[Acajack]

Happy new year everyone.

I would like to start a thread that’s been in my head for a long time.

Aside from your family members, what group of people (comprised mostly of strangers) springs to mind when you think of the word “us”? For most people, collective identity is a series of concentric circles, with the smallest one being the one we identify most closely with, and subsequent ones moving outwards.

I may be wrong, but I expect that the answers would be all over the map, with some people having the closest “us” being Calgary Flames fans, Cape Bretoners, the global community of urban planners, Trekkies, people who live on the same “side of the tracks” as you in your city, Greek-Torontonians, whatever.

For starters, here are my personal definitions of “us”, from the innermost to the outermost.

1. Native French speakers in Canada and anyone living here who has adopted French as their main language.

This group is highly concentrated in the province of Quebec it is true, although in my “us” it does include Acadians, Franco-Ontarians, Franco-Albertans, etc. Heck, it might even include the Franco-Americans (at least those who still speak French), with which I have found to have quite a few commonalities when I’ve run into them.

2. Canadians

Although I don’t subscribe to the myth that there is a single Canadian culture with some regional variations that all citizens of this country share in common, we do share a political system, an economic space, a common history, an army, Olympic and other national sports teams, and a host of other institutions. There’s enough there for Canadians to be my second “us”.

3. Citizens of Western democracies

Roughly speaking, this would include Americans, Australians, Europeans, etc. In my travels I have found, in spite of sometimes significant language and cultural differences, that most “westerners” are nonetheless very similar to me in lifestyle, attitudes, etc. For me personally, this “us” is actually not very far off from the “us” that I feel I share with my fellow (non-francophone) Canadians

4. Humanity

A no-brainer for most people I would imagine. I wouldn’t be surprised if some (self-anointed?) citizen-of-the-world types come up with this as their only “us”.

So, folks, who is “us” for you?

[kool maudit]

in canada, i'm a montrealer first - when in north america, i'm a canadian. outside all that, i'm a north american first.

[Metro-One]

Vancouverite - British Columbian - Canadian - North American - Northern hemespherian - Human - biped - Terrestrial - Earth!

[Distill3d]

North Vancouverite - Vancouverite - British Columbian - Western Canadian - Canadian - Irish - Human

[vid]

Me and my possie.

[Bigtime]

In Calgary: Inner City Resident or Beltliner to be more specific

In Canada: Calgarian

Travelling the World: Canadian

[Canadian Mind]

Back when i still lived in BC I'd tell British Columbians I'm from Fanny Bay; anyone in English Canada that i am from the Comox Valley; French Canadians, Westerners, and Asians that I am from Vancouver; and Everyone else that I am Canadian.

Now that I am in the army, I am purely Canadian, but will still use the above when telling people where I am originally from.

Even when Aliens show up I am Canadian.

[theman23]

Me and my possie.

Hey, same with me (and my posse).

[MistyMountainHop]

Vancouverite, British Columbian, Canadian, Canucks fan, Led Zeppelin fan, Mac user, Redditor (http://www.reddit.com), etc.

[dennis]

In Winnipeg I'm from EK -or Manitoba: East Kildonan or Winnipeg or just the city (rural areas around Winnipeg)
In Canada - Winnipegger
In the World - Canadian or Winnipegger

[Riise]

In Calgary: I'm from Rundle or the N.E..

In Canada and the U.S.: I'm Calgarian.

Travelling Elsewhere: I'm Canadian.*


* When I say where I'm from I say: Calgary, Canada. This is something our travelling neighbours to the South should try to emulate; who the fuck cares, and sometimes even knows, where the fuck your Province/State is? City, Nation people!

[Distill3d]

In Calgary: I'm from Rundle or the N.E..

sorry to hear that...mind you, it could be worse, you could be from Temple

[Cambridgite]

Complex question. Here's what I came up with.

Part of the Earth -> Human -> Anglosphere -> Canadian -> Southern Ontarian -> Waterloo Regioner -> Cambridgite

- English speaking
- People with Western values of individual liberty and democracy
- Independent, open minded thinkers (not sheep)
- University aged people
- Agnostics
- People who don't trust the government
- People who like to travel
- People who like cities
- People who like working out
- People who enjoy humour, even if it's nasty

4. Humanity

A no-brainer for most people I would imagine. I wouldn’t be surprised if some (self-anointed?) citizen-of-the-world types come up with this as their only “us”.

:haha:

[srperrycgy]

Calgarian, Albertan, Canadian and after the tragedy this week, proud to have been raised in Sparwood BC.

[circle33]

Upper Canadian homesteading in the prairies.

[O-Town Hockey]

Abroad I'm Canadian
In Canada and US I'm an Ottawaan with Regina roots (born there and most relatives there)
In Ottawa I tell people I grew up in Kanata (suburb), but somehow got out and live downtown now

[someone123]

It depends on the context, but I don't closely self-identify with anybody simply because of where I or they live or are from. The word "us" for me doesn't have any special connotations, it is just associated with a concept.

I do feel a connection with both English and French Canadian society, and, more generally, the "Western World", humanity as a whole, and then other forms of life roughly according to how similar to humans they are or how intelligent they seem.

[vid]

If we go by neighbourhoods, I am Simpogian. :P (Simpog being a portmanteau of Simpson-Ogden).

[Xelebes]

Half American immigrant, half British immigrant half Russian immigrant... something like that.

[Cambridgite]

Half American immigrant, half British immigrant half Russian immigrant... something like that.

So you're 150% immigrant?

[mmmatt]

Within Moncton = East Side, near the Coliseum
Within Atlantic Canada = Monctonian
Rest of Canada = Monctonian, possibly need to mention NB, depending how far west.
Anywhere else = Canadian

[Acajack]

It depends on the context, but I don't closely self-identify with anybody simply because of where I or they live or are from.



Not sure if this is the same point you are making, but I have been surprised at how most of the "identities" cited here by others seem to be geographically-based rather than cultural.

[MolsonExport]

Homo Sapiens Sapiens

[Spocket]

Ha ha ha ! Petty humans !

"It's a cook book ! IT'S A COOK BOOK !!!"

[kool maudit]

Not sure if this is the same point you are making, but I have been surprised at how most of the "identities" cited here by others seem to be geographically-based rather than cultural.

geography can define culture. my family is english, born there, but i don't talk like them.

nothing like living abroad to make you realize what you are. i'm a north american. sure, we can't say "mate" and sound right, but they can't say "whatever."

[Andy6]

geography can define culture. my family is english, born there, but i don't talk like them.

nothing like living abroad to make you realize what you are. i'm a north american. sure, we can't say "mate" and sound right, but they can't say "whatever."

Well, I too have been considering the idea that Canadians are primarily and historically a lost tribe of Americans. However, anecdotally, I also have to admit that whenever I've been in international situations (conferences, grad school, etc.) I've found that Canadians and other ex-Empire/Commonwealth people (Australians, New Zealanders, British, South Africans, etc.) gravitate to one another quickly while Americans tend to have a more awkward time fitting in. Americans for the most part seem to have great difficulty internalizing the idea that non-U.S. cultural touchstones exist and that people from other countries have historical and cultural relations into which the U.S. simply doesn't figure at all.

[SpongeG]

locally: Burquitlamian
Regionally: Coquitlamite
Nationally: Vancouverite
International: Canadian

[Acajack]

geography can define culture.



Yes, it can. But I note that in your list of identities you didn't mention Québécois/Quebecer, although you do geographically reside in Quebec.

So geography in only part of it.

Most people here view their identity geographically because many of their cultural reference points are consistently present across the continent they live on.

For me, I just have to drive 10 minutes south of here to Ottawa for most of my personal cultural reference points contained in my ''us'' no. 1 to drop off the map. (Unless I happen to run into a Franco-Ontarian, and even then...) But if I drive eastwards, I can go for a good 1500 km or perhaps more and the reference points are all there pretty much anywhere I go.

[vincebjs]

Canadian in identity. I don't have enough civic pride to call myself Mississaugian / GTA-an or Ontarian. Maybe English-Canadian, as in contrast to French-Canadian

[someone123]

Not sure if this is the same point you are making, but I have been surprised at how most of the "identities" cited here by others seem to be geographically-based rather than cultural.

Yes.

Personally, I find that I have the most in common with certain types of people (intellectually curious etc.) and it doesn't matter so much where they are from. Most of my friends right now are from the US. Most of them have moved around so much that they barely know what corner of it they come from. Americans will move from Miami to Seattle without giving it a second thought while Canadians wring their hands over just how foreign they feel when they go over to the next province on holiday ("Oh! They call them Hydro bills here! I feel like a 16th century Portuguese explorer arriving in Goa!").

[Acajack]

Americans will move from Miami to Seattle without giving it a second thought while Canadians wring their hands over just how foreign they feel when they go over to the next province on holiday ("Oh! They call them Hydro bills here! I feel like a 16th century Portuguese explorer arriving in Goa!").


I love it! :haha:

[Distill3d]

locally: Burquitlamian

i don't think i'd identify with a community that one of Canada's most notorious killers came from.

[MolsonExport]

Homo Sapiens Sapiens

in all seriousness:
1) Canadian
2) Montrealer
3) Quebecker (Quebecois? Still not sure that this is accurate for me given the connotation of the term)
4) A sort of cosmopolitan identity with humanity
5) British (half of my ethnic heritage)
6) European (the other half, excluding my part 5)

note that parts 5 and 6 only seem to matter for holidays, world cup soccer, and St. Patrick's day, etc.


background: second-generation Canadian on Mother's side, 8th generation on Father's side.
birthplace: Montreal! (mother tongue English)
have lived in: Montreal (NDG, Downtown, Waste Island, South Shore), Vancouver (downtown, Richmond), Kelowna (well, Winfield), Edmonton, and London (currently NorthWest, but earlier, Southwest).
Have travelled to: USA (very extensively), Mexico, Australia (Sydney, Cairns, Perth, Uluru), South Korea, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Italy. Soon: Scandinavia. Visited all provinces except Newfoundland.

[lubicon]

Within my city - NW Calgarian
Within my province - Calgarian
Within my country - Albertan
Within North America - Western Canadian
Within the rest of the world - Canadian.

[Wooster]

In Canada: Calgarian living in Toronto
Outside of Canada - Buymorian

[MsMe]

I'm a crazy Canuck. But I have been called much worse. :lmao:

[vid]

Where in Canada are they not called Hydro bills?

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3998/lakehead010ml9.jpg

[lubicon]

Where in Canada are they not called Hydro bills?

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3998/lakehead010ml9.jpg

Alberta for starters. Since we get very little of our electricity from hydro, why would we call it that? I/we call them power bills, utility bills, or electricity bills.

[vid]

OK, that's 1.

[MonctonRad]

This is a very complex question......

I have lived in Moncton now for nearly 20 years so therefore I would have to consider myself a Monctonian first and, by extension, also a New Brunswicker. My affinity for New Brunswick however is somewhat muted by the fact that I was born and raised in P.E.I. and the majority of my university education was in Nova Scotia. I therefore tend to consider myself a "Maritimer" more so than I do a New Brunswicker, or even an Islander.

I certainly am proud to be a Canadian. I am a traditionalist who has strong attachments to the anglosphere, and particularly to the other countries of the old Commonwealth such as Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain. We are somehow "different" from our neighbours to the south and I suppose this is related to our traditions, including the concept of constitutional monarchy.

Having said this, my mother was born in the United States, and this has somehow given me some vague sense of attachment to the U.S., although on serious reflection I do not think I would ever live there. Most Canadians I think have an ambivalent relationship to the U.S. and I agree with the comment above that Canadians in some ways are a "lost tribe" of Americans; the outcast Loyalists of the American revolution so to speak.

In summary, Monctonian, Maritimer, Canadian, North American, member of the Commonwealth of Nations.