The phone lines were burning from coast to coast during the run up to the 141st birthday of our great nation.

Media groups, pizza companies, beverage manufacturers and think tanks all wanted to know from you:

What makes a Canadian?

They asked you for your favorite symbols, virtues, heroes and everything in between to paint a picture of Canada before the annual fireworks shows that never fail to stoke our national pride.

And you responded by the thousands.

Wayne Gretzky, the Maple leaf, hockey, the beaver, the Canadarm, peacekeeping, Pierre Trudeau and universal health care were among the top choices that you felt said, "I am Canadian."

We are also mighty proud to be Canadians for our inventions, our achievements and our contributions to humankind.

Canada Day 2008 was supposed to be a feel good day when division and debate were to be put aside for a celebration of togetherness.

But that was not to be because a band of party poopers, officially known as the Advisory Council on the Order of Canada, decided to honour Henry Morgentaler, the country’s most prolific abortion-rights crusader.

Morgentaler is also one of the most divisive figures in modern-day Canada.

The decision to give Morgentaler an Order of Canada will perhaps go down as one of the most controversial Canada Day announcements ever.

An online poll by the Globe and Mail, with over 300,000 respondents, went 92 per cent to 8 per cent against giving the award to Morgentaler.

The decision by the Advisory Board was not unanimous – a radical development for a group which has not disagreed much before.

MPs were being issued with speaking notes to ensure they did not alienate constituents by saying one thing or another to reporters.

The issue here is not whether Morgentaler deserves the Order of Canada.

It is about choosing to announce him as a recipient on a day when Canadian unity was supposed to be centre stage.

The unnecessary controversy cast a shadow on the celebrations.

If we are going to honour our activists, who by their work and causes divide Canada, there are 364 other days to do it.

If it is to be done on Canada Day then let’s ensure we honour those who have brought Canadians together.

As far as Morgentaler is concerned, the people who support him want him canonized and his detractors have labeled him a demon.

There is no more a divisive and controversial issue than abortion in Canada.

You can bet your granddad’s war medals that there will be a queue of Order of Canada recipients forming to return their honours because they oppose abortion.

History will judge Morgentaler for what he is despite all the contentious arguments.

History will also remember that Canada Day 2008 was marred by an unnecessary controversy.