The not so Great Racism in Canada Thread

[wave46]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Indeed, the absolute epitome of a bland, meaningless and inoffensive designation for an official holiday.

Is this what Canada is coming to.........

It is the current zeitgeist, culturally.

We're quickly becoming the bland 'Hilton-branded' generic strip hotel of a country in many senses. Sure, the quirky motel - while less fancy and polished - had more character.

Bland offends nobody, but nobody is remembered for being bland.

Canada is rapidly shepherding itself into the 21st century as this.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Indeed, the absolute epitome of a bland, meaningless and inoffensive designation for an official holiday.

Is this what Canada is coming to.........

Are we so embarrassed by our history now that we refuse to acknowledge it, or celebrate it????

I see a yellow and black holiday theme, with all printed matter in plain black Helvetica ...

Although "Discovery Day" must seem pretty goofy to at least one segment of our society ...

[MonctonRad]

I don't like "Discovery Day" either. Why not celebrate the individual? Why not call it John Cabot Day?? Or, Giovanni Caboto if you prefer........

We need heroes to look up to in our society today more than ever before. Rejoice in the legendary people from our past. We have to remember who we are.......

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by wave46

We're quickly becoming the bland 'Hilton-branded' generic strip hotel of a country in many senses. Sure, the quirky motel - while less fancy and polished - had more character.

Bland offends nobody, but nobody is remembered for being bland.

Hence the soul-sucking Canada thread

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Spoken like the true grandfather of future graduates of Forest Valley Glen Meadows High School, who will live on Fox Hollow Chase Court in downtown Xville.

Great comment.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by wave46

It is the current zeitgeist, culturally.

We're quickly becoming the bland 'Hilton-branded' generic strip hotel of a country in many senses. Sure, the quirky motel - while less fancy and polished - had more character.

Bland offends nobody, but nobody is remembered for being bland.

Canada is rapidly shepherding itself into the 21st century as this.

In all honesty, even before the PC era Canada was already pretty bland and non-descript. I think you yourself once described it as "the great kludge".

Right now we are being drawn into this even more by the U.S.'s influence.

You are correct that it only promises to make Canada even more bland.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

"June Holiday" - now that would capture hearts and minds ....

Only marginally worse than "Family Day". And about as bland as "Canada Day" if you think about it (because Dominion Day or Confederation Day was too much for some?).

[Acajack]

If even Ghandi is on the hit list now so it's safe to say if this continues we won't be able to have anything named for anyone in the future.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by Acajack

In all honesty, even before the PC era Canada was already pretty bland and non-descript. I think you yourself once described it as "the great kludge".

Right now we are being drawn into this even more by the U.S.'s influence.

You are correct that it only promises to make Canada even more bland.

Sure, but I think we still had some quirks moreso in the past.

I'd say peak 'quirky Canada' probably happened in the '60s to '80s timeframe. A more confident nation stepped out from under its British shadow and defined itself. Naturally, everyone who liked the traditional fare balked and it was the source of much conflict. Conflict often is a sign of identity emerging.

It started to acknowledge what it was:
- A country of two distinct languages and cultures
- A country worthy of a flag and anthem uniquely its own
- A rise in the Canadiana thing - from CBC/CTV programming remembered today to the Tragically Hip, et al.
- It was probably 'peak hockey', at least in terms of influence upon an average Canadian.

The era was bookended by the Pearson government and the signing of NAFTA, whereupon we headed down the road of globalist blandness, for better or worse.

Yeah, we'd never be confused with somewhere like Italy. There was a brief moment, though.

[hipster duck]

So this will annoy a lot of people, but one thing I like about living in Toronto compared to other parts of certainly Ontario, if not the rest of Canada, is that Toronto is heading in the opposite direction as much of the rest of the province.

I feel like the rest of the province is getting blander and blander. Meanwhile Toronto has finally shed its inferiority complex and a lot of its parochialism and has become much more exciting and it's doing its own thing for once.

But, back to the bland. Yeah. I don't go back to my former hometown of Peterborough very often, but when I do, I'm always shocked at how much blander it is than when I was a teenager in the late 90s. We used to have kind of an edgy downtown, and now all the hole-in-the-wall student-run restaurants serve pre-made Sysco food and all the locals just shop at the Costco.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

So this will annoy a lot of people, but one thing I like about living in Toronto compared to other parts of certainly Ontario, if not the rest of Canada, is that Toronto is heading in the opposite direction as much of the rest of the province.

I feel like the rest of the province is getting blander and blander. Meanwhile Toronto has finally shed its inferiority complex and a lot of its parochialism and has become much more exciting and it's doing its own thing for once.

I'd actually kind of disagree there with respect to Toronto. It is joining the likes of Auckland and many US cities in the 'generic city of tomorrow' thing.

But I think we've been over this topic and we're deviating from the thread topic at hand. I admit to being a guilty party to this, so I digress on the topic.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by wave46

Sure, but I think we still had some quirks moreso in the past.

I'd say peak 'quirky Canada' probably happened in the '60s to '80s timeframe. A more confident nation stepped out from under its British shadow and defined itself. Naturally, everyone who liked the traditional fare balked and it was the source of much conflict. Conflict often is a sign of identity emerging.

It started to acknowledge what it was:
- A country of two distinct languages and cultures
- A country worthy of a flag and anthem uniquely its own
- A rise in the Canadiana thing - from CBC/CTV programming remembered today to the Tragically Hip, et al.
- It was probably 'peak hockey', at least in terms of influence upon an average Canadian.

The era was bookended by the Pearson government and the signing of NAFTA, whereupon we headed down the road of globalist blandness, for better or worse.

Yeah, we'd never be confused with somewhere like Italy. There was a brief moment, though.

I grew up in that era. Your assessment is really good. It was the "peak" for a lot of Canadian things, including the CFL for example.

[casper]

Originally Posted by wave46

Sure, but I think we still had some quirks moreso in the past.

I'd say peak 'quirky Canada' probably happened in the '60s to '80s timeframe. A more confident nation stepped out from under its British shadow and defined itself. Naturally, everyone who liked the traditional fare balked and it was the source of much conflict. Conflict often is a sign of identity emerging.

It started to acknowledge what it was:
- A country of two distinct languages and cultures
- A country worthy of a flag and anthem uniquely its own
- A rise in the Canadiana thing - from CBC/CTV programming remembered today to the Tragically Hip, et al.
- It was probably 'peak hockey', at least in terms of influence upon an average Canadian.

The era was bookended by the Pearson government and the signing of NAFTA, whereupon we headed down the road of globalist blandness, for better or worse.

Yeah, we'd never be confused with somewhere like Italy. There was a brief moment, though.

I am not certain I would go along with that assessment. Growing up on the west coast it provides a different perspective.

Over the last 5-6 years there has been a new found focus in recognizing aboriginal culture as a founding culture. At many business functions it is now common place to recognize the historical territory of the relevant first nations community. The English /French cultural recognition is far more relevant east of the Rocky Mountains.

There is an increased awakening to our role within the pacific rim and the ties we have through Asia. Especially in Vancouver where aspects of Asia culture are a significant factor in our society.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

So this will annoy a lot of people, but one thing I like about living in Toronto compared to other parts of certainly Ontario, if not the rest of Canada, is that Toronto is heading in the opposite direction as much of the rest of the province.

It's against forum rules to say anything positive about Toronto.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

So this will annoy a lot of people, but one thing I like about living in Toronto compared to other parts of certainly Ontario, if not the rest of Canada, is that Toronto is heading in the opposite direction as much of the rest of the province.

I feel like the rest of the province is getting blander and blander. Meanwhile Toronto has finally shed its inferiority complex and a lot of its parochialism and has become much more exciting and it's doing its own thing for once.

But, back to the bland. Yeah. I don't go back to my former hometown of Peterborough very often, but when I do, I'm always shocked at how much blander it is than when I was a teenager in the late 90s. We used to have kind of an edgy downtown, and now all the hole-in-the-wall student-run restaurants serve pre-made Sysco food and all the locals just shop at the Costco.

I actually agree with this. Except I would say that it applies as well to Montreal, and Vancouver (and QC, which has always done its own thing). Alas, not London, which is about as exciting as store-bought melba toast with nothing on it.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

So this will annoy a lot of people, but one thing I like about living in Toronto compared to other parts of certainly Ontario, if not the rest of Canada, is that Toronto is heading in the opposite direction as much of the rest of the province.

I feel like the rest of the province is getting blander and blander. Meanwhile Toronto has finally shed its inferiority complex and a lot of its parochialism and has become much more exciting and it's doing its own thing for once.

But, back to the bland. Yeah. I don't go back to my former hometown of Peterborough very often, but when I do, I'm always shocked at how much blander it is than when I was a teenager in the late 90s. We used to have kind of an edgy downtown, and now all the hole-in-the-wall student-run restaurants serve pre-made Sysco food and all the locals just shop at the Costco.

I'll address Toronto in another post , but I do get what you're saying about smaller cities. All across Canada there are tons of them that really do feel like they've been left behind.

[WarrenC12]

Oh those rose colored glasses.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Acajack

If even Ghandi is on the hit list now so it's safe to say if this continues we won't be able to have anything named for anyone in the future.

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Indeed, the absolute epitome of a bland, meaningless and inoffensive designation for an official holiday.

Is this what Canada is coming to.........

Are we so embarrassed by our history now that we refuse to acknowledge it, or celebrate it????

I'm all for "June Holiday", the logic being that the sooner we hit peak insanity, the sooner the pendulum can finally start to swing back. Similarly, I'd like them to rename Newfoundland already to "Island" or something, sooner rather than later.

And lol, THAT is their coat of arms?!? And they want to remove the aboriginals...? How much do you want to bet that if there had been a coat of arms without any aboriginal presence, some people would have immediately demanded a conspicuous addition of aboriginals to it?

Reminds me of the Seattle protesters demanding that black patients start to be treated in black hospitals with black nurses and black doctors, or that black kids start to go to black schools to learn black-oriented stuff.

The grass really is greener wherever it is that you aren't!

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I'll address Toronto in another post , but I do get what you're saying about smaller cities. All across Canada there are tons of them that really do feel like they've been left behind.

There's been a significant "brain drain" of Millennials to the big cities, I think. That's probably why there's less "energy" in places like Peterborough than there used to be, even though I wouldn't be surprised if the population was quite a bit higher than back in the '90s that are hipster duck's reference point.

That's another pendulum that might swing back as people start to realize the smaller cities are way more affordable and technology allows more and more access to almost as much career and entertainment opportunities.

Imagine if a little chunk of "Interesting Toronto" decided to all move to downtown Peterborough while mostly working Toronto jobs through Zoom and going to Toronto only once in a while... it would completely change the energy of the place, and I think all the movers would find their lives improved on average.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Oh those rose colored glasses.

That is a part of it, but I do think there's a difference.

Today might be much more conflict-free and pleasant in a sense, but sometimes conflict and the rough edges define things, as long as they aren't hugely destructive (see: NYC in the 1970s-1990s)

Or things that might not be avant-garde in the modern global sense, but define a sense of place.

The ultimate absence of place might be a modern international airport terminal or Brand X chain hotel. It doesn't matter what city it is in, it might as well be nowhere. That's the point of these things in a sense - to give a sense of sameness in a foreign place.

It is somewhat disappointing to see it permeate life completely. If all we're defined by is our sameness to somewhere else on a global scale, what makes us different than the exact same thing somewhere else? Generic cities pasted on different continents.

You'd think somewhere like Auckland would define New Zealand, like London defines the UK in a sense. It doesn't, at all. It's just another paste-a-city in the cultural global zeitgeist. It's pleasant enough, but it's not where you're going to find New Zealand, unless the All-Blacks are playing.