Fake News and Other Opinions

The Oxford Dictionary defines the word belief as; an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists. Oxford defines the word opinion as; your feelings or thoughts about someone or something, void of proven fact.  

Which side decides which belief or opinion is true? Is it the guy who uses ALL CAPS to make his point? Is it the dirtbag who became president and when caught in a lie, doubles down with another lie? Some won't accept a fact even with overwhelming evidence if it doesn't serve their agenda. 

Facts are irrelevant. 

I believe US politics is a bit of a dumpster fire; you may not and that's cool. We do have to give kudos to the red team for their strategy of taking the win when they win but blaming all other humans when they lose. That's what five year olds do. What a spectacular way to get yourself out of every jam in your life. It's literally never your fault. Try it with your boss the next time you miss an important client deadline. 

Despite one shred of evidence, millions still believe the 2020 US election was stolen. Apparently if you call something a witch hunt and fake news long enough, some will believe you. If you don't get your way, apparently acting like a giant baby is the way to go. I live in Canada and it's like watching the WWE from the cheap seats.  

Many who start the rumor only care about winning at all costs. Their belief is irrelevant as long as they serve their opinion. But that's just my belief and opinion, of course.

I'll get the popcorn.

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Freedom is a Privilege

Millions of women and men of all races and nationalities have given their lives for the freedoms we embrace. Those freedoms are not a right; they are a privilege we hold dearly in our souls. You and I may disagree but we both cherish our ability to do just that.

No one, no matter who they are, what office they hold, or how many names they call those who oppose them, has the right to unilaterally decide those freedoms simply by our faith, the country of our birth, or the colour of our skin.

No one.
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We Stand On Guard for Thee

Today is Canada’s 146th birthday. Since this site has visitors from more than 180 countries, as a proud Canadian, I thought I’d share some fun facts about our country.

Canada’s name comes from a St. Lawrence Iroquoian word, kanata, which means village or settlement. We use the metric system, most of the time.

We are saying about, not a boot. Canadian Graeme Ferguson co-invented IMAX.
The longest highway in the world is the Trans-Canada Highway which is over 7,604 kilometers or 4,725 miles. Toronto is the 30th most populated city in the world.

We prefer using the word couch over sofa. The baseball glove was invented in Canada in 1883. Canada has the world’s smallest jail in Rodney, Ontario which is 24.3 square meters or 270 square feet.

Wayne Gretzky, Michael Buble, James Cameron, Jim Carrey, Alex Trebek, Celine Dion, Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, Mike Myers, Justin Bieber, Leonard Cohen, Steve Nash, Ryan Reynolds and William Shatner are all Canadian.

Canada boasts a 99% literacy rate. The average life expectancy at birth is 81.16 years – the sixth highest in the world and more than 83% of Canadians have internet access compared to the US at 78%.

Silverware is called cutlery. Sorry is a perfectly acceptable response and often our default one. The country has the longest coastline in the world and Canada represents the world's 11th largest GDP.

We have butter tarts, poutine, and ketchup chips but maple syrup is not our national beverage – Google if you must. Canadian Thomas Ahearn invented the electric cooking range in 1882.

Canada has the fourth lowest population density index in the world with just over 34 million people in the second largest country in the world by land mass at approximately 9.9 million square kilometers or 3.8 million square miles.

There have been 22 Nobel Prize laureates from Canada and it's in the top five producing countries of gold, copper, zinc, nickel, aluminum, and natural gas.

Soda is referred to as pop. Canadians James Till and Ernest McCulloch are credited with the discovery of the stem cell.

Basketball was invented by Canadian James Naismith. Canada has the longest coastline of any country in the world. Canadians consume an average of 23.4 pounds of cheddar cheese each year.

Now you know.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership and Culture strategist, writer, speaker, executive coach engaging leaders, collaborative teams, and strong business results.

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Canada Day Fun Facts

In keeping with the multitude of celebrations today, here are some items you may not know.

The Dominion of Canada was established on July 1st, 1867 and officialy became a country April 17, 1882. So today is Canada’s birthday and she’s 144 years young. Like our American pals’ Independence Day we spend at BBQs and parades or just enjoying the extra long weekend.

The average life expectancy is 8th in the world at 81.16 years while the United States is 46th at 78.14. Butter tarts, poutine and ketchup chips are among the long list of snacks native to Canada. Our national anthem, originally entitled “Chant National” was first performed in 1880 and Canadian Parliament approved it as the unofficial anthem and renamed it O Canada in 1967 and it became the official anthem on July 1, 1980.

Over 18 million Canadians on Facebook

Though delicious, maple syrup is not our official beverage. 22% of Canadians name French as their first language. The longest border between two countries in the world is between Canada and the U.S. stretching 5,525 miles or 8,891 kilometres and known as the International Boundary. Three quarters of Canadians are online which ranks the country 4th in the world.

Canada is 3,855,103 square miles which makes it the second largest nation by land mass on earth. Remarks such as “please”, “thank-you” and “you’re welcome” are alive and well in Canada. Ice hockey is the country’s official sport. There is evidence of hockey being played in this part of the world dating back to the 10th century. The rules of the game were first published in 1877 in the newspaper The Montreal Gazette.

Loonies and Twoonies

Canada is the 9th in population density and has the 14th largest Gross National Product in the world. Besides being home to animals such as moose and grizzly bears, Canada has over 50,000 species of insects and more than 10,000 species of spiders and mites. Newfoundland was the first area of the country visited by European explorers but the last to become an official province.

23% of Canadians search LinkedIn for job opportunities. We say a-bout not a-boot. Canada has the longest coastline of any country in the world at 151,600 miles or 243,976 kilometers. The population of Canada just over 34 million.

Beer and Basketball

Although symbolic, the regent of England, Queen Elizabeth II, is the Canadian head of state. The Moosehead Brewery of Saint John, New Brunswick produces over 1,600 bottles a minute. James Naismith, born in Almonte, Ontario just outside of the capital city of Ottawa invented basketball to give his YMCA students more exercise in 1892. At 74, Naismith attended the 1936 Olympic Games to witness the first time basketball was in the competition.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were formed in 1873. Today there are over 28,000 members. We eat more than 350,000 tons of cheese every year. That’s close to 24 pounds each. Canada has universal health care. From its opening in 1976 until being eclipsed in 2007, the CN Tower in Toronto was the worlds largest free standing structure. Canada is the most multi-cultural country on earth.

Happy Canada Day!

Kneale Mann

image credit: lancasteronline