So now the question that is being knocked around in homes, workplaces and taverns all over Canada and even in America as far south as Buffalo is "Who is the Greatest Canadian?" So, where do your values tell you to put your allegiance?
Should you go with a sports star? Is it the Great One himself, Mr. Wayne Gretzky? He can skate pretty well; maybe he's the greatest Canadian. Is it Gary Carter? Honestly, I don't know if he's Canadian, but he was a catcher on the Montreal Expos for a long time. And a hell of a catcher, too. He can squat like it's nobody's business. Perhaps he deserves your vote.
Is music important to you? Raffi is a big hit around our house. If he's sung your kids to sleep as many times as he has mine then he may get a vote or two. Of course, we'd be remiss to ignore the genius of Bobby Gimby. His 1967 song extolling the beauty and intrigue of Canada might as well be a second national anthem. And please, don't forget Gordon Lightfoot.
Wit is what you value in a Canadian? I'll draw a Molson to that. How about Dan Aykroyd or Martin Short? John Candy? Tommy Chong? The list goes on and on. If I had to choose from this category, I'd go with Rich Little.
Politics? I'm sure the guy that decriminilized marijuana will get a few votes, but frankly, that's all you've got from the world of politics. Everything else is just bad mouthing America and that only makes you look like you're copying France.
Of course, all of these are fine choices if you want to pigeon hole yourself and your values into one easily defined famous person. But you're way more complex than that. You deserve a Canadian who represents YOU to nominate as The Greatest Canadian. Sure, you could all vote for yourselves, but that won't get the point across as well as if you all voted for one guy who is an average Canadian. And by average I don't mean less than average. I mean a well-rounded individual who works hard, plays hard, enjoys hockey and beer, and most importantly already has a website set up to win your vote. That is why US Press News is supporting Mark Baese for nomination as The Greatest Canadian.
Mark is a young but worldly man who works in media and has lived in many Canadian settings. He's worked in military functions, as well as in the high tech sector. He likes long walks on the beach, enjoys fine dining and is disease free. Oh wait, I've stumbled into the personal part of his site, scratch that last sentence.
The fact is, Mark deserves your vote because: Mark is average, Mark is good, Mark is Canada.
Take a moment to visit Mark's website, or vote for him from here.
