One proud Canadian

Dear sir:
Hi, this is “Rapid Robert,” the guy with the plaid tam again.
One day last month, when I was thinking of far-off school days, a poem came to mind that was in our reader. It started out like this:
“Breathes there a man with soul so dead, Who never to himself has said, This is my own, my native land.”
I wonder if you, as a Canadian, feel like me.
I’ll have to admit I’m a very proud Canadian. Being as I wear a Scottish plaid tam, many people ask if I am Scottish. My immediate reply is “I’m first a Canadian” and yes, I am of Scottish descent.
If one is travelling anywhere, especially abroad, if you have that red Maple Leaf visible on your lapel or luggage, you are ahead of the game. Hitchhikers invariably have a big Maple Leaf displayed on their backpack or hand sign as that is their best chance for a ride.
I’d like to think we are different, not boastful, but proud to make it unmistakably known that we are “Canadian.”
We who are born in Canada are natives but let’s not forget that those who have sworn allegiance to our flag are as Canadian as us natives. We all have friends from across Canada who joined armed forces and fought side by side–many making the supreme sacrifice for our flag.
We are all Canadian–native born or otherwise.
Now, our neighbours to the south who may read this may take exception to this writing. I have countless American friends who are just as proud of their flag, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and rightly so.
You may or may not have noticed the American flag is flown much more in the States than our flag is flown here in Canada. I guess we are patriotic and proud but different in that respect–possibly another thing that makes us different as Canadians.
We proudly fly our Canadian flag at our Emo home, and certainly have the highest respect for it and what it means to be a Canadian.
Respectfully,
Bob Cottam