It can’t be a coincidence that all of Amazon, Google and Netflix- the American digital companies doing business in Canada were seeking attention from the media the same time on Tuesday morning.
l Amazon.ca released its Best Books of the Year with an emphasis on the four Canadian authors in the top 10, including list-topper Eleanor Catton — whose family moved to New Zealand when she was six — with No. 6 going to Claire Messud, an American author who only lived in Toronto from ages nine to 12.
l Google announced the five cities that won something called an eTown Award based on their embrace of the Internet: Halifax, Saint-Sauveur, Que., Newmarket, Ont., Canmore, Alta. and Whistler, B.C. will each be graced with a Google-sponsored event to celebrate their status based on data collected by Ipsos.
l Netflix announced an expansion of its deal with the National Film Board of Canada with 20 new documentary titles added to the now-renewed NFB library — presumably also accessible in the U.S.
It has been a tradition that the USA companies develop fast and expert at expanding across the border. The similarities of the two countries culture can especially accelerate the pace in Canada. The American media companies’ announcements not only show the significance of Canadian culture is steadily increasing but also it may enlarge their potential customers. The integration of the markets may be further developed by emphasizing the equal value of two cultures.