Blue Jays, the team is playing on a Canadian holiday. The New York Yankees have been in town since yesterday. Game time is 3:07 pm Eastern at Rogers Centre. Sportsnet has the game in Canada. The MLB Network has a live game schedule. The U.S. channel should have the Sportsnet feed but its fetish for New York (AL) and Boston feeds, even at home on a f&%$ing national holiday, really needs medical attention.
The 2025 MLB All-Star Game will be July 15 in Atlanta.
We don't follow basketball that much these days, given the Toronto Raptors are, well, done early after the end of the NBA regular season. We know Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Canadian (born in Toronto and grew up in Hamilton) and had a monster year for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
There were 3 other Canadians who played in the NBA finals: Montréal’s Luguentz Dort (Oklahoma City), Andrew Nembhard of Aurora, ON and Montréal’s Bennedict Mathurin (Indiana Pacers).
Gilgeous-Alexander (11) and Dort (12) are the latest in the dozen Canadians to win an NBA title. James Naismith (Canadian) invented the sport.
TSN will have Free Agency Frenzy (NHL), which amusingly is on Canada Day each year. Coverage starts at 11 am Eastern with a likely simulcast on ESPN+.
Alberta premier Danielle Smith dragged her feet for months before calling provincial by-elections. Prime Minister Mark Carney kept his word and called the federal by-election as soon as possible. The by-election in the Battle River–Crowfoot (Alberta) riding is on August 18. Former Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre is running in that by-election to try to get back into the House of Commons. He is scheduled for a leadership review by the Conservative Party in January.
The press can't stop fawning over him, even as someone not in power. Andrew Scheer is the current party leader. They are not likely to tell you there are other candidates in the by-election: Darcy Spady (Liberal); Jonathan Bridges (People's); Douglas Gook (Green); and 2 independents, Bonnie Critchley and Sarah Spanier. The New Democratic Party doesn't have a current candidate.
Critchley is the best chance to defeat Poilievre in the by-election. Few heard of Bruce Lovejoy when he started running in the Carlton (ON) riding where Lovejoy defeated Poilievre earlier this year.
The Longest Ballot Committee — protesting the first-past-the-post system — may add a lot more names to this list.
My local film festival shows a Canadian film for free based on the theme that summer. They selected Queen of My Dreams, which is a pretty fun film. One Week fits the bill if you are looking for a Canadiana film and a good road trip film. Joshua Jackson on a motorcycle from Toronto to the West Coast.
Cas & Dylan only went from Winnipeg to Vancouver. Desire in Motion | Mouvements du désir (1994) from Léa Pool involves a train trip from Montréal to Vancouver. We have written about that film in the past. Still want to find that film.
A cross country film, like St. John's to Vancouver might require a 4-hour film.
CP24 weighed in on Canadian films for the holiday: 40 Acres, BlackBerry, I Like Movies, and Beans. Outstanding options.
We will preview the upcoming Canadian films on CBC on Saturday nights tomorrow. Normally, we would do that on Friday but that is the U.S. holiday. Even if others show disrespect, we will show reasonable respect. The CFL week in preview runs on Thursday.
Twitter captures: @MarkJCarney; @cafreeland; @VeryBadLlama; @Canada; @MLB; @tim_micallef
photo credit: Government of Canada
