Canada - Facts and Info

[Lady Pi Phi]

What about the groups that are co-ed?
Or did that not take off?
I know they wanted to turn the scouts co-ed or something along those lines.

[RACooper]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
Agreed. I personally think "God Save the Queen" should be sung more often too. The only time I ever sang that song was at brownies. We woul alternate with "God Save the Queen" and "O' Canada".

Okay the reason why they don't do the Maple Leaf Forever before Leaf game is that Ballard hated the song.... that and it was considered in bad taste for the French Canadians; which has led to a number of alternate new versions being written... but a single one hasn't really been settled on. However it's only the lyrics that are in question not the music itself so I'd still love to see the 48th Highlanders Pipes and Drums play it before play-off games

The only place that I hear "God Save The Queen" regularly now is at the Rememberance Day service at Soldier's Tower, the Veterans and Trinity College are sticklers for tradition. My chapter used to sing it at our own service up until 3 years ago, but too many complaints/mocking by the American brothers led the newer brothers to drop it from the program... but we still do a toast to the Queen at our formal dinners (just try to stop the Alumni).

[Lady Pi Phi]

I'm glad some of your brothers still sing "God Save the Queen".
I just think it should be sung more often considering she is our head of state.
I know when my mother received her citizenship she had to pledge allegience to the Queen.

Side story, my laughed when the judge told her that and he didn't think it was very funny. The only reason my mother laughed when he said that was she immigrated from England.

[bcdphie]

I haven't sung God Save the Queen since high school. We used to sing it at formal assemblies and such. I would like to have the opportunity to sing it more often. I am biased since both my parents are English; however, we are part of the Commonwealth and the Queen is the head of state, and it would be nice to still recognize that somehow.

In fact, the only chance I get to sing O Canada anymore is at hockey or football games, and that's only in English; I haven't sung it in French in years.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
What about the groups that are co-ed?
Or did that not take off?
I know they wanted to turn the scouts co-ed or something along those lines.

Scouts Canada is indeed co-ed (I think there might be some guys only units though). Guides said that they don't intend to go co-ed because they wanted to encourage leadership for girls.

ETA: I should add that Scouts went co-ed just before they showed that some boys too learn better in a single-sex environment. Guides decided not to go co-ed because the studies for girls were released back in the late 80s-early 90s. BTW, I believe that the Scouting branches for older kids went co-ed long before Beavers, Cubs and Scouts did.

[RACooper]

Alrighty then... I've had a few PM requests for the "new" version of "The Maple Leaf Forever". So here is the one that is currently accepted by the government as an acceptable re-write of the original (please note that it has both English and French verses):

The Maple Leaf Forever
The New Lyrics
Written by Vladimir Radian


O, land of blue unending skies,
Mountains strong and sparkling snow,
A scent of freedom in the wind,
O'er the emerald fields below.

To thee we brought our hopes, our dreams,
For thee we stand together,
Our land of peace, where proudly flies,
The Maple Leaf forever.

-CHORUS-
Long may it wave, and grace our own,
Blue skies and stormy weather,
Within my heart, above my home,
The Maple Leaf forever!


From East and West, our heroes came,
Throught icy fields and frozen bays,
Who conquered fear, and cold, and hate,
And their ancient wisdom says:

Protect the weak, defend your rights,
And build this land together,
Above which shine the Northern Lights,
And the Maple Leaf forever!

-CHORUS-
Long may it wave, and grace our own,
Blue skies and stormy weather,
Within my heart, above my home,
The Maple Leaf forever!

Sur mers sauvages ou glaciers durs,
Tant d'heros se sont suivis,
En conquerant la peur, le froid,
Et les tempetes de leurs vies.

Et tant de braves, rouges ou blancs,
Reposent ici ensemble,
De noble sang, de tant de neige,
Est nee la feuille d'erable.

-Refrain-
De leurs exploits, de leurs travaux,
Et leur courage sublime,
Dans leurs vieux reves reunis,
Puisons nouvelles racines.

-Refrain Reprise-
Sur nos montagnes, dans nos prairies,
A travers temps et sable,
Aimons toujours la fleur de lys,
Toujours, la feuille d'erable.


Oh, Maple Leaf, around the world,
You speak as you rise high above,
Of courage, peace and quiet strength,
Of the Canada I love.

Remind us all our union bound,
By ties we cannot sever,
Bright flag revered on every ground,
The Maple Leaf forever!

-CHORUS-
Long may it wave, and grace our own,
Blue skies and stormy weather,
Within my heart, above my home,
The Maple Leaf forever!

This is the version that they have given out the Olympic athletes and the CBC in the hopes that they will sing it..

I have tried to find a good version of the origional or the new version being sung, but all I have been able to find in the public domain are sappy solos... oh well.

[Optimist Prime]

What happened to Oh Canada? I was so proud of myself that I learned all the words, now I have to learn more.

[Lady Pi Phi]

"O' Canada" is still our national anthem.
If you read RACoopers earlier posts you would know that "The Maple Leaf Forever" iis our equivalent to your "America The Beautiful".

[RACooper]

In keeping with the purpose of this thread I’m posting another tidbit of information about Canada… and since a number of posts on other threads have concerned the military (and my experience with it) I have decided to post some information about the military… in this case the highest military decoration in Canada (and the British Commonwealth): The Victoria Cross (or VC).

Now the Victoria Cross can be thought of as being roughly equivalent to the Medal of Honor (MoH) in the US, both awards came into being around the same time VC (1856 but retroactive to 1854), MoH (1861), and both are awarded for conspicuous bravery, heroism, and gallantry.

Now the VC while an award than can be given to any member of the armed forces is somewhat more rare than the MoH, almost a third as many VCs (1354) as MoHs (3459) have been awarded.
Trivia:
* Each medal is made from metal that comes from the cascabels (large knob at the end of a cannon) of two cannons captured at Sebastopol (last great battle of the Crimean War).
* Incredibly it wasn’t until 1920 that an amendment was made allowing for the awarding of a posthumous VC.
* There is no barrier of colour, creed, sex or rank (unlike many military decorations which have different types for officers and other ranks).
* Fourteen men not born British or Commonwealth citizens have received the VC; five Americans-(although 4 were serving with Canadian units- Link: (http://www.victoriacross.net/subnat.asp?nat=6), one Belgian, three Danes, two Germans, one Swede, a Swiss and a Ukrainian.
* The ribbon was originally red for the Army and blue for the Royal Navy but when the Royal Air Force was formed in 1918 it was changed to red for all the services.
* The Victoria Cross is still awarded only by Royal assent and is presented by the monarch.
* Since 1945 the VC has been awarded only 11 times (4 during the Vietnam War to Australians, while the last two occasions were during the Falklands War in 1982).
* Only 3 men have ever been awarded the VC twice (entitling them to an extra bar on the ribbon): Noel Chavasse, Arthur Martin-Leake, and Charles Upham
* To date no woman has won the VC.
* The only ungazetted (un-named) VC was presented to the WWI American Unknown Soldier buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
* When the VC was first instituted a special pension of 10 pounds per annum was made payable to all non-commissioned ranks. In July 1898 it was decided this amount might be increased in times of need, at discretion, to 50 pounds then later to 75 pounds. It was not until 1959 that the pension was allowed irrespective of rank and increased to 100 pounds. In 1995 it was increased to 1,300 pounds and at that time there were 33 recipients still alive.
* A recipient of the medal regardless of rank must be saluted; so even a General or Field Marshal would have to salute or rise in the presence of a Private who had been awarded the VC.

Canada Specific Facts:
* Leo Clarke, Fred Hall, and Robert Shankland all lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They all happened to live on the same street, Pine Street and it is believed to be the only street in the world to have three Victoria Cross winners that lived there. The city of Winnipeg later renamed it Valour Road in honour of the men. A bronze plaque is mounted on a street lamp to tell this story
* Canada instituted its own Honours and Awards some time ago and the VC remained the highest award. However, the motto FOR VALOR was changed to the Latin PRO VALORE although the Canadian Victoria Cross still needs full royal assent from the Queen to be awarded. No new Canadian VCs have yet been awarded.
* Canadians have been awarded the VC a total of 90 times.
* The first Canadian to win the VC was Alexander Robert Dunn, for actions at Balaclava – 25 October 1854 (Charge of the Light Brigade).
* The third Canadian to win the VC was William Hall, for actions at Lucknow India – 16 November 1857 (Indian Mutiny), was the first person of colour to win the award.

Other Links:

Victoria Cross Website:
http://www.victoriacross.net/default.asp
Specific Info on Medal itself:
http://www.victoriacross.net/medal.asp
Listing of Canadian Victoria Cross Recipients:
http://www.victoriacross.net/subnat.asp?nat=5

[Lady Pi Phi]

I'm putting this here because I don't know if it really needs a whole thread since only a few of us probably have heard about this incedent.

Well Dudley George was shot and killed at Ipperwash by the OPP in 1995.

It's taken them 9 years to have an inquiry. Why?

Here's a link to a CBC news article.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/ipperwash/

[RACooper]

I hope that this inquest is as detailed as they can make it... so then some of the crap that both sides have spouted can be brought to light... yes some of the cops were racists a**holes and yes some of the natives were armed... problem is neither side is willing to admit that they may have been partially to blame...

[Lady Pi Phi]

Is there any video evidence that the Native were armed?

[Rudey]

I wish there were more Canadian products in use so Americans could boycott them.

-Rudey

[RACooper]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
Is there any video evidence that the Native were armed?

Not that I know of... but this was before everyone had video cameras everywhere... but the military might. The Canadian Military was still in control of Ipperwash before the hand over, and they conducted some helicopter recce flights over the area as training... and I do know that at least three helicopter's recieved some ground-fire and recorded damage. I remeber it was a big stink because the General in charge of Army Cadets came to Ipperwash to recieve the last of the Cadet related historical pieces... and his chopper took two bullet strikes in the fuselage.

[kappaloo]

It is not so much that the Natives were armed, but that Dudley George was shot - unarmed - in the back.