Do Canadians still feel their OWN "identity"?

Question

This is just from my own point of view, but from what I think, Canadians don't know where to pattern their culture, from their southern (and very influential) neighbor (U.S.A.) or from their mother country (U.K./Great Britain). Let's leave the Quebecers out of the picture here since they obviously strived hard to keep the culture of the French ancestors.

Do you think the same way? I don't mean to generalize here, but this is just what I think.

BTW Robble, I'm not actually from Europe, I'm from Singapore :-) But I love Europe that's why I named myself, LOL...sorry if I have offended you... I didn't mean to do that...

Answer 1

Canadians are very proud of who we are. Very Very proud. Like other posters above have said, we have set our identity through the last 2 centuries.

Yes, Americans influence us, but not to that much of an extent. Even in Toronto, the supposibly most American city in Canada, you know it's Canada and not America. If you ask a Torontonians were the ROM is, they'll not only tell you, but chances are, they'll walk to you there. Try that in NYC and see what happens.

The reason Canadians feel we have to stand up is because we feel we have to "prove" ourselves everytime the U.S. is involved. I think it's similar to New Zealand's relatinship with Australia.

It really is hard to describe our identity, I guess you'll have to come to Canada and see how different it is from England, and the U.S.

So you'll have to excuse the offended Canadians above. We are extremely proud of what other Canadians have done. Yes, if you wear a Canadian flag pin in The Netherlands you will be treated like a king! Canada, a small country at the time was sent to liberate all of the Netherlands in some of the heaviest fighting in WWII. Canadians have always been known to be hard, and dedicated fighters. Although Germans treated most prisons bad, many Canadians were treated very well (not all but most) by the Germans because they respected the fighting spirit of Canadians.

The Netherlands have never forgotten the contributions made by Canada, and many grandfathers in The Netherlands will take their kids to the Canadian Memorial. Basic saying goes like this...."These Canadians didn't live here, they didn't know us, they didn't know who we were, yet they died so that we can have what we have today."

I get chills writing this. I am sorry if other posters came off as rude, but Canadians love Canada!!!

Hmm, here's an exept from a beer commercial aired in Canada a few years ago...

Hey, I'm not a lumberjack, or a fur trader....
I don't live in an igloo or eat blubber, or own a dogsled....
and I don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada,
although I'm certain they're really really nice.

I have a Prime Minister, not a president.
I speak English and French, not American.
And I pronounce it 'about', not 'a boot'.

I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack.
I believe in peace keeping, not policing,
diversity, not assimilation,
and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal.
A toque is a hat, a chesterfield is a couch,
and it is pronounced 'zed' not 'zee', 'zed' !!!!

Canada is the second largest landmass!
The first nation of hockey!
and the best part of North America

My name is Joe!!
And I am Canadian!!!

Answer 2

The differences between Canadians and Americans are as important as those between the French and the French Swiss or Belgians or Quebecers, for example. We don't share the same history, cultural and societal values, political systems and principles. Even thought like in the USA many Canadians are not of English ancestry, the melting pot resulting from our different systems are vastly different.

Answer 3

Right off the bat......Great Britain is not the Mother country to the majority of Canadians.......French aside, there are Italians, Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, Ukrainians, Germans, Dutch, Polish, only to mention a few....and each and every one of these nationalities, strive to, and manage quite well to preserve their homeland cultures. The only way to really understand this, is to visit our great country, and to visit the small ethnic communities and attend their annual festivals. one such example is "Folklorama" held in Winnipeg every year, where all the different cultures host their own pavilion.....where you can experience their culture, food and drinks...as well as dancing and crafts. What you see on TV is not even close to the real thing. Come on down and see for yourselves.

Answer 4

I don't know where you live, although EUROPHIL would imply somewhere in Europe.

If you expect a serious answer, you should have the courtesy to say what Country you live in.

Well have you ever got it wrong!!

The Canadian IDENTITY was forged in WWI and reinforced in WWII, Korea, Serbia.

We don't know where to pattern our culture??? I'm Canadian, what the **** are you?

Canadians have a very warm and respectfull relationship with the American people. Pls do not confuse that with their politicians.

Many Canadians, like Australians have no time or respect for the Royal family. Yes it is an important part of our heritage, but "so what, who cares?"

If you don't think that Canadians have an identity....put a Maple Leaf Pin on your jacket when you travel in Europe.

Try Holland..we gave them their country back.

Hmmmmph

Answer 5

I really get tired of people saying Canadians don't have a clue what our own culture is.

We are CANADIANS. We are not sub-Americans or kinda-British.

Our culture is our own. You may have to be Canadian to understand it but it is our own. We can laugh at ourselves which very few cultures can but we are also very serious about our pride in our country and our people.

Answer 6

It shouldn't make much real difference these days since American culture, for better or for worse is now Global.And since us Americans happen to speak English as well as Great Britain ,our mother country too.So maybe they ought to better be seen as a variant maybe of a broader Anglo-American culture perhaps!