Tag Archives: Canada Day

Jesse’s Game

POSTED: JULY 1, 2026

I am quite a fortunate fellow when it comes to neighbours. Most of people in the marina where I moor En Plein Air are nice folks. And on my dock in particular there are some really nice people. One of those is just two slips away. Jesse is quite a bit younger than I am but we have some common interests and because I have a few years on him have been able to help him on a couple of things. His boat has a lot of teak and I have turned Jesse on to some of the products and techniques I have found to be good ones, for example.

Last week I was chatting with him regarding the issues of the day and like much of the world we have temporarily looked away from Ukraine, Palestine, wildfires, earthquakes, and Trumps latest nonsense to enjoy the FIFA World Cup.

Now I am not a football guy. I like the sport and like everyone, played a bit of soccer as a kid, but this World Cup with Canada co-hosting, and the Canadian team still in the mix has captured my attention in a big way. Jesse is not as football crazy as another slip-mate, Chris, but knows more than I do about it.

There have been a few things that have struck me when watching this high level of play. First, for a “ low contact” sport, while not being as combative as American football or hockey, it  really has a lot of rough contact. Beyond the physical task of running constantly these players are really getting roughed up in every game. I didn’t know you could break a leg for example in this sport.

A second thing that all but the aficionados’ are amazed by is the distinction between acceptable roughhouse,  minor penalties, and yellow or red cards. It all looks like unsportsmanlike conduct to me, but one day I may understand these distinctions. If I do, I will then perhaps turn my mind to understanding cricket.

And the last one is that this is such a thinking sport. The decision to pass, to shoot to turn on dime and kick using your “other” foot or head all are things being processed in split seconds. AI could learn a lot from these players.

But I started this note talking about Jesse and that’s because of his perspective on the game. Most of us have “our team”. I have friends who have Dutch football emblem tattoos. Others who will travel around the world to see Portugal or England or_________ play, even when its known or expected to be a lopsided match. So, when I asked Jesse if he would be watching the Canada Swiss match, he said he would not be missing it. He went on to explain that he is half Canadian and half Swiss and was looking forward to a good game. Either way it would work out for him.

It was a reminder for me that we increasingly live in a world where we take sides, and sometimes put a pretty hard edge on that commitment.  Our team must win and your team must loose, and some take this to an “us & them” demonization stage, like rampant nationalism, instead of healthy patriotism.

You really know when someone is messed up when they don’t have at least a soft spot for the obvious underdog in a game: Eddie the Eagle ski jumping at the winter Olympics decades ago, the Jamaican bobsled team at the Calgary Olympics and recently the Cape Verde team at this world cup not just holding of Spain but giving them a real lesson along the way.

I loved that Switzerland/ Canada game. There was some intense football played by both teams. The Swiss were the better team, in control most of the time and the final score reflected that good playing. Good for Switzerland. “My team”, Canada lost, but gained from the experience I expect. I also gained something from Jesse’s perspective.

Got to go now – another game awaits!

Django

 

P.S. And HAPPY CANADA DAY!

 

CANADA DAY

POSTED: JUNE 30, 2025

Canada Day, JULY 1,  has always been a big thing to me. Like many Canadians I have had grandparents who were from somewhere else, and at least one parent who had chosen the country to call their new home.

We have gone in phases of course with many who will hyphenate their heritage and loyalties, Italian-Canadians, Irish-Canadians etc. but today with the threats to the country so real, and the challenges so great, it is exciting to see most of us just dropping that hyphenated portion and be proud of the country we have chosen.

Like the rest of the world, we have a lot of problems, some of our own making. Top of that list is our conflicted history with the Indigenous Peoples. But I think we are on the right path to reconciliation, even if it is early going.

I will be celebrating the day with a lot of Canadians and Canadian supporters on En Plein Air, here in Malta. I will be doing some cooking of course. There will be maple syrup, and various Canadian products. Its hard to source many of them in Malta but there will be a lot of Canadian Wines and Beer and some Alberta steak and some seafood from the Maritimes. The only thing I wont be serving is Poutine. I have always just found the combination of fries, gravy and cheese, gross. The soundtrack will range from the old stuff – Rush, Joni, Guess Who, Mr. Young of course, through the years of The Hip, Rough Trade, Sarah Mclachlan and then into the current crop but all in a mix, much like our country.

The attire will include various shirts involving the Maple Leaf, with several hockey shirts in the crowd.

We will end the evening with some Canadian Ice Wine, butter tarts, Nanaimo bars.  The weather in Malta will be a great day and we will probably spend part of it out anchored off Gozo.

I have hosted this party before and with some certainty can set out clearly how the day ahead will go. I can’t however predict the future for Canada, but like all Canadians will have my elbows up, ready for what comes next.

Happy Canada Day!

Django