Posted by Adam Quinan on December 26, 2002 at 12:31:02 from 66.185.85.76 user Adam.
In Reply to: Re: Happy Christmas (I think?) posted by Peter H on December 25, 2002 at 21:38:56:
Peter H wrote:
"Allow me to introduce a totally new topic and mention a TV programme this morning in the UK. It featured a rail journey right across Canada (Halifax-Vancouver) by Chris Bonington, the mountaineer. There were one or two deviations, including a rock climb. I was vividly reminded (I am ashamed to say I had forgotten) just how vast and how beautiful Canada is. A country of the future, I'd say, and I'm not joking - no ;) nonsense! "
I remember that TV programme. Peter may remember at the end of the programme that Chris Bonnington paddled off in a canow with a friend Maria Coffey who lives on Vancouver Island. She happens to have grown up as the neighbour of one of my best friends who lives here in Toronto but was brought up in Wolverhampton.
As for Canada being a "country of the future", 'twas ever thus. One of our early Prime Ministers, Sir Wilfrid Laurier if I recall correctly in, proclaimed in the 1890s that "The 20th century belongs to Canada."
In most ways Canada is one of the most liveable and beautiful countries in the world. We have our problems and difficulties, of course, but after living here for 20 years I wouldn't move back to the UK, despite all those wonderful TARS and their activities and all the Ransome sites and my many family connections.