Issue 5, Volume 1
Friday, July 1, 2011
This special Canada Day Issue reviews some of the great things about Canada. Above photograph for the On The Street section is from Ottawa, circa 2008. This is myself, on the Lester B. Pearson statue.
10 Things I Love About Canada
I've been a Canadian all my life. And although there have been many times that myself, and others that I know try to discuss our cultural heritage as if it belongs to the Irish, German, French, Ukranian, etc. - in the end, we are all Canadian. I am Canadian. As much as I rag on our patriotism, where's mine? Well I'd like to show a little by including the 10 things I love about my country. This is in no particular order.
1) The Music
We are all a part of The Canadian Sound: the interesting isolated and frigid music that we identify as having a sound all our own. The Tragically Hip, for example, have used a ton of references or written about, specifically Canadian things. It's one of those things where you have to live here to get it. In terms of our independent musicians, Canada cranks out some of the best indie has to offer. Think about Arcade Fire's international success, for example. Our music is good, thoughtful, and has a certain sound that we all love.
2) The CFL
I've heard people complain before about how 'Canada is the United States of the North' and that we let too many franchises like McDonalds or Wal Mart set-up on our soil. The CFL is an example of an unwavering Canadian institution that is uniquely ours. Most of our CFL clubs date back to the turn of the last century, which is more than the NFL (AFL/NFL formerly) can brag about. Through time, we have always kept the CFL consistant by requiring a certain amount of non-import players (and if you think this can't make the CFL good - look at the Riders' former canadian air force of Fantuz, Dressler et al that ate defenses alive). We have also stuck to our own rules, field size, and amount of men on the field.
3) Our Alcohol
We've got some of the best booze on the planet, which is strange for a relatively young country. Our microbrewed beer is always the best; and the less mainstream labels like Sleeman's and Keith's are decidedly better than most other countries in the world. Canada has always been able to brag that we have good beer. But hey, look at Crown Royal. We've got some great other stuff too.
4) Our Geography
Where else can you go that has prarie, frozen tundra, mountains, glaciers, two different oceans, boreal forests, rain forests and technically a desert zone. Yeah, okay, the States, but ours is all way closer. In Alberta alone we have prarie, grassland, mountains, foothills, forests, lakes, rivers, tundra, desert, and if you keep driving into BC, you can also see rain forest and the pacific ocean. Not bad. Not bad at all. The great thing about our geography is that we have so much of it for only 35 million people or so. In other words, we all get to use it quite a bit.
5) Canadians
I've been able to work with Torontonians, party in Ottawa with their locals in a sports bar while the Sens were making a cup run. I've gone to Karaoke at a Legion with Vancouverites. I've worked with a lot of Newfies (and haven't we all). I've got friends from big cities and small towns. And everyone, when it comes down to the fact we're Canadian, gets along. There is some question of how we treat each other lately, unfortunately, but for the most part, we're all awesome.
6) Our Famous People
I'm not talking about Celine Dion, Justin Bieber or Michael Buble here. But for the most part, our internationally known stars always stay Canadian. We're always proud of them for all the things they do. Michael J. Fox, Ryan Gossling, Mike Meyers - these are people we see, and go "hey he's Canadian you know!" And they always do us justice by being great, polite, well mannered and behaved ambassadors from our Country. When was the last time you heard about a Canadian star being on house arrest for drunk driving?
7) Our Economic System
We are lucky to live in a Keynesian economic system. Our partially socialist state allows post secondary education to be affordable for most people (I priced out UCLA, that stuff is messed compared to here), to have the ability to have free health care, and to have social programs that help assist us through rough times. In addition to this, our Keynesian system means that our country will always attempt to adjust interest rates and stick a hand in where they feel they might help us economically speaking. Now, of course, I am a very critical of our system, but that's only to prove on the great stuff we already have, or to keep what we have from falling apart. But ultimately, we do have a high quality of life.
8) Our Political System
We live in a place where we have the ability to vote for our elected leaders, and are free from persecution for our political beliefs. Post election, there are a lot of you that are upset, especially about the ruling to withdraw funding from parties on a per-vote basis. However, we aren't in a bi-partisan system, a dictatorship, or a pretend-democracy like so many other places around the world. We had a socialist 'communist' party run in our riding. They didn't get shot by military personnel. Their members didn't get blacklisted and put in jail for possibly being communists. We're free to express our political nature, our religious beliefs, our sexual orientations, our outlook on life, and I can freely bash the government on here all I like. In China, I probably wouldn't have access to a blog.
9) Literacy
Although rates have fallen in the past few years, we're still one of the most literate countries in the world. What goes with this? Not only do we know the capitals of our own provinces and territories, but we also know the capitals to a lot of states and provinces in other countries, and find them on a map too. We can sing the US anthem, when a lot of their own performers forget the words. We are smart people. But - we are also humble about it. Canadians don't need to brag.
10) Our Armed Forces
Now and in the past, our Armed Forces have always done the best we could to not only uphold our country's freedoms, but uphold the freedoms and human rights in other countries with the UN and in peacekeeping missions. Of course, our greatest achievements, and something we should never forget, are our victories in World War I and World War II, where we sent many a brave men to die on the field of battle, and in spite of America's late entry in to the conflict, so many battle victories can be pinned squarely on the Canadian Forces.
Things You Love About Canada
What exactly do other Canadians love about Canada? Aside from hockey and beer. Jamie indicated, "that I have the freedom to leave it behind me, to not participate in elections and to say I fucking hate the way this country is run without being subject to the threat of violence by our authorities." There is a lot in that one statement that represents the type of freedom we have here. While a lot of the time we blatantly insult or ignore our federal system, this is okay for us to do, because we live in Canada, and freedom of speech, without commiting hate crime, is acceptable. Commentary is the biggest thing. We can talk about our country as poorly as we want, but the worst someone can say is, "maybe you should move." Being critical of our own political system does not constitute treason here. On a more positive note, Craig simply wrote, "the people." I indicated the same earlier. That no matter where you go, you can find polite people and people who could potentially be your friend; and that we're all united by that one simple fact that we are Canadian. On a lighter note, Ashlee wrote that, "they have the best ceasars." True to this fact. I know that Ashlee has tried Ceasars in Mexico and in the States and the taste there has come up short of however we happen to make them here (slightly different than anywhere else apparently). Hey, sometimes it's the little things that mean the most.
I Have No Editor - Road Crew Firings
So I read this in the Metro, I know, great source right? But then I saw it later on Global, so it must be true. Apparently Edmonton felt that so many projects were not taken care of on time or on budget, and too much meandering was done, that most of the individuals in charge may be sent packing. Meanwhile, city infrastructure is reporting that they realize that there are too many projects right now, and that Edmontonians are frustrated, but we are in a period of low construction costs, and therefore are trying to get as much done as possible.
What I'm hearing is essentially two conflicting stories. On the one hand, the city is blasting their infrastructure department because things were ill planned, and on the other hand, you have the infrastructure department saying that we're doing this because the city told us to get as much done as possible while the price is down. The city is saying these officials have f'd around enough to be paying too much for projects. The department is saying they are doing so many projects to avoid paying too much. So who's right?
I agree with getting things done on time, and on budget, and if budget means a specific time, then so be it. It's better than us living with a giant infrastructural mistake for several years, as we often do in this city. But 'recognizing Edmontonians are losing their patience' isn't enough. It takes me 45 minutes to make a drive home that usually should take me under 10 minutes at non peak times. And if you recommend transit to me, I don't see how that's a fix. The bus has to sit in traffic just the same as I do.
Ultimately the city might just be blasting the department so we all feel a little relieved. "Oh, the city gets our pain now, thank God." Yeah, well, that doesn't mean anything's being done about your ridiculous commute.
Music This Week - Young The Giant
I was going to do Matt Good, I really was, but actually there is a good reason I'm saving it for next week. So instead, I wanted to listen to another chart topping artist, and tell you if this one is really worth it or not.
Young The Giant hails from Irvine, California (that's in Orange County) and their self titled debut was released in late 2010. Strangely, on Roadrunner records (formerly mostly metal), YTG has found most of it's success with their first single My Body on the Canadian Charts, where they reached as high as #2 on the CDN Alt Rock charts and #4 on the CDN rock charts. They rose only to #5 on the US Alt charts and #16 on the US rock charts.
One of the reasons for this is that YTG has a little more in common with bands we seem to love alternatively here in Canada. The quieter and more subdued tracks on this album draw a parallel to Pilot Speed, like in Islands or perhaps the Shins or the Stills. There is even a little disco-rock sound on the track St. Walker reminiscent of Finger Eleven.
Ultimately though, I find this album fairly boring, and something that would make great background music. Sure the album has a great lead off single in My Body and their next single Apartment will probably be decently well received, but aside from tracks like St. Walker and Cough Syrup, the album begins to sound very sonically repetitive after a while.
Great work for their debut, but all in all, I'd have to give this album a 6/10. In other words, getting this album on vinyl is a waste of your money. But downloading it and putting it on as background music during dinner with your friends works.
Letters To The Editor
Write me at rbw2@ualberta.ca and I will post and respond fairly to your letter.
Next Week
-Pushing Singles: The State of the New Music Industry
-The AutoShare Revolution: Don't need a car all day, every day? Share it.
-Matthew Good and The Foo Fighters
-All New Art
Have a fantastic Long Weekend, and Happy Birthday Canada!
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