More Canada Day fun and festivities

(If you happen to be in Toronto, get down to Harbourfront ASAP since Mike is playing a free concert there today at 3 pm)

Sir John A. (You're O.K.)
Words and music by Mike Ford from his album “Canada Needs You, Volume 1”

In the mid-1800’s the political situation in B.N.A. [British North America] was straining...
Annexationist favour was gaining, and in the South,
a horrible bloodbath known as the Civil War was raining
Would this insatiable appetite turn north towards the separate colonies?
Some began speaking of a new option called Confederation
And although not initially a cheerleader of the plan,
One man emerged as its central architect architect architect

SIR JOHN A. ... YOU’RE O.K. ...TELL ME WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
IF YOU WERE HERE TODAY

In Charlettown and Quebec City the leaders debated the new plan
Political deadlock between Canada East & West would be broken
Reciprocity between the colonies would be awoken
And the sharing between have and have-not provinces would be much more than just a token

SIR JOHN A. ... YOU’RE O.K. ... TELL ME WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
IF YOU WERE HERE TODAY

While civil war blood continued to spill, some feared loss of influence, loss of local power,
loss of culture, loss of ties to England
One man alone knew we needed a strong central government,
with residual powers residual powers residual powers

SIR JOHN A. ... YOU’RE O.K. ... TELL ME WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
IF YOU WERE HERE TODAY

OH OH OH OLD TOMORROW OH OH OH CAN I BORROW OLD TOMORROW
JUST AN OUNCE OF YOUR GREAT STAMINA AND SKILL...That would be a thrill

The delegation went to London England to finalize the preparations...
All went well except for one minor crisis... Sir John A, always fond of a tipple or six,
took to bed with a book, a bottle and a candle -- he nodded off...
FATE INTERVENED as he awoke to the the smell of fire!
The curtains were on fire! The bed was on fire! Even his hair was on fire fire fire

SIR JOHN A. ... YOU’RE O.K. ... TELL ME WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
IF YOU WERE HERE TODAY

Back home on July 1st, 1867, a new nation celebrates its birth
Sir John A. rolls up his sleeves -- there’s much work to be done
There were regions to appease, budgets to squeeze, factions to please,
And a prairie to seize but most of all...The railroad!
Work of the iron road took more than 15 years of backbreaking, sometimes fatal labour...
And in the corridors of power, it took
WHEELING, DEALING, BESEECHING, PREACHING, PRAYING, DELAYING
And scandal scandal scandal scandal
One man had the wherewithall to ride the wild rollercoaster to its completion
SIR JOHN A. ...YOU’RE O.K. ... TELL ME WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
IF YOU WERE HERE TODAY