Frankly I rather enjoy being in the audience of the world stage, watching major performers like China. China has increasingly become my primary interest and amusement – including public transport, bridges and automobiles. And of course technology. I accept too that China has progressively – and politely – overtaken the world, in particular the Caribbean and Africa. I first caught a glimpse of their commercial headway when I visited Jamaica in 1968. The Chinese noticeably represented a significant number of local businesses. Many of their unassuming commercial acquisitions resembled what once was the limited provenance of the Jews; that is, the tranquil assumption of day to day business without evidence of manipulation, struggle or intrusion into the local population. Like the repute of the Jews, the Chinese have opted to build their influence upon trust, durability, knowledge and plain hard work.
China is establishing itself as the runner up to major global successes, seemingly soon to sidestep the United States of America. It is literally a universal amendment. Naturally it is presumptuous to assume that any group of people – anymore than we Canadians – can be isolated to one devotion or another, to one prescription or another, to one model of behaviour or another – yet nonetheless, relying upon my innate sensibility, I have a generous and complimentary view of the Chinese.
Today is Canada Day, technically a celebration of our Constitutional evolution from 1867.
Canada Day is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 1867, when the three separate colonies of the United Canadas (Ontario and Quebec), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united into a single dominion within the British Empire called Canada.
Originally called Dominion Day, the holiday was renamed in 1982, the same year that the Canadian constitution was patriated by the Canada Act, 1982, which severed the vestiges of legal dependence on the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
At the same time, lingering fears of the U.S. concept of manifest destiny (the 19th-century doctrine or belief that the expansion of the United States throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable), memories of the Fenian raids, and Britain’s desire to off-load defence costs persuaded many that a larger fiscal and military union offered the surest bulwark against American pressure and metropolitan indifference.
The motto “peace, order, and good government” arose as an expression of a distinctly Canadian formulation of constitutional government in North America.
This morning we chose to punctuate our celebration of Canada Day by going to Sea King Restaurant in Ottawa for Dim Sum.
Located in Ottawa, Ontario, Sea King Shark Fin Seafood Restaurant stands out for its authentic Hong Kong-style dim sum, setting a high standard among Chinese dining experiences in the area. Like many great restaurants, we prioritize the use of the freshest ingredients to ensure every dish is both flavorful and health-conscious.
Our specialty is dim sum — a Cantonese tradition that translates to “touch the heart.” Each dish is freshly prepared under the guidance of our experienced Hong Kong native chef and served in the traditional style using dim sum carts. Favourites among our guests include Har Gau (steamed shrimp dumplings), Fung Zao (phoenix talons), and Siu Mai.
Having agreeably sated our appetites we did not linger at the trough. The revolutions of dim sum carts ensured perpetual activity to complement the capacity crowd of diners. After folding our table napkins and calling for the bill we judiciously wound our way between tables, chairs, patrons and staff to the exit then regained the exceedingly warm and humid air of Canada Day. It is my suspicion that the heat perturbed people from venturing out-of-doors (though we did see the occasional confirmed athlete jogging alongside the road).
Our lackadaisical journey homeward was interrupted by two events: 1) car wash; and, 2) Dairy Queen. Don’t ask why, but for some reason I always find myself yearning for ice cream after Chinese food. The curious extravagance may speak to the balanced quality of the initial meal. That at least is my pretext. Admittedly it may have more to do with sugar than anything else. So when we afterwards extended our holiday ambling to Arnprior we paused at the local Dairy Queen, ordered our resolve then sat at one of the carved stone tables and chairs innocently consuming our treats.
Now – back home and disassembled for comfort – I am as usual propped at my desk overlooking the increasingly verdant farmlands and the full vigour of the river. A torrent of rain, howling winds and cracking lightning has invigorated the scene.The faltering weather is so whimsical that the storm qualities last only several moments at a time. Huge corridors of yellow sunshine pierce the corporate veil, translating an otherwise gloomy grey atmosphere into one of brilliant picturesque imagery.
The only other credential attributed to Canada Day is the replacement of my toothbrushes (electric and manual), a ceremony which I engage every three months beginning January 1st. Privately I have noted my declining mobility, my incapacity to undertake the most modest physical alteration. Decomposition is inevitable and ongoing. I do not discourage however because at 78 years of age one must expect accommodation; it is the price one pays. The defeat energizes my vehicular focus (which already I anticipate if necessary to replace with some motorized transportation in the character of an off-road thing which I understand is called a “mobility scooter”).
They look like tiny cars and can reach speeds of up to 30 kilometres per hour. Some models even include features like air conditioning and power windows. But they can’t legally be driven on roads.
This illustrative design of my decline will nonetheless enjoy unparalleled utility in our small rural community where the silent roadways continue to reflect the historic meaning of their creation: Country Street, Water Street, Mill Street, Ottawa Street, not to mention the numerous streets named after people whom I have known over the past 50 years since my arrival here in June of 1976.
Post Scriptum:
“In the interest of public safety and due to extreme weather and the condition of the site, we unfortunately have made the difficult decision to cancel the National Canada Day Evening Show,” Canadian Heritage wrote.