The 2010 Winter Olympics Games in Vancouver

First of all, I wanted to start out by saying how disappointed I was in the organizing committee for the Opening Ceremony. It was horrible...

Not to say that it didn't have its good points, but I just hate it when you try to please everyone because then, you just won't please anyone. Canadians, are always worried that we will upset somebody. Who will be hurt by not being represented in this showing of our culture? Did we include the Natives? What about the French, -did they get enough air time? How about the gay population, the handicapped, did they get their time as well?

I'm tired of having all of these sub-cultures complain about their 15 minutes of fame when the world is watching. If you are a proud Canadian, you are a Canadian first, then you are Native, French, English, Gay, or whatever. The representation of our red and white flag with a Maple Leaf is enough to make you feel that lump in your throat when you see your Olympic athletes come out of that tunnel. You cheer and support them regardless if they are white, gay, French, or whatever they are. They are country men and women, PERIOD.

Of course, you are going to hear the French population come across and claim that the ceremony wasn't represented as much as it should've been in French, considering that Canada is officially a Bi-lingual country. But in the effort to keep the ceremony interesting, and as reasonable that time would allow, it must be in the language that every country in the world speaks. -ENGLISH. This isn't a slight towards our French countrymen, because it is done in every Olympic games, because the international language is ENGLISH.

I can't tell you how embarrassed I was when all my friends from other countries sheepishly told me that they were surprised with how Canada chose to represent itself in the Opening Ceremonies, and I had to agree with them. It was embarrassing, but truly representational of how Canada will include everyone in their country. To be honest with you, I felt that Canada went WAY out of their way to include as many different sub-cultures as it could possibly fit in to make everyone feel included, while the world watched and wondered where our unified spirit went.

So to say I felt let down being a proud Canadian was an understatement. I wanted the world to see how Canada is really represented. -The good, and the bad. Show the world our hero’s and legends. (Where was anything of Terry Fox mentioned?!)

Show the world our funny stereotypes like Bob and Doug McKenzie, and let the world know that we can laugh at ourselves and still be proud Canadians. Show our Mounties, Armed Forces and Peacekeeping Forces, and let our elected leaders project that pride. I can't believe how little I saw of any of this. The Chinese had their culture front and centre for their Olympics and did a fantastic job of doing it. In comparison to their effort, I give Canada a "D+" for the entire performance.

I just hope the Men's Hockey Team can come up with a performance to unite us again as one nation of Canadians, because that's what Hockey seems to do in this country. No matter what, if you are a Canadian, you cheer for your hockey team wearing Red and White with that proud Maple Leaf on the front. And it's a lot of pressure, but everyone knows that anything less than Gold is a disappointment. And after the opening ceremony, I can't accept any more, so...

GO CANADA GO!!