Ed. note: Sure, it would have made sense to run this towards the tail end of last week. But think about what you did this weekend. Perhaps it’ll still feel resonant.

On July 1st, 1994, I stood in the middle of Molson Park, screaming the lyrics to Courage with the Tragically Hip, and 40,000 other Canadians. “Damn,” I thought, “this country is awesome.” As cliché as it sounds, I experience similar moments whenever I find myself on the cottage’s deck, or when I hear the monotone voices of the CBC.

But gushiness aside, it seems the Canadian experience has always been informed by some of its greatest brands. They weren’t built by volume, they were built by putting national sentiment at their core.

Take Canada’s most prestigious brand, Hudson’s Bay Company for example. In 1670 (several years before the advent of Club Zed points), HBC was Canada (and North America)’s de facto government. They aggressively traded tobacco, alcohol and furs. Eventually, they would stage naval battles. Somewhere between then and now, they began selling those delightful red mittens and colourful woolen coats. The point is, they stood at the crossroads of our country building from frozen tundra to where it is today. The logo (and yes, those coats) are symbols of our roots.

Planning a trip up the cottage this weekend? Well, there are rituals involved. Before leaving town, you’re going to be stopping at a Tim Horton’s. Timmy’s has become synonymous with coffee in this country. Years ago, I moved to Israel for a little while. Instant coffee (shudder) was the hot beverage of the people, and I spent every day pining for just one double-double. When I arrived home, I stopped at Tim’s on the way from the airport. Tim Horton’s ads have spent a great deal of time trying to capture the Canadian experience, whether it’s the traditional morning hockey practice or our fanatical love for hockey. Their messaging presupposes that we consider them quintessentially Canadian. And it’s true.

And naturally, there’s hockey. The NHL may be full of Americans, Swedes and Czechs, but their brands are no match for our Canadian boys. Immortalized in songs like Stompin’ Tom Connors’ “Hockey Song” and classic kids books such as Roch Carrier’s “The Hockey Sweater,” Hockey means more to this country than the political system that runs it. It doesn’t even matter if the Leafs are on yet another losing streak. They do it to a packed stadium. And, frankly, hockey gave us Tim Horton, and therefore Tim Horton’s – which closes the loop rather nicely.

Yes, these may be obvious examples. They may play on hyperbolic themes of wilderness, sport and friendly partying. They may not represent the extent of our multiculturalism, or our various coasts and provincial attitudes. But there’s still something tremendous about recognizing their commonality: a good-natured spirit. A sense of endurance. An honest, modest sensibility. It’s better than “sexy.” It’s genuine.

I’ll say it again, I am in love with this country. It’s not a difficult country to fall in love with. For several reasons, being a Canadian citizen means you were born on third base. That being said, the brands I associate living here with are ones I could not imagine this place without. Somehow, hitting up a Starbucks before hitting up a cottage seems almost sacrilegious.