TO TAKE A BREAK FROM POLITICS, I'D LIKE TO PROMOTE VISITING CANADA.

      I have some friends who have recently visited Canada and can't get over the beauty and enjoyment of it all. They all look forward to their next trip back. (Minus the wannabe cops at the Border, of course).
      But let's stay on the positive, It is a beautiful drive and a great enjoyment just to get wherever it is they intend to go. The theme seems to be, " It's as enjoyable getting there, as it is being there."
      I'm talking about friends who usually know very little about the history of Canada and, because of it's size being so much larger than the U.S. in over-all area, tend to think of it as being comparable in population. I surprise a number of them when I make them aware that Canada has only one tenth the population of the United States. In fact, I always surprise myself when I go back to see my family and friends and view the scenery and memorable sites along the way.
      In discussions concerning the past and current conflicts around the world, I, and other Canadians who have migrated here are always reminding them of the population difference. Thus the comparison is often brought up about Canada's role in wars that are fought, or being fought around the globe. Recently Afghanistan. Little do they realize, but appreciate the fact that, when one Canadian soldier is lost, it's comparable to the U.S. losing ten because of the population comparison.
     They appreciate me pointing that out to them, because they may not have thought about it in that regard. I might also mention that they have no negative remarks to make about Canada, mainly because they are not schooled that much about the Canadian way of life and it's politics.
     Canadians have far more knowledge of the United States than the other way around.
     But back to the beauty and enjoyment of their visits. They express wonderment at the vastness of the wilderness, the wild animals they see,and people they meet. Most of all, they honor the habits and views of the people they meet up with, or visit.
     I try to encourage them to take the alternate route to Banff and travel through Spokane and on up to  Cranbrook, Radium Hot Springs, Golden and then on to Banff. I also encourage them to visit my Hometown of Fernie and the Crow's Nest Pass. It's true as to how many of them are familiar with Fernie because of it's Ski Resort and related facilities. But being there for the main purpose of skiing, they never ventured any further East from there....... Just sayin'.