Oh Canada!

Between cases I like to sit in the Theatre break room and talk with the staff.  We talk about everything and I enjoy getting their perspective on World events, religion, politics, etc.  The latest topic today was about travel.  They were making fun of one of the staff who had not left Nalerigu in ten years!  I was a bit shocked, since Nalerigu is maybe just a few square miles in size.  He said everything he ever wanted or needed is here so why would he go somewhere else.  Anyway, I posed the question, if they could pick anywhere in the World to go where would they travel?  They all said they did not know, but they did know where they would NOT like to visit.  This was their list (in the order given) . . . Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Canada, and Ukraine.  Canada???  I first made sure that we were talking about the correct Canada (miscommunication is not uncommon), USA’s neighbor to the North and they assured me we were talking about the same place.  I assumed they would not want to travel there because of the cold and when I stated that fact they said NO.  The cold would not bother them, but they would not go to Canada because it is too unsafe!!  I am not sure what news reports they are hearing about Canada and I thought it was interesting that they basically placed it in a list of all of the most unsafe countries in the World right now.  I told them that for the last two summers I have vacationed in Canada.  I showed them pictures of the cottage and Big Rideau Lake and they were unimpressed and said I must have been very lucky to come home safe.  The nurse, in charge, could not believe that my father would let me travel to Canada.  He said he would need to write him a letter and inform him that it is too unsafe for me to travel to there again and if I needed a vacation in the summer I should just return to Nalerigu.  I could not break his heart and tell him that I don’t think my father would agree with his assessment of the travel plan!  I could never really get out of them what it was about Canada that made it unsafe, but I guess next time I am up there I will have to be a bit more careful and maybe even lock the cottage door.