In June of 2013, I had the privilege of listening to Lieutenant-General
Roméo Antonius Dallaire give a keynote address at a conference. In it, he
challenged the audience to think about 2017 – the year Canada turns 150 and the
100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge
(the event in which Canada first stepped on the world stage as an independent
nation) – and to find an opportunity to honour our country and those that have
fought for it.
The idea of traveling across the country resided in the
back of mind, filed under nice to do one
day, maybe… but in that moment it came to the forefront. In the summer of 2017,
my kids would be nine and twelve – the perfect ages to embark on this type of
adventure. Four years was also plenty of time to get my husband on side, and
make necessary plans and arrangements. And so it was, I returned from the
conference with the seed of a plan.
Over the next few years, the seed grew… we would leave on
Canada Day, drive east from Calgary to the Atlantic coast. Along the way we
would see as many national parks, major cities, landscapes, landmarks, and most
importantly, historic sites as we could. Our goal will be to learn as much
about this country – its cultural and geographic diversity, its history, and
its quirks –as we can…for my children to have a strong sense of what it means
to be Canadian.
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