[Roots_Energize]

There's just something very unsexy about the sound of "peameal bacon".

Come to Toronto and try our peameal bacon, pig slop, pork reins , and cream soda!

 

[Thanos]

are you an anglophone or bilingual?
I know many people don't like Paris just because "people don't speak English there", which is absurd.

Neither. Greek origin and speak French fluently.
Don't get me wrong i love Montreal and Quebec City.
Also, i find it funny when people use the anglo vs franco talk. From personal experience the francophone community in Quebec City loves Toronto. The anglophone community in Montreal hates Toronto, just watch CTV Montreal or listen to Montreal english radio stations like 940 or 900am.

And that whole Montrealers think Toronto is soulless only exists with the anglophone community that is bitter with their situation in Montreal. If you actually sit down with alot of the younger generation, francophone or anglophone, they don't have that perception of Toronto.

 

[Thanos]

Another bit of good news for Toronto tourism: we are on the hottest travel destinations of 2012 for Travel + Leisure magazine.

 

[vatche]

Come to think of it ur right thanos, the young generation doesn't have that perception.

 

[Lenser]

The anglophone community in Montreal hates Toronto, just watch CTV Montreal or listen to Montreal english radio stations like 940 or 990am.

Ring of truth there. My anglo in-laws in NDG seem to look down on Toronto. They consider Montreal wonderfully European and liken Toronto to just another large North American city... the kiss of death to them.

 

[Thanos]

I mean to say 900am and not 990.
990am is the sports station and they're pretty big supporters of the Jays.

 

[EMP1729]

It's civic pride. Montrealers have it. They just don't shut up about how awesome their city is. It is not like Montreal has anything better to offer than Toronto. It is different, not better, not worse. Don't want to start another Montreal vs Toronto thread.

Torontonians (at least the ones I know) never have anything great to say about Toronto - that is the problem. We need to have that same civic pride.

 

[Thanos]

Considering half the city was not born here and the other half do not like the fact that half the city was not born here may be at the root of this pride issue.
All that will change once the second generation has grown, matured and has more income.

 

[Tewder]

If Toronto were a person it'd need therapy on so many levels

We need to somehow reconcile our roots (pre-Multicultural) with our diversity. The roots give us our character and sense of place whereas the diversity gives us legitimacy and relevance as a modern Canadian community. As Hipster Duck indicates the key to the originality and specificity of a collective Toronto cultural identity is found at the nexus where these two ideas intersect:

A city in a country that embraces multiculturalism, in an epoch that embraces globalization, will always have a tough go at carving out its own identity and culture. That's Toronto's conundrum. Say what you will about the American "melting pot", it has allowed cultural syncretism to take root giving birth to hybrids of several cultures that are conspicuously lacking in Toronto's supposedly diverse cultural landscape. For example, Japanese chefs in Los Angeles began substituting avocados so prevalent in Mexican cuisine for tuna, and, voila! The California Roll was born. Where is the fusion of Chinese and South Asian cuisine that Toronto should have happened by now? If Toronto could harness its diverse groups to create weird new hybrid cultures, I would totally travel halfway across the world to see that happen. That's how cultures are born.

Our governments and institutions need to encourage this. We've done well at developing and promoting our diversity but that is all.

It's interesting to note how on a wider national level we are seeing ourselves dabbling in a little more Canadian mythologizing in the commemoration of the anniversary of the War of 1812.... and why not? How we choose to interpret the meaning of an event is just as import, and says just as much about ourselves as a community, as the dry facts do, which is what cultural myths are all about. Canada has always needed an origin story more interesting than the boardroom deal that Confederation was.

 

[vatche]

Ring of truth there. My anglo in-laws in NDG seem to look down on Toronto. They consider Montreal wonderfully European and liken Toronto to just another large North American city... the kiss of death to them.

Yeah as if looking like an American city is necessarily a bad thing! Lol

 

[Tewder]

... aside from rue St. Paul is Montreal really that European looking?

 

[oreoshack]

we need more movies that not just filmed here, but also set here. and are also not box office flops *cough* scott pilgrim

 

[uptown]

Since we live in the shadow of the world's cultural powerhouse should the city strive to be an international tourist destination or should it really prioritize on drawing visitors from the Midwest and other parts of Canada? Asking someone from Europe or Asia if they'd rather see Toronto or Chicago/NYC would be like asking a Canadian if they'd rather see Sydney or Auckland and Christchurch.

 

[Torontovibe]

Neither. Greek origin and speak French fluently.
Don't get me wrong i love Montreal and Quebec City.
Also, i find it funny when people use the anglo vs franco talk. From personal experience the francophone community in Quebec City loves Toronto. The anglophone community in Montreal hates Toronto, just watch CTV Montreal or listen to Montreal english radio stations like 940 or 900am.

And that whole Montrealers think Toronto is soulless only exists with the anglophone community that is bitter with their situation in Montreal. If you actually sit down with alot of the younger generation, francophone or anglophone, they don't have that perception of Toronto.

When I lived in Montreal (1990's) news anchor, Leslie Roberts, had a morning show on CTV. (in English) On a regular basis he would bash Toronto. On a number of occasions, I'd cal the station to complain about his Toronto bashing, which was almost always based on lies. (Yes, I stick up for my city) On a number of occasions, he said, on air, that he could never live in Toronto.

Flash ahead 10 years and what do I see? A new anchor for Toronto's Global News, by the name of "Leslie Roberts". lol I couldn't believe that Toronto hater had the NERVE! It's been over 10 years ago and I still hate that (fill in the blank) There is no way that someone who hated Toronto that much, should be working here now. It's obvious he only came for the $$$.

I wonder how Hogtown Humble Pie tastes, Leslie?

 

[EMP1729]

Since we live in the shadow of the world's cultural powerhouse should the city strive to be an international tourist destination or should it really prioritize on drawing visitors from the Midwest and other parts of Canada? Asking someone from Europe or Asia if they'd rather see Toronto or Chicago/NYC would be like asking a Canadian if they'd rather see Sydney or Auckland and Christchurch.

Canada needs to be more like Australia. Everyone wants to visit Australia, they have created a mystique about their country despite the fact that Australia hasn't contributed much to world history or culture for which the average person would care about. Canada is in a similar situation. Why should we be a regional tourist destination? Toronto is the major Canadian city whom most people could name.

The rest of Canada likes to think that Torontonians believe they are the centre of the universe, it's time for us to actually act that way!