My Canada Day Salutation Goes:

1. To all the volunteers who strive for dedication and devotion preparing the divine langar and washing dishes in Gurdwaras and Mandirs for the devotees and visitors, as well as for sharing the meals among hungry and homeless people irrespective of their faiths.

2. To those poor and destitute trash collectors who carry shopping carts or plastic bags collecting refundable empty beer, liquor, soda bottles, cans and juice containers to earn some coins, while picking up the litter for a cleaner environment.

3. To the Car Free Day each summer when Vancouver’s ever-vibrant Main Street is closed to all vehicular traffic, and the festivities begin. The Main Street culture is recaptured. Meeting neighbors and friends, acquainted with new and old businesses, exotic shopping, environmental campaigns, delights of street foods are the highlights of the Party On Main charged with the blare of music.

4. To the Canadian spring when daffodils, lilies, cherry blossom, magnolias along with other flowers and fresh tender leaves breeze in and change the landscape. When the Canadian summer packs full nature’s bloom. When the Canadian autumn signs in with galaxy of falling colorful leaves. And the Canadian winter when jingle bells inaugurate the festive season and making its entry into the greetings of Happy New Year.

5. And to the Maple Leaf flag stately and proudly embodying all the best about Canada.

-by Promod Puri