Canada: kind of bland, lacking identity and a passive country.

[telyou]

I'm still recovering from the fact that someone is actually using England and great cuisine in the same sentence.
I've lived there long enough to know that doesn't exist.

[telyou]

Originally Posted by patm

Even though it all manages to stay successful (well music and movies are kept alive by government mandates) not very many people are proud of any of these things.

Please remove music from your post. Canadian music has been very succesfull around the world. If you haven't noticed that then you're just assuming it's American music because apparently only Americans sing in english.

[Wooster]

Originally Posted by Bluenote

Our beer is better

Except that it's really not. The US has a much, much better micro-brew culture than Canada and far more variety. Canada's beer is only better (marginally) if comparing Canada's big brands to Bud or Coors.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Bluenote

Our beer is better
Our women are hotter
Our hockey players are the best
We are not gun happy like the toilet below us
We grow quality green stuff
Most American TV and Movies are actually made here
Our special effects are renowned around the world in the movie industry
We don't make boy bands!!!
Compared to the UK we drive on the proper side of the road, and speak clear!!!



And most of all through all my worldy travels whenever I say I am from Canada, people always say they wished they could come visit our country, they always say How WE are the most polite peacefull people on the planet. This is also another reason why I say in a travel broucher in the USA, to not wear anything American when you travel abroad, they said to wear the Canadian Maple Leaf!!!!!

This kind of brow-beating, whether authentic, naive or tongue-in-cheek, goes against what Wooster and several others have been saying in this thread.

[Gresto]

Originally Posted by Acajack

This kind of brow-beating, whether authentic, naive or tongue-in-cheek, goes against what Wooster and several others have been saying in this thread.

It's not browbeating, it's chest-thumping, but I agree with your sentiment.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Gresto

It's not browbeating, it's chest-thumping, but I agree with your sentiment.

Thanks, you are absolutely right. I lost something in the translation there!

[Acajack]

I have heard many times before the whole schtick about Canada's identity being not having an identity, and that this makes us freer and we are all better off for this.

I can sort of understand, but I think it ignores the fact that every society has its social conventions, even those that pretend they don't.

There are social conventions that you are expected to conform to in Canada, just like any other place. Granted, you probably won't get killed if you don't like hockey or agree with the general sentiment that Canada is unquestionably a superior country to the U.S., but then again going against social conventions in most civilized places in the world these days will not put your life in danger. Canada is not really unique in this respect.

[P. Alouishous]

Originally Posted by Wooster

The point of Canada is precicely not being nationalistic. We're one of the only countries on earth that's almost truly post-national. While yes that means we don't have things like a lot of distinct "Canadian" cuisine or other cultural markers - there are far greater upsides. The biggest being that we are inherently a welcoming society (relatively speaking). Strong nationalistic identity in a lot of European countries is what leads to racism, xenophobia and isolation/marginalization of immigrants. If you're Danish - you're Danish - if you're not, you're some sort of "other" person mucking up the country's identity.

I'll take Canada any day. Besides, we get to borrow and adopt the best of all places from our immigrant populations - especially food.

Exactly. This is the reason Canada is, hands down, the best country in the world to immigrate TO. In places with an over-arching identity there is always pressure to conform to that identity. This is why residents of individual cities or countries have a lot of the same traits. If you're not conforming to the region's mainstream culture, you're on the OUTSIDE which makes most people feel marginalized.

Canada doesn't have a strong dominant culture and the huge amount of diversity here means there are many different cultures living together. There is no mainstream identity pressuring people to conform. Canadians are FREE to act how they want. FREE from the social pressure of a dominant culture.

[P. Alouishous]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I have heard many times before the whole schtick about Canada's identity being not having an identity, and that this makes us freer and we are all better off for this.

I can sort of understand, but I think it ignores the fact that every society has its social conventions, even those that pretend they don't.

There are social conventions that you are expected to conform to in Canada, just like any other place. Granted, you probably won't get killed if you don't like hockey or agree with the general sentiment that Canada is unquestionably a superior country to the U.S., but then again going against social conventions in most civilized places in the world these days will not put your life in danger. Canada is not really unique in this respect.

Canada is unlike most places in that fewer people conform to the "conventional" interests. That is why it's so hard to identify any conventional interests. What percentage of people in Canada even watch hockey? Less than half I would say. In many countries in the world the vast majority watch football and if you don't you'll be excluded from a lot of social interactions. Going against these social conventions won't put you in danger, but it will exclude you from the mainstream. I can't think of one example of this in Canada. You never know what other Canadians may or may not be interested in.

[P. Alouishous]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

I view Canada as pretty bland and uninteresting - in the UK there is a distinct British theme that touches everything from food to dress to media.

Having a distinct theme doesn't necessarily make a place interesting. Brits aren't exactly known for their liveliness and flavour.

[Doady]

Canada doesn't have a strong dominant culture and the huge amount of diversity here means there are many different cultures living together. There is no mainstream identity pressuring people to conform. Canadians are FREE to act how they want. FREE from the social pressure of a dominant culture.

Canadian culture is a combination of other cultures, just like every other culture. Cultures are not static, discrete, monolithic entities with a singular definition: they are constantly changing, overlapping, interacting, borrowing from one another, and the definition is not the same for everyone. The Canadian approach to culture simply recognizes these facts.

Immigrants in Canada do conform to Canadian culture, but they also shape Canadian culture at the same time. This two way relationship between people and culture is what Canada realizes but Europe has not. Europe right now only wants individuals to conform to the culture, and ignore the fact that culture is the product of the people.

[bobi]

Canada: lacking identity

So not true: we're the only country on earth still celebrating Victoria Day, and removing the paintings of our greatest painters from government buildings to make room for pictures of our beloved British Queen... ah, forget it...

[someone123]

You have to wonder how trivial this supposed problem is when it could be solved by a funny accent and some silly costumes.

And Canada does have boy bands, or at least stupid boy musician/celebrities. Justin Bieber is from Ontario.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Doady

Canadian culture is a combination of other cultures, just like every other culture. Cultures are not static, discrete, monolithic entities with a singular definition: they are constantly changing, overlapping, interacting, borrowing from one another, and the definition is not the same for everyone. The Canadian approach to culture simply recognizes these facts.

Immigrants in Canada do conform to Canadian culture, but they also shape Canadian culture at the same time. This two way relationship between people and culture is what Canada realizes but Europe has not. Europe right now only wants individuals to conform to the culture, and ignore the fact that culture is the product of the people.

Just because some of the conventions are not Canadian in origin (many are American) does not mean there is no pressure to conform in Canada.

''Whaddaya mean you don't watch Seinfeld?!?''

[Centropolis]

Aw. I <3 Canada. I wish we could annex you. <3. That's not a weird nationalistic dig. I innocently wish Canada was part of the U.S. (I know it doesn't go the other way).

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

Aw. I <3 Canada. I wish we could annex you. <3. That's not a weird nationalistic dig. I innocently wish Canada was part of the U.S. (I know it doesn't go the other way).

Don't worry, we'd be more than happy to make you guys the 11th province! Though you may have to learn how to properly pronounce words like "about", "out" and "toque"!

As to the OP, hmmm, I lived in London, visit it (and the elsewhere in the UK) almost yearly, watch way too much UK cinema and just love everything about the whole place BUT I still choose to move back to Canada and live here. As much fun as living there is, see Wooster's post for the reason that I choose the Beaver and Johny Canuck over Johny Bull!!!

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by Bluenote

Our beer is better
Our women are hotter
Our hockey players are the best
We are not gun happy like the toilet below us
We grow quality green stuff
Most American TV and Movies are actually made here
Our special effects are renowned around the world in the movie industry
We don't make boy bands!!!
Compared to the UK we drive on the proper side of the road, and speak clear!!!

The third and fourth points are probably true, anyway.

[Xelebes]

Originally Posted by someone123

You have to wonder how trivial this supposed problem is when it could be solved by a funny accent and some silly costumes.

And Canada does have boy bands, or at least stupid boy musicians-celebrities. Justin Bieber is from Ontario.

Paul Anka was the first one to take that crown.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by shreddog

Don't worry, we'd be more than happy to make you guys the 11th province! Though you may have to learn how to properly pronounce words like "about", "out" and "toque"!

i'd be fine with that too! but i'd bet you don't really want this stinky smorgasbord in the morning.

straighten your fucking tie canada, you've done good. look sharp!

[cjbs1]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

Yes, I am a Canadian who lived in Canada all my life, but I been living in the UK for 9 months now and I view my home country differently. I view Canada as a country that does not have a lot of identity in the world and also with its people. I view Canada as pretty bland and uninteresting - in the UK there is a distinct British theme that touches everything from food to dress to media. It's everywhere. There are so many British shops, British shows, British foods, music, etc. Yes, this country has a long history and it is an island, which helps. I'm just wondering when Canada will be proud of itself. What does it mean to be "distinctly Canadian"? Please don't say that it's the fact that we can't be defined. A country has to be able to define itself to the world. When are we going to have shops that are Canadian - fashion clothing, department stores. Marks and Spencer - so British! What store is so Canadian? Aussies have a distint identity and they are a young country, why can't we? What is Canadian food? What do I tell Brits Canadian cuisine is?

If you are thinking I'm crazy, then that answers why we have such an identity problem.

You sound like a person who is doing his first travel outside Canada.

So tell us more about the marvelous british food.
Canadian cuisine:
- All the wonderful seafood: Lobsters, Snow Crab, Halibut, Turbot; Maple Smoked Salmon; Our king Arctic Shrimps, P-E-I'S oysters, Arctic Char, Geoducks, Clams, Giant Clams. If you've had any of the previous recently anywhere in the world they're most probably canadian.
- Canadian Bacon, recognised all across the US for its tender and buttery flavor.
- Albertan Angus Beef.
- Quebec's Maple Syrup and all its derivatives: Maple butter, Pancakes with maple syrup, etc.
- Canadian's Asian cuisine, with its own local flavor and twist.
- The Québec french touch, with some of the best cheeses in the world.
- Ontario's Ice Cider.
- Poutine, our national junkfood.


And so on !!
Your ignorance on our local food is the only issue here my friend !!
I've been to UK several times and witnessed the wasteland it is regarding food. I'm not too sure what you're trying to proove here.