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it is doable, but is it enjoyable? What percentage of movies you watched in the past 2 years are Canadian? I bet it is lower than 5%.
I agree with you that culture is broader than TV/movie/music, but in that broader context, it is even harder for immigrants, me included, to get to enjoy something uniquely Canadian. Food? there is no Canadian food. lifestyle? totally Americanized. other cutural events, that's Irish, Carribean, Chinese, Italian etc. You can't call that Canadian. Freedom and democracy? that exists in many other countries.

Most english speaking countries are fairly "Americanized". American media influences is just part of living in the western culture.

I will finally get my Canadian passport in a few weeks, and I have no idea what that means to me, and I don't feel any excitement or pride

That is disappointing to hear. If you can't be proud to be Canadian perhaps you should reconsider moving here.
 
Canadians have their own cultural exports. Have you heard of the likes of Justin Bieber, Jim Carrey, Alex Trebek, Howie Mandel, and so on and so forth? Believe it or not, most Western children's animation in the United States is made by or distributed by Nelvana of Toronto or Cookie Jar Entertainment of Toronto.

Agreed. I visited Jamaica last year and literally all of the children's television shows were Canadian made. Also in some other countries that I've been able to visit much of the regular (non children's) programming was Canadian made or filmed in Canada. Canadian music artists also seem to be doing well in the United States for the first time, which is amazing considering that the US is one of the hardest markets for an artist to enter. In general Canadian media seems to be doing very well here in Canada and its international influence is slowly growing.
 
Agreed. I visited Jamaica last year and literally all of the children's television shows were Canadian made. Also in some other countries that I've been able to visit much of the regular (non children's) programming was Canadian made or filmed in Canada. Canadian music artists also seem to be doing well in the United States for the first time, which is amazing considering that the US is one of the hardest markets for an artist to enter. In general Canadian media seems to be doing very well here in Canada and its international influence is slowly growing.
Most people who comment about Canadian culture unfortunately underestimate the strength of Canadian children's television in other countries, especially given that most simply outgrew children's shows or do not know them. Some of the television programs that Nelvana produced became pop culture phenomena, aside from licensed properties of other companies. Many live-action films set in the United States are actually filmed in Toronto or Vancouver. YouTube also helps break down national boundaries for aspiring music artists.
 
Most people who comment about Canadian culture unfortunately underestimate the strength of Canadian children's television in other countries, especially given that most simply outgrew children's shows or do not know them. Some of the television programs that Nelvana produced became pop culture phenomena, aside from licensed properties of other companies. Many live-action films set in the United States are actually filmed in Toronto or Vancouver. YouTube also helps break down national boundaries for aspiring music artists.

Well there's more to culture then children's programming and other types of media. But I think that people who say that Canada has no culture have little understanding of the country. 99% of the time their argument is that Canada neighbors the United States and because of that Canada just emulates American culture. In reality the two countries have very different cultures. I invite people who say that Canadian culture emulates the United States to visit the American mid-west.
 
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Or the American South, where I'm from originally. It is a different planet.

This just shows that even within America, the culture is different in different regions. Just as there are big differences between Canadian culture in Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, West, BC. There is also some commonality within Canada and within the US, and I agree there are differences.

But, from an Olympic perspective, each of these Regions in Canada do support Canada and Olympic support was widespread at the Vancouver games - even among many newer Canadians.
 
That is disappointing to hear. If you can't be proud to be Canadian perhaps you should reconsider moving here.

Nah, that's not disappointing to hear. Disappointing to hear would be what I'd have to say to a person like that if they wanted to squawk that crap to my face. You don't want it, piss off. I don't go to Tim Hortons just so I can walk out complaining about the shitty coffee. I'd be a right c*nt if I did. Same applies here, as far as I'm concerned.
 
Don't tell me that there isn't Canadian music. 25 to 60% of what we listen to on the radio is Canadian music. Even in the United States a substancial amount of music played is Canadian. You're either choosing to ignore Canadian music, or you are listening to music while not realizing that much of it is Canadian.
By law it is. But Celine Dion and others who live in LA or Veags make up a big part of that.


Honestly, I feel Canadian culture is a ambigous term. kkgg7 your passport is just a tool to have if you want to leave or enter the country. Nothing more or less.

Tigermaster, using the midwest was a bad example, The american midwest (especially around the great lakes) is the closest thing to what we perceive as Canadian culture.
 
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Canadians have their own cultural exports. Have you heard of the likes of Justin Bieber, Jim Carrey, Alex Trebek, Howie Mandel, and so on and so forth? Believe it or not, most Western children's animation in the United States is made by or distributed by Nelvana of Toronto or Cookie Jar Entertainment of Toronto. Canadian food? There is poutine. Canadians tend to view religion as less important to their lives than Americans view it. Canadians trust the government more than Americans trust them in general.

And EVERYONE on that list lives in LA.

I agree with TOareaFan. By stating that Canada has no culture and that we are completely Americanized it is you who is making American culture 'relevant'... to which...

Modern Italy is new. Some cities in there are older then all of North America
 
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Just in Riverdale, one of the BNL, Gord Downie, the drummer from Triumph -- and, non-musical, Rick Mercer, Rick Robert. The singer from one of those pop-punk bands, the guy who was married to Avril Lavigne. For a long time, Diana Leblanc.

I think the problem y'all are having in defining 'Canadian culture' is that all y'all are Neanderthals. ;-)

Think Martha Henry, Robert Lepage, Cirque de Soleil, Michel Tremblay, Daniel MacIvor, the Tarragon, W.O. Mitchell, A Prairie Boy's Winter, The Hockey Sweater, sugar pie. There's tons of Canadian culture and Canada is unique in the world (as is the US or France or Hong Kong.)
 
The same could be said for 95% of non-American celebrities.

if by celebrities you mean "english speaking celebrities".
Do celebrities from India (bollywood), Hong Kong (huge movie market), Japan, South Korea all live in LA? Only countries like Canada does that.
 
Most english speaking countries are fairly "Americanized". American media influences is just part of living in the western culture.



That is disappointing to hear. If you can't be proud to be Canadian perhaps you should reconsider moving here.

No, you are wrong. I am sure the French, Spanish and Italians have their own popular culture not completely dominated by Hollywood at all. Even Quebec has produced many local talents that actually stayed in Quebec. Many of the American TV shows are actually made after the British one, which means the UK has a strong local culture too. Can you name any American shows produced after a Canadian one? We have Canadian Idol, so you think you can dance -Canada, Canada got talent etc instead.

And No, I don't need to be a proud Canadian citizen to live in Canada. My life is fine here and I intend to stay for a while. I just don't happen to feel proud to become a Canadian citizen at all, but who says you need to feel proud of the place you live in? If there is an opportunity elsewhere that I consider is better, I won't hsitate to leave though.
 

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