Canadian Identity: un-American

[L Gilbert]

Canada is not founded on British Parliamentary principles, Canadian system is a hybrid of British and American systems. Sure we have British style office holders and British style merging of the executive and legislative branch. But we have provinces, which are similar to states in USA. They don’t have states or provinces in Britain. Provinces have considerable powers of self governance. In that respect our system resembles American system.

Right, England has counties like the States does.

Our political and business culture draws upon British and American traditions. Indeed, we have adopted many Americanisms. Thus in Britain they have limited companies, we have incorporated companies (like USA).

Indeed, if there is a Canadian identity, it usually involves splitting the difference between USA and Britain (or Europe). A case in point: USA has Social Security Number, Britain has National Insurance Number. We have Social Insurance number. Or our laws about prostitution, we split the difference between USA (where it is totally illegal) and Europe (where it is totally legal).

lol Yep. Blind as a deaf bat.

So it is very difficult to point to a distinct Canadian identity.

Only if you are stupid.

Now, it could be that we were part of the British empire, we are right next to the giant nation, USA so it is inevitable that those two countries will influence our identity profoundly. But it is difficult to point to anything in the field of politics, culture, cuisine etc. that is truly and uniquely Canadian. Even our Carter of Rights, of which Canada can be justly proud of, is based upon the American Bill of Rights (though the Charter is undoubtedly superior to the Bill of Rights).

You'd better let Wikipedia know about it's mistake then. Because it says (and I highlight the appropriate items)

The Charter was preceded by the Canadian Bill of Rights, which was enacted in 1960. However, the Bill of Rights was only a federal statute, rather than a constitutional document. As a federal statute, it was limited in scope, was easily amendable by Parliament, and it had no application to provincial laws. The Supreme Court of Canada also narrowly interpreted the Bill of Rights and the Court was reluctant to declare laws inoperative.[1] The relative ineffectiveness of the Canadian Bill of Rights motivated many to improve rights protections in Canada. The movement for human rights and freedoms that emerged after World War II also wanted to entrench the principles enunciated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.[2] The British Parliament formally enacted the Charter as a part of the Canada Act 1982 at the request of the Parliament of Canada in 1982, the result of the efforts of the Government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

I can't see where it says anything about the Charter being derived from anything American.
There's also this bit:
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - History

 

[ironsides]

We have to remember that the revelutionary government called America broke away from the British Empire stealing their lands.

They broke their treatise with the Indians.

Lied to the Mexicans if the northern part of Mexico would join the union of states of America and Mexican-Americans ended up being second-class citizens.

America have participated in most of the wars since their birth in the late seventeen hundreds.

So keeping the Canadian identity is important.

oops wrong area

 

[TenPenny]

Canada is not founded on British Parliamentary principles, Canadian system is a hybrid of British and American systems.

You do realize that you're contradicting yourself there, I hope.

Even someone who has as much difficulty with reading comprehension as you should grasp that I didn't say Canada was founded exclusively on British Parliamentary principles. You've completely ignored the whole French aspect, which shows that you don't even comprehend the legal system in Quebec.

You've completely ignored the whole 'family compact' aspect of Canada's business history, probably because you don't understand it.

The more of your **** I read, the more I wonder just how much of anything you understand. You are deliberately thick, and deliberately misinterpret almost everything posted on here, simply so you can run around pretending you're superior, massaging your obviously fragile ego.

Good luck with that.

 

[Spade]

You are deliberately thick.

No, I don't believe it's deliberate.

 

[barney]

We have Canadian identity as a nation, but not much else.

Which nation would that be? Quebec nation? First Nations?

I think you mean: as a sovereign state. (I use the term, "sovereign" lightly.)

If Canadians are so intent on distinguishing themselves at the state level, the way to do it is to be a leader in the things that matter (see my previous post).

OK then tell me, what is the Canadian identity? Hockey? Poutine (horrible stuff)? Raw seal meat for lunch? Pierre Trudeau? What?

Those are superficial identifiers. True "Canadian" identity is, like the rest of the Americas, one of human transition. Colonization by humans from the Asian continent is quite possibly the biggest change in this species' short life span, since the initial (permanent) habitation of the continent by humans.

At present, the Canadian identity is one of mediocrity at the state level. Culturally, the identity exists as a sublayer of today's superficial society; it reflects the more natural interaction between First Nations peoples and Western European settlers, outside the of the colonial state apparatus. The introduction of non-Europeans as well as Eastern Europeans in mass numbers is the next step.

Btw, I'm pretty sure the reason white-indian inter-breeding is not as prevalent in British America than in Latin America is because by the time heavy expansion occurred, the colonial state control systems (ideological and otherwise) and establishment were more advanced, so there was more interference in what is otherwise a natural genetic process. The lack of control mechanisms in the more Western regions explains the higher levels there. The dominance of puritanism (a personal control mechanism, enforced by local religious institutions) in the western US resulted in less interaction than their Canadian counterparts.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Which nation would that be? Quebec nation? First Nations?

I think you mean: as a sovereign state. (I use the term, "sovereign" lightly.)

If Canadians are so intent on distinguishing themselves at the state level, the way to do it is to be a leader in the things that matter (see my previous post).



Those are superficial identifiers. True "Canadian" identity is, like the rest of the Americas, one of human transition. Colonization by humans from the Asian continent is quite possibly the biggest change in this species' short life span, since the initial (permanent) habitation of the continent by humans.

At present, the Canadian identity is one of mediocrity at the state level. Culturally, the identity exists as a sublayer of today's superficial society; it reflects the more natural interaction between First Nations peoples and Western European settlers, outside the of the colonial state apparatus. The introduction of non-Europeans as well as Eastern Europeans in mass numbers is the next step.

But that would be the identity of almost any country where people have gone to settle barney, what is Canadian about that? India was invaded by the Aryans; they intermingled with the local population. That almost invariably happens when a group comes to settle in a country.

Even there, there is really not all that much intermingling in Canada. I understand in New Zealand there is much more intermingling, intermarriage etc. between the whites and the Maoris.

So I don’t’ see how that can qualify as the Canadian identity.

Those are superficial identifiers.

Quite right, Canadian identity is superficial. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not putting down Canada. I have said it many times that Canada is the best place in the world to live. But as to identity, there is really not much that is uniquely Canadian.

 

[Cliffy]

Cowachin sweaters are now being made in China. Pretty soon people will begin thinking Canadians are Chinese.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Cowachin sweaters are now being made in China. Pretty soon people will begin thinking Canadians are Chinese.

Well, we already have a substantial population fo Chinese. That may be the next step, who knows.

 

[barney]

But that would be the identity of almost any country where people have gone to settle barney, what is Canadian about that?

It's not the fact that it occurs, but rather how it occurred here. That is the story of this land. And that story is continuing as new people come here and the dynamic at the state level changes.

Quite right, Canadian identity is superficial. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not putting down Canada. I have said it many times that Canada is the best place in the world to live. But as to identity, there is really not much that is uniquely Canadian.

Depends on your standards of what a good life is. If you're talking about living standards, Canada could definitely be much better; countries with far less apparent potential have done better. Mediocrity is what identifies Canada if you're looking at those kinds of things.

I prefer to look at it as previously wasted potential that can be made-up for in future, through appropriate action.

 

[AnnaG]

No, I don't believe it's deliberate.

Me either generally. But I have seen him deliberately put his own spin on a few things.

 

[AnnaG]

But that would be the identity of almost any country where people have gone to settle barney, what is Canadian about that? India was invaded by the Aryans; they intermingled with the local population. That almost invariably happens when a group comes to settle in a country.

Even there, there is really not all that much intermingling in Canada. I understand in New Zealand there is much more intermingling, intermarriage etc. between the whites and the Maoris.

So I don’t’ see how that can qualify as the Canadian identity.

Those are superficial identifiers.

Quite right, Canadian identity is superficial. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not putting down Canada. I have said it many times that Canada is the best place in the world to live. But as to identity, there is really not much that is uniquely Canadian.

lmao Now I am sure the denseness isn't deliberate.

 

[AnnaG]

If I believed in countries and stuff I'd say my Canadian identity is that I was born here. My education has been a Canadian one. No other country is like Canada. Right down to the variety of people shown in the demographics, Canada is distinct. We are generally a peaceful people for one thing. That alone distinguishes us from other countries like England, China, Japan, USA, Russia, Israel, Viet Nam, etc. We are a relatively northern people. That narrows the field down even more. We are fairly technologically advanced - the field narrows further. We are slightly on the liberal side of center. We are good samaritans and help people in need. And so on. We are what we are, which is a combination of all the factors I have mentioned and more. We are a specific type of mutt. No other people have that combination of factors. Perhaps we are mediocre, perhaps not. Do we excel in some things? I think so. We've produced some pretty fine poets, scientists, medicine people, etc. and we still have people becoming prominent.
Superficial? Hardly. Superficial would be branding us as a mixed bag of colors with nothing to distinguish one of our cultures from another. Only someone that cannot think would not be able to say what we are.

 

[Cliffy]

lmao Now I am sure the denseness isn't deliberate.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I suspect male menopause.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

It's not the fact that it occurs, but rather how it occurred here. That is the story of this land. And that story is continuing as new people come here and the dynamic at the state level changes.

That is true enough. It may be that Canadian identity is still evolving.

 

[Kreskin]

Per capita, we use the internet more than any other country.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Per capita, we use the internet more than any other country.

But I bet we browse mostly American websites.

 

[Kreskin]

Canada has some of the best websites on the planet.

 

[ironsides]

Canada has some of the best websites on the planet.

Yes you do.

 

[EagleSmack]

Canada has some of the best websites on the planet.

CanCon is my favorite.

 

[DurkaDurka]

But I bet we browse mostly American websites.

Better get the CRTC to fix that.... :lol: