(no subject)

[fajrdrako]

An amusing article in The Toronto Star today. Or is it depressing? Maybe a bit of both.

I'll go take my dogsled to work now.

Comments

[squashed.livejournal.com]

No, I find it definitely more on the depressing side than amusing. Maybe frustrating and annoying, too.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

All of those things. No wonder Americans have funny ideas about it - though I find that the most prevalent misconception is not the dogsled-and-mounties thing, it's the belief that Americans and Canadians are "just the same".

[widget-alley.livejournal.com]

Not all Americans have funny ideas about it. Some of us have, y'know, actually been to Canada, and don't believe all the funny things that Disney tells us.

[teenygozer.livejournal.com]

OMIGOD, I've seen that ghastly film! It's definitely a Disney film, and you always have to take those "true-life" nature films they do with a huge grain of salt (and possibly a Zantac.) Do you know a Disney film crew invented the idea that lemmings go over cliffs every so often in order to create drama for one of their hokey nature films back in the late 40s? They set up a camera under a cliff and then pushed the lemmings over the edge with one of those huge scoop machines, like a scene out of Soylent Green. You never see the scoop, just the terrified lemmings trying to get away. So it could have been worse, they might have decided to show that Canadians go spare and jump off cliffs during the long, cold winter months.

If they cannot report a cliche, they invent one!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad to hear it! We get these reports of Americans who think Canada is a state, or who think we live in igloos, or something, and it makes us antsy. Or maybe just sad. When I was in California several times people would ask me where I was from and I'd say "Ottawa" and they'd say, "Is that near Vancouver?" It usually turned out that Vancouver was the only Canadian city they'd heard of. I didn't inquire further about the igloos and Mounties.

At the same time I can't help thinking that I don't know much more than that about, say, cities in Mexico or Latin America, and the 'need to know' aspect is there. If the average person in California or Tennessee or Connecticut or wherever doesn't need to know anything about Canada, why should they know?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

OMIGOD, I've seen that ghastly film!

So it's not just a myth!

you always have to take those "true-life" nature films they do with a huge grain of salt (and possibly a Zantac.)

Which just goes to show that the folks who made them were either on drugs, or should have been.

Do you know a Disney film crew invented the idea that lemmings go over cliffs

No, I didn't know that. I probably saw the lemmings-over-cliffs film as a kid and believed every word.

You know, on some of those wintry days in March, I think jumping off a cliff might be a good idea. If I can find a good cliff around here....

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

They should at least add in more Tim Hortens, LOL. That's all I see when I'm over there, and that's a good thing.

Everyone gets stereotyped. Americans get stereotyped. What exactly is the purpose of this film, in epcot center of all places? It's nice living near the Canada/America border. I have certainly heard of and seen Toronto. And Stratford is semi close!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Everyone gets stereotyped.

That's true, and at least our stereotypes aren't nasty. Just archaic! I wish Stratford was closer to Ottawa..... I'm dying to go, but it's pricy when I'm trying so hard to save money for Malta. Still: I'm very tempted. They're doing a few plays I want to see this summer.

As for Tim Horton's.... That's a fine monument to Canadian culture right there!

[kiyuchan.livejournal.com]

Believe me as one living near the Republic of the Mouse, the Canada film is done with tact and dignity compared to a lot of the stereotypes that fill EPCOT. I've always found Norway and China to be particularly bad about that. To be fair, though, they have been SLOWLY updating the countries in recent years. I'm glad EPCOT's finally decided to go after Canada. ;)

Plus, Mission: Space is awesome. Best reason to go to EPCOT, besides the shopping.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

the Canada film is done with tact and dignity compared to a lot of the stereotypes that fill EPCOT.

Oh, really? I guess I should count myself as lucky!

I'd really like to see "Mission: Space". One of these days.... When I last went to Disney World, EPCOT wasn't even built yet.

[lmondegreen.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I think I was more offended by the article. I mean, Toronto and its cultural diversity is not the be all and end all of Canada!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

No doubt the person who wrote the article was a Torontonian, writing for Torontonians. Seems to me that instead of the Disney film at EPCOT they could just show an episode of Due South.

[lmondegreen.livejournal.com]

Yes! LOL