Canada in Quotes

With Canada Day just around the corner, it’s time to think about our country. It’s certainly not perfect, but it’s pretty darn awesome. As countries go, there are few that have a population as diverse as the landscape. From food to festivals, we’re an amazing blend of traditions old and new. So let’s take a moment to appreciate our beautiful nation, turning 148 years old this year. To go with these fantastic pictures, we’ve included quotes by some famous and not-so-famous people about Canada.

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Happy Birthday, Canada!

"Canada is the homeland of equality, justice and tolerance."

- Kim Campbell

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Yoho National Park, BC

"I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given to participate in that work as a representative of my country, Canada, whose people have, I think, shown their devotion to peace."

- Lester B. Pearson

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Whistler, BC

"I'm a Canadian. Outside Canada I carry the flag. Canadian nationalism isn't as insidious as American nationalism, though. It's good natured. It's all about maple syrup, not war."

- Feist

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Quebec City, QC

"Canada is a balloon-puncturing country. You are not really allowed to be an icon unless you also make an idiot of yourself."

- Margaret Atwood

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Toronto, ON

"The fact that over 50 percent of the residents of Toronto are not from Canada, that is always a good thing, creatively, and for food especially. That is easily a city's biggest strength, and it is Toronto's unique strength."

- Anthony Bourdain

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Niagara Falls, ON

"The cool thing about being famous is traveling. I have always wanted to travel across seas, like to Canada and stuff."

- Britney Spears

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Bruce Peninsula, ON

"Canada's the best country in the world."

- Justin Bieber

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Okanagan Valley, BC

"When I was crossing the border into Canada, they asked if I had any firearms with me. I said, 'Well, what do you need?'"

- Steven Wright

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Rain Forest, BC

"I began doing writing projects and art and design projects to explore a new way of seeing Canada. Roots is one more way of continuing this exploration. I want to present a wide-open Canadian sense of colour, adventure, communication and openness that defines our country."

- Douglas Coupland

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Montreal, QC

"Coming from Canada, being a writer and Jewish as well, I have impeccable paranoia credentials."

- Mordecai Richler

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Edmonton, AB

"I love being Canadian. I think growing up in Canada gives you a world perspective that I certainly enjoy."

- Ryan Gosling

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Saskatchewan

"It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw."

- Emily Carr

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Manitoba

"I'm so proud to be Canadian. I've been to 58 countries, and they're wonderful countries, but Canada is the best."

- Paul Henderson

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Alberta

"My dream is for people around the world to look up and to see Canada like a little jewel sitting at the top of the continent."

- Tommy Douglas

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New Brunswick

"It's a strange one – I've been away for 20 years now; I've been away longer than I lived in Canada, but for some reason I remain wholly Canadian."

- Steve Nash

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Nova Scotia

"I love Canada. It's a wonderful political act of faith that exists atop a breathtakingly beautiful land."

- Yann Martel

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Prince Edward Island

"The nice thing about being detained in Canada is it's like being in a Days Inn; it's very clean and very nice."

- Bill Ayers

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Newfoundland

"Growing up in Canada, I didn't watch football much."

- Sidney Crosby

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Labrador

"The US is our trading partner, our neighbour, our ally and our friend... and sometimes we'd like to give them such a smack! "

- Rick Mercer

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Nunavut

"I don't even know what street Canada is on."

- Al Capone

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Northwest Territories

"Canada is the essence of not being. Not English, not American, it is the mathematic of not being. And a subtle flavour – we're more like celery as a flavour."

- Mike Myers