Just a Second Eh?

Everyone wants to be a winner; throughout our lives, the competitive spirit is drilled into our tiny brains by parents, teachers, bosses and coaches. To win is what “it” has always been about, but maybe times are changing and just maybe attitudes are as well. I am as competitive as the next guy. I am sure you will find people who will say I would compete against the next guy to out-compete him, but I am beginning to realize that it might be okay to be…er, second. I can’t believe I said that! That must come from years of me rarely winning.

Our nation recently has had to settle (temporarily) for having the second tallest moose in the world. While it was hard to accept, it was also inspiring. Canada is one of about 180 countries in the world and we are the 35th most populated country on this planet. That is one category that being first or second in would be a crowded podium, but between you and me, I appreciate the elbow room we have in Canada.

We have some things that Canada is in second place for and that is almost like winning. For instance, Ottawa is the second-coldest world capital city. The coldest capital city in the world is Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. I get the shivers just trying to imagine a colder place than Parliament in Ottawa. The smartypantsknowitall-scienceguys are blaming global warming for our colder temperatures, but when Ottawa is colder than outer Mongolia I blame the politicians.

Canada is second in the world with regards to water quality, behind only Finland, and that is something we should not only be proud of but also endeavour to maintain and possibly improve…cheers! We are also the second highest users of fresh water in the world behind the USA, probably because we have so much of it. Wouldn’t it would be nice to be number one in water conservation? I’ll drink to that…again cheers!

Canada is second to only Australia when it comes to exporting red meat (beef, buffalo and moose?), but when it comes to the other white meat, pork, Denmark kicks us right in the butt roast. With these two second places, it should come as no surprise to be second in the world in water usage and that is a factor in being second to the USA in greenhouse emissions. When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, could our cow and hog flatulence nearly equal the output of hot air and other strange emissions from the USA and their White House Fella? Just a thought.

Canada is a nation of hardworking people and a lot of Canadians work long hours or have a second job, but when it comes to being workaholics, Canadians take a back seat to the Japanese. Canada takes another back seat to the Japanese when it comes to being a market for the American seafood industry. That came as big surprise to me. I had always thought that Canada was basically self suf-fish-ent, but I knew Japan was hooked.

We Canadians have the second-highest usage of chewing gum per capita. Once again, we are behind the USA. I could only hope that we are low on the list of under the table chewing gum depositors. Of course, there is an American company that will remove chewing gum from bar tables (a dry ice and chisel method) and for that they can stay number one, but you have to wonder if they recycle the end product?

Canada has the second highest incidences of breast cancer in the world but could that be because of detection? Let’s hope so.  We should be number one in detection.