How much do you root for your hometown, region, province and country? - Page 7

Acajack · #**121** Posted **Sep 27, 2020, 10:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoomer

My family is Acadian - my mom’s parents had 18 kids, potato farmers in New Brunswick before moving to BC to become loggers in the late 1960s. I told a neighbour (from Quebec) that my mom was French, when I said where she was from he said “ahh, that’s not real French!” He then went on to mock the way Acadians speak French and he really came across as an insecure racist. Somehow he decided to air all his grievances against English Canada to me, saying how Mario Lemieux is the greatest player hockey player ever, Gretzky was useless, and pretty much how everything from Quebec, from food to music to art was always much much better. Of course that was just him, a petty weird little man, definitely not reflective of the Quebec French at all.
.

It's a totally believable story, though it does sound like a blast from the past.

It's been decades since Québécois francophones self-identified as "French".

Also, generally speaking the Acadiens get a "pass" when it comes to ignorance of other francophone Canadians. Some Québécois can be condescending to them and treat them like "the little brother", but no one would deny that Acadiens exist, nor that they are francophone.

Many of my Gatineau born and raised Québécois friends don't really consider Franco-Ontariens to be "real" francophones. In many cases their judgement isn't necessarily political, but rather empirical: a lot of Franco-Ontariens they've known or have met speak English most of the time in family settings or among friends, don't really know much about francophone culture, and often when you hear them speak in English vs. French, they clearly sound more at ease in English. To your average Québécois (even from Gatineau), that doesn't add up to being a francophone.

Acadiens are different in terms of accent, culture and vocabulary, but they still come across as being more naturally francophone.

Acajack · #**122** Posted **Sep 27, 2020, 11:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PortaPetee

Yes, there were very good at tracking family lines (at least the official ones - there was a lot of bed hopping.)

For example the Gallant and Blanchard families all over NB, PEI, Cape Breton and the West Coast of NL just kept marrying back and forth and you'd think their family tree would look like a braid, but they were very good at avoiding even 2nd cousin marriage because they knew the various branches of the families. Of course dit names helped with that too - Gallant dit Hache denotes two major branches, for example.

And they occasionally brought in an Irish Catholic for some fresh blood too.

You probably know all this already.

One of my parents is from one of the smaller Acadian regions of the Maritimes (not the big ones in New Brunswick) and there everyone informally refers to people by the first name of their male ancestors, often with a reference to the town.

And so you might be known as Pierre à Hector à Félix à Georges à Raymond de la Pointe.

When I go there to visit I've got my linear pedigree down to a great-great-grandfather who was born around the 1850s. It's very clear to everyone which branch of the Acajack family I am from.

While my family is not from there, in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean of Quebec region there were so many people with the name Tremblay that over time they came to be divided by nicknames. Some refer to an ancestor, whereas others are related to often comical character traits:
http://www.genealogieplanete.com/blo...NOMS-TREMBLAY/

esquire · #**123** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 2:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoomer

Speaking of blind spots.. I live on Vancouver Island - nowhere near the Rockies, and the tallest peak on our island is the Golden Hinde at 2,195 meters.

I've been as far north as Courtenay and I feel ashamed to admit that I had no idea that Van. Island had a peak like that.

matt602 · #**124** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 3:16 AM**

I pretty much take every opportunity possible to talk about and defend Hamilton since I'm a huge fan of underdog, working class cities that routinely get beaten on but I generally have a pretty neutral or negative opinion of anything related to Ontario or even Canada. I'm mainly a home town hero I guess.

zoomer · #**125** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 3:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

One of my parents is from one of the smaller Acadian regions of the Maritimes (not the big ones in New Brunswick) and there everyone informally refers to people by the first name of their male ancestors, often with a reference to the town.

And so you might be known as Pierre à Hector à Félix à Georges à Raymond de la Pointe.

When I go there to visit I've got my linear pedigree down to a great-great-grandfather who was born around the 1850s. It's very clear to everyone which branch of the Acajack family I am from.

While my family is not from there, in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean of Quebec region there were so many people with the name Tremblay that over time they came to be divided by nicknames. Some refer to an ancestor, whereas others are related to often comical character traits:
http://www.genealogieplanete.com/blo...NOMS-TREMBLAY/

Yah, exactly all this Acajack - it really surprised me how aware and closely the Acadians back east track this. I was constantly asked which of the 11 brothers on my dad's side (going back a few generations) I belong to. I dunno man - had to check their framed family photo tree to make sure. Hey, I grew up in BC, everything gets intermixed and no one tracks this stuff! Nicest most generous people ever, they welcome you in with open arms and you're right back part of that extended family, even though the older folks didn't speak any English, and my French is minimal.

isaidso · #**126** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 4:11 AM**

I root for Canada but practically never for any city, region, or province. The exception is sports. I'll root for the Jays, Raptors, and Ti-Cats (close enough to Toronto) and at the university level I root for schools from the Maritimes. I want to see Canada do well but it matters little to me which city, region, or province leads the way.

VANRIDERFAN · #**127** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 4:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

I've been as far north as Courtenay and I feel ashamed to admit that I had no idea that Van. Island had a peak like that.

I've sailed up and down the west coast of Vancouver Island and the peaks are very impressive. But the most impressive is the Inside Passage as there are some very impressive bowls there. If we could have got away with it we would have loved to launch the helicopter to do some heli-skiing!

zoomer · #**128** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 4:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

I've been as far north as Courtenay and I feel ashamed to admit that I had no idea that Van. Island had a peak like that.

True, if you stick to the east side of the island it's more hilly with mountains in the distance vs. significant mountains. But most of the west coast of the island is very mountainous with the typical ocean fjords you might think of, but inland mid-island has the highest peaks and is more alpine than rain forest.

Bryn Tassell on Flickr

Walter Moar Flickr

Meanwhile on the west coast of the island this was the village I grew up in, very isolated:

source

and here's the view the other direction - no the town is not called Alamy BC

source

Loco101 · #**129** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 4:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoomer

Speaking of blind spots.. I live on Vancouver Island - nowhere near the Rockies, and the tallest peak on our island is the Golden Hinde at 2,195 meters.

Source

I don't think it was that mountain I saw but last year on the drive to Tofino, I was quite surprised to see a couple of mountains with a fair amount of snow on top in August on Vancouver Island. Not nearly as much snow as you see on mainland mountain ranges in BC in the Summer but there was snow. Previously I didn't think that there was enough elevation for there to be snow on any island mountain peaks.

zoomer · #**130** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 4:46 AM**

Yes, if we get a good winter snowfall on some peaks the snow can last well into the summer, and there are 5 glaciers left on Vancouver Island, but back in the 1970's there were 170! If you have 1:42 check out this awesome Smithsonian video, where they say all the glaciers could be gone in 25 years

Smithsonian Vancouver Island Glaciers

VANRIDERFAN · #**131** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 5:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoomer

True, if you stick to the east side of the island it's more hilly with mountains in the distance vs. significant mountains. But most of the west coast of the island is very mountainous with the typical ocean fjords you might think of, but inland mid-island has the highest peaks and is more alpine than rain forest.

Meanwhile on the west coast of the island this was the village I grew up in, very isolated:

source

and here's the view the other direction - no the town is not called Alamy BC

I've sailed up the fjord to Tahsis. Stunning scenery.

zoomer · #**132** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 5:48 AM**

Yep, used to be a bustling town of 2,500 with a hemlock mill, cedar mill and ships exporting lumber to Asia and beyond - now, both mills gone and 250 people left. Still pretty though, although the rain is insane and pretty much non-stop from the end of September until the end of April. I didn't know there was such a thing as a sunny winter day until I moved to Victoria. The mountains just trap all the clouds and rain in.

Proof Sheet · #**133** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 10:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoomer

Yes, if we get a good winter snowfall on some peaks the snow can last well into the summer, and there are 5 glaciers left on Vancouver Island, but back in the 1970's there were 170! If you have 1:42 check out this awesome Smithsonian video, where they say all the glaciers could be gone in 25 years

Smithsonian Vancouver Island Glaciers

I hadn't heard of Tahsis but looked it up and the fact that you mention all the winter rain is documented here in the climate data. That is a crazy amount of rain. The mountains must get huge snowfall totals. I find it kind of telling that the climate data doesn't mention temperature..just rainfall

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahsis

Nashe · #**134** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 11:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoomer

Yah, exactly all this Acajack - it really surprised me how aware and closely the Acadians back east track this. I was constantly asked which of the 11 brothers on my dad's side (going back a few generations) I belong to. I dunno man - had to check their framed family photo tree to make sure. Hey, I grew up in BC, everything gets intermixed and no one tracks this stuff! Nicest most generous people ever, they welcome you in with open arms and you're right back part of that extended family, even though the older folks didn't speak any English, and my French is minimal.

Love it or hate it, the Catholic church kept pretty meticulous records. Researching the maternal Acadian/French side of my family has been a breeze compared to the English/Irish/Scot mongrel side. My adjacent theory is that tiny, wooden protestant churches burned down much more frequently than the Catholic monoliths, taking valuable records with them. So many dead ends with "lost in the fire of..."

MolsonExport · #**135** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 12:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Yeah... he's the main culprit to which I refer. I suppose I don't notice the issues with other places as much since he doesn't talk about them as often. But you're correct.

Yes, but you would have to add one more item to your list (re: dc): That the Canadian economy is fueled by nothing other than speculative Chinese money flowing into real estate in Vancouver and Toronto.

MolsonExport · #**136** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 12:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoomer

and here's the view the other direction - no the town is not called Alamy BC

source

You grew up in Tahsis? I had a guy that worked for me during the 90s that grew up in Tahsis. You probably knew him. On the other hand, that was back in 1997-98.

Stunning part of the world. I love, love, love Vancouver Island.

urbandreamer · #**137** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 3:18 PM**

I grew up in the middle of nowhere and went to a private school far away so really I have no attachment to the "home town." Toronto was always the big city we went to on weekends and whenever I'm gone from Toronto for ages (eg living in Waterloo to escape covid19 madness) I get very depressed - always happy to be back.

My parents, grandparents and great grandparents all lived in T.O. at various stages of their lives. I was a Blue Jays fan from 1990-94 but otherwise have never been into Toronto sports teams.

ChildishGavino · #**138** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 5:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt602

I pretty much take every opportunity possible to talk about and defend Hamilton since I'm a huge fan of underdog, working class cities that routinely get beaten on but I generally have a pretty neutral or negative opinion of anything related to Ontario or even Canada. I'm mainly a home town hero I guess.

Fantastic way to put it. The country we live in is pretty alright, the province kinda sucks, but damn do I love my city.

zoomer · #**139** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 8:19 PM**

MolsonExport - DM me the name and I'll let you know if I know them, odds are good. Thanks for the link Proofsheet - crazy eh, 169 inches of rain per year, compared to just 27.8 for Victoria, 57.3 for Vancouver and 32.7 for Toronto.

https://www.currentresults.com/Weath...al-average.php

Denscity · #**140** Posted **Sep 28, 2020, 8:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoomer

MolsonExport - DM me the name and I'll let you know if I know them, odds are good. Thanks for the link Proofsheet - crazy eh, 169 inches of rain per year, compared to just 27.8 for Victoria, 57.3 for Vancouver and 32.7 for Toronto.

https://www.currentresults.com/Weath...al-average.php

Wow it rains less in Victoria than Toronto!
That'll shatter that stereotype pretty quick.