“In Dog We Trust”

I hear that Americans have the words, “In God We Trust” etched onto their coins.  We Canadians have no such thing on ours though I see great potential for something similar on a coin here. Perhaps when the Canadian Mint decides we need more change and creates a five dollar coin to add to the  ‘Toonies’ and ‘Loonies’ that we already schlep around, we could  have a contest to come up with a clever design.  I’ll be the first to enter.  Of course, as a Unitarian I would not choose a motto for the coin that made  reference to any one god.  I don’t think those words would fly with Canadians in general. However, we ARE big dog lovers here in the Great White North. Here’s what I picture:First, an octagonal coin, smaller and lighter than a ‘toonie’ or ‘loonie’ ( If we don’t go with something lighter, people are going to start tipping over from excessive weight in their handbags or pants pockets with all that change. At the very least, the need for  pocket protectors will create an entire cottage industry). Monarchists will demand that the Queen ’s image be on one side. I’m not entirely OK with that, so here’s my compromise;  The Queen yes, but in a casual pose with a dog , maybe seen frolicking across the grounds at Windsor castle or somewhere, (but not with one of those damn Corgies of hers!  No! Let’s give her ….a Siberian Husky! …or a Great Dane!…or a Labrador Retriever….or a mutt–a  ‘Heinz 57′, as my dad once called my treasured  childhood dog,  ‘Sandy’ .  And then, etched around the happy queen and canine, the words; “In Dog We Trust”.  Or we could scrap the idea of using the queen altogether and  go with an engraved Guide dog and handler in action….with those same words. I couldn’t think of anything more appropriate. Hey, they made a Guide dog stamp this year, so maybe there’s hope for my idea yet. Has anyone noticed that god spelled backwards, spells….