I’ve been lazy with my thoughts lately. Busy at work, down from the rain, gaming, yard work when the sun actually shines and playing with the new mini.
I have thoughts and opinions on the whole Khadr situation (not going there), how they keep canceling great tv shows that actually have great stories that challenge the mind yet leave the crap to run (will get this one later) but today lets deal with the national bird, or the lack thereof.
Naturally when the competition was first announced I jumped up and figured it would be a slam dunk for the majestic Canadian Loon! What does everyone hear when they think of a great Canadian lake? The haunting call of a loon. Nothing screams Canada more – pun intended. But I was ok with the Heron and a few others. I was floored when the grey jay was announced as the winner – what the heck is a grey jay?
After a few days of reading and learning about the jay I finally came to the conclusion that I could live with it. It was a good neutral choice that kinda made sense.
Then the federal 
government comes out and declares there will be no national bird. What?
Seems the Royal Canadian Geographical Society had hatched the entire idea and figured if they picked a bird the government would just go with it. They even created a cover page on their magazine with a full article – I have to admit I read the magazine each month and bought it that this was a done deal.
The whole story can be read here in this CBC story.
Question: did anyone actually know that we didn’t have a national bird? Turns out we don’t have a national bird, a national flower or a national animal. Everything is provincial. I actually didn’t know that. I just naturally assumed the loon, the beaver and …. I honestly had no idea what the flower would be hahaha. Why don’t we have national symbols beyond a maple leaf, although who knows if that is even a thing? Now I’m even more confused then I am on a normal day.
Even Bermuda has a national bird – the cockroach (actually the Bermuda petrel) and a flower – The Bermudiana. Bermuda has a population of around 60 thousand, we have a population of 36 million and are the 2nd largest country in the world and we have no flower, no bird and no animal…….hmmmm
I hereby declare the Canadian Loon is and should be the national bird. The beaver is our national animal and the maple tree is now a big ass flower and thus our national flower. There, I said it and I have written it, therefore it must be true 🙂
Canadian Loon Calls 