A Canadian symbol familiar to the stomach is the Quebec-born dish of French fries topped with gravy and cheese curds called poutine. Poutine originated from Montreal in the late 1950s and it can be served as a main dish or side dish to an individual’s order. Since then, it has spread nationwide to restaurants and food trucks and now, this fast food can be found in other countries such as the United States and United Kingdom. However, poutine is more than just a plate of food, due to its distinction from other foods around the world, it has become a part of a Canadian’s identity and culture.
Food is a universal language that brings cultures together. Every culture is different in the way their traditional foods are presented and eating food of another culture strengthens the relations between people and food. Poutine reflects Canadian identity because of its history and the influence it carries over Canadians as well as non-Canadians. Consumers of poutine produce this identity because Canadians are proud to able to call poutine a part of their lives because of its differentiation from other foods around the world.
…show more content…
From positive feedback of poutine, many menus have begun to create their own original gourmet varieties. Poutine joints like Smoke’s Poutinerie, is a familiar Canadian chain available nationally (except in PEI and the territories), offer creative combinations of poutine mixes for customer’s wants. The classic poutine is undeniably popular, but Smoke’s menu offers other toppings such as meat choices, salsa, guacamole, etc. and they even offer the Rainbow poutine with is a vegetarian option. It is clear that poutine has grown in variety and opened multiple, new locations around Canada as well as the States. With its popularity spreading worldwide, Canada’s identity will only flourish and advance in the
idea of what it is to be Canadian rather than always identifying with the place
Much has been written about the ways in which Canada's state as a nation is, as Peter Harcourt writes, "described" and hence, "imagined" (Harcourt, "The Canadian Nation -- An Unfinished Text", 6) through the cultural products that it produces. Harcourt's terms are justifiably elusive. The familiar concept of "Canadian culture", and hence Canadian cinema, within critical terminology is essentially based on the principle that the ideology of a national identity, supposedly limited by such tangible parameters as lines on a map, emerges from a common geographical and mythological experience among its people. The concept that cultural products produced in Canada will be somehow innately "Canadian" in form and content first presupposes the existence of such things as inherently Canadian qualities that can be observed. Second, it presupposes a certain commonality to all Canadian artists and posits them as vessels through which these said "inherently Canadian qualities" can naturally flow. Third, it also assumes the loosely Lacanian principle that Canadian consumers of culture are predisposed to identify and enjoy the semiotic and mythological systems of their nation, and further connotes that Canadians have fair access to their own cultural products. Since these assumptions are indeed flawed but not altogether false, this paper will deal with the general relationship between the concept of Canada, its cultural texts, and its mythological and critical discourse as an unresolved problematic that should be left "open" in order to maximize the "meaning potential" of films as cultural texts within the context of "national identity," an ideological construct that remains constantly in flux.
Source I is a quote from the Paris Peace Talks by British Prime Minister; Lloyd George, where he states a desire for Germany to suffer. This line was said after the end of World War I, where nations met up to discuss the Treaty of Versailles or the treaty to end World War I. In that treaty, it claimed that Germany was responsible for the war and included all the punishments for Germany. Britain and France wanted to make Germany hurt, in return from all the losses it’s caused them, like death of loved ones and damaged property. Squeezing an orange until its pips squeak, means to apply intense pressure on one, until it suffers or in Germany’s case, becomes economically and militarily weak. The Treaty of Versailles harshly punished
Is Canada a nation or has its control just switched empirical hands? As Professor Hutcheson asked, did Canada go from "Colony to Nation or Empire to Empire?" This question has greatly influenced Canada's changing identity since her birth as a British colony with Confederation in 1867 to the present day. The purpose of this essay is to critically analyse the shifting Canadian identities between the years 1890 to 1960. The objective is to illustrate Canada's transforming identity by using the novels The Imperialist by Sara Jeanette Duncan, Barometer Rising by Hugh MacLennan, and Fifth Business by Robertson Davies and to connect the stories of each of these works of fiction to the varying political, economic, and social issues of their times. Each book is written by a prominent author, and portrays an accurate reflection of the demanding political, economic, and social concerns throughout the late nineteen and first half of the twentieth century of Canadian history. All of the novels reflect Canada's peripheral view of the world, as opposed to a central point of view, because throughout its history Canada has always been perceived as a secondary player. As George Grant says in his literary piece Lament for a Nation, Canada is "a branch plant society" , meaning Canada is controlled by another power. The essential question is where has Canada's loyalties traditionally lay and how has this shaped the Canadian identity. The Imperialist by Sara Jeanette Duncan, written in 1904 reflects a very British influenced Canada. At this time, Canada is still a British colony under British rule, and the people of Canada are very content to consider themselves British. The novel predominately ill...
The Dual Nation Theory took its heading starting in 1960, with the beginning of the sovereignty movement (Gorman, Robert F. 2008. 2018-2020). It truly took off, however, with the Quiet Revolution, where the idea of “maîtres chez nous” and the shift from being a distinct part of Canada to Quebec being a nation in its own right begins to take hold. Québécois nationalism defined Confederation as being an agreement between two peoples: the French and the English. “Quebec constitutes within Canada a distinct society, which includes a French-speaking majority, a unique culture and civil law tradition” (Chotalia, 1993). This is significant to mention because this is the theory that ultimately leads to the Three Nation Theory.
Life for the Métis was adventurous with all of the hunting and trading they did. Métis were the result of Aboriginal people and Europeans. Many would work at fur trading companies or just be hunters. When they would travel to different places they would often use Ox Carts to haul all of their belongings. Their culture was very important including what music they played and the language. When they traded they would sell a lot of things because they were so talented at making things. The Métis grew up an having unique and adventurous life including who they were, the culture, what they made, Red River Trails, the Fur Trade, where they've live and how they live today.
Tim Horton's is a typical Canadian coffee shop. By observing and interpreting this setting, we can understand Canadian culture as it's expressed in that setting. Understanding this small part of Canadian culture can then be applied, in a broader way, to the culture of Canadian society. A certain language that is special to customers of Tim Horton's serves a purpose that most are not aware of, big business is changing and confusing our traditional culture with a new culture that is run and concerned with money by large corporations. Canadians are generally friendly and polite to one another but are not community oriented, they are more individualistic.
Canada holds a very unique place around the world with exclusive characteristics, symbols and signs that sets Canada apart from other cultures and countries. In this Mr. Sub advertisement, Canadianness is produced in various ways throughout. Moreover, Mounties, lumberjacks, dog sleds, the color red,
payment for our country, free trade. All in all we have our own government, our
"Oh, Canada! | Cultural Survival." Oh, Canada! | Cultural Survival. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2014. .
Throughout Canada’s relatively short existence we have created quite a reputation for ourselves. Our great nation is known for many things , and I am proud to say that most are positive. Does Canada have a strong national identity? Anyone can see the answer is yes. Just take a look at the facts. For example, we are renowned for our peacekeepers and no other country is considered more peaceful. Without a doubt this is the type of identity we should work to keep.
In the last 20 years the penetration of the Canadian market by American cultural industries is still extremely strong. The United States is still the main source of culture products. American products represent 81% of all culture commodity imports. Canadians watch American TV shows, listen to American music, love American sports teams, drive American cars and buy American goods at American stores like Walmart. They eat American food, drink American beer (sometimes).
What does it mean to be a Canadian? What are the common values shared by the Canadian citizens? Denise Chong, who was an economic advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister, delivered the speech “Being Canadian” during the Canadian citizenship week, 1995. She explains in this speech the importance of Canadian citizenship, the values shared by the Canadians and how to strengthen the Canadian values.
In Canada we have different normal foods than Italy does; Canada enjoys pasta, but not as much as Italians do. In Canada we do not have the same taste in foods as Italy does, in fact Canada eats a more variety of foods comparing to the counter our employees will be moving to. That is not saying that Canada and Italy have no similarities because between these two countries they have a lot of similar foods that they both share an interest in. In Canada, typical foods are: bacon, maple syrup, ketchup chips, poutine, game meat, B.C. salmon, wild blueberries and Nova Scotia lobster. These foods are more typical foods Canadians eat on a regular basis. Canadians favour numerous types o...
The culture of Canada refers to the shared values, attitudes, standards, and beliefs that are a representative of Canada and Canadians. Throughout Canada's history, its culture has been influenced by American culture because of a shared language, proximity, television and migration between the two countries. Over time, Canadian-American relations have helped develop Canada’s identity during the years 1945-1982; thus introducing changing social norms, media and entertainment. In support of this, due to the United States being approximately 9.25 times larger in population and having the dominant cultural and economic influence, it played a vital role in establishing Canada’s identity. With Canada being its neighbour, naturally, the United States would influence their way of life upon Canada.