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I also think that the taking on of allegedly American traits by Canadians happens subtly and slowly.
For example, you have pointed out the Highway 401 tributes to fallen soldiers. Also I have noticed a slight uptick in the place of religion in the public sphere in Canada, and also an increase in the religious fervour of believers here in Canada, even amongst groups that have been traditionally more "relaxed" about things in my lifetime (ie Catholics).
We also increasingly have media polarization along political lines in Canada, something we didn't really have before. Case in point, this interview on a new reactionary, nasty right wing TV news network:
Yeah, but that's not some organic thing that's mimicking Fox, that's Rupert Murdoch having opened up another one of his propaganda franchises, in this case an affiliate of the British Sun News that's been involved with such scandal. And it doesn't seem like Sun News has been all that embraced, but it does worry me a whole lot, especially with the media ownership concentration in this country leaving us vulnerable to further encroachment by these people with agendas. Something about even the look and tone screams that Rupert Murdoch owns the station, they have a very recognizable style.
Canada, from its inception, was always been the mouse sleeping beside the elephant. It has always had the burden to defend, justify and differientiate itself from the US. One thought I have is that both countries are essentially founded by the same European peoples. I've seen Canadian produced documentaries that said that most the english population in Canada actually came through the US first, from Europe originally of course. Why must we justify our differences to the US when we can easily turn the tables and ask them to justify their differences to us?...it doesn't matter. Point is, we are essentially the same people and share the same cultural roots in terms of music, food, language, etc. Our differences are more subtle and lie in our attitudes. US has always been a more rebelious, aggressive, louder and more competitive. Canada has always been more about the greater good, order, stability, and has if it ain't broke, don't fix it attitude. This shows is most evident in our tax, education and health care systems. Americans have a bigger pie but it's divided less equally but the pie is still bigger; Canadians are happy to have a smaller pie but give more people a smaller piece, although it's still s smaller pie. Given the financial meldown in the US/most of the world, Canadians are proud that their country has held up relatively well. I personally don't think we should get rosy but it's not often we lead the world in anything so let's thank the previous Liberal governments for keeping our books in order (seriously, they were prudent and set Haper up for an easy term unlike what Bush/Greenspan left Obama with).
So in terms of cultural influence, I'd say Canadians are probably consuming more US TV(including crap reality shows)/Movies/Music/Clothing/Other goods than in the past, which is to be expected with Free Trade, a stronger dollar, and the fact that Canada doesn't produce much home grown goods/services. In terms of our institutions and the way we govern the country, there hasn't been much of a "big" change at all. For better or worse, it's the same so it really depends on what you mean about being more American. In fact, with the Health Care Bill in the US and possible tax changes with an adverse impact to the wealthy, more regulations, they are moving closer to Canada's more stable (albeit less efficient i.e. smaller pie) system.
Canada, from its inception, was always been the mouse sleeping beside the elephant. It has always had the burden to defend, justify and differientiate itself from the US. One thought I have is that both countries are essentially founded by the same European peoples. I've seen Canadian produced documentaries that said that most the english population in Canada actually came through the US first, from Europe originally of course. Why must we justify our differences to the US when we can easily turn the tables and ask them to justify their differences to us?...it doesn't matter. Point is, we are essentially the same people and share the same cultural roots in terms of music, food, language, etc. Our differences are more subtle and lie in our attitudes. US has always been a more rebelious, aggressive, louder and more competitive. Canada has always been more about the greater good, order, stability, and has if it ain't broke, don't fix it attitude. This shows is most evident in our tax, education and health care systems. Americans have a bigger pie but it's divided less equally but the pie is still bigger; Canadians are happy to have a smaller pie but give more people a smaller piece, although it's still s smaller pie. Given the financial meldown in the US/most of the world, Canadians are proud that their country has held up relatively well. I personally don't think we should get rosy but it's not often we lead the world in anything so let's thank the previous Liberal governments for keeping our books in order (seriously, they were prudent and set Haper up for an easy term unlike what Bush/Greenspan left Obama with).
So in terms of cultural influence, I'd say Canadians are probably consuming more US TV(including crap reality shows)/Movies/Music/Clothing/Other goods than in the past, which is to be expected with Free Trade, a stronger dollar, and the fact that Canada doesn't produce much home grown goods/services. In terms of our institutions and the way we govern the country, there hasn't been much of a "big" change at all. For better or worse, it's the same so it really depends on what you mean about being more American. In fact, with the Health Care Bill in the US and possible tax changes with an adverse impact to the wealthy, more regulations, they are moving closer to Canada's more stable (albeit less efficient i.e. smaller pie) system.
Canada, from its inception, was always been the mouse sleeping beside the elephant. It has always had the burden to defend, justify and differientiate itself from the US. One thought I have is that both countries are essentially founded by the same European peoples. I've seen Canadian produced documentaries that said that most the english population in Canada actually came through the US first, from Europe originally of course. Why must we justify our differences to the US when we can easily turn the tables and ask them to justify their differences to us?...it doesn't matter. Point is, we are essentially the same people and share the same cultural roots in terms of music, food, language, etc. Our differences are more subtle and lie in our attitudes. US has always been a more rebelious, aggressive, louder and more competitive. Canada has always been more about the greater good, order, stability, and has if it ain't broke, don't fix it attitude. This shows is most evident in our tax, education and health care systems. Americans have a bigger pie but it's divided less equally but the pie is still bigger; Canadians are happy to have a smaller pie but give more people a smaller piece, although it's still s smaller pie. Given the financial meldown in the US/most of the world, Canadians are proud that their country has held up relatively well. I personally don't think we should get rosy but it's not often we lead the world in anything so let's thank the previous Liberal governments for keeping our books in order (seriously, they were prudent and set Haper up for an easy term unlike what Bush/Greenspan left Obama with).
So in terms of cultural influence, I'd say Canadians are probably consuming more US TV(including crap reality shows)/Movies/Music/Clothing/Other goods than in the past, which is to be expected with Free Trade, a stronger dollar, and the fact that Canada doesn't produce much home grown goods/services. In terms of our institutions and the way we govern the country, there hasn't been much of a "big" change at all. For better or worse, it's the same so it really depends on what you mean about being more American. In fact, with the Health Care Bill in the US and possible tax changes with an adverse impact to the wealthy, more regulations, they are moving closer to Canada's more stable (albeit less efficient i.e. smaller pie) system.
And above all, in spite of all its divisions, Canada is actually a country that functions remarkably well.
I certainly do see Canadians these days getting passionate about things "American" that they never used to pay much attention to in the 70s or 80s. Stuff like NCAA Final Four March Madness for example...
I have a question, if Canadians watching American TV makes them more American, am I more English if I watch the BBC a lot? What does it even mean to be of a nation?
I have a question, if Canadians watching American TV makes them more American, am I more English if I watch the BBC a lot??
Probably not, unless 99% of what you watch is British, plus all the movies you watch, the books you read, etc., and everyone around you does the same and so that is pretty much all you talk about. At that level it would start to have a pretty significant influence.
Probably not, unless 99% of what you watch is British, plus all the movies you watch, the books you read, etc., and everyone around you does the same and so that is pretty much all you talk about. At that level it would start to have a pretty significant influence.
True. So Canadian music and film isn't really popular in Canada?
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