One of the Thank You gifts that Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty chose to give his faithful voters was a holiday in the middle of the winter for them to spend with their families. Aptly called Family Day, this holiday which is expected to be the third Monday in February will give all a huge respite from the harsh winter and allow them to spend it at home with loved ones.
While there have been mixed reactions to this holiday and one does not know whether it will continue in the years to come, my wife and I have really enjoyed this break. It would have been really though on us if we did not have this long weekend as in the past people worked continuously till Easter after the New Year break. A four month period without a break can really get to you in this country and respite from the winter is something that we all truly appreciate.
Our batteries have been recharged and we are all set to take on the challenges that the new work week will bring us. The Easter break will be a pleasurable one too as we hope by then the weather will be a lot bearable (fingers crossed:-)
Monday, February 18, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Snow! Snow! Snow!
There has been so much talk about climate change and how the colder countries have been getting warmer over the years. We were told before we arrived that the weather in Canada was a lot warmer than what it used to be and that they had several mild winters in the past few years. However, we had prepared ourselves for the worst and chose to come here in the summer and see the weather change ourselves.
It was one of the best choices we made as this winter is truly one of those old fashioned Canadian winters and the snow storms that we have experienced are more than those that have been experienced by residents who have been year for the last 20 years or more. The amount of snow that has accumulated in Toronto and its surrounding areas in the first 15 days of February has eclipsed all records since they started recording this data.
The never relenting snow dumping has had a tremendous impact on the city's ability to deal with the issue and has been successful for those in the business of snow removal. The burden of the costs associated with the snow removal is going to impact residents with additional taxes levied to fund the snow removal.
While the snow makes the surroundings extremely pretty, we have truly had our fill of it. Shovelling the snow is no longer a fun activity and like most Canadians we cannot wait for the summer to come.
It was one of the best choices we made as this winter is truly one of those old fashioned Canadian winters and the snow storms that we have experienced are more than those that have been experienced by residents who have been year for the last 20 years or more. The amount of snow that has accumulated in Toronto and its surrounding areas in the first 15 days of February has eclipsed all records since they started recording this data.
The never relenting snow dumping has had a tremendous impact on the city's ability to deal with the issue and has been successful for those in the business of snow removal. The burden of the costs associated with the snow removal is going to impact residents with additional taxes levied to fund the snow removal.
While the snow makes the surroundings extremely pretty, we have truly had our fill of it. Shovelling the snow is no longer a fun activity and like most Canadians we cannot wait for the summer to come.
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