Happy Birthday to Canada

Today is Canada Day, which is sort of Canada's Independence Day. Technically, it commemorates the adoption of the British North America Act, through which Canada became a Dominion of Great Britain. See how many hoops you have to jump through if you want to be a free country and still put somebody else's Queen on your money?

As you already know if you're a regular reader, I've got a soft spot for Canada. I went to college right across from the border and have spent a lot of time in The Great White North, and I think that it's a pretty neat country. Among its other merits, our neighbor to the north has the world's best beer store, the world's best candy bar, and the world's most entertaining sports personality.

Canada is held in pretty high regard by the rest of the world, and has been called "North America's designated driver." I have a sneaking suspicion that Canadians' intentions toward us aren't really that benevolent, but as neighbors go, I think we can stipulate that they beat the hell out of somebody like North Korea.

Plus, they've got the Mounties, who somehow manage to be totally cool and vaguely ridiculous at the same time.