Oka Confrontation

Part A

There are four points on the Oka Crisis Timeline which could have been an opportunity for the Oka people or the Mohawks to avoid or resolve confrontations. One would be in 1961 when it was decided that a golf course be built on the land of the Mohawks. If the people of Oka had thought about it and the issues it could cause it would have saved the future from a lot of chaos. Second, in 1990 the confrontation could have been avoided if the Mohawks hadn't set up barricades. Instead they could have tried making their viewpoints known in a more peaceful way. Third, on April 5th when the land was declared illegally occupied the Mohawk people could have accepted it and moved on. Fourth, on July 11 when the SWAT team came in, they could have handled things in a much more peaceful way. People didn't have to die.

Part B

There are a couple ways we can avoid incidents like the Oka Crisis in the future. The first and best way would be to ask people who own land if they can use it, or buy it off them. People need to be notified about this kind of stuff. It is unfair to just take things from people because you have more power than them. The Mohawk people's land claims were never settled, but they still have a sense of possession of it. There is another thing that can be done that I think would really help to avoid incidents like this in the future. It is that the Canadian government should always recognize the rights of the aboriginal people. They occupied Canada first and they are or should be recognized as equal to all of us. There shouldn't violence within our own country because we want to keep our reputation as a peaceful country.

The Oka Timeline

1. In 1717 the Mohawk nation claimed a portion of land to be theirs.

2.In 1961 a gold course was built on part of the land claimed by the Mohawk people.

3. In 1977 the Mohawks filed a claim on their land

4.In 1986 the Mohawk land claims were turned down by the Office of Native Claims, but the Mohawks still believed the land was rightfully theirs.

5. In 1989 it was announced that the golf course was going to be extended on to the Mohawk people's land.

6. On March 10 the Mohawks set up barricades blocking access to their land.

7.On April 1st about 300 Mohawk people and other protestors marched through the village of Oka.

8. On April 5th it is declared that the land was illegally occupied.

9. On July 11 a SWAT team was sent to break up the barricades, and an officer was killed.

10. On August 14 the premier of Quebec invoked the National Defence Act, which allowed him to send in the military.

11. On September 26 the Mohawk people gave up, they had had enough.

12. In June of 1991 the government started the First Nations Policing Policy.

The Oka Crisis

The Oka Crisis was a big event. There are three important aspects of the issue. The first would be Canada's failure to inform the Mohawks about their plans. Second, the first nations people wanted to be recognized as an independent people in Canada. And third, the Mohawks were willing to do anything to fight for their rights.

Canada has had problems with informing people about their plans. All throughout history decisions have been made by the government that have caused conflicts with the aboriginal people. They seem to think that they can do anything and they ignore the rights of the aboriginal people. The Mohawks had no idea that the government wanted to build a golf course on their land until they were getting ready to do so. It is completely unfair to take their land without asking them.

Ever since Europeans came over and started assimilating the first nations the people have wanted independence. As they see it, they were here first, they shouldn't have to adopt the European ways. And since eurocentrism has caused their cultures to be minimized they want to at least be recognized as their own nation. They want to govern themselves in their lands. They need some freedom.

The Mohawk people didn't want their land to be taken over. So they built barricades to their land so that nobody could get through. They guarded them with all they had. When the Quebec police forces began to get involved it became dangerous. Weapons were being fired and a fight broke out. People lost their lives, but that didn't change the natives views on the situation. Eventually it got to be too much, so they gave up. But because of their fight the plans for the golf course were cancelled. Agreements were changed and the Mohawks gained more recognition.

The Oka Crisis was a big event. This issue had three major aspects. The government didn't recognize the Mohawk first nations as a nation. The natives wanted to be recognized and be independent. And the natives fought for their rights, making a statement that changed many things. This issue isn't something that Canada is proud of, but it was an awakening to a blind country.

Australia and Canada

The effects of British imperialism in Canada and Australia are similar, but I think that the Australian people had it way worse. In Australia they have a National Sorry Day because of what happened many years ago. It is what we call the "stolen generations". Thousands of children were stolen from their parents. The children who had Caucasian ancestors were the ones who were targeted the most. This was because they were considered to be more intelligent than those who were completely aboriginal. These children were taken to residential schools and were assimilated. The British culture was forced upon them. The native people were often forced to marry the white men so that they could breed away the native people. Similar things happened in Canada too. Children from certain groups of aboriginals were taken from their families and put up for adoption. Then they were sent to residential schools. This was all done because of what the British wanted. These people were no threat to them, so they took advantage of them and forced them to adopt their ideas and ways of life. This devastated the native people. Their rights were taken away from them. This happened in lesser countries all over the world. If it weren't for eurocentrism, none of this would have happened the way it did.

Canada and India

During the days of early exploration Britain was a great superpower. They conquered many nations and gained much wealth. They took possession of Canada and also other countries such as India. The effects of their influence were much the same in contrast. There were many positive and negative impacts. Often the pros for the British were the cons for the Indigenous people.

The First Nations in Canada were forced to adopt the British culture as well as the Indians. This was bad for the natives, but good for Britain because they gained more power from it. To the British, these people were much lesser in rank and could not take care of themselves. So they invaded their lands and began to force their ideas upon them. Neither the First Nations of Canada or the Indians wanted to be controlled by the British, but they didn't have a choice. There is one difference between the Canadian first nations and the Indians though. Mahatma Gandhi, of India, was able to achieve freedom for his people. In a peaceful way he was able to gain independence. The people in Canada weren't as fortunate. Residential schools were formed in Canada. The poor Aboriginal children were abused at these schools. But not only abuse occurred. Many Indigenous nations were completely lost. People were killed and their cultures forever gone. These were all very negative.

Some positive impacts would be the beginning of their trading companies. In Canada the Hudson Bay company was started, and in India the East Indian Company was started. This allowed trading between nations and sharing of resources. The world continued to become more united.

Although there are so many negative impacts on the indigenous people, there is good that came from it. Some may say that the British influence made those countries better. They are more prosperous than they could have been without it. Our world today would have been a lot different if it weren't for the British and their influence.

Dummy's Guide to Eurocentrism

There are 20 basic things that you need to know to understand eurocentrism in its fullest.

1) Eurocentrism is the European perspective of the world.

2) This idea came about around the time of the renaissance.

3) Basically, the Europeans thought that they were better than the rest of the world.

4) Eurocentrism began to accelerate in the 16th century because of 'imperialism'.

5) Imperialism is when one country takes advantage of another country by claiming their land and stealing their resources to gain political power.

6) The Europeans were very competitive with each other.

7) When they discovered new lands and new people they realized that they were much more advanced than some.

8) Competition between European countries caused more lands to be colonized; it was a battle for the most wealth.

9) The indigenous people of different lands were often killed because of the European superiority.

10) Colonies were completely subject to Europe; Their ideas and beliefs and cultures were practiced there.

11) Europeans thought that their way of life was the best and that other countries needed it to prosper.

12) Protectorates were ways that the Europeans could guide countries without taking them over.

13) Europe tried to control both politics and economics in regions.

14) Indigenous people lost their cultures because of European influence.

15) Residential schools are a result of eurocentrism.

16) Trading was a very important part of imperialism.

17) Countries gained wealth and high status by possessing more lands and trading more goods.

18) Entrepreneurs were very prosperous during this time.

19) The whole world has been affected by eurocentrism.

20) Although Europeans thought they were superior, they didn't eliminate the worlds diverse cultures.

Capitalism

There are advantages and disadvantages to capitalism. But I think that the advantages overweigh the disadvantages, making capitalism a good thing. Capitalism creates competition. Competition then leads to more jobs. And more jobs and businesses create more wealth. And the circle continues.

Capitalism works well in a free market economy. People can use their skills and resources to create businesses. And when businesses start there is usually competition that follows. Competition is good because it gives businesses a chance to increase their wealth. For some it could be a disadvantage because their competition could be much stronger than them. In some cases businesses can form monopolies and share their wealth, or take businesses away from people. So there can be good and bad sides to it.

When competition starts more jobs are created. It is important to have a strong company to keep up with the competition. People with good business skills are hired to help a company grow. But as more people are employed, wages often have to be lowered. Sometimes people will start their own new business to compete with, having their own prices and wages, depending on how well they do.

Besides competition and employment there is one major purpose to capitalism. It is wealth. Everyone wants to be on top. Companies can be very successful. If there is no competition they can have whatever prices they want. It is when there is competition that it becomes tricky. Capitalism, in a way, is survival of the fittest.

It is obvious that there are disadvantages to capitalism. But the advantages are so much greater. One way to be successful is through competition. Another is more employment. And these both help in creating great wealth. They all connect and create the continuous cycle that is capitalism.

The Silk Road

The silk road was a trade route that had major affects on the world. The changes I want to focus on are those in medieval Europe. One was the change in the economy. Another was religion. And the last is the simple exchange of ideas.

When the Silk Road started the economy in Europe flourished. Europe traded their materials with other countries. And in return they received foreign products that they could use for various things. They became very wealthy by doing this. They even began to produce products originally found in other countries. Silk worms were smuggled out of China and eventually ended up in Europe. When they had discovered the silk worms they were able to start their own silk farms.

It wasn't only the economy that began to flourish. Religion began to spread like wildfire. People from other countries were interacting with others and their religious beliefs became known worldwide. In Europe there were many new religions practiced among the people. This changed the way people thought.

Another influence on the way people thought was the exchange of ideas. When new ideas were presented to Europe they were able to adapt them or adopt them. Cultural ideas began to change. New ideas also affected the way people did things. The silk farms is an example of an adopted idea.

The Silk Road had a huge impact on the world. It especially affected Europe. Their economy was able to grow. Variety of religion was created. And new ideas were used and changed. Without the impact of the Silk Road Europe would not be what it is today.

Sudan

In 1881 Britain came into Sudan and decided to colonize and rule the land. Years later in 1899 Egypt wanted to rule it also. So Britain and Egypt agreed that they would both rule together. About twenty years later a policy called "closed door" was created. This divided north and south Sudan, separating different cultures. Those living in northern Sudan were mostly of Arabic descent. Those in the southern part were mostly African. Then over thirty years later Sudan gained its own independence. The closed door policy was no longer in affect. When the country united again the Arabs took control and began to force their Islamic values upon everyone. Those who rebelled and didn't want to live like that lost rights and privileges. There was a lot of contention between the people living there. And this explains why Sudan is such a dangerous place today. It is constantly a battle for power. There is war and terrorism. It is all uncontrollable. And it all started because of different cultures being forced upon people. It is obvious that these people need to have more freedoms and rights so that contentions will stop. People from countries such as the United States have tried to help them, and end these wars. It is still a work in progress.

What is Potlatch?

Potlatches were traditionally held by the Northwest Coast Indians. They lived along the northwest coast of the United States and Canada. But what is a potlatch? It is a celebration or social gathering held by the native people. They usually took place after a new baby was born, or someone was married. But it wasn't like our modern gatherings. You would think that people would come and give gifts to the new babies or couples, like a baby shower or a wedding reception. But it was quite opposite. The hosts of the party would give gifts to all of the guests. They would do this in order to keep their pride and honor. This would give them high status. But not only are gifts given out, but like most celebrations a feast takes place. What is interesting about potlatches is that after one is held the hosts usually end up very poor. This is because they give almost everything they have to their guests. But as more potlatches are held the gifts circle around and new people become wealthy and poor. To our culture this seems rather strange. In fact, when the Europeans first met the Northwest Indians and discovered their potlatches, thats exactly what they thought. And with time, the European influence took over the natives and their potlatches were lost forever.

November Newsletter Questions

1. The closest location to my community that the torch will pass through is Lethbridge!

2. a) In the first picture I chose I saw women dressed in ancient Greek clothing. One is on her knees lighting the torch that the other standing woman is holding. In the second photo there is a woman in the same clothing. She is closing her eyes and looks as if she is singing.

b)The emotions from the first picture seem to be happy, peaceful, traditional. The emotions in the second picture are full of feeling, almost passion.

c)In the second photo I am wondering what the woman is singing, or saying.

3.If I was given the opportunity to see the olympic torch pass through my community I would definitely attend. This is a rare opportunity for most people. To see it would gives us a sense of pride as we watch and represent our country. People would feel that they are part of this special event. And I think it would be great if we all had the chance to see it.

Potlatch

European Exploration

Hundreds of years ago the north american continent wasn't nearly as populated as it is now. The land belonged to the Native people. Between 1500 and 1900 different European nations voyaged across seas and explored this land. People from France, Italy, and Britain were some of the early explorers.

It all started with Christopher Columbus who discovered that the earth was round when he reached new lands. For many years after that different people set out to find other lands. And when they reached the foreign lands they also discovered new people. The Native people had possessed the land for many, many years.

Meeting new people was sometimes a challenge for Europeans. They could not speak the same language. But they were still able to communicate in other ways. Trading began between nations. The Europeans had much greater technology than them. And because of this they had dominant power over them. The first nations lands were being taken away and used by strange people. They were sometimes forced to forget about their cultural identities and become like the European people. This was called assimilation. Residential schools began and native children were forced to speak a different language. They were often abused.

Today the North American world isn't this harsh. We can see that European influence has changed many of the lives of the Aboriginals. Many have adopted our cultures. But knowing that what was done to them in the past was wrong, the first nations have special rights. They have reserves just for them to help maintain their culture.

Secularism in France

I think that secularism is wrong. Every group of people should have the right to express themselves through their religions. It is a part of their identity. Making a law that separates state matters and religion takes personal identity away from a lot of people. They obviously don't realize some of the important values that different cultures have.

I don't think that the French government should worry about violence against minority religions. Unless the people in France are really psychos. Maybe it would be a good idea to do that in a place such as Iraq and other places where wars are going on right now. But that would be because it would be completely dangerous for someone to express themselves through religion. They really could get hurt. In Canada we all have the right to worship as we may. Lots of people wear clothing or accessories that represent their religions. And this has not caused very many issues.

In my opinion the French are really stupid. People should not be forced to live like that. They might as well become communists and take over everything else if they are going to take away religious freedom. People deserve to live the way their cultures do.

Lubicon

The Lubicon First Nations people can be located in northern Alberta. They had been happy in their land until the government decided they wanted to invade their territory to dig for oil. This became and issue because of Treaty 8 which failed to reach their people. The Lubicon people complained against the government, but were ignored. Much of their land was lost.

Around 1899 the government of Canada created Treaty 8. This treaty covered the large area of northern Alberta. When the treaty was issued the government visited first nations people located along the main rivers. The Lubicon people were missed because their location was harder to access. They would never have known that it would become an issue in the future.

Because of the government missing the Lubicon group, they didn't receive rights like the other first nations. Then the government decided they needed more locations for oil digging. The Lubicon people couldn't keep them from invading their territory. Had they been part of the treaty this wouldn't have been such a big problem for them. The government would have let them know their plans.

Since the Lubicon land had never been given a first nations title the government didn't realize that they were invading. Soon much of their land had been lost to oil digs. The people weren't happy. They have voiced their concerns to the government. They have opposed continual development of their land. And the people are serious about it, they will stand up for themselves until their concerns can be addressed.

A silly mistake was made many years ago. The Lubicon people were missed when Treaty 8 was issued. They have lost their land to large oil wells created by the government. They will continue to fight for their rights. They deserve to have their territory preserved.

National Sorry Day

In Australia there is a special day called National Sorry Day. It is a holiday celebrated nationwide. It has taken place on May 26 every year since 1998. So why do they have a National Sorry Day? It is because many years ago the Australian government forced the indigenous children in Australia to leave their homes and be separated from their families. People have different opinions to why these children were taken from their homes. It is possible that they wanted to preserve the black people by taking the children away and protecting them. Some may also say that the Aboriginals wanted to keep the white people pure. But nobody knows for sure. The stolen generations took place for about 100 years. So to apologize and help heal those who were affected by this, National Sorry Day was created.

On National Sorry Day there are many activities and events that take place. People are brought together through concerts, barbecues, speeches by leaders, and flag ceremonies. The flags raised would be those of the Torres Strait Islanders and the Aboriginals. These are only some of the things they do. There are special activities for children as well. It is all very important to the people.

My Opinion about Team Names

Offensive Team Names

Offensive Team Names:

1) After reading this article I have decided that it is a secondary source. The author referred to books written by other people and things they have heard from other people.

2)Facts:

*The NCAA has called an end to using American Indian names for team names

* American Indians aren't the only group that are offended by these names

* There are at least two teams that use the name "Vikings"

* Norwegians may be mocked by opposing teams, mascots are based on Hollywood interpretations of the culture

Opinions:

* "I have never found it offensive that teams use my ancestors names, I feel it to be more of a compliment"

* "If people really hated the Vikings they wouldn't be naming their teams after them"

* "We should replace the American Indian names with white people names"

3)The author of this article is of Norwegian decent. He gave some of his own opinions but it seemed that he was more interested in reporting other people's ideas. I think he would be a decent source to get information from because he used written references.

Team Names Offensive to Native Americans:

1)The author of this article reported a lot of information and opinions about this issue. I think that it is secondary because none of it appears to have been personal experience from him.

2)Facts:

*some people don't mind the use of their names, but to some it is offensive

*"my high school team name was the rebels"

*there are lots of teams named after valiant warriors who lost their battles

Opinions:

*"I wouldn't be offended if I was referred to as brave"

*"This name needs a change"

*"I suggest these changes to make the teams less offensive"

3)I don't think I would classify this author as a credible source. He gave facts about how Native Americans can be offended, but most of his article was just about alternate names and ideas he had.

Indian Psychologists Support Retiring of Offensive Team Mascots:

1)I have found the information in this article to be completely secondary. The author never wrote about personal experiences, but relied on other peoples words to express the issue.

2)Facts:

*The SIP wants sports teams to change their offensive names

*Mascots lead to misinterpretations of Native American cultures

*Dartmouth College and Stanford University are examples of institutions that have dropped their Native American names and mascots

Opinions:

none

3)There is pretty good credibility for this article. The author used a lot of quotes from people and provided a lot of facts.

My Opinion on Laura Dekker

I think that Laura should still be allowed to sail around the world, but not now. I think she needs to be older and have a little more experience. Traveling the seas is very dangerous and even though she wants to break the world record and be the youngest to sail solo it might not be worth it. I think she should experience life to the fullest and go when she is older so that if something happens to her she will have had a bit of a life before it.

Nobel Prizes

Alfred Nobel was the founder of the nobel prize. It has been presented annually since 1901. But what is a nobel prize? It is an award given to people around the world who have achieved great things in physics, literature, chemistry, medicine, and peace. The award consists of a medal, a personal diploma, and an award in cash.

Many people in the past have had the honor of receiving the nobel prize. These are the winners of 2009. Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Carol W. Greider, and Jack W. Szostak achieved the award in medicine for discovering how chromosomes protect their ends. In physics Charles K. Kao, Willard S. Boyle, and George E. Smith became the "fathers of fibre optics and digital imaging". In chemistry Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas A. Steitz, and Ada E. Yonath were awarded for uncovering the ribosome structure. Herta Muller was awarded for her literature. And the peace and economics awards are yet to be announced.

We Day and Free the Children

Free the children is a program that inspires young people everywhere to make a difference in the world. They provide all kinds of services to those in need. An example would be health and school kits sent to children that need them. There are special days for Free the Children called "We Day". This is a day that they hear from inspirational speakers and celebrate their "me to we" philosophy.

Moko versus Tattoos

1) I think Maniapoto wanted to make her message clear because most people just see the designs on their faces as tattoos. But to the Maori people they have deeper meanings. They tell stories of their ancestors, their ranks, and their accomplishments. These designs let everyone know who they are. The facts she gave about the moko strengthened her message because it tells exactly why mokos are not tattoos. I think that she was not just directing this message toward those who have tattoos and think that the Maori designs are the same, but to everyone so that we all can know how special the mokos are to her culture.

2) Maniapoto uses mainly facts in her argument. This makes her message much more effective because it firmly tells the truths of mokos. It is'nt just her opinion, it is what her culture believes.

3) I think Moana has some negative attitudes toward globalization. I am sure that she feels that the rest of the world is trying to force their ideas on her and she wants everyone to know that her culture is important too. Her song strongly represents how she feels about it.

Sukhbir

Not too long ago a star was discovered. Sukhbir was found in Kenya. But until he had been introduced to becoming a singer he had other plans. In an interview he said, " I was actually pursuing a career in Information Technology but I guess music was my destiny." And as we can tell music was perfect for Sukhbir.

His music has become very popular among different people. This is likely because his music style is a mix between Bhangra and Punjabi. Some people in the United States and Canada have also made mixes of his music. Sukhbir has also followed the footsteps of other musicians such as Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, and Lataji Ashaji. His first album has been very successful bringing in lots of money.

But what does Sukhbir do when he is not producing music? He has been found swimming, cooking, flying model airplanes, fishing, reading and most importantly sleeping. He also spends time with his wife Minal. Sorry girls, he is not single.

Sukhbir continues to work on his blooming career. And no doubt he will be going strong. He has many fans helping him on his way. Now all we can do is wait for his next amazing album.

Wal-Mart Vs Unions

Wal-Mart does not like unions. In the past one Wal-Mart successfully unionized and the result was not pleasant. They shut down the store and many people lost their jobs. So why does Wal-Mart hate unions so much. I think one reason would be because they don't want to have to raise prices to give employees higher wages. They don't want to lose customers, they want to stay at the top of the market. They want to keep their money.

Imagine if a Wal-Mart was unionized. Employees would want their wages to be higher. Wal-Mart doesn't want that because it would mean that they would have to raise their prices. But I think that the employees fail to realize how good Wal-Mart has been. They hire people of all ages, young and old. They even allow people with disabilities to work for them. If they don't think that income from Wal-Mart can support them and their families, they should seek a better paying job. There are other places that allow all kinds of people to work for them.

Wal-Mart probably thinks that if they had to raise prices that they would lose customers. This store holds 52% of department store retail trade in Canada. Obviously the company is not hurting for customers. I think that if they raised their prices and paid their employees more that it wouldn't hurt them very much. Their prices are a lot better than other stores. Raising one or two dollars will still keep them going strong.

Raising prices to pay employees better sounds like you would be losing money. But in reality it's no different than it was before. The store could still receive the same amount of money. The customers would just be paid a little more. Wal-Mart has nothing to worry about.

In my opinion, I think that Wal-Mart is paranoid about unions. It isn't a bad thing to provide benefits for your employees. You can pay people more without losing customers and money. Wal-Mart has been good to people, but it can still improve. Whether they decide to allow unions or not it has its pros and cons.

What Would I Do?

A fraud election would upset anyone. My friend wants to protest against it and I understand that desire. But I know that protesting would be a foolish choice. We don't have nearly as much power as the government. It would be dangerous for protestors, they could lose their lives. If she disagrees with the election, she should escape to another country.

We have been watching other protestors on the streets. So many people have been brutally beaten and killed. My friend thinks that if she joins and the protest groups get bigger that they will be able to overpower the government. But its not like that. I have seen what they do, they don't care about the people. They have weapons.

Even if they don't kill her, it is most likely that they will harm her in some way. My friend means a lot to me and I can't let her die. What is the use risking her life when she can escape this mess?

I think it would be best for us to escape this country. I have been told of other countries that hold fair elections. There are countries that give their people rights and freedom. Even if it takes us years to finally escape, it would be better than living with this terror forever.

This election has caused a lot of turmoil. And I think my friend understands now that protesting isn't for her. She knows that if she does the government will hurt her and she may not live much longer. So she and I agree to try and find the freedom we deserve.

Cough, Cough, Don't Pass It On!

"Cover your mouth when you cough! Keep your germs to yourself!" We have all been told that in the past. But now we are living in a time when doing that becomes critical.

Since the first case of H1N1 discovered in a human back in March 2009, people have been taking precautions. What at first seemed to be a common flu turned into a monster devouring the lives of over a thousand people. For the first time in 41 years a global pandemic had been declared.

This virus moves quickly. Its like a ghost making its way across the continents unseen and uncontrollable. It is hard to know who will be hit next. So Canada has been gathering as many anti-viral drugs as possible. We need to be prepared.

Until a case of swine flu can be identified we won't have a vaccine for it. So people of Canada need to do their part and help prevent it. Health departments have told us to do several things to avoid the spread of the virus. We should be covering our coughs and sneezes. Swine flu travels very easily through the air. When we sneeze into a tissue we should wash our hands thoroughly or use a hand sanitizer to kill bacteria. If you think you are infected with swine flu avoid leaving your home. Also stay away from crowds to avoid the spread. Areas around an infected person should be sanitized. Items or drinks should not be shared with other people who are sick.

Some people may not know that they have swine flu because the symptoms are very similar to that of the regular seasonal flu. Symptoms may include coughing, runny nose, aching, sore throat, fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms don't sound too serious, so why are they killing so many people? H1N1 is a respiratory illness. People who have weaker immune systems are more likely to get it. The virus attacks the body's major organs. If it attacks the lungs it can cause pneumonia which can be very deadly.

A second wave of H1N1 is expected to hit this flu season. People have hopes that we can find the technology to treat it. We need to accept the challenge to control it. Help protect yourselves and others this flu season.

Canada's Lovable Features

I have lived in Canada my whole life and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. There are just some things that make it better than the other countries. One is that the land is covered with many natural resources. Another is that we have a very good educational system. Third is that we have colorful money!!!

Canada is so blessed with natural wealth. There is an abundance of natural resources that we use for so many things. We have timber to provide supplies for homes and all kinds of luxuries to go in them. We have a large supply of oil that helps with transportation. We also have a tremendous amount of fresh water. Our prairies also supply lots of wheat and crops. Some countries don't have these things. When I think about it I realize how lucky I am to live in such an amazing country. We could be way worse off.

Canadian citizens all have the opportunity to get an education. Part of what our government does is try to provide education for everyone. With this we all are capable of becoming successful people. Education sometimes sounds kind of boring, but the more we learn the better we understand the world around us and exciting opportunities become available. In my case I can go to school for ultra sound tech. It is something I want to do and it will provide a good living. Then with my money I can go shopping, and travel, and participate in lots of recreations.

Speaking of money, our Canadian money is pretty snazzy. If you were to compare it to say U.S. money, you would quickly realize that ours is 100 times better. It may not always be worth as much as the U.S. dollar, but it will always be colorful! What other country has blue, purple, red, green, and brown money? But not only that, we have some special coins as well. The United States definitely doesn't have loonies and toonies. It is much more convenient to have loonies instead of a 1 dollar bill. How disappointed would you be if you thought you had so much cash, but it only amounted to a few dollars? But beside the fact that our money is beautiful, it is also patriotic. It represents the special things in our country. Our icons include the maple leaf, the beaver, a sailboat, a caribou, a loon and a polar bear. They may not be fancy buildings or places, but they are part of what makes Canada different. They represent who we are.

Others may give other opinions of why Canada is the best. But I would agree with their ideas because its not only our resources, our education system, and our money that make us great. There is so much about this country that Canadians can be proud of.