[Guest]

<strong>Written By:</strong> Anonymous
<strong>Date:</strong> 2005-11-12 14:15:00
<a href="/article/161523677-what-does-it-really-mean-to-be-canadian">Article Link</a>

Despite the frail nature of Canadian unity, even though ten years have passed since the most recent (and hopefully last) Quebec sovereignty vote, its significance is still generally neglected as the country has arguably drifted even further apart. One only needs to look as far as the geographical distribution of political support to show the regionalization of Canada - Conservatives on either coast, Liberals in Ontario, the BQ, of course, in Quebec and a dusting of NDP throughout (perhaps Canada's only true national party?).

What is very clear is that it is no longer possible to truly define what it means to be Canadian for all Canadians. Like general relativity in science, the perception of that concept varies based on your experiences.

<a href="http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca/story.php?f=2&t=7813&i=&v=f&story=7813">http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca/story.php?f=2&t=7813&i=&v=f&story=7813</a>





[Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on November 14, 2005]

[boflaade]

Canadians don't see Canada. People on the east coast don't visit BC and visa-versa. When Canadians spend money on their "big" holidays, it's rare that it's used to see Canada. Few leave their province and most learn about Canada through the news media. No wonder there is alienation. I wonder what percentage of Canadians ever visited their own country. Few Edmonton residences have ever been to Quebec city and few from Moncton been to Saskatoon. I am aware of many who lived in Vancouver all there life and never been to Campbell River. More Canadians have been to the states then to any other province.

[Guest]

Simple.
Canadians are Not Americans.

Canadian identity started with that concept, and that is central to Canadian "unifying" identity now.

Canadians ae Not Americans.

[Guest]

One reason may be that many Canadians are interested in American history. The civil war, the revolutionary war plus historic sites that are so easily accessible down the US east coast. The US National Park Service does the most marvellous job of interpreting the particular event. The USA is just as interesting as Europe all be it different of course. If one has every been to Williamsburg, Va, Charleston, SC or Savannah, Ga these are just a few examples of why the travel to US is so predominant. It is such a friendly environment for Canadians to visit. We blend into the woodwork and readily accepted by friendly people down there. Just jump in the car and dissolve into the US and one never runs out of interesting sites to visit and nice people to meet.
In my case some day my out of country insurance company will refuse me and I can then visit other parts of Canada. I'll have to then.

There are many other reasons for visiting the US but these two may help you understand why so many Canadians would rather visit US then stay at home. Lets face it, if you visit Toronto, Halifax or Vancouver you are still in Canada.

[Guest]

I agree with you. It is sick but to be Canadian one must hate other people. I've been to US hundreds of times and England as well and they never equate their nationality with hatred of others. It seems we are a nation of people that are in serious need of therapy. Thank god I enjoy visiting other countries and felt no need to hate or denigrate others. When ever I go to United States or England I always leave the Canadian stuff at home and I get
along just fine. I would recommend this for others.

[Guest]

The problem is that Canadians aren't from Canada. They're from Ontario, or Quebec, or Newfoundland, or Alberta. Montreal isn't a Canadian city it's a Quebecois city. This is what happens when you have a confederacy, instead of a federation. Provincialism breeds these kinds of situations.

One of the main problems is with our idenity. We choose to identify ourselves with things that can not be recognised by others as being Canadian. Compassion? Big deal. Scandinavians and the Dutch are just as progressive and compassionate as Canadians.

Peacekeeping? Give me a break. Ask the people of Haiti if they're greatful for Canadian peacekeepers? Talk about betraying our supposed legacy. Socialist medicine? Thank God for socialist medicine! I'm sorry, but it's true that European health care is miles ahead of the sacred cow that is Medicare here in Canada.

Foreign Aid? So what? Japan and America contribute just as much if not more per capita than Canadians do. Canada's foreign aid is paltry when you consider that Belgium contributes more per capita than Canada does. And we are suppose to be a G8 nation? Give me a break!

Hockey? Well, it is a great sport. But compared to rugby, cricket, and football (the real kind of football that rest of the world plays) it's not like people in other countries can join us in our admiration for hockey now can they? No wonder we're so good at hockey. We only have to really play against six other countries!

Thousands of years from now when archaeologists and anthropoligsts come to what was once Canada, all they will find is a Golden Arch and what is left of a man still waiting in line for orthopedic surgery. And they'll come to the conclusion that these Canadians did not consider themselves to be Americans, even though everyone else did. Oh, and that they played hockey. Not much of a historic legacy?

But keep repeating that superficial drivel that is put into your mouth by the media and the Liberals about us being compassionate, multicultural, peacekeepers. You're just living in denial.

Another problem is hockey (there I said it!) We're so bloody obsessed with what is essentially a violent sport, it's our only means of expression. The notion that Canadians are a kind, polite, and compassionate people is a complete and utter myth. Canadians are humans just like the rest of the world. There are as many assholes here as there are elsewhere.

But instead of expressing ourselves by marching in a demonstration, becoming involved in a political movement or throwing our corrupt politicans out of office, what do we do? We don't get mad, we play hockey. We get pissed off, so we play hockey. We don't get our hands dirty, we just play hockey. It's the only kind of expression we're capable of!

We weren't Americans, but we are becoming American. So much attention paid to protecting the sacred cow that is Quebec has seen what identity English Canadians had developing for itself after independence become sold off for a cheap plastic American imitation.

If you're an American you have to ask yourself, how would I feel if Americans behaved in such away? You'd loathe it as much as Canadians do. If you've ever bought an album by Pulp, you'll see something written in the inside booklet when you open the CD up...

"Please understand. We don't want no trouble. We just want the right to be different. That's all"

I think that's all Canadians want. But poor leadership in our country is to blame, not evil Americans. We're responsible for our own actions and instead of lookin south for excuses, let's look in the mirror?

I'm not afraid to say Quebec should leave. Given the current status quo, I'd probably be happy to see them leave. I'm sick to death of the Quebec elite, they've been given far too much influence in this country while western politicians for example are ridiculed here in the east for being redneck bigots.

A big problem too is Ontario and Toronto. You have to realise, over four million Canadians live in the Toronto area, an aree littered with federal ridings. Ontarians are just out of touch with reality.

It's the media centred in Toronto that's to blame. It's not that they are for the Liberals and against the Conservatives. They're not for the NDP either (with the notable exception probably being CityTV). It's that the media is so bloody Liberal in their allegiance.

For example, on Global News tonight they did a piece on how kind and compassionate Paul Martin was in making amends with the Italian community over internment during the Second World War. They then followed this story with, and I quote "the opposition leaders in Ottawa plotting their next move". If you don't think Ontarians are being saturated with propaganda think twice. Sometimes those little singals can be quite influential.

The way I look at it is that I'm a Canadian. I'm a North American, I'm English (more towards the English sense, then the American sense of the word), and I live in country that is not a democracy, but an out dated 19th century immitation banana republic. My country is massively insecure and divided, spoiled, and sadly self-righteous.

What we need is a new choice and new leadership. I doubt we're going to get it. And should Canada break up, I'll take solace in the fact that there's always Australia...

[Guest]

CAnada has invented a lot, so remember that....but we're also young, give us time....

[Guest]

> And should Canada break up, I'll take solace in the fact that there's always Australia...

As an Australian, from my experiences, I must warn you: Canadians are welcomed only in New Zealand. Perhaps because as Canadians are to America, Kiwis are to Australia. Take my advice: smug canadian morals will be appreciated in New Zealand, not Australia.

[Guest]

Since Australians are not up to Canadian standards, let alone their standards, the comment is understandable.

[Guest]

So many Anti-Canadians in one place and so little time!

[RPW]

Jean Beliveau recently expressed regret that more Canadians do not see more of Canada<br />
<a href="http://www.hockey-fans.com/players/beliveau.php">http://www.hockey-fans.com/players/beliveau.php</a><br />
On an associated subject, I read of the agreement between Canada/US on Open Skies, and wrote Transport Minister LaPierre ( Lapierre.J@parl.gc.ca ) asking him how this would work to the benefit of Canadians flying in Canada but outside the major centres, with the observation that travel within Canada is oftentimes very prohibitive. I CC'd it to Harper and Layton. I don't really expect an answer beyond the usual claptrap, but would appreciate it if more people were to write to LaPierre about this.<p>---<br>RickW

[RPW]

I recently spent a week down in California, visiting relatives (who were born there). It only took these few days to truly realise that Americans are not Canadians, dispite many similarities.

---
RickW

[RPW]

Au contraire!
When I visit the States (which admitedly is not often), I bring along my "eh?" (Howzit goin', eh?) It is a great "ice breaker"........

---
RickW

[Guest]

"The first depicted Quebec as nothing but a self-serving province that does little more than mooch off of the rest of Canada."

The problem isn't Quebec or Quebecers, but rather their political elites - which are divided into two camps.

Sovereignists - those who believe that Quebecers should govern their own affairs (i.e. the PQ, BQ)

Federalists - those who believe that Quebecers should govern the affairs of *all* Canadians (i.e. the Quebec wing of the federal Liberals)

[Guest]

As an Australian, from my experiences<,

As a Canadian, my experience in Austrailia was the reverse. Once it was accertained I was not American, I got along quite well with Aussies. American influence however, was very evident in that country. It's a shame Australians feel they have to follow Americans around like sheep. They did the same in Vietnam as they do now in Iraq. New zealanders (Kiwi's) also don't have that holier then thou attitude as the American/Australian people. Your right that Aussies do have contempt for those who aren't loud and obnoxious. Kiwis nd Canadians do have a lot in common.