Is the Canadian identity defined as "not being American"?

[Sal]

Plus I have to say something here; every morning at work, the national anthem is played in various forms, drums or reggae, or orchestral, or rock. Now that I am aging, it makes me proud to stand there and hear our anthem played, I find it an increasingly emotional experience. There I am fortunate enough to stand, free in an environment where we welcome new Canadians, teach ESL and citizenship classes and hear what it was like to live in other countries under various regimes.

The other day a woman arrived who had missed two weeks of classes. She'd just had a baby. After much congratulations and fuss someone asked her if she missed home. Home she asked with a heavy accent and a screw up face as she processed the question. Here home she said, my babies safe here. Here home. I no miss back there. That never home, never safe. Here home.

It was overwhelming. :canada:

I need that reminder.

 

[SLM]

Barenaked Ladies - "O Canada" (3/23/13) - YouTube

 

[petros]

Are we talking about an American Pontiac or a Canadian Pontiac ? They aren't the same you know .

I know.. For my America 62 Parisienne I had to order Impala parts so they would fit on the US Pontiac.

 

[JLM]

Are we talking about an American Pontiac or a Canadian Pontiac ? They aren't the same you know .

I'm very aware of that, we don't make the Bonneville or the G.T.O. or the Catalina, but then Chevs are probably different too. -

 

[darkbeaver]

" Whenever I am back in Canada visiting friends everyone seems to want to try and convince me why America is so terrible and scary. This obsession with the US just baffles me."

These guys are fricken' nuts, you need to find some different friends. Genuine Canadians don't disclude people en masse.

It's terrible and scary because it is a wounded Empire who everyday murders civilians in other countries with impunity. Of course they won't attack us with drones.

 

[gerryh]

let me point out something for those that are less observant. This thread and post is the first and only post that this "person" has posted. He is a troll. He has not stuck around and I would be surprised if he ever comes back, at least in the present iteration.

 

[Sons of Liberty]

Please continue. Although I like the possibilities that brings up, I'm curious as to what you specifically mean by it.

It will be a long conversation, so when I have enough time to sit at the computer and address it, I will bring this up again.

 

[gerryh]

Please continue. Although I like the possibilities that brings up, I'm curious as to what you specifically mean by it.

Pretty please?

Great...............

 

[Kreskin]

Canadian identity is being abit about everyone rather not of some people.

 

[JLM]

let me point out something for those that are less observant. This thread and post is the first and only post that this "person" has posted. He is a troll. He has not stuck around and I would be surprised if he ever comes back, at least in the present iteration.

Does that make his/her observation less valid?

 

[gerryh]

Does that make his/her observation less valid?

yes.

 

[Chinook]

No, I am NOT a troll. I have just been too busy to keep following the discussion I started. I genuinely ponder what it means to be "Canadian". To be honest, I never really thought about it that much before coming to the US. I suppose the US has done such a job of creating myths about themselves, and inculcating their youth with them, that I feel somewhat wistful about my childhood.

I never sang the Canadian anthem every morning or swore allegiance to the queen in elementary school in Alberta (although we did in scouts, interestingly enough). Not that this in and of itself creates an "identity".

I lived in Bavaria for a while and felt that the people there seemed to have more of a cultural identity than what I knew in Canada too. Of course, this was a double-edged sword. It is much harder for a Somali immigrant to feel a part of society in Germany than in Canada or the US.

Like I said earlier, most of the Canadian identity I grew up with was defined by what I was NOT, not what I was.

 

[gerryh]

Like I said earlier, most of the Canadian identity I grew up with was defined by what I was NOT, not what I was.

sucks to be you.

 

[Chinook]

sucks to be you.

Woe is me... I was just hoping for a little cathartic discussion.

 

[gerryh]

Woe is me... I was just hoping for a little cathartic discussion.

It's bullshyte statements..... It's the same tired crap that I hear from americans and Canadians who are american wannabe's.


"The Canadian identity is that they are not americans"...... fu ck off.....


Ya, I'm happy I'm not an american, I'm also happy I'm not a brit, or a German, or Chinese, or any of a 100 or more other nationality's. That is NOT my identity. I AM CANADIAN. period. If you don't know what that means to you..... then sucks to be you.

 

[petros]

Make makes someone American? What defines an American?

 

[Sal]

Make makes someone American? What defines an American?

Part of their country is warm all year round and they are not Canadian.

 

[JLM]

sucks to be you.

"Like I said earlier, most of the Canadian identity I grew up with was defined by what I was NOT, not what I was."

Hey, Gerry, go find that "quote" of mine and tell me what number it is. -

 

[petros]

Part of their country is warm all year round and they are not Canadian.

Have you been to Florida during play-offs when the Habs are in?

 

[Sal]

Have you been to Florida during play-offs when the Habs are in?

no why does it get chilly then...