Welcome to English 470! I am pleased to be in the class with you and look forward to growing my understanding of Canada and our history. Although this is not a required class for me, I chose it because I have an interest in history and connecting how things (in this case Canada) came to be what they are today. This class will use literature along with active participation to help grow our knowledge of Canada and the voices and stories that brought us to where we are today. We will look at who told stories and the impact of those stories. Over the course of this semester I hope to gain a broader view of the country I call home. I want to see past the ‘Canadianisms’ we are known for and hear a more diverse set of voices, because that’s what Canada is to me – diverse.
In our modern day and age stories are not told like they used to be. Fewer people, especially youth, are picking up books. Instead, they are turning to media outlets (social media, websites, commercials, shows and movies) to hear stories. Our countries narrative is largely controlled by commercials. Last year I took a class on Canadian studies. During my semester in the class I discovered that Canada has a very narrow image that it displays to the rest of the world, we are partly responsible for the stereotypes me receive. We, as a country may not create them, but we certainly encourage them. The first point I would like to illustrate is our obsession with fitting the mold. For example our focus on winter. Yes, we do get winter, and yes in parts of the country it is quite harsh, but the majority of the country is quite average, yet we only focus on one season. This not only encourages the idea that we live in an igloo but it ignores a majority of our experiences. A prime example of this is a commercial recently release by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) for the Rio summer Olympics.The second example of this is Molsons tag line ‘I am Canadian’. The entire campaign is based off of Canadian stereotypes, the advertisements basically say, if you do not experience these things you are not a true Canadian.
SOURCES:
Russell1935. “The Three Best Molson Canadian Commercials.” YouTube. YouTube, 25 Apr. 2009. Web. 17 May 2016.
“Team Canada – Ice in Our Veins.” YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2016.
Hello Alanna! Thank you for the thoughtful introduction. I might think your observation about fewer youth reading books is very likely the truth! Though, while it is still on the decline, as of January 2016, 72% of adults said they read at least one book in the past year (Pew Research). I would still consider books to be a major form of media available. I suspect lots of literature is consumed via ebooks and audiobooks, mediums on the rise. Nevertheless, popular culture and social media is a significant and ever expanding channel for stories – at personal to national levels. I think that digitized media has somewhat democratized popular storytelling. Someone with a compelling story can go “viral”, and can then be heard across the country – or world. For Canada, I think this has had a significant effect on, at least, our self-perception and awareness. Movements such as Idle No More, pipelines protest groups, and the inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women have gained the attention of the nation, in part by, the new forms of media you mention. I believe we can see the effects of these stories even on the scale of national politics. Many of these topics were important issues of debate during our last federal election. If anything, the availability and accessibility of new media forms has added complexity to our national identity. I think the narrative offered by commercials could be soon over shone by stories told by Canadians themselves.
Hey Alanna,
Your discussion of information of different media sources is pretty relevant given the way that this course is delivered. I agree that the way Canadians are depicted is a little one-dimensional, though I have to admit that I found the Olympics commercial highly entertaining, if not a little exaggerated. It’s interesting how winter is so tied into the Canadian identity. Do you happen to have any suggestions as to what kind of imagery would depict a more diverse Canada?
-Julia
Hi Julia,
I agree that the commercial was exaggerated! I think most commercials that depict Canada are. It could be because of Canadian pride and we are embracing our image or it could be we really do not know how to create another image that the country would agree with. What I mean is, the one-dimensional image has been occurring for so long that, although we may not all fully agree with it, we are comfortable with it. I have yet to find a more diverse depiction of Canada – although I must admit, it is much easier to find the examples I found. I will look around and see if I can find one with a more well rounded narrative
Alanna
Hey Alanna!
Great post. I would agree with you wholeheartedly when you say fewer people are picking up books in favor of social media outlets. I feel, because of being this “plugged” in, society is at a disconnect from receiving diverse stories through various mediums. These new mediums also allow for social media to interject various forms of advertisements or commercials to garner profit, which can definitely contribute to the creation of Canadian stereotypes you allude to.
However, where I would disagree with you is in your statement that Canada has a very narrow image, and that this narrative is controlled by commercials. Now I may be completely wrong, but it seems to me that Canada’s image is very multifaceted and because of this, Canada actually has a broader image. I believe this is deeply rooted in the premise that Canada is comprised of a diverse multi cultured society and does not take a melting pot approach (like the US). Canada makes it possible for people coming to this country to retain their culture and heritage (to varying degrees) and in turn this becomes part of Canadian image.
While I would say that Canada tries to adhere to a certain “Canadian Mold” I think this mold is much more broader than you may think. The question I want to ask you is, outside of the examples you provided above, how do you think Canadian achievements in literature, art, sport, health, and human rights play into this discussion? and why they may help shape Canadian identity outside of typically states stereotypes.
I look forward to working with you in the course.
Cheers,
Gurdeep
Hi Gurdeep,
I do think there is more to Canada than the narrow mold portrayed in advertisements. That being said, I think that individuals who do not live in Canada would have little idea what else there is. The image projected through the media is quite solid and some might find it hard to stray, for fear of not being accepted. I do want to clear up that I agree Canada is a melting pot, filled with different cultural back grounds and stories. What I was meaning to highlight is only one narrative is told. Tim Hortons even has commercials about immigrants coming to Canada for the first time, when they meet their family at the arrival gate, they are handed a Tim Hortons coffee. So not to say we don’t have a diverse background, but rather those who come want to fit in, so they willingly follow this mold. It creates a bit of a cycle.
To answer your question, I think one of our greatest achievements and claim to fame is our approach to Human Rights. I would say that Canada is one of the few truly free, safe and democratic countries in the world. I know we are not perfect, but we are a place that has a government that has tried to not only welcome change but encourage it. This could be anything from our willingness to take in thousands of refugees, our laws and attitude towards the LGBT community or kind and considerate stereotype. As for our achievements in literature, movies and music, I would say it is still up and coming. We used to be known for producing small budget quality entertainment (with the exception of a few). But, in the last 10 years we have come a long way! I think we are becoming more known AND respected for the talent we produce. I think we are making ourselves more internationally known as something other than America’s neighbor and our international image is evolving to highlight our diverse attributes. I think a major step for us would be getting entertainment outlets on board to help us project that new image.
Alanna
Hi Alanna!
You hit the nail on the head in terms of identifying the way ‘Canada’ gives its international community a very narrow perception of this country. Along with heavily emphasizing our relationship to winter, may outlets like to emphasize our apologetic nature, which you give an example of in the image you posted. I find this extremely peculiar, given our colonial past (and present). ‘Canadians’ are perceived to apologize for everything- even things that are not their fault; yet, the country’s track record for apologizing to the Indigenous community whose land was stolen from them is weak, embarrassing, and unsubstantial. Can we think of other ‘Canadianisms’ that are contradictory?