I get annoyed about US spelling being taught or expected/ insisted upon, in Canadian schools. When I was in college, years ago, we were told to spell the US way. I went to Centennial College, the Warden Woods campus which is gone now. My nieces attend school in Newmarket and are taught US spelling. If they (or myself in college) don’t spell the US way our words are marked wrong. In college I had to write very well in order not o have a failing grade – because I refused to spell the US way in Canada. I still refuse.

This site is going to be about Canadian spelling and Canadian things in general. I love being Canadian. I was born here, though I have travelled, I still like Canada the best.

Schools here in Canada, Ontario (Newmarket, Ontario to be precise) are teaching students to spell the US way. Not Canadian. Why?

I don't know but it makes me angry. No modifying, polite, adjectives, just plain angry.

It is hard to find Canadian spelling online. It is not offered as an option. You can easily find options for US and UK spelling. All English spelling is not created equal. What about Canada, Australia and other cultures who use the English language in their own way?

People need to speak up, spell up! Tell site owners, webmasters, content marketers and the rest of them to offer Canadian spelling (or whatever English spelling you come from).

Most of all - Use your Canadian spelling yourself. Keep it alive, active and popular.

Les Stroud is the Canadian Survivorman. An instructor in survival, hiking, whitewater rafting, sea kayaking, dog sledding and winter travel, Les Stroud has more than 20 years of experience as an outdoor adventurer.

The Survivorman series is based on stranding Les Stroud in a remote region of the world without food, water and little more than a pocket knife. His crew drops him off and leaves him alone to face the elements, find food, water and create shelter however he can.

In some episodes he illustrates how to survive scenarios. Such as surviving on an island if you are stranded at sea when your cruise boat leaves without you. Or, how to survive when all you have is a dog sled in the Canadian north. Or, how to survive if your hot air balloon fails in the vast, dry desert somewhere. Each scenario gives Les a few extra tools to use to his advantage. If he can get them to work, there are misfires and mistakes or just bad luck too.

Not only is he alone to struggle for the week, but he is his own film crew too. This means he has to cart around 50 pounds of audio/ video equipment like camera gear, tripods, and batteries. He has to backtrack to pick up the camera once he has used it to film himself walking away. (You can't leave the equipment behind if you hope to use it later). Once in awhile he does leave something behind due to the stress on himself of trying to film when he is suffering from lack of drinking water or sleep and exposure to the elements. At these times he will narrate over the film, letting viewers know the equipment was picked up later by his crew. However, there is no crew there with him at the time.

One Man, Alone, in the Wilderness I have had a debate with a friend about this in the past. Other survivor shows try to appear as if the host is really alone, but if you watch it becomes clear that is not the case. Les Stroud is the only one I have seen who really is alone and in real danger.

The original Survivorman series went for three seasons. At that time Les Stroud needed a break for his health. However, he didn't sit back and put his feet up. There have been documentaries, books, and music performances too.

The Survivorman series is coming back as a new series of specials which will be 10 day long excursions into the wilderness. So far two episodes have been filmed. I couldn't find a lot of detail about this and I haven't seen them appear on TV myself, so far.

Les Stroud, the Music and Survivor Man

However, there's more to Les Stroud than being the creator, writer, cameraman, host, narrator, director, producer, and survivalist on the Canadian reality TV show. Les Stroud is a musician too. You can see albums and tour dates on his website. There are two DVDs available and singles too.

Les Stroud composed the theme to Survivorman.

If you are Canadian you might remember Les Stroud in the 1980s as a music video producer for the Canadian music video channel, MuchMusic. In 1987 he began traveling Canada as a canoe guide and wilderness instructor. Later he started his own outdoor tourism business and studied at Humber College in Ontario and at Prairie Wolf College in Kansas.

So what could be next?

One interesting thing I read in an interview with Les Stroud was his idea to retrace all the world's greatest explorers for a series which may end up as Stroud's Legends. This would be excellent. We hear about the history of exploration in books and classrooms. But these are dry accounts with words and the odd photo taken from modern perspectives or an illustration which can't really capture the isolation, the harshness or the beauty of the wilderness as it was before people came to settle in and take over.

Seeing the routes taken by the early explorers from the perspective of someone who is an explorer and survivalist in our times would be a unique experience. I'm sure it would bring the journey, the history and the explorer himself (most of them were men) into new light. I hope this project turns out to be another one which Les Stroud produces.

> It’s official…Canada rocks! And Canada Post has the stamps to prove it! Five-stamp series features Canadian flag, including Biggest Living Flag ever recorded Jan. 14, 2013 WINNIPEG (MB) – Canada

Source: 2013 Canada Stamp Issues | Stamp Bears

The Red Green Show started by comedian Steve Smith with a shoestring-budget, on public television. It was the story of a bunch of men, Canadian misfits centred around the Possum Lodge. Red Green, his nephew Harold, and the guys enjoyed doing what men do when women aren't around.

Keep Your Stick on the Ice - Steve Smith (as Red Green).

International Possum Brotherhood

"Quando Omni Flunkis Moritati." - When All Else Fails Play Dead

Steve Smith

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Steve Smith's television career started with Smith & Smith based in Hamilton, Ontario.

Smith & Smith, was a sketch comedy series starring Steve and his wife, Morag Smith. The episodes were written and produced by Steve Smith. Peter Keleghan, who would later become Ranger Gord, on The Red Green Show was part of Smith & Smith too. Smith & Smith won several awards including the Iris Award at NATPE '85 in San Francisco.

Steve Smith, along with Pat McKenna, won the 1998 Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Program or Series. Steve starred in, produced and co-wrote The Red Green Show, with Rick Green.

Rick Green

Rick Green is a Canadian comedian, satirist, writer and science fiction fan. In the 70's Rick Green was a member of the comedy group, The Frantics.

In 1989, Green wrote and hosted TVO’s speculative fiction news magazine series Prisoners of Gravity. He took on the name, Commander Rick for the show.

Rick Green joined Steve Smith to co-create The Red Green Show. He wrote & performed in the show, his character was the bumbling outdoors man, Bill. If there was a bucket Bill would step into it. If there was a rope Bill would get caught in it.

Rick Green co-wrote and illustrated books, DVD’s, CDs and more for the Red Green Show.

"If the women don't find you handsome, they can at least find you handy."

Red Fisher: The Original Red Green

This is just how I remember him when I watched the show as a kid. I can still remember the sound of his voice.

The character of Red Green was loosely based on Bernard Herbert "Red" Fisher (1914 - 2006), an American sporting goods retailer, U.S. naval and Coast Guard officer, newspaper columnist, poet, sportsman and Canadian outdoors television icon from 1968 to 1989 on CTV.

When he moved to Canada in 1963, he launched what would become a popular radio talk show program, The Red Fisher Show which moved to television in 1968. The Red Fisher Show was Red Fisher and his guests talking about their adventures, fishing, hunting and generally trekking through the woods, lakes and streams. It was as much a talk show as an outdoor sportsman’s show. The show's TV set was dubbed "Scuttlebutt Lodge, the Tall Tale Capital of the World"

The shows were shot with an old style 10mm video camera on location in the real, great outdoors. The show also promoted nature conservation, game preservation and the "catch and release" mentality when those were still new ideas to sportsmen. Red Fisher was a devoted conservationist who believed fishing was all about camaraderie and having fun with friends while enjoying the outdoors.

The show featured many famous guests including Members of Canadian Parliament and NHL stars. They were all invited to the Skuttlebutt Lodge. Red Fisher also wrote a weekly column, Outdoor Topics, which was read in over 180 newspapers. In 1971, his first book of poems, 'Poems Of Our Great Outdoors', was published. Red Fisher would give each guest on the show a copy of his book of poetry. Red Fisher published 3 volumes of poetry (two in 1971 and the third in 1981).

Red Fisher died in Chatham, Ontario at the age of 92.