A Happy Fourth Of July To Our American Friends and Neighbours

A Comment by Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper

 “Let us be lovers, we’ll marry our fortunes together.” – from the song ‘America’ by Paul Simon

 As we Canadians finish up celebrating Canada Day weekend, and our American friends celebrate the Fourth of July, let me leave us all with a few thoughts.

Flags lining Soldiers' Circle in Buffalo, New York this Fourth of July weekend. Photo by Doug Draper

Not everyone will agree, but let me say it anyway. In a world full of ugly and too often deadly conflicts between nations, we Canadians and Americans are fortunate to share a border and continent together.

In the spirit of that Paul Simon song a few lines of which are quoted above, we’ve had our share of quarrels like most lovers do. Most notable among them is the War of 1812 which  both countries are working together to commemorate the 200^th anniversary of this coming year.

There have been trade disputes and, more recently, the spat over Canada’s unwillingness to join President George W. Bush’s “coalition of the willing” for an invasion of Iraq many Americans now agree was, if not a scam for oil producing interests, a tragic mistake.

For the most part and in between these lovers’ quarrels, I believe a majority of Canadians and Americans live and respect one another, and know at the end of the day that we are among the best neighbours a nation could have in this troubled world.

So with that, let those of us on the Canadian side of our border with our American neighbours well as they celebrate their Fourth of July.

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