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The "Merger of the Century" thread seems to have spun off into a discussion of English Canadian culture. So let's give that topic its own thread.
What is English Canadian culture? Is it the same from coast-to-coast? Is it more regional than national? Are there any cultural offerings that unite English Canadians? Are there any that divide them? What roles do the arts, sports, and general attitudes towards "Canadian culture" (however you define it) play in English Canadians' lives?
Let's discuss. We may not reach a consensus, but at least we won't be hijacking the "Merger of the Century" thread.
Seems the government has put some effort into answering that Question= Canadian Culture in a Global World
As Canada consists of a very diverse cultural mosaic For me the common denominator for Canadian culture starts with a culture that is proud to be Canadian and identifies with all aspects of its artistic, culinary, literary, humour, musical, political and social elements that are representative of Canada .
Go Habs Go!
Seems the government has put some effort into answering that Question= Canadian Culture in a Global World
As Canada consists of a very diverse cultural mosaic For me the common denominator for Canadian culture starts with a culture that is proud to be Canadian and identifies with all aspects of its artistic, culinary, literary, humour, musical, political and social elements that are representative of Canada .
Go Habs Go!
Jambo, you actually used Canadian spelling - "humour"!
The "Merger of the Century" thread seems to have spun off into a discussion of English Canadian culture. So let's give that topic its own thread.
What is English Canadian culture? Is it the same from coast-to-coast? Is it more regional than national? Are there any cultural offerings that unite English Canadians? Are there any that divide them? What roles do the arts, sports, and general attitudes towards "Canadian culture" (however you define it) play in English Canadians' lives?
Let's discuss. We may not reach a consensus, but at least we won't be hijacking the "Merger of the Century" thread.
I hate to say it Chevy but i'm all spent when it comes to this from the Merger of the Century thread... lol...
Hey all I can say about Toronto's contribution to culture - well just look at the two in this car - I mean pound for pound doesn't get any more potent
Okay, Fusion, let's look at what's happening in Toronto.
When I lived there, I played music with a loose agglomeration of musicians that appeared in local pubs and bars. We played mostly Celtic/Maritime/Appalachian/Ottawa Valley music, with a lot of traditional instruments--fiddles and guitars, of course; but also tin whistles and bodhrans and spoons and bones and other instruments. We tried to turn every gathering into what Maritimers would call a "kitchen party," or if we were lucky, they'd call it a ceildlh (KAYED-lee)--an even better kitchen party.
On my trips to the Maritimes, I've played in Halifax with buskers on the docks, in jam sessions in a Halifax pub (and been invited back), and even joined in with the band in a St. John's pub and on the ferry between North Sydney NS and Argentia, Nfld.
But here in the west, nobody has heard of that stuff. I played Stan Rogers' "Mary Ellen Carter" for a group of local friends recently, and none had ever heard it. They loved the story that the song told, and a few were even inspired by it, but they all had no idea that the song even existed. Same for the Barra McNeils' work, for Tanglefoot's, for that of the Irish Descendants, and so on.
What they did know was country (Shania Twain, Terri Clark, and so on), oldies from the 60s, 70s, and 80s that their parents listened to, and local country artists. They are young people, so rap and hip-hop are also known. And some local bands of all stripes that appear weekly at various venues. But they had no idea of the music produced by eastern Canada.
Why is this? Why do Alberta's young people know nothing of the music of eastern Canada? At the same time, why hasn't eastern Canada embraced Alberta's country music (outside of international artists, like Terri Clark), or that of other western provinces?
What binds us? What divides us? Music seems to divide us; what else does?
Okay, Fusion, let's look at what's happening in Toronto.
When I lived there, I played music with a loose agglomeration of musicians that appeared in local pubs and bars. We played mostly Celtic/Maritime/Appalachian/Ottawa Valley music, with a lot of traditional instruments--fiddles and guitars, of course; but also tin whistles and bodhrans and spoons and bones and other instruments. We tried to turn every gathering into what Maritimers would call a "kitchen party," or if we were lucky, they'd call it a ceildlh (KAYED-lee)--an even better kitchen party.
On my trips to the Maritimes, I've played in Halifax with buskers on the docks, in jam sessions in a Halifax pub (and been invited back), and even joined in with the band in a St. John's pub and on the ferry between North Sydney NS and Argentia, Nfld.
But here in the west, nobody has heard of that stuff. I played Stan Rogers' "Mary Ellen Carter" for a group of local friends recently, and none had ever heard it. They loved the story that the song told, and a few were even inspired by it, but they all had no idea that the song even existed. Same for the Barra McNeils' work, for Tanglefoot's, for that of the Irish Descendants, and so on.
What they did know was country (Shania Twain, Terri Clark, and so on), oldies from the 60s, 70s, and 80s that their parents listened to, and local country artists. They are young people, so rap and hip-hop are also known. And some local bands of all stripes that appear weekly at various venues. But they had no idea of the music produced by eastern Canada.
Why is this? Why do Alberta's young people know nothing of the music of eastern Canada? At the same time, why hasn't eastern Canada embraced Alberta's country music (outside of international artists, like Terri Clark), or that of other western provinces?
What binds us? What divides us? Music seems to divide us; what else does?
Did you read my post re: Anne of Green Gables The Musical in the other thread? I was basically saying the same thing.
The east-west divide you describe is indeed real, and I find there are even blind spots within "Eastern Anglo Canada" and even inside Ontario itself, for example.
As I have said previously, I grew up in the three Maritime provinces and Ontario. We spoke French at home but I mostly went to English school. I was basically "socialized" as an English Canadian. In all my years living and going to school there (including in Ontario) I never heard of Stan Rogers until I believe I heard a CBC news report on the 10th anniversary of his death in that plane fire in the States.
So my "ignorance" of Stan Rogers isn't attributable to an east-west thing.
I never understood why most people from Nova Scotia, Ontario and Alberta would have in common a basic knowledge of, I dunno, "I'm Proud to be an Okie from Muskogee" but not a whole bunch of (Anglo-)Canadian stuff instead.
All of which to say I find that a lot of Canadians can have "blind spots" when it comes to certain things. And I suspect with increased immigration* in the major cities all across the country, there is going to be an even greater disconnect between Canadian culture and a bigger and bigger share of the country's population.
*Not blaming immigrants at all BTW, but criticizing the way they are socialized and culturally integrated by Canadian society, usually via American popular culture with only superficial snippets of Canadiana mixed in.
Okay, Fusion, let's look at what's happening in Toronto.
When I lived there, I played music with a loose agglomeration of musicians that appeared in local pubs and bars. We played mostly Celtic/Maritime/Appalachian/Ottawa Valley music, with a lot of traditional instruments--fiddles and guitars, of course; but also tin whistles and bodhrans and spoons and bones and other instruments. We tried to turn every gathering into what Maritimers would call a "kitchen party," or if we were lucky, they'd call it a ceildlh (KAYED-lee)--an even better kitchen party.
On my trips to the Maritimes, I've played in Halifax with buskers on the docks, in jam sessions in a Halifax pub (and been invited back), and even joined in with the band in a St. John's pub and on the ferry between North Sydney NS and Argentia, Nfld.
But here in the west, nobody has heard of that stuff. I played Stan Rogers' "Mary Ellen Carter" for a group of local friends recently, and none had ever heard it. They loved the story that the song told, and a few were even inspired by it, but they all had no idea that the song even existed. Same for the Barra McNeils' work, for Tanglefoot's, for that of the Irish Descendants, and so on.
What they did know was country (Shania Twain, Terri Clark, and so on)...
Shania - country?
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- I mean pound for pound doesn't get any more potent 
