My second favourite American holiday, after American Thanksgiving.  It’s about being happy and grateful because of where you are lucky enough to live, and about frisbees and cookouts in the local park and fireworks to end the day. It’s about being part of your community. American Thanksgiving is about gratitude as well, to be a part of a family, to have the necessities of life, food on the table, your own or not.

Canadians are less fervent about their holidays than Americans are. This does not surprise me. I still celebrate Independence Day and American Thanksgiving in my heart, though I have been [back] in Canada since 1996. My heart, however, is very happy to be in Canada.