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I don't agree, and a fellow named Pierre Berton did a rather good job explaining why.
ok remove all the US businesses, the US TV, US Sports from the country (including the CFL), US food (mcdonalds, burger king etc etc), US fashion styles...US retailers and what do you have?
ok remove all the US businesses, the US TV, US Sports from the country (including the CFL), US food (mcdonalds, burger king etc etc), US fashion styles...US retailers and what do you have?
All the Canadian businesses, Canadian TV shows, Canadian sports, Canadian food, Canadian fashion styles and Canadian retailers. Plus the Canadian music, authors, artists, regional idiosyncrasies, laws, attitude towards life - and oh yeah, the Canadian people?
All the American stuff is fine and adds to the pot of entertainment and selection, just as it (American imports) add to the pot over here in the UK where I am now living. I still watch the American shows I used to enjoy in Canada but I sorely miss the Canadian ones I can no longer get.
Your suggestion that without the USA, Canada has "very little culture" doesn't make me "mad" - nor I suspect does it anger any other thinking Canadian who knows what makes their country different from its close neighbour. Of course there are similarities and American cross-overs. I find it curious that anyone would be capable of missing such a wide selection of Canadian culture - including authors, TV shows, documentaries, Canadian artists and musicians, etc.
Canadian culture is not homogenous from coast to coast. The cultural vibe in Cape Breton is very different from say, that in Quebec or Ontario, but it is still Canadian.
Last edited by sunshineleith; 01-10-2012 at 08:35 AM..
Reason: clarification
All the Canadian businesses, Canadian TV shows, Canadian sports, Canadian food, Canadian fashion styles and Canadian retailers. Plus the Canadian music, authors, artists, regional idiosyncrasies, laws, attitude towards life - and oh yeah, the Canadian people?
All the American stuff is fine and adds to the pot of entertainment and selection, just as it (American imports) add to the pot over here in the UK where I am now living. I still watch the American shows I used to enjoy in Canada but I sorely miss the Canadian ones I can no longer get.
Your suggestion that without the USA, Canada has "very little culture" doesn't make me "mad" - nor I suspect does it anger any other thinking Canadian who knows what makes their country different from its close neighbour. Of course there are similarities and American cross-overs. I find it curious that anyone would be capable of missing such a wide selection of Canadian culture - including authors, TV shows, documentaries, Canadian artists and musicians, etc.
Canadian culture is not homogenous from coast to coast. The cultural vibe in Cape Breton is very different from say, that in Quebec or Ontario, but it is still Canadian.
A stand by what I said, its hardly news that this country suffers from self-identity issues (i'm not the only person to point that out). Maybe being born in a country where the identity is much more pronounced, its a bit of a contrast here. Its hardly a huge culture shock going from the US to Canada or vice versa
A stand by what I said, its hardly news that this country suffers from self-identity issues (i'm not the only person to point that out). Maybe being born in a country where the identity is much more pronounced, its a bit of a contrast here. Its hardly a huge culture shock going from the US to Canada or vice versa
I agree it is not a huge culture shock going between the two countries. I also think Canada and Canadians both have a great sense of identity. Similarity to another country does not negate that.
No region of Canada is a cultural desert, but that said I don't think it is necessarily insulting to express the desire for much of the country (outside of Quebec and Newfoundland maybe) to emerge a bit more from the U.S.'s shadow and take on a more unique cultural personality.
From what I observe I think this might already be happening, albeit very slowly.
I agree it is not a huge culture shock going between the two countries. I also think Canada and Canadians both have a great sense of identity. Similarity to another country does not negate that.
Out of curiosity, which country do you come from?
hint..its where you live now currently (if my info is correct)...
ok remove all the US businesses, the US TV, US Sports from the country (including the CFL), US food (mcdonalds, burger king etc etc), US fashion styles...US retailers and what do you have?
Most of that is just US business. To consider commercialism the most important form of culture is itself fairly deeply American, since the the consensus in the US is that one's highest purpose in life is to become as rich as possible, because after all richer is better and the richer are better. So your answer unintentionally highlights a major cultural difference in the sense that your response had to do mainly with defining people in terms of consumerism and the greed and pursuit of wealth that motivates it. If a Canadian were asked about Canadian culture, I think it more likely s/he would mention musicians, artists, authors, beer league hockey, French/English as two cultures shaping a nation, the effect of long winter, and at least one business (Tim's).
Furthermore, the CFL isn't a US sport. If you research the origins of gridiron football you'll find a lot of Canadian roots. Careful lest the Canadians argue that in the main we borrowed the sport from them.
I think the multi-cultural 'culture' is a good thing or a hindrance...on one hand new people to the country can feel at home, and maintain their heritage and culture, but this very thing does hurt the identity of their new country, as sometimes people want to stick to their own cultures and not contribute to 'Canadian Culture'...guys in Toronto of Greek descent almost insulted to be called Canadian because 'no i'm greek' even though, the guy has never even been to Greece, doesnt speak Greek, and was born in Toronto.......this annoys me
Zoisite; your post goes towards describing the essential difference between Canada and those other countries with their colonization and expansionistic policies. That wiki article left out one other dispute being the "pig war" on the islands in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
I think you must have just skipped over it. It's mentioned there right at the end of the last paragraph before it starts on info about the International Boundary Commission.
Quote:
The Northwest Boundary Survey (1857–61) laid out the land boundary, but the water boundary was not settled for some time. After the Pig War in 1859, arbitration in 1872 established the border between the Gulf islands and the San Juan Islands. In 1903 a joint United Kingdom – Canada – U.S. tribunal established the boundary with Alaska, much of which follows the 141st meridian west.
No region of Canada is a cultural desert, but that said I don't think it is necessarily insulting to express the desire for much of the country (outside of Quebec and Newfoundland maybe) to emerge a bit more from the U.S.'s shadow and take on a more unique cultural personality.
From what I observe I think this might already be happening, albeit very slowly.
I agree with you in your observation, that it's already happening slowly. I think it's been happening slowly for a long time. But then that slowness itself is, I believe, a unique part of the Canadian culture. I don't think I can recall any time that Canada (as an entity) has been accused of being brash or impetuous or of jumping into a situation heedlessly without regard to the consequences. Slow and steady and easy does it with much discretion, deliberation and forethought seems to be the Canadian way.
I don't think that is a bad thing, and to be honest I don't think it's such a bad thing for Canada to be underestimated or for it to be over-shadowed by the USA. I think it serves a very useful purpose for Canada that USA is a centre of attention and Canada is not.
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All the Canadian businesses, Canadian TV shows, Canadian sports, Canadian food, Canadian fashion styles and Canadian retailers. Plus the Canadian music, authors, artists, regional idiosyncrasies, laws, attitude towards life - and oh yeah, the Canadian people? 
...this annoys me
