susan hazell

[Idiotocracy® @theidiotocracy]

FOR CANADIAN EYES ONLY. 🍁

DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT READING THIS IF YOU’RE NOT CANADIAN.

A LOVE LETTER TO CANADA.

Dear Canada,

Sometimes, in all the noise, the arguments and the headlines, we forget just how extraordinary you are.

So today, this one’s for you.

You’re the country that gave the world hockey, basketball, insulin, IMAX and the Canadarm.

You’re Alexander Graham Bell experimenting with the telephone in Brantford. Frederick Banting and his colleagues helping bring insulin treatment to the world. Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio helping lay the foundations of modern artificial intelligence.

You’re Donna Strickland revolutionizing laser technology and James Gosling creating Java.

You’re Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe and Sidney Crosby.

You’re Summer McIntosh making us leap off the couch and cheer.

And you’re Terry Fox, running down a lonely Canadian highway on one leg, showing the world that courage isn’t measured by how far you get, but by how far you’re willing to go.

You’re Gordon Lightfoot singing about the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Canadian Railroad Trilogy.

You’re Stompin’ Tom Connors, stomping his boot through The Hockey Song and singing about places most of the world had never heard of.

You’re The Tragically Hip, turning small towns, hockey heroes and Canadian history into the soundtrack of a generation.

You’re Leonard Cohen, Oscar Peterson, Céline Dion, Anne Murray and Neil Young.

You’re John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Mike Myers and Jim Carrey, making the world laugh.

You’re Lorne Michaels creating Saturday Night Live and James Cameron taking audiences to worlds they’d never imagined.

You’re Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne Shirley, that wonderfully imaginative red-haired girl who made a little farmhouse on Prince Edward Island famous around the world.

You’re the Group of Seven, who looked at crooked pines, rocky shorelines and windswept forests and showed us just how beautiful our country really is.

You’re Viola Desmond refusing to accept segregation.

Willie O’Ree breaking hockey’s colour barrier.

And generations of Canadians who stood up against injustice, opened doors and helped make this country better.

You’re the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples whose cultures, languages, knowledge and traditions have shaped these lands for thousands of years.

You’re Tanya Tagaq, Susan Aglukark, Kenojuak Ashevak and the countless Indigenous artists and storytellers whose voices continue to enrich this country.

You’re the powerful stories of the Wendigo, carried through generations of Algonquian-speaking peoples.

And you’re Sasquatch, who’s apparently still doing a remarkable job of avoiding a decent photograph.

You’re the Rocky Mountains rising above British Columbia and Alberta.

The endless prairie skies of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The lakes and forests of Ontario and Quebec.

The red soil and rolling hills of Prince Edward Island.

The rugged coastline of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The fishing villages, covered bridges and ocean breezes of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

You’re the northern lights dancing above Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

You’re the Atlantic crashing against the rocks, the Pacific stretching toward the horizon and the Arctic reminding us just how vast this country really is.

You’re canoeing across a still lake at sunrise, with nothing but the sound of a paddle dipping into the water.

You’re the haunting call of a loon across the lake.

The smell of pine trees after the rain.

The crunch of autumn leaves under your boots.

You’re cottage docks, swimming holes, fishing trips, portages and the sound of rain on a tent roof.

You’re campfires, s’mores, mosquito bites and someone insisting they know a shortcut back to the campsite.

You’re a marshmallow catching fire while three people shout conflicting instructions.

You’re Saturday mornings at the rink.

Skates drying by the door.

Frozen ponds, backyard hockey and road hockey games interrupted by someone yelling, “CAR!”

You’re snow days, snow forts, toboggan hills and the first warm afternoon in spring when everyone suddenly appears outside.

You’re poutine, butter tarts, Nanaimo bars, Montreal bagels, Halifax donairs and sirop d’érable poured generously over Sunday pancakes.

You’re maple trees turning brilliant red in October.

The first snowfall in November.

The last stubborn snowbank in April.

And the annual Canadian tradition of declaring winter officially over about six weeks too early.

You’re the neighbour who shovels your driveway without being asked.

The stranger who helps push your car out of a snowbank.

The person who holds the door for someone twenty feet away, leaving both of them in an awkward little race to be polite.

You’re communities that come together when someone loses a home, faces a tragedy or simply needs a hand.

You’re the people whose families have lived here for generations and those who arrived yesterday, carrying their hopes for a better life.

You’re English and French, Indigenous languages and hundreds of others spoken around kitchen tables across this enormous country.

You’re accents that change from one province to the next.

You’re kitchen parties, community rinks, summer festivals, farmers’ markets and neighbours gathering around a backyard fire.

You’re small towns where everybody knows everybody.

And big cities where people from every corner of the world have found a place to belong.

You’re not perfect, Canada.

There are painful chapters in your history, injustices that must be confronted and promises still waiting to be fulfilled.

We disagree. We argue. We complain about the weather, the government, the price of groceries and the Leafs.

But when something truly matters, we have an extraordinary capacity to come together.

We’ve given the world discoveries that saved lives.

Inventions that changed industries.

Music that moved generations.

Stories that travelled across oceans.

Athletes who inspired millions.

And ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things.

Yet some of the best things about you aren’t famous at all.

They’re the little things.

A canoe on a quiet lake.

A familiar song on the radio.

The smell of a campfire.

A hockey game on a frozen pond.

Fresh snow falling beneath a streetlight.

A neighbour waving from across the street.

A loon calling somewhere in the distance.

The sound of laughter around a kitchen table.

The feeling of coming home.

Because that’s what you are, Canada.

Not just a country on a map.

Not just a flag, a border or a collection of provinces and territories.

You’re the memories we carry.

The stories we tell.

The people we love.

The places we miss when we’re away.

From coast to coast to coast, we’re different in a thousand ways.

And somehow, through all those differences, we share something that feels unmistakably like home.

So here’s to you, Canada.

Not because we’re better than anyone else.

Not because we’ve got everything figured out.

And certainly not because we’re perfect.

But because you’re ours.

Our landscapes. Our stories. Our laughter. Our memories.

Our home.

And sometimes, in a world that seems determined to remind us of everything that’s wrong, it’s worth remembering just how much there is to love.

With love, eh?

Canadians. 🍁

[Curling Canada @CurlingCanada]

GOLD! 🥇

Congratulations to Ontario (Evan MacDougall, Dylan Stockton, Evan Madore, Carson Kay, Ryne Fisher, and Jordan Thin) on winning the gold medal at the 2026 @NHAgriculture Canadian U-20 Men’s Curling Championship!

[Curling Canada @CurlingCanada]

Congratulations to the Canadian mixed doubles champions - Serena Gray-Withers and Victor Pietrangelo!

From dropping 6 points in the first end to a dramatic draw for the win in the eighth end, what a victory!

#CMDCC2026

[Ridley Athletics @RidleyAthletics]

Join us for the first annual Niagara Junior Rowing Camp designed for rowers of all levels!

🗓️ January 18th, 2025 | 8am–5pm
📍 Ridley College

This event blends training and classroom sessions to boost your physical and mental skills in rowing.

More info: https://t.co/TrUuyZbfVv

[Rod Mawhood @rmawhood]

The already impressive @Ridley_College Rowing program continues to produce more #NCAA athletes.
Head Coach Siobhan McLaughlin joined the #NiagaraSportsReport with more.
Listen here: https://t.co/q02xJrsIq4

[Brian Cardone 🏴‍☠️ 🇺🇦 @cardon_brian]

Oh my god this is too funny. You have to watch it all the way to the end, I promise you won’t regret it.

[susan hazell @sehoades]

Congratulations Sydney! 😊👏👍

[Ridley Athletics @RidleyAthletics]

Congratulations to Prep Rowing student-athlete Sydney Swick ’25 on her @NCAA commitment to the University of Michigan (@umichrowing)! 〽️

@RidleyRowing | @umichathletics | #RowBlue

[Ridley Athletics @RidleyAthletics]

On Saturday, Caitlin Ng ’25 hosted the first Ridley Girls in Squash event in the Jack Aylott Squash Centre, giving girls in Grades 4-6 a chance to improve skills and connect. With squash debuting in the 2028 Olympics, Caitlin advocates for more female representation in the sport!

[susan hazell @sehoades]

Congratulations Jade! 😊👍👏

[Ridley Athletics @RidleyAthletics]

Congratulations to Prep Rowing student-athlete Jade Postma ’25 on her @NCAA commitment to the University of Michigan (@umichrowing)! 〽️

@RidleyRowing | @umichathletics | #RowBlue

[Ridley College @Ridley_College]

On this National Philanthropy Day, we express our deepest gratitude to all of Ridley’s donors and volunteers.

Last night, at the Ridley College Canadian Foundation dinner in Toronto, we celebrated the incredible generosity of our community. It was an inspiring evening, showcasing the power of giving and how it shapes lives and futures.

Thank you to our donors and volunteers who embody the spirit of Terar Dum Prosim every day. Your support not only provides scholarships and opportunities but also teaches our students the importance of serving others. Together, we’re making a lasting impact on the next generation of leaders.

[Baseball Canada 🇨🇦⚾️ @baseballcanada]

Tip of the cap to #WorldSeries MVP Freddie Freeman from all of your fans North of the Border 🇨🇦!

#MVFree | @FreddieFreeman5

[Ridley Athletics @RidleyAthletics]

CISAA Champions🥇

Congratulations to the U16 Girls Basketball team for winning the gold medal in their CISAA division!

[OCAD University @OCAD]

Shout-out to Prof. @GaryTaxali for his new mural at @Ridley_College, St. Catharines, showcasing 135 years of history through archival artifacts in a modern format. Concept by OCAD U grad Elizabeth Braun-Loomis.

[susan hazell @sehoades]

Very proud of you AB East boys. 😊👍👏

[Ridley College @Ridley_College]

The boys of Arthur Bishop East once again stepped into heels for their annual Walk a Mile in HER Shoes event, supporting their house charity, @GilliansPlace and standing united against gender-based violence.

Throughout the day, they wore signs highlighting alarming statistics about violence against women and signed pledges committing to break the cycle of violence. Keep making a difference, Tigers!

#WAMNiagara

[Ridley College @Ridley_College]

Relive the elegance of The Legacy Gala!✨

It was a night to remember as we celebrated the success of The Campaign for Ridley and the future of our school. On behalf of all of us at Ridley, thank you!

[susan hazell @sehoades]

Row Ridley Row! 😊👍👏

[Ridley Rowing @RidleyRowing]

Our crews are making waves in Boston this weekend at North America's biggest regatta – Head Of The Charles! 🚣‍♂️

🎥 Catch our boats in action on the HOCR Broadcast: https://t.co/dlyskkA9LC

[Ridley Rowing @RidleyRowing]

Results

[susan hazell @sehoades]

Way to go Tigers! 😊👍👏

[Ridley Rowing @RidleyRowing]

The girls rowing team recently attended the Head of the Trent Regatta. Building on their race experience from the previous weekend, they improved in both sculling and sweep events. Despite a late afternoon thunderstorm, the U19 Women’s 8+ won gold in the final race of the day!

[Ridley College @Ridley_College]

Homecoming Weekend has begun! This afternoon, we had the privilege of welcoming back the Class of 1974 for their Golden Tiger Lunch at Kenyon Lett House, celebrating their 50th anniversary as Old Ridleians.

[BU Women's Hockey @TerrierWHockey]

Best of luck to Lilli and Luisa as they compete with @deb_teams in a four nations tournament against France, Slovakia and Hungary this week! 🇩🇪

#ProudToBU