Canada 's Canadian Magazine Dispute

Canada as a nation has been striving to characterize itself as more ?Canadian? for decades. This has included numerous struggles and events such as protests, bans, and the creation of the Massey Commission, to encourage national development in the arts, and support major companies like the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and National Film Board (NFB). However, this has not been an easy task for the Canadian government, as major influences from below the border (the United States) have been captivating the Canadian audiences by large. American media has had a momentous revolutionizing effect on Canada, even through efforts made to define Canada with its own cultural identity.

Media such as journals, television, music and movies have influenced Canada’s culture in the past and continue to do so today. The Royal Commission on Publications, the Committee on Broadcasting and the Senate Committee on the Mass Media are all concerned with the fact that periodicals and broadcasting are dominated by American content (Smith, 2014, p.105-106). Due to the American’s dominance, the opinions and messages that are conveyed to the Canadians do not reflect Canadian culture, but more so American culture. It has an effect on the Canadians that are on the receiving end because their values and beliefs are altered based on what they hear, and their culture is starting to resemble more that of America than Canada. This is further proven when an observer in 1889 states: “American papers, magazines, books, periodicals, secular and religious, for children and for adults, fill Canadian homes...”

Since the country’s conception in 1867, Canada has lived in the shadow of it’s southerly neighbour, the United States of America. Through the years, what started out as a country with very distinct culture has morphed and become Americanized. Historically speaking, American influence has had a great economical impact on Canada. Speaking about the Americanization of Canada, Pierre Trudeau, former Prime Minister of Canada, has said, “Americans should never underestimate the constant pressure on Canada which the mere presence of the United states has produced…” This pressure has changed the way Canadians live and conduct business. This pressure has Americanized the Canadian economy. American culture has a very far reaching effect on Canada with many trickle down effects. Americanization of the Canadian economy has lead to the American control of the Canada’s corporate structure, Canadian dependence on American capital, turned the Canadian economy into a mirror image of the American economy, and has led to loss of

When the Harper government took control of the country in 2006 they started to control and even prevent the free flow of scientific information across Canada, especially the type that highlighted the consequences of industrial development. This was done two ways: through silencing scientists who might speak of this scientific information,

Cultural issues are complicated ones to solve. Sometimes it is even tough to express opinions about them. It is an area where one has had to establish one's bona fides before weighing in. The audience has to be assured that the commentator loves Canada more or at least as much as the next person and is willing to stop at nothing to protect our culture. Trade consultants wanting to mine the cultural field are well advised to have a Can-lit or artistic icon as an immediate family member. Otherwise, they need not even bother hanging up a shingle.

The Canadian government identified magazines as an important touchstone of Canadian natural identify. If the government recognizes this as a national identify, then those who purchase it are showing loyalty to their father land and preserving their culture for the younger generation.

It is a well known fact that through Canadian history, English and French Canadians did not get along very well. French and English Canadians had many differences throughout history, and as time got closer to the 21st century, situations between these two groups of people got worse and worse. Their main differences, as seen in the visual component of my CPT, were usually around times of war, when conscription was a very big topic. However, we cannot forget the post World War II situations that caused Canada to change forever. Therefore, the top three events that really caused transformations in relations of French and English Canadians were the conscription crisis of 1917, the Union Nationale of the 1930s, and the Official Languages Act of

Since 1914, animosity has continued between the two largest ethnic groups in Canada, the French and the English. The two parties have repeatedly tried to undermine each other by refuting on the likes of religion, culture, and language. The Conscription Crisis of World War One separated the English and French as men were forced to fight. This brought in resentment towards the Anglophones as the French had to battle a war that was not theirs. The Quebec Referendum of 1980 gave the populace of Quebec the option to leave Canada. This identified the large amount of sovereignists in the province. The Official Languages Act (OLA) was implemented to induce change in

Art’s and Culture has and will continue to make a significant impact on Canadian identity. Media, Radio,Television,Film,Song,Book and Magazine industries have all helped to shape our society by using These industries show us who we really are as true canadians. (See For Yourself)(Blattberg)

Ever since the 1950’s more of the American culture has been known to influence Canadian ways of living through the media.

The war in Vietnam had a very big impact on Canadians as it divided them by their response to the war. The government “tried its best to stay neutral during the Vietnam War” (pg. 231 Counterpoints: Exploring Canadian Issues). Canada did not want to become involved in a war that was not theirs to fight, they did not send troops to fight in the war. Canada did not participate in the war and became a safe haven for Americans who would have been forced to fight. This shows that Canada can be independent and not follow what other countries tell them to do. In 1949 Canadians watched American news and saw the world through an American lens. The Canadian government did not like this; the Massey Commission was formed and, “suggested that Canadian culture needed to be protected from U.S. influences” (pg. 176 Counterpoints: Exploring Canadian Issues). The National Film Board (NFB) would be strengthened. The CBC, which was already a radio network, was put in charge of the development of television. Massey Commission also led to, the creation of the Canadian Council for the Arts which awarded grants to writers, artists, and theatres. Another important step was the creation of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). They regulated the airwaves and guarantee that Canadian content was played. The measures that were taken encouraged the growth of arts and culture in Canada. In the 1920s the American investment in Canada increased. American investors started to set up branch plants in Canada. They did this so that “American car makers avoided having to pay high tariffs” (pg. 63 Counterpoints: Exploring Canadian Issue) Canadians were very happy with the investments so they did not think of the long term consequences. The branch plants were a good thing because it meant more jobs but it also meant that the U.S owned Canada. Canadians did not think of that

If Canada wants to protect their national identity, they must all embrace each other’s cultures, instead of creating multiple broadcasts that preach one view or culture. Without state governed media, the dominance of US products in Canada would diminish its identity as a nation, fail to serve the public interest and create less profits causing more advertising and less content in the media. Government regulated media proves to be more favourable and beneficial than policies based off of self-regulated solutions when addressing Canada’s media industries and cultural

A survey published in 1982 by the Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that “relations between the U.S. and Canada have become more strained that at any time in recent memory”. Over the course of Pierre Trudeau’s last term in office, the temperature of Canada’s most important foreign relationship had plunged from chilly to icy. This deep freeze inflicted real costs on Canadians. By 1984, the terms of trade were turning against Canadian raw-materials exports, and Canadian manufacturers faced an intensifying threat of protectionism in Congress. With Centre-right governments in power in Washington, London and Bonn, Canada found itself isolated, its interest disregarded, its opinions openly scoffed at. The U.S. saw the Trudeau “peace initiative” as the “pot-induced behavior of an erratic leftist”. Brian Mulroney set himself to restore Canada’s reputation as a respected and reliable partner. He succeeded---and then

THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE US-CANADIAN MAGAZINE DISPUTE WAS MOTIVATED BY GENUINE DESIRE TO PROTECT CANADIAN CULTURE?

Q.1: To what extent do you think the U.S.-Canadian magazine dispute was motivated by genuine desires to protect Canadian culture?