Canadian, Please.

 

This video is a celebration of Canada.  What are the positive things that the video makers are saying about Canada? 

 

In this video, Russell Peters tells the story of how his father is trying to become "Canadian".  He buys a barbeque, hamburgers and hot dogs and invites the neighbours over for a party.  Why would he think that this would make him more Canadian?  What does he believe is a Canadian?  Is this accurate?

Can you tell which of these people are Canadian?  Some are and some aren't. 

Write down what you think their nationality might be.  Remember, if there are multiple people in the pictures there may be multiple nationalities.

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

Which ones did you think were Canadian?  In fact, it is impossible to tell which ones were Canadian because there is no common "Canadian look".  Canadians come from Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Pacific, South America, other North American countries, Central America, the Caribbean....  We speak SENCOTEN, English, French, Italian, Mandarin, Korean, Swahili, Cree, German, Japanese, Punjabi and many other languages.  

Think about these questions as you watch this video clip:

1. So, what makes a "real" Canadian anyways?
2. Does it have to do with where you were born? Where you live? What you eat?  What language you speak?  Or what you look like?

     

There are five key characteristics to Canadian Identity:

Particular Emphasis on the Tri-Cultural Nature of Canada

• Aboriginal (First Nations, Inuit, Metis) culture is (of course) the original culture of Canada
• French culture developed through early colonization
• English culture developed after the English took control of Canada after the War of 1812

Canada Became a Country Without Having a Revolution

• Canada is one of the few countries in the world that gained independence from a colonial power without a revolt or revolution.
• As a result we have developed a country and culture that values peace and collaboration.

"Peace, Order, and Good Government"

• Related to point #2, Canada is founded on the ideas of "peace, order and good government".  
• Part of this has developed because we adopted the British parliamentary system and (except in Quebec) the British legal system.

Multiculturalism

• Very important to Canadians is the concept of the Cultural Mosaic as opposed to the Melting Pot of the United States.
• The Cultural Mosaic means that each person and their culture is like a tile in the mosaic that makes up the picture of Canada.  Each person's culture is valued and supported.
• The Cultural Mosaic can be seen in the writing of Canadians like Rohinton Mistry, Michael Ondaatje, Chief Dan George and Arthur Clarke.

Geophysical Factors

• Canadians have been strongly influenced by our land.  
• It is a vast, cold, rugged land in which survival can be difficult, even today.
• The importance of the land has molded our history and our arts and literature including works like Roughing it in the Bush by Susanna Moody, and writing by Margaret Atwood.  Artists like the Group of Seven and Emily Carr also reflect our landscape.

All of these characteristics reflect an ideal Canada.  When all is "right with the world", what are the positive outcomes of these characteristics?  When things are not going so well, what are the negative outcomes of these characteristics?