Do you think Canada has it's own identity?

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Amber D

i would love to play a game of hockey against you "biffnasty" I'd kick your little cowardly *** at it..

no_einstein

I am born a Canadian with an asian heritage. I applaud this country's open door values on other's beliefs and values, as long as those same beliefs of those people do not harm anyone here, or elsewhere in the world. Please do not misunderstand me on this point; religious fanaticism taken to extremes (read terrorism) is not welcomed. I also applaud those who immigrate here and strive to make a better living for themselves and their families.

One thing I DO not like is how some of those who do immigrate here do not leave their hate nor ignorance behind in the country they have left. If my father can get along with the japanese people here, I don't see why other folks cannot either---his home in China before he immigrated here, when he was younger, was bombed by the japanese during WWII. My father is a great example of what a Canadian is. He was angry at those japanese who waged war but he had no quarrel with those japanese here that also strived to find a better life for themselves.

I am happy to be Canadian because I am expose to other cultures and I get to understand more about other human beings that live on this big blue planet of ours. I think being Canadian is being able to live in harmony and peace with others of different ethnic backgrounds, beliefs, and culture.

Gist

Canada definately has its own identity. Identity isn't based on saying the name of the country you live in. A part of canadian identity is the acceptance of different cultures and backgrounds, traditions and people in general. When people say they're from their home country and are asked that in Canada, then of course they will not say they are from there as it is obvious to the asker. I immigrated to Canada from Poland but I consider myself Canadian as well and when asked where i'm from (in canada) I always say poland.

I see canadian culture and identity to be focused on equality and fairness. There isn't much discrimination, males and females, homosexuality, race, everything is accepted, incorporated and understood by the majority. I think it has the best government and opportunites than any other country. It is so easy to start your own business and to achieve your potential here. People have the option to come here and be who they want to be and do what they want to do, but if they don't then it is caused by their personal fear more than the lack of opportunity.

I visited the website you're talking about as well and found it very disturbing, but I don't think it was written by a person who lived here as they would know better. They said that opportunity is a lie and that immigrants can't progress. It is true to some extent but it is not Canada that is to blame, instead it's their personal choices.

My mom had a university degree in Poland which she couldn't use in Canada and she gave up and worked in coffee shops instead and in large factories with plenty of other professors and engineers from other countries. However she never pursued her goals, she just gave up right away or was unaware of the opportunites here. She eventually learned that her life was in her hands and is now attending university here which will give her a better position and title than she could've achieved in Poland. It was her determination and new gained knowledge that let her progress, and what stopped her before was the fear of the unknown.

j j

Well I believe that website is wrong in its answer because of course if your in Canada you will tell of where your family came from, but if you go on vacation to the U.S. you will say your Canadian. Everyone in Canada is Canadian, why would you answer with that response?

SteveN

You were probably reading the propaganda website that our Iranian friend Haji (AKA "stop canada") keeps pointing people to.

I am a Canadian. I was born in Montreal, raised in the Eastern Townships, and now living in the Laurentians area. My parents were born here. My grandparents were born here. None of us ever said we were from England, or Scotland, or France, or any other place of birth for our ancestors.

The difference is that the immigrants that come to Canada now were either born outside of Canada, or their parents were. When asked where they are from, their natural tendency is to tell you what was their home BEFORE coming to Canada.

Of course, that may be if they are asked where they are from while in Canada. If I was born in Canada but raised in Mexico and lived there now, when asked where I am from I might tell a Mexican I am from Canada, because they mean "where are you from originally".

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. The people who are hosting the "notcanada.com" website claiming they are impartial former Canadians. That is not entirely true. They have their own agenda (which may not be apparent to the average person) and they do two things that are designed to give them credibility:

1) Put just enough truthful information to make them look honest.

2) Point to links of their choosing that support their claim, stating "if you don't believe us , then read what these guys have to say..."

They are correct in certain points:

- You should not move to Canada and then look for a job. You should try to line up a job here and then move here. Personally, I think that is true anywhere, however.

- Canada is not as rosy a picture as the immigration lawyers and government websites make it out to be. Wow! News Flash. Do they honestly think that any government will promote the flaws in their country? Or that an immigration lawyer who makes money off someone immigrating here would try to dissuade someone from coming here?

I am like you in that I am happy to live in a country where people do not go missing in the middle of the night, where I can speak out against the government and I don't end up in prison, and where I can come and go as I please. In the office where I work, I often have lunch with an Iranian, Portugese, Italian, Lebanese, and a Tunisian. All of us are Canadian and we get along great.

under_my_thumbz

"Why ppl are asked where you are from, they don't say I am from Canada, they say "China, or Pakistan" etc."

I know plenty of Canadians from Canada. Of course it has an identity.

Danelady

Of course, we have a Canadian identity. We just don't find it necessary to shout it out for the whole world to hear.

That wouldn't be Canadian, would it? Thank you.

Edit - We have missed your bright and shining face lately, Biff dear.

joyfulpaints

I found it most interesting when traveling in Europe that when folks asked me my heritage, they did not accept Canada as an answer. They would say "Yes, we know you're Canadian, but where is your family from?" And even though I can trace my ancestry in Canada back to the early 1600's on both sides (farther back than some Europeans can trace), they still consider us "Colonials" without any original Canadian content.

I believe it's our duty now to prove that Canada does indeed have a unique identity that is not borrowed or grandfathered from anywhere else. The fact that our heritage is made of bits welcomed from hundreds of places makes our identity unequaled anywhere else on the planet.

(And I'll bet there are websites like notUSA, notIRAN, notCHINA, notICELAND etc. as well... there are disgruntled and disillusioned people everywhere.)

Earle

In case it matters (or helps) I was born here. My ancestry is Highland Scots - my parents were born here, and my grandparents were born in scotland.

That said, I think what is even more important than all the multicultural concerns which really only affect half a dozen big cities, and virtually none of the rest of the country, is that the country itself is so big. I've travelled through most of it and when I was younger I hitchhiked so I met a lot of people and what I saw was this. If you put a guy from Newfoundland, one from Quebec City, and one from Nunavut in the same room, you would be hard pressed to find something they have in common that is "Canadian" even though all three of them were born in Canada. In fact, with this example, it's more likely than not that they don't even speak a common language. I personally don't think that this is a bad thing because we would be pretty boring if we were all the same.

It is true that an Italian-American for example will probably call himself an American first, and in Canada, he will consider himself Italian and not really Canadian at all. This, however, really only matters in some larger cities and in most of the country not at all. I don't know the exact figure but I would not be surprised in the least that 95% of all immigrants end up in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. While this makes up a goodly sized portion of the total population, these are just three urban centres that are pretty tiny in comparison to the rest of the country.

All that having been said, I call myself a Canadian. Unless you are one of our Native people, your family came here from somewhere, it's just a matter of when.

biffnasty

no canada does not have an identity, they are known as the annoying little brother throughout the world, that no one really like.....they copy everything from AMERICA....the only thing canada is known for is the mullet, the flannel shirt, the canadian tuxedo, and being failures at their own sport hockey...thank you

heck..why do you think so many canadians sew AMERICAN flags on their backpacks when they travel abroad

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