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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, July 2, 2014 | 6 We are Canadian Yesterday, we gathered at home or as a community to celebrate being Canadian. What does that mean? Vast, multicultural and free. These three words help to describe a nation that turned 147 years young on Tuesday (July 1). Within the simple words is a world of meaning -- no doubt different to each of us. To a sports fanatic -- hockey, lacrosse, curling and Gretzky may help conjure up images of this land they adore. For lovers of Canadian landscape-inspired art -- The Group of Seven and, closer to home, Robert Bateman may be names that instantly scream out C-A-NA-D-A. One could argue the motion picture industry might have evolved very differently had it not been for such one-time Canucks as Mary Pickford, Louis B. Mayer, Jack Warner, Fay Wray, Walter Huston, Christopher Plummer, Donald Sutherland, Norman Jewison, David Cronenberg, John Candy, Michael J. Fox, Mike Myers, Jim Carrey, Ryan Gosling and Dan Aykroyd, the latter of whom just happened to be born on Canada Day in 1952 -- and in Ottawa no less. Canadians have been signi cant contributors to world-changing scienti c discoveries and medical advances. They've been ingenious inventors and world leaders, brilliant poets and long-envied authors. The point is Canada is many things to its diverse population of roughly 35 million citizens. As always, the July 1 holiday gives us a chance to pause and re ect on what it means to be Canadian. Since the earliest days of our history, Canada has been a land of promise. Canadians have, and continue to, build a society that celebrates achievement and excellence, while at the same time maintaining a strong respect for human rights. Canada Day activities draw us together, strengthen our communities, and help us all understand the signi cance of the citizenship we share. One need only cast a glance at the headlines from around the world to realize life in Canada is good -- despite our occasional grumbling to the contrary. In Oakville, residents had the opportunity to celebrate in a variety of ways. The Royal Canadian Legion, Oakville and Bronte branches held celebrations -- to mark the day and to remember we would not have the privileges, rights and freedoms we have if not for the sacri ces of veterans. The Bronte Village BIA once again hosted its renowned Canada Day party at the Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park at the foot of Bronte Road and Ontario Street. (For our full coverage of the day's festivities, check our Thursday edition or go online at www. oakvillebeaver.com). However you marked your Canada Day, we hope you were able to pause for a moment to realize what it truly is to be Canadian and how lucky we all are to call this country our home. And now, though the party is behind us until next July 1 -- we should continue to remember what it means to be Canadian going forward. Editorial P A T R I O T I C P U "Connected to your Community" P S 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 52 | Number 78 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Havanese brothers Mickey and Carlos, both aged seven, were celebrating Canada Day a little early. Their proud owner, Oakville's Ginette Villeneuve sent the Oakville Beaver this photo of her pooches decked out in Canadian-themed scarves and ags for the celebration. | submitted photo Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Letter to the Editor Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Saying thank you to school bus drivers Editor's Note: This letter was given to individual school bus operators for their important work of safely transporting students. A copy of it was also led with the Oakville Beaver. We wish to extend to you our deepest gratitude for the vital role that you play and the ne work that you do in your job as a school bus operator for students in Halton. Each school year, approximately 33,000 students who attend 150 public and Catholic schools across Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville rely on school bus transportation to and from school. Throughout each school year you travel thousands of kilometres, often in adverse weather conditions and through unpredictable traf c, to deliver our students safely to our schools. Your dedication, hard work, and vigilance are instrumental to the safe and ef cient home to school transportation of those who are most precious to us -- the students entrusted to our care. Thank you for so generously sharing the spirit of your profession in a manner that touches the lives of so many. Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Diane Rabenda chair, Halton Catholic District School Board Kelly Amos, chair, Halton District School Board The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter.