Let's make Buddy 'The Sunglass-wearing Maple Leaf' a Canadian Mascot!

Buddy - the sunglass-wearing maple leaf, represents everything that’s cool about Canada. Buddy says who we are and how we feel about our country.

This quintessentially Canadian character is named Buddy because of coming from the bud of a maple tree, and because of Canada's reputation as a friendly nation / destination.

Buddy's image conveys the personality of Canadians - 'Friendly with an Edge'.

That 'edge' is evident in the creativity of our world-famous Comedians, Musicians, Authors, Inventors - the thousands of Canadians who use their special talents to make a difference in our world. And, it's evident in the hundreds of thousands of adventurers who have had the courage to leave their known enviroment and journey along a mysterious path - to make Canada their new home.

Help make Buddy Canada's Mascot. Whether your 5 or 50, flaunt your feelings with a Buddy pin. Let the world know that you think Canada is 'Cool'. Give Buddy pins to your buddies - friends heading overseas, visitors, new Canadians, or to someone special - let them know you think they're 'cool.' Help make Buddy 'our guy'

A Limited number of Buddy Pins are currently available. Special orders can be produced. Email for more information

Lucy Izon

Canada Cool is produced by award-winning Canadian travel writer & speaker Lucy Izon. Her travel stories & reports have appeared in numerous leading North American publications including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, and Chicken Soup for the Traveler's Soul. Bio page

Canada’s Coolest:

Welcome to a new feature on Canada Cool. I'll be presenting different 'Coolest' lists with my favorites and I encourage you to nominate suggestions from your own experiences. You can Twitter @CanadaCool or email [email protected]. Let me know what makes your suggestion exceptionally cool. Remember, by contributing your comments you are giving Canada Cool permission to quote you. Only a selection of submissions will be included, but all comments and submissions are greatly appreciated!

The first feature is: Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives

Here are some of my favorites...

Icefields Parkway - the world's most accessible glacier

The Icefields Parkway, Jasper National Park, Alberta - This 229 km (142 mi) Rocky Mountain route from Banff/Lake Louise to Jasper passes 100 frozen rivers and nudges the base of the Athabasca Glacier - the most accessible glacier in the world. You can stop and explore it. It spills down from the Columbia Icefield, an area of ice so massive that you could fit the entire population of North America on it with each person getting at least a square metre of space.

The Corridor, Algonquin Park, Ontario – this 56-km stretch of Hwy 60 cuts through the southwest section of Algonquin Park. Less than three hours north of Toronto the park is a nature-lover's paradise with 7,725 km of lakes, rivers, forest, trails, camping, comfortable lodges and 2000 km of canoe routes. Offers hiking trails to stop and enjoy, but what makes it really cool is that it’s one of the best places in North America to spot moose (especially in May and June). And, on Thursday nights in August up to 600 cars will gather to listen to wolves howl.

The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia – Driving this 303 km (187 mile) route is like riding a roller-coaster: the road snakes around hairpin turns, rises to heights over 365 metres (1200 ft), weaves around headlands revealing spectacular coastal scenery, and plunges down to sea level taking you into the heart of small fishing communities. The most dramatic scenery is between the Cape Breton Highlands National Park entrance near Cheticamp and Pleasant Bay, so go slow. And, plan some flexibility into your schedule, so you can drive it on a clear day.

And here are some of your nominations for 'Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives'...