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- Lotus Reads
- Book fiend,culture-vulture, world traveller, daughter of the tropics now living in the Great White North.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
The Seven Wonders of Canada
The National and Sounds Like Canada are searching for the Seven Wonders of Canada and need our help.
After pouring over 18,000 suggestions from Canadians all over, the Seven Wonders team at the CBC had the unenviable task of reducing all those pitches to a short-list of 50 nominees.
I want you to take a look at the nominees and if there is something on there you recognize and have visited and would like to see it nominated as a wonder of Canada, please feel free to do so, here.
Guess you're wondering which one gets my vote, well, even if you're not, I'm going to tell you :) ...It's the NorthWest Passage. The Passage is rich in scenic beauty and history and is also endangered on account of global warming, just for that I think it deserves a vote!
While CBC and the National were putting together the WOnders of Canada, I had to ask myself why they were doing it, what is the value of an exercise like this, and ofcourse many different things came to mind...
It instills a sense of pride in one's country
It honors monuments, institutions, natural wonders together as a nation
It encourages dialogue...Canadians are coming together from all parts of Canada and indeed, the world, to talk and debate on the various nominees
Last, but certainly not least, if you believe that your physical landscape has a lot to do with the making of who you are then this list is a representation of the Canadian people themselves...who they are, what they believe in and what they stand for. The list gives one a sense of place, a sense of what Canadians are all about.
Vote with me!
To read more about the Northwest Passage and what it means to Canada, go here
And listen to Stan Rogers' glorious hit, "Northwest Passage", here
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10 comments:
I loved this post!!! And ofcourse all the nominees. I can see why you like the Northwest Passage, especially the lovely lines by Stan Rogers, which bring the point home.
I did vote for it too, and I hope your other readers do as well.
Last, but certainly not least, if you believe that your physical landscape has a lot to do with the making of who you are then this list is a representation of the Canadian people themselves...who they are, what they believe in and what they represent. The list gives one a sense of place, a sense of what Canadians are all about.
That is so beautifully said. If I may add, how the citizenry of a nation treat their physical landscapes also serve as a measure of them as a society.
I do sense the deep love that Canadians seem to have for their surroundings.
Good luck with the nominations.
Sanjay, many thanks buddy! There is great excitement around this event here in Canada. Ofcourse, most native Ontarians are going to vote for "Niagra Falls", but that's already a wonder of the world, I am hoping that lesser known sites or places will be on the Seven Wonders list.
Yes, the Canadians love the land, you get a true feel for that when you look at the list of nominees.
Thanks again Sanjay!
Dunno much about Canadian spots, because the only place I have been to is Vancouver (primarily for eating and visa stamping). I do want to visit Banff national park (did I spell that right?) when possible, and of course Victoria BC
Hi, Parth!
Yes, I realized most of my blogger friends are from the US and may not recognize a lot of the places mentioned here but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk about this contest, hence the post!
I haven't visited the Banff National Park either, but Victoria, BC is lovely!
Gosh, I've only been to a small handful of these... the Bay of Fundy, Cabot Trail, Winnipeg, Cathedral Grove-is cool, massive ancient trees! and I've driven some long portions of the Trans Canada Hwy. It's pretty typical perhaps but I'd probably have to say The Rockies. They are very impressive.
But the Stanley cup? or the Montreal bagel? Really? As Wonders of Canada? :P
Hi, Nat!
You've been to the Bay of Fundy? It has got a lot of votes, won't be at all surprised if it ends up being at the top of the Seven Wonders list!
Yes, the Stanley Cup and the Montreal bagel made it to the shortlist...I guess with hockey being a religion of sorts here I can't say I am surpised, but the bagel, yes, that took me by surprise too! :)
ah, 'am I the only poor soul who hasn't yet bin to Canada?? **sadly wiping a tear away **
loved the Northwest Passage - wonder if India would come up with such a list, I would be mightily confused.
Hi, Chimera!
Wow, it would be very hard narrowing down the wonders of India to just seven!
I hope you can visit Canada the next time you're in the US on work...let me know!
Ages ago we had a summer family vacation where we toured the Maritimes. We didn't go to Newfoundland but we saw many of the typical sites in NS, NB, PEI.
I can understand about the Stanley cup, but still! :P
Wow, it would be very hard narrowing down the wonders of India to just seven!
I hope you can visit Canada the next time you're in the US on work...let me know!
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