By Michael Ignatieff
As a rule, Canadians don’t describe our greatness—we demonstrate it. And that’s what happened at last night’s opening ceremonies.
Aboriginal dancers from every corner of Canada welcomed athletes from every corner of the world. And when it was Canada’s turn, the energy in the stadium could have powered a small city.
Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams performed, as did Sarah McLachlan and Ashley MacIsaac, k.d. lang and Garou.
Shane Koyczan’s spoken-word evocation of the Canadian spirit must have made every political leader in the crowd blush. And watching my friend Roméo Dallaire carry the Olympic flag into the stadium is a moment I won’t soon forget.
As Wayne Gretzky and some of this century’s greatest Canadian athletes lit the flame, the hardest thing was reminding ourselves that this was just the beginning of our Olympic moment—there are 16 days still to
come.
Michael Ignatieff will be blogging and tweeting his experiences during the Vancouver Olympic Games. Check back here for updates!
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