Tuesday, May 25, 2010

"Canadian-ness"


Everyone sees Canada as something different however the word "Canadian" cannot be defined in reference to any single factor or feature of personal attitude or loyalty. Being Canadian cannot be defined solely by reference to rituals, traditions, geography or history. Although all these factors do play a significant role in influencing Canadians. I believe the word "Canadian" involves a variety of characteristics, learnings, beliefs and values, however, not everyone may balance these factors equally when in identifying themselves. When I think of Canada, I see a family of cultures, finally accepting of one another living in harmony. I am very interested in the cultures of different people, which is why I am so pleased to live in Toronto and have friends from many cultures. This shows that Canada is willing to learn and embrace the aspects of different cultures and incorporate it in to what we see as Canada.
Canadian heroes also shape the Canadian personality and self-concept nationally and internationally by being so multicultural. With Canadian heroes coming from all walks of life and look so physically different shows the inclusiveness of Canada. It shows how Canada works as a unit to achieve an overall goal of acceptance.

I am proud to be Canadian

“Someone recently called me a ‘banana,’ yellow on the outside, white on the inside. I told him I’m Canadian on the outside and Canadian on the inside. I’m just one piece of the mosaic. In this country, we don’t all look alike.” — a second-generation Chinese-Canadian

“Canada is not a melting pot in which the individuality of each element is destroyed in order to produce a new and totally different element. It is rather a garden into which have been transplanted the hardiest and brightest flowers from many lands, each retaining in its new environment the best of the qualities for which it was loved and prized in its native land.”
— John Diefenbaker, prime minister of Canada, 1957-1963

Reel Canada


This year, in two of my classes I had the opportunity to attend the Reel Canada Film Festival. When I was in grade, ten i was also able to pay tribute to Canadian films by watching two films with many of my fellow class mates when the Reel Canada Festival came to York Mills. This year unfortunately, I was unable to attend the festival because I had a specialist appointment. In grade 10, I watched Bollywood Hollywood and Siblings; both movies that I very much enjoyed watching. Both films, gave off an extremely Canadian feel. By Canadian feel, I mean there was a deep message behind the story, however, it was filmed with very simple shots. This year I did, however, rent Bon Cop Bad Cop, and I received the same overall feel to this film as well. Bon Cop Bad Cop is the film I had wanted to watch my very first time around. Bon Cop Bad Cop allows for the viewers to get a sense of the exaggerated French and English relations in Canada; where the French hate the English and the English hate the French. The film gave the people from Quebec a kind of "bad ass" look whereas the cop from Ontario was "prim and proper". This is obviously an extreme look on the French and English relations, however a look at what has happened throughout history in Canada. I am lucky to be fluent in the French language because both of Canadian official languages (French and English) were incorporated throughout more than half of the film. Bon Cop Bad Cop should many big land marks in Quebec and Ontario which brings out true Canadianism.
Although, I would have loved to have met the people behind such a true Canadian film, I thank you for the opportunity.