Canada's Cultural Identity

1b. I have noticed that no region in Canada has a mean trait attached to them. They are are somewhat pleasant and congenial. He also does not speak of the northern people of Canada; he only speaks of those who reside in the southern parts of Canada. I have also noticed that his descriptions of Canadians are very divers.

The Day I Became A Canadian is an essay of the day Al Pittman’s nationality

Canada’s identity comes in many shapes and forms. Multiculturalism has been adopted and is at the forefront of Canadian identity. Following the Second World War, Canada’s multiculturalism policies became more acceptable and even successful in, not only accepting, but inviting multiple ethnic cultures in. In contrast to other countries, multiculturalism adaptation works for the Canadian culture. Canadian policies on multiculturalism have shifted over the past few decades; policies are now implemented for integration, not discrimination.

“Strange Brew” was a full-length movie released in 1983 that depicts how Canadian Identity was viewed at the time and to Canadians, it was a blatant representation of national identity through cultural commentary. The idea was put forth after a sketch with a similar plot line aired and was very successful in Canada and the United States, thus leading to the creation of the film. When compared to modern national identity it emphasizes the change globalization has facilitated. The national identity of past Canadians is vastly different from what is considered national identity of the modern population. Some aspects of identity affected are; the cultural ethnicity of Canadians, the fashion worn and the technology used.

Having lived in Canada when I was 8 before the US-Canada magazine dispute occurred, I found myself thoroughly engrossed in Canadian culture. It seemed a perfect culture, built to protect domestic interests and despite the potential division between countries, created a safe environment where people were unafraid to leave doors unlocked, due to almost no crime. The peaceful and respectful nature of most Canadians isn’t just a fluke, the country was designed this way, and one of the primary influencers of this strategy is the media. Watching the news in Canada, the focus is positive, the message is positive, there is no forced fear of sense of doom as we see here in the US. Life is about being sustainable, not so much a struggle to the top of the food chain, but working together, instead of separating and segregating groups. That is except the region of French Quebec; however, Quebec is like a whole new country in itself.

Upon watching the play Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion, written by playwright Drew Hayden Taylor, I found myself engulfed by a parallel narrative that illustrated a plethora of significant topics. Who knew that learning about a dead Canadian prime minister could be both captivating and informative? Taylor's Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion, commissioned by the National Arts Centre, does an arguably nearly flawless job of bringing light to some of Canada’s oldest and deepest shattered relations through two simple story lines that ultimately merge. This play informs viewers of current and serious topics through the plot and characters, with the help of a little singing and dancing of course.

Canada might have been one of the best places in the world but for me and Tim, Canada is a lot more than that. For Tim O’ Brien’s “On the Rainy River”, Canada is freedom: freedom from the draft letter that pressures him to go to war, freedom from the war that he never understood and always hated, freedom from the dirt, tent, and mosquitoes, freedom from that dense greasy pig-stink and blood clots in the slaughterhouse, freedom from his country, and freedom from his conscience… or is it? On the other hand, for me, Canada is separation: separation from the friends and family who I most

Stephen J. Troope speaks to many everyday Canadians in his writing “Oh Hockey, Medicare and Canadian Dreams.” He explains how current Canadian defining features such as hockey and medical programs fail to best characterize the country and its future directions. Troope clearly advocates for a culture change of many Canadians to celebrate other features of Canada rather than the mundane stereotypes that inadequately symbolize true values. Troope explores many of the future possibilities that lies ahead for Canada. Through an underlying moral cause, Troope fails to form a very effective critique through his lack of credibility, misuse of ethical appeals, and a confusing inadequate ending.

1)Donald Savoie, "All Things Canadian Are Now Regional," Journal of Canadian Studies 35.1 (Summer 2000): 203-217.

Rules revolving around Canadian Content (CanCon) have been set in place since the 1920’s. In 2005, revisions to the 1991 Broadcasting Act were made. Since this revision was made there have been further changes to the Act trying to create the best set of rules for CanCon to be broadcasted (Dewing, 2011). CanCon is an outdated concept that is causing consumers to switch to other forms of media. The CanCon rules cannot determine what is considered Canadian and they cannot keep up with the ever-changing forms of media. Canadian producers are only getting a slim portion of the industry even with the rules in place. Therefore CanCon rules should be totally eliminated.

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

Canada is considered to be a cultural mosaic, where all cultures are embraced opposed to a melting pot where it is expected to adopt one culture. Government regulated media is more favourable than policies based off of self-regulated solutions when addressing Canada’s media industries and cultural needs. Canadians place importance on national identity and without government regulated policies, the content in the media would have minimal Canadian information. According to the Aird Commission, when Canada’s media was operating through private enterprise, many stations expressed conflicting content, however, with state regulated media, broadcasting allows the nation to have a unified vocation. One unified message being sent to the nations citizens is more beneficial than multiple broadcasts on differentiated and insignificant information.

Canadian Political Culture, in a nation- state context, can be break down as beliefs and attitudes that Canadian have of political objects( Jackson, Politics in Canada.1994).

What is Canada? What is a Canadian? Canada, to employ Voltaire's analogy, is nothing but “a few acres of snow.”. Of course, the philosopher spoke of New France, when he made that analogy. More recently, a former Prime Minister, Joe Clark, said that the country was nothing but a “community of communities”. Both these images have helped us, in one way or another, try to interpret what could define this country. On the other hand, a Canadian could be a beer, a hockey-playing beaver or even a canoe floating in a summer day's sunset. A Canadian could also be a “sovereigntyphobe”, refusing to see the liquefaction, albeit political, of the second largest country in the world.

In the first place, students enjoy the creative content produced. The CBC is creative. The CBC will produce astonishing stories that entertain a variety of viewers. Who can resist the fascinating entertainment and learning of the CBC? If you’re pursuing an understanding of Canadian law, the CBC is honored to educate a variety of viewers in their thought provoking passion to