# Canadian Icons



## McG (27 Jan 2004)

What icons/institutions/things do you think most identify Canada?  Is it the Timmie‘s coffee mug (like the comercial suggests)?  Is it our hockey teams?  Canadian beer?  The traditional RCMP uniform?

Which are you proudest to identify with?


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## Yllw_Ninja (27 Jan 2004)

‘72 Henderson goal *nods* take that evil russians!


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## Pikache (27 Jan 2004)

The mountie.
Celine Dion
Margaret Atwood


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## Slim (28 Jan 2004)

How about fighting men who can do anything with nothing. And do it well!

Up until about 1995 there was the CAR...

Oh, and maple syrup.


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## nbk (28 Jan 2004)

The maple leaf....beavers (the animal)....the wilderness in general...cold and snow...and inefficient government..


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## winchable (28 Jan 2004)

Don Cherry


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## patt (28 Jan 2004)

igloo?


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## pegged (28 Jan 2004)

This is definately the winner.


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## Sh0rtbUs (28 Jan 2004)

The women...


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## muskrat89 (28 Jan 2004)

Don Cherry


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## Jungle (28 Jan 2004)

> Originally posted by McG:
> [qb]
> Which are you proudest to identify with? [/qb]


Our soldiers.


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## Thompson_JM (29 Jan 2004)

what more can i say. The most beautiful flag in the world.


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## gate_guard (29 Jan 2004)

eh


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## Thompson_JM (29 Jan 2004)

right now who am I proud to identify with?

PPCLI, 3RCR, and every member of the CF serving at home or abroad.


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## bubba (29 Jan 2004)

bearded clam,beer bellies&no control over are govt.and what it does with are money.......


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## kaspacanada (29 Jan 2004)

Cpl Thompson, re: both your posts - I couldn‘t have said it better myself, (although I do not have the ability to say that I serving with any regiment at the moment, I will soon enough)


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## EX-STRAT (29 Jan 2004)

Don Cherry,our flag "The True North Strong And Free".


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## Padraig OCinnead (29 Jan 2004)

Celine Dion?

Come on you could do better than that. I‘d trade her with any U‘all for a roll of used hockey tape.

Billy Bishop
Diefenbaker
Coffe crisp
chips with more than 2-3 flavours
Colour
Honour
words spelt correctly with U
caribou
Newfies
laughing smugly into our sleeves at americans appearing on "Talking with Americans"
Rick Mercer
Socialized medicare
BBQ‘ing in January wearing mukluks and a tuque


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## gate_guard (29 Jan 2004)

our beer is 5%


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## Enzo (30 Jan 2004)

Flying across the Georgia Straight and seeing the Island, after having been abroad for a long time. This is my home and arriving back is the best feeling in the world.

Watching Rick Mercer mess w/ Yanks is fun also


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## jimbunting (30 Jan 2004)

How about this one............

Marching with the "Old Comrades" on a rainy and windy November 11th, the whole regiment swinging in step, up University Avenue to the cenotaph, knowing that they are "sizing up the youngsters" to see if that are continuing the traditons that have been established in the past 103 years of service?

Or sitting in on a "smoker" at the annual ranges shoot, watching the guys from WW2, who are watching themselves on the screen, as the NFB‘s 16 part newsreel series, "Canada At War" is being shown, and they point out themselves, on the screen, in Italy, France, or Holland? Listening to them tell stories about the things they did to stay alive, and those who "didn‘t make it back home".

That is "Canadian History " right from the men who lived it.


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## AirCon (1 Feb 2004)

Poutine!


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## Franko (1 Feb 2004)

Flying into Ottawa at night for my leave from Bosnia a few weeks ago...I saw something that made me actually have a lump in my throat.

Just to set this up properly I was in theater at that time for 2.5 close to 3 months and was getting a bit used to the local scenery. 

-Bombed out houses, burned out cars from years past. Buildings that still have the bullet holes in them, and people STILL live in them.

-Stood at the site where a good friend of mine died in 98. Laid a wreath on his monument for all the guys who knew him for Rememberance Day.

-Drove past the same monument day in and day out for weeks on end...even to go to the airport for my flight home.

Flying into Ottawa I remenised a bit...looking out the window as we made our approach...I saw something....

The Parliment buildings and the Peace Tower with our flag lit up for the world to see...

That is my icon of what Canada is.

Regards


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## dwild40 (1 Feb 2004)

Come on.  No one has mentioned Pierre Berton,
How about Neil, Geddy & Alex thats right Rush.
or for that matter Triumph, Lighthouse, 5 Man Electrical Band, Ian Thomas, Copperpenny, Some great Canadian Bands.  MY GOD I‘M OLD!!!!!!


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## L/MCpl_Argyll_ Kurrgan (2 Feb 2004)

Diefenbaker??  He was the begining of the military budget cuts!


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## koalorka (2 Feb 2004)

I‘d say beavers, maple syrup, flanel shirts, lumberjacks with a french accent, racoon-tail fur hats, good-looking flag, Mounties, clean cities, RAM tanks, Newfoundland and Salt & Vinnegar flavoured chips.


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## Sh0rtbUs (2 Feb 2004)

Hey, what about our American cousins? What do we think of when they are mentioned?

Id say

Desert Camo
Reality TV
French Fries
Colorful door-mats
Eagle
Firearms


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## dwild40 (2 Feb 2004)

American Icons you ask?
Lorne Micheals
Lorne Greene
Neil Young
Paul Anka
Dan Akaroyd
Peter Jennings
Jim Carrey
Paul Schaffer
Robert Goulet
Mac Sennett & Louis B Mayer ( Film Pioneers )
Martin Short
Denny Dogherty ( singer Mamas & the Papas )
( God I am old )
So What do all these US Citizens have in common?


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## cdhoult (3 Feb 2004)

All Canadian?


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## jonsey (3 Feb 2004)

--Quote------
French Fries
-------------


You mean Freedom Fries.    :dontpanic:


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## Enzo (4 Feb 2004)

I find it interesting that a discussion about Canadian icons turns inevitably into a comparison with the Yanks. Can‘t we just muse on our icons without having to gravitate towards a pissing contest with them?


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## Padraig OCinnead (4 Feb 2004)

Kurggan,
I included Diefenbaker as during his years the Canadian Bill of Rights was put through. Just about every PM was guilty of slashing military spending.

What about Rita MacNeil? lol

Or the singing coal miners "The men from the deep"

S_Baker,
You might be onto something. I keep getting spam e-mail letting me know that my stink hammer is not big enough. They keep offering pills that will add   i-n-c-h-e-s!!! to it.


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## dwild40 (4 Feb 2004)

Enzo correct my apologies to our American Brethren


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## Enzo (4 Feb 2004)

Envy? I wouldn‘t say that. Just an observation followed by a thought. My euphemism was intended to avoid a ballistical competition involving biological weapons. (Wouldn‘t want to denigrate ourselves and face the consequences of utilizing WMD‘s) The focus was directed towards the impact such a contest would have upon our two great nations relations; and yet in keeping with character, our cousin to the south is suggesting that our tools of choice in this matter may not be up to the task at hand.


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## alexk (8 Feb 2004)

well for canadian icons i would say the big tim, that huge coffee mug at tim hortons, first time i saw that i had a good laugh


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## sgtdixon (11 Feb 2004)

3 points
-RUSH is one of the most widely known Canadian Bands, and by far one of the best, and their touring again this year

-In Fort McMurray we have a Defienbaker Cres. and property values are 25% lower on that street than any other in town

-As for the Meat Stick Envy, It only looks small in the cold Baker, and ya gotta know were better equipped cause in the cold you need more to breed


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## D-n-A (11 Feb 2004)

I‘ve never heard of the band RUSH before...


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## girlfiredup (12 Feb 2004)

Wayne Gretzky


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## chrisf (12 Feb 2004)

> Originally posted by Padraig OCinnead:
> [qb] BBQ‘ing in January wearing mukluks and a tuque [/qb]


And nothing else.


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## girlfiredup (12 Feb 2004)

True Patriot Love


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## winchable (12 Feb 2004)

> I‘ve never heard of the band RUSH before...


There are other people who HAve heard of rush right??

I‘m not that old, tell me I‘m not that old.


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## Dan Gerous (12 Feb 2004)

I‘m 16 and know of Rush.  One of my friends at school even has a tour t-shirt from them.  Plus they were put on the walk of fame.  And nobody has said the Barenaked Ladies yet.


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## Enzo (12 Feb 2004)

Oi, D-N-A, Geddy Lee‘s on his way to your house and he is pissed


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## Duotone81 (12 Feb 2004)

Canada - 5
USA    - 2


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## Spartan (13 Feb 2004)

Who HASN‘T heard RUSH????

bah to this new fad letsspeakamileaminandcallitsinging nonsense....


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## D-n-A (13 Feb 2004)

haha

I feel like the social reject here cause I havent heard of them.


I‘m more into like ‘60s rock, metal, punk and alternative rock music


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## Franko (14 Feb 2004)

You aren‘t a social reject DNA....

They just don‘t know good tunes


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## Sh0rtbUs (14 Feb 2004)

What about Franky Pumpkin and the Codfish Five from NFLD!? Im sure they deserve recognition....


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## Franko (14 Feb 2004)

Only when you‘re getting "Screeched" in and have ta kiss the Cod!   

Regards


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## Sh0rtbUs (14 Feb 2004)




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## D-n-A (17 Feb 2004)

haha


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## Spr.Earl (18 Feb 2004)

For me as a kid who came here in 64 from Liverpool to Edmonchuck and experienced the worst winter they had for over 40 year‘s and have been in every Province except for the Yukon,NWT,Nunivit (ok a Territories),P.E.I and New Brunswick.

Is the Beauty that is our country is of the people and our Country from coast to coast.

As a seaman on Norwegian ship‘s I was in the Gaspe and had a great time.
Also on the North Shore of the St.Laurence going into Point au Pic,Bau Como etc.
That‘s where I met true Quebecer‘s!!
Great people!!

Did you know that when you sail up the Sant Lauren River that the farm‘s are still laid out as the King of France from when he gave the land grant‘s to the Habitaunt‘s?
I was steering the ship with the Pilot when we came around the corner on the river when I say‘s;Holy ****!!
The pilot goe‘s what‘s wrong?(thinking navigation)
So I explained about what I saw and the reason why about the lay out of the farm field‘s.


When we moved from Edmonchuck to Vancouver in 68 I made friend‘s with local Indian‘s and learnt thier way‘s.

As a seaman I sailed our West Coast and going into Klemtu and the kid‘s did not speak english but their own language.

I can‘t say I have one icon because I have many.
I have been all over our land and what I have seen and expeirenced is Canada to me.

All from a kid who came here and whent out to see his new adopted land!

Canada is all the above and still more I wish to see.That‘s my Canada and now I‘m introducing my wife to my Canada,she‘s a Philippina and  does not know how big our land is.

Oh have also driven across our land 4 time‘s and I like‘s the Folk‘s in Saskabush good folk‘s !!

All the above is my Canada,no one thing can I point to,too say "My Canada"


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## Fly_Boy (19 Feb 2004)

I‘m suprised no one said Vimy Ridge. The battle that made us Canada. I have many things that I would call are my Canadian Icons but the ones that stick out are, the pride I feel when I hear our anthem played, Hockey, every winter I can remeber I‘ve been playing pond hockey, Watching Canadas Hockey teams win gold at the Olympic. Finally the feeling of extreme pride I have when I tell foreingers that I am Canadian!!


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## Enzo (19 Feb 2004)

Canadarm


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## RCD (21 Feb 2004)

The Freindly Giant & Mr Dress-up


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## bubba (21 Feb 2004)

trailor park boys


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## muskrat89 (21 Feb 2004)

Well, I don‘t smoke anymore, but Canadian cigs were truly the best of all that I‘d tried, in my smoking days. Stronger than many, but smoother too. To this day, I‘ll be driving along, and get a hankerin for a McDonald‘s Menthol Light - my old brand.

Oh, and Colts cigars.. never found an equivalent, anywhere else.


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## Scratch_043 (2 Mar 2004)

> Originally posted by jimbunting:
> [qb] How about this one............
> 
> Marching with the "Old Comrades" on a rainy and windy November 11th, the whole regiment swinging in step, up University Avenue to the cenotaph, knowing that they are "sizing up the youngsters" to see if that are continuing the traditons that have been established in the past 103 years of service?
> ...


You hit the nail on the head with that one man. there is no greater sence of pride than when you are talking to a vet who gave his all for his country, and remembering those who gave their lives.


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## shaun_bougie (4 Mar 2004)

Don‘t forget the fact that the Montreal Canadiens with 24 Stanley Cups!!!!!!     
I guess the Leafs with 13 Stanley Cups.  The two teams with the highest in the NHL.
The Avro Arrow
Our peacekeeping efforts around the world
Our anthem
Poutine
Gretzky
The fact that most of the great hockey players have come from Canada.
Mike Weir
Shania Twain (Cause I‘m from Timmins   )


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## Gunnar (4 Mar 2004)

Pancakes
Maple Syrup
Passenger Trains (or VIA is just wasting our money)
Eh?
Snowshoes
Robertson screwdrivers
Lacrosse
Baseketball
Telephones
North Bay Dinner Jackets
Shinny
The Rocket (and the Pocket Rocket)
Weird facts:  The national anthem was written by an organisation that is rabidly anti-Canadian (today)
"Bonjour" from an Anglophone.
Use of the term "bilingual" to mean "english and french" as opposed to any other combination.
The Big Nickel
Stompin‘ Tom
Stan Rogers
Dulse
the term "prairie oyster"
Orbits
Squid-jiggin‘
"Buddy" as in "so, buddy joined the Forces, eh?"
Toques
Molson beer.  Sure, I don‘t drink it much, but it‘s still a Canadian icon.
Roch Voisine (I know, but the french like milder forms of music)
RUSH
Diamond-tooth Gertie‘s
Robert Service


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## Siwy (5 Mar 2004)

Mr. Dress-up I am sad to say was not fully Canadian as he was born in the US (Maine) but I have to agree barenaked ladies!!!! oh and the band Barenaked Ladies too.

Andy


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## scm77 (5 Mar 2004)

Maple Syrup
Beer
Hockey
Beavers
Mounties
Jim Carrey
Being Cold
Low Crime
Gay Marriage
Celine Dion   
Flannel Shirts
Touques
Comedy
Shania Twain
Maple Leafs (Not the crappy hockey team)


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## bossi (22 Mar 2004)

(from Letterman, courtesy of my younger brother):

Top Ten Canadian Euphemisms For Sex
 
10. Playing mountie

9. Fur trapping

8. Making Peg whinny

7. Entering parliament

6. Pulling the goalie

5. Doin‘ it, eh?

4. Putting the "man" in Manitoba

3. High sticking

2. Stuffing a beaver -- the beaver is our national animal

1. Oh, Oh, Oh Canada

"Top Ten Canadian Euphemisms For Sex" with Mike Myers (08/29/02)


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## K. Ash (23 Mar 2004)

> Originally posted by D-n-A:
> [qb] I‘ve never heard of the band RUSH before... [/qb]


Don‘t worry The Hip beats the **** out of em anyway...


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## chrisp1j (24 Mar 2004)

Nice call bubba...

It‘s all about the Trailer Park Boys.


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## commando_wolf63 (19 Jul 2004)

Hey lets not forget 

Donald Sutherland
Bryan Adams 
Queen City Kids (from Regina)
Colin James (also from Regina)
Michael J Fox 
John Candy
k.d. Lang


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## Macklinen (20 Jul 2004)

the canadian flag, its so inspiring! Then of course there is our gov't to be proud of, lol.


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## Scott (20 Jul 2004)

Our PM wearing a new Kevlar helmet backwards while visiting the troops overseas....classic.
The Best of Canada:

Bob and Doug
Toques
The Hip
TPB
Royal Canadian Air Farce
Political Satire (Air Farce, Rick Mercer, This Hour has 22 Minutes)
SafetyBOSS (Best Oilfield Firefighting Company in the World!!!!! #1 in Kuwait in 1991)
Beer, eh!
Stan Rogers
Cape Breton Moonshine
Bur-Mac party at St F/X University


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## canuck101 (21 Jul 2004)

1. The Canada Arm on the space shuttle 

2. The beaver(animal not the show)

3. The telephone

those are just a few Canadian icons that i have on my mind at 1:54am could have more need more sleep.


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## stukirkpatrick (21 Jul 2004)

> Our PM wearing a new Kevlar helmet backwards while visiting the troops overseas....classic.



Its a sort of tradition for high-ranking officials/officers now...   

http://www.army.dnd.ca/lfwa_hq/Photos/AP2002-5445.jpg


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## JBP (1 Aug 2004)

All the stuff all my fellow Canadians have mentioned above is FANTASTIC!!! And to add:

Our *spirit*, Canadians are known throughout the world to be _honorable, kind and free-spirited_!

Also:
We kicked the Americans F8ck'n asses 2 times and burnt the White House to the ground! (I know, we can't do that anymore! Only a sense of pride because it was the only times we've been attacked on homeland, and, we WON!)

Largest country in the world (Russia was no. 1 until the collapse of the USSR)...

My name is Joe, and I am Canadian. 
 ;D


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## canuck101 (1 Aug 2004)

You should know that Russia is still the holder of the largest country in the world.  We did not burn the White house down.  It was still standing but really black.  The french were there for a visit and the US did not want the French to see their beacon of Freedom all black because  e of the fire so they painted it white.  So the Americans can thank the British and Canadian people for the house of the President of the United States of America being called the WHITE HOUSE.  Before the fire it was painted Yellow with white trim. ;D

The Americans can thank us for getting them to make there army a professional army.  If it was not for the stale mate of the war of 1812 west point would not be the military college that it is now.  They suffered alot of defeats at the hands of British and Canadian troops with generals that were not trained to the European standard.  

They started the war weak and got stronger near the end.  One of the reasons that they sued for peace and a stale mate was the states like Maine and a few others were giving the idea of leaving the Union. The President did not need to be figthing a war on multiple fronts with foreigners and his own countrymen.

So i agree with you we did win the war for one reason we were small in population compared to them and we held them to a status qua.  

My name is David , and I am Canadian.
   ;D ;D ;D


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## JBP (1 Aug 2004)

Ahhh crap! I thought we were the largest! Darn. O-well.

Fine, 2nd largest... *Grumbles continually throughout the rest of the day*

 :crybaby:


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## skura (7 Aug 2004)

Hey.
I'm not a lumberjack,
or a fur trader...
and I don't live in an igloo
or eat blubber, or own a dogsled...
and I don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada,
although I'm certain they're really, really nice. 

I have a Prime Minister,
not a President.
I speak English and French,
NOT American.
and I pronouce it ABOUT,
NOT A BOOT. 

I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack.
I believe in peace keeping, NOT policing.
DIVERSITY, NOT assimilation,
AND THAT THE BEAVER IS A TRULY PROUD AND NOBLE ANIMAL.
A TOQUE IS A HAT,
A CHESTERFIELD IS A COUCH,
AND IT IS PRONOUCED 'ZED' NOT 'ZEE', 'ZED'! 

CANADA IS THE SECOND LARGEST LANDMASS!
THE FIRST NATION OF HOCKEY!
AND THE BEST PART OF NORTH AMERICA! 

MY NAME IS JOE!
AND I AM CANADIAN!


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## CanadianWraith (10 Aug 2004)

BTW Canuck101 the whitehouse was green.


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## Dave 514 (10 Aug 2004)

I just came back from two most enjoyable weeks in Saskatchewan and Alberta. I visited Ft. Macleod, Ft. Walsh, " Depot" Division RCMP, Batoche, Edmonton Ld SH(RC), Lake Louise, Calgary- Museum of the Regiments and the "Pede," including the Chuckwagon Races and 'Young Canadians Show."

The one icon missing from the many is, Sam Steele of the NWMP, RNWMP,  first Col of the Strathcon's, helped in founding the Vingt -Doos and Maj. Gen Second Canadian Division WWI.  

David
Scottsdale AZ


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## Bograt (20 Aug 2004)

Sex in a snowbank.


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## gkeir (20 Aug 2004)

Pamela Anderson, Burton Cummings and the Rockies! 8)


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## muskrat89 (20 Aug 2004)

Oh - What about Jimmy Flynn??


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## Scott (20 Aug 2004)

General John Cabot Trail, leader of the Cape Breton Liberation Army. Down with the causeway b'y!


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## jswift872 (22 Aug 2004)

Bograt said:
			
		

> Sex in a snowbank.


http://www.embarrassing.us/dp/2-83.htm


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## bossi (19 Oct 2004)

The fans have spoken!
I'm glad, simply because this probably made the left-leaning, politically correct CBC puke!
However, I do like Don Cherry for his charity work and telling it like it is
(as opposed to arrogant weasels such as "Papa Doc Crouton").

*Cherry among ten greatest Canadians?*
(Garth Woolsey, Toronto Star, Oct. 19, 2004, 12:09 PM)

Hockey commentator Don Cherry is a surprise member on the list of the 10 Greatest Canadians, chosen by CBC viewers. He joins such heavyweights as former prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald, medicare creator Tommy Douglas and Frederick Banting, who discovered insulin. 


The stereotypes are true: We really are a nation of shallow, narrow-minded, beer-swilling, puck-chasing hosers.

Proud of it, too.

Confirmation comes in the high-collared, low-browed form of Don Cherry making the CBC's list of "The Ten Greatest Canadians" of all time, as voted upon by some 140,000 citizens of the Great White North.

Oh Canada, woe Canada, you have spoken. You have accorded Cherry a place in the pantheon, alongside Tommy Douglas, Sir John A. Macdonald, Terry Fox, Frederick Banting, Lester Pearson, Alexander Graham Bell, David Suzuki, Pierre Trudeau and Wayne Gretzky.

In the next few weeks, Cherry has a chance â â€ outside, but anything's possible â â€ of emerging as our nation's choice, our No.1 go-to guy, our face, our "greatest," whatever that might mean.

There is much, obviously, to like about Cherry. Underneath the bombast resides a man of considerable charity and charm. Many Canadians view him as the voice of the common man, the Average Joe who tells it like it is, unafraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and the maple leaf over his heart.

But there is much not to like about him, too. He has skirted the edges of racism in his anti-European and anti-Quebec rants, and there are many in hockey who believe he has single-handedly retarded true progress in our game. 

To some, he is a dangerous, hidebound dinosaur fighting to protect his dwindling turf, with the CBC complicit in the continuing offence.

To some, his act is quintessential warts-and-all Canadiana. To others, he's an embarrassing buffoon.

Speak Out: Greatest Canadian
There are some parents who won't allow their kids to watch Coach's Corner. There are others who actually use him as a role model, beyond hockey.


"Controversial and contentious, whatever some may think of Don Cherry," says The Greatest Canadian website, "he has earned himself an indelible place as a Canadian icon."

Think about it, though. He wasn't a Hall of Fame player or coach but owes his popularity â â€ which is hardly a synonym for "greatness" â â€ to a Saturday night TV podium that a politician or preacher, pundit or punk would die for. 

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp., the people's network, as much as Cherry himself, created this seven-second-delay monster/cash cow.

Gretzky makes the Top 10 on merit. Hockey is us and he is the best of us, The Great One. 

The CBC's final 50 included Bobby Orr at No. 19, Maurice (the Rocket) Richard at No. 23 and Mario Lemieux at No. 38 â â€ but how did Gordie Howe not make the cut? 

Pro wrestler Bret (the Hitman) Hart made it at No. 39 and is among the list of advocates who will plump for their nominees among the final 10 in coming days and weeks. His man â â€ Cherry, naturally.

Douglas, the father of medicare, got the first advocacy treatment last night, with broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos making the case, and will be followed by Gretzky tomorrow, former MP Deborah Grey doing the supportive honours. Hart makes his pitch for Cherry next Monday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m.

Viewers can vote throughout the series at http://www.cbc.ca/greatest, or at 1-866-303-8683, as it progresses through all 10 candidates, leading up to the grand finale Monday, Nov. 29.

We Canadians like to laugh at ourselves, at each other and with each other â â€ on the list are John Candy, Rick Mercer, Jim Carrey and Mike Myers. We are family and we are funny.

Maybe Cherry is really more about our capacity for fun, in all its masquerades, than the often life-and-death business of hockey. 

Maybe a 70-year-old man who dresses up in garish outfits, makes outrageous and often insensitive comments, huffs and puffs and apologizes for nothing, maybe that person, in a nutshell, is who we want to see ourselves as and â â€ evidently â â€ how we want to be seen.

Similar "greatest" polls have been conducted, or are under way, elsewhere. The British made Winston Churchill their choice, the Germans voted for Konrad Adenauer. Nelson Mandela is favoured in South Africa. The smart money is on Vincent van Gogh in the Netherlands, Antonin Dvorak in the Czech Republic.

Statesmen, leaders, painters, composers, geniuses all, a who's who of "greatness."

You're in some fine company, Grapes.

Get the players and owners back on the same page, Coach's Corner back on the air, and you might actually deserve it.


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## bossi (20 Oct 2004)

As Warmington points out, Cherry was singled out for abuse
(and Rose's was "conviently overlooked" ...)
Phone 1-866-303-8683

Critics earn the wrath of Grapes
By JOE WARMINGTON, TORONTO SUN - Wed, Oct 20, 2004

MESSING WITH Don Cherry is like messing with a porcupine. Sure, you can get your shots in but you come away with a lot of quills stuck in you, too. Let me start off today by saying I voted for Cherry for the CBC's Greatest Canadian and I am not going to apologize to the Toronto Star or National Post for doing so. If you feel the same, you too can vote for Grapes by calling 

Now, I'm not saying Cherry is the greatest-ever Canadian but since the oh-so-clever politically correct crowd is picking on him, I figure it's time to come off the bench to back a fellow countryman. After how Grapes has been treated by the lefty crowd in this country, I really do hope he wins it. 

This would send a message to that CBC crowd who have not re-signed him for Coach's Corner and kept him on the couch during the World Cup. The campaign is on to dump him, so this little development of being in the top 10 is driving them nuts. 

Apparently your votes are not good enough for the Star or Post. Well, at least writers Garth Woolsey and George Johnson, who both not only trashed Cherry in columns yesterday but trashed the whole notion of a democratic contest to determine the "Greatest Canadian." 

The CBC has been holding this contest to determine who Canadians want and Sunday announced its top 10, which consisted of Cherry, Tommy Douglas, Sir John A. Macdonald, Terry Fox, Dr. Frederick Banting, Lester B. Pearson, Alexander Graham Bell, Pierre Trudeau, Wayne Gretzky and David Suzuki. 

Some of them must have had a fault or two, but it seems Cherry is the only one who is being criticized in this instance, calling him "low-browed" and "obnoxious." 

It's nothing but a bully-like attack on a guy they know doesn't have a forum from which to fight back right now, with the NHL lockout in full swing. 

The CBC's top 10 are all good candidates, but both the Star and Post ridiculed the Canadian public for Cherry being included -- scoffing at not only his achievements but suggesting we are a "shallow nation" whose people may be "stark, raving mad."And here I was thinking it was a free vote. 

"I don't think of myself as a great Canadian," Cherry told me last night. "But I am a good Canadian -- as are so many out there, from coast to coast." 

For most people, finding out they had achieved something so grand as to make the top 10 Canadians of all time it would be some special day, but for Cherry it was awful. "I couldn't believe it," he said of the media tirades. "I mean, I didn't ask to be in the (contest)." 

Cherry -- who despite a bombastic exterior and public persona is actually quite a softy -- admitted the stories hurt a little. 

"I don't understand," he said. "The funny thing is I am being ripped to shreds for being popular. These people hate me." 

The question is why? As my sister, Dana Kingstone, said in a message left on my answering machine yesterday: 

"I think what it is, is Cherry is the last Canadian who can actually say exactly what he's thinking and people realize that once he goes, that freedom of speech goes with him." 

One thing for sure is that when Cherry's name is raised, there is no shortage of that little privilege called freedom of speech. 

I hit the street last night and asked the first 12 people I met what they thought of Cherry and he being in the CBC's top 10. 

"Is he on radio?" asked cabbie Nuelparajah Kadhasamy, who admitted he didn't know Cherry. But David Crouch, at Betty's on King St. E., said, "I voted for him -- just to tick off Peter Mansbridge." 

Waiting for a streetcar, Valerie Zenyer-Mason said, "He shouldn't be on it. He's got a big mouth. I don't like him." 

At Gabby's on King E., Robin Erickson said, "He brings a lot to Canada." 

"He's a national icon -- a blue-collar guy," adds David McGann. "He tells it like it is." 

James Salmon said, "No," he doesn't belong in the top 10, but Victor Ma said, "He's a good guy who knows his hockey." 

"I like his suits," said Omar Swarez. "He deserves to be there." 

Dino Yumul said that while he "has great fashion sense, (he) doesn't deserve" to be in the top 10. 

Jimmy Strifto said "He's overrated." 

Pal Alex McCormack, a hockey player, said he definitely voted for Cherry. "I respect him," he said. 

Walking her English Bulldog, Otaga, Terri Jackson said, "Why not? He's not Banting but he's very famous." 

So there's an unscientific poll. 

Seven in favour, four against and one who is not sure. Maybe tomorrow I should do the same kind of thing to see how people are feeling about Suzuki. 

One thing Scrawler noticed that was missing from both pieces against Cherry was the recent opening of the Rose Cherry Home For Kids -- a 31-hectare hospice in Milton for kids with terminal cancer. 

Now, I'm not putting this home in the same standing as the invention of insulin or winning the Nobel Peace Prize but it's something pretty nice -- built by Cherry, his family and other private contributors. 

"We didn't get a cent of taxpayers money," Cherry said proudly. "You know how it got built? It got built because of the construction workers who donated their time to do it." 

He said workers in all the trades refused to be paid. 

"You should have seen them," he said. "The roofers were out there roofing in the freezing cold, and same goes for the bricklayers." 

Grapes has been out watching minor hockey games with his son, Tim, each night. 

"You know, if I do win this thing, I will dedicate it to those construction and factory workers because they are the great Canadians -- as are all the other hard-working people all across this country." 

He already has Scrawler's vote. That number again is 1-866-303-8683.


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## combat_medic (20 Oct 2004)

I'm quite surprised that everyone is mentioning Don Cherry, Shania Twain and other "pop" icons, but no one yet has mentioned Terry Fox, Rick Hansen, Lester B. Pearson, the entire concept of international peacekeeping and the other more heroic figures that Canada has produced.

There's an excellent book about a lot of this called "How to be a Canadian" by Will Ferguson; very very funny read.


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## bossi (22 Oct 2004)

The Don speaks (and so do many Canadians, as they thumb their nose at the CBC)
:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2004/10/22/cherry_greatest041022.html

I'm good, but not the greatest: Don Cherry
Last Updated Fri, 22 Oct 2004 15:51:24 EDT 

ST. JOHN'S, NFLD. - Outspoken hockey icon Don Cherry won't be voting for himself in the CBC's Greatest Canadian competition. 

Instead, the host of Coach's Corner will be cheering for "another Kingston boy," Sir. John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister. 

  
Don Cherry  
Macdonald was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but moved with his family to Kingston at the age of 5. 

Cherry ranked in the top 10 when public ballots in the competition were tallied. 

In St. John's Thursday to promote the opening of a restaurant, Cherry said he doesn't expect to win. 

"I think I'm a good Canadian, but I'm not the greatest Canadian," he said. 

The number of votes for Cherry raised eyebrows â â€œ and ire â â€œ among some pundits, following his series of politically incorrect remarks. 

"I love it when we get the left-wingers going," Cherry said. 

He also believes his nomination said something about Canadian politics. 

*"I think the people, the working-man people, made a statement here, that you don't have to be a college graduate to be a good Canadian," Cherry said. * 

The CBC says it received more than 140,000 nominations for the Greatest Canadian competition, and whittled them down to 10 finalists. 

Over the next several weeks, the CBC will broadcast profiles each of the finalists and invite viewers to vote. The winner will be announced on Nov. 29. 

Cherry said of the other nominees, he was pleased to see Terry Fox made the final 10. 

However, he will be supporting Macdonald, in whom he sees something of a kindred spirit. 

"He was the guy who got the trains across, got the country together â â€œ and naturally we put him down, because that's the way we are in Canada," he said.


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