Why does Canada suck at telling its own stories

[FSTO]

Or perhaps a marketplace with 10x the population offers more opportunities.

I'm well aware of that. But how quick we are to dismiss any purely Canadian cultural enterprise is depressing.

 

[foresterab]

If Canadians want to know about their military history, they can visit their local library.

Mine has over 1,700 books devoted to : "Canadian Military History".

I wish...my small town has less than 30. But that's actually about triple what any other section has and some are newer books so it's not all a lost cause.

 

[mariomike]

I wish...my small town has less than 30. But that's actually about triple what any other section has and some are newer books so it's not all a lost cause.

Ontario has Interlibrary loan (ILL).

It's free with your local library card.

My branch is one of the smallest in Ontario. Certainly, smallest in our town. But , I borrow hard to find ILL books from across the Province.

From what I understand, Alberta ( and perhaps other provinces ) also has ILL .

 

[foresterab]

Ontario has Interlibrary loan (ILL).

It's free with your local library card.

My branch is one of the smallest in Ontario. Certainly, smallest in our town. But , I borrow hard to find ILL books from across the Province.

From what I understand, Alberta ( and perhaps other provinces ) also has ILL .

Definitely have the inter-library loan option. And I'm actually quite happy with the local library as it's heavily geared towards children and gets a ton of use. But history and reference books unfortunately seem to be getting downsized everywhere due to availability of internet searches.

Just doesn't replace the feeling of a good cup of coffee and a book.

 

[mariomike]

Just doesn't replace the feeling of a good cup of coffee and a book.

Coffee yes.

Thing about library books is , you never know where they have been .

 

[Colin Parkinson]

It's kind of strange actually because production budgets do not equate to good entertainment. I appreciate the point that the examples make but I'm starting to look at my own viewing habits. I tend to look at my own ones these days and find that I get much better programming through streaming services than broadcast/cable these days.

Take Britbox for example. The UK has produced dozens of crime/detective series which are high quality entertainment, IMHO. So much so that my usual American fare of NCIS, FBI, Marshalls etc etc in all their derivative forms has just become formalistic, unrealistic, over-the-top dreck that I've stopped watching. Yes, the BBC gets more money but many of these shows are non-BBC produced. Their budgets are lower, but their writing is better and, in many cases, the acting is better - heck, even "Murder in Paradise" which has dreadful acting has more entertainment value than the average US show.

My gauge of a good film or series is "am I invested enough in this character, that I care about what happens to him or her?" That's not just will the character die, but even leave the series, or will the series carry on so that I can get more of the story. The Brits do that better than others. Most American series I've given up on. Canada? Well, I give a new series two episodes for me to decide whether I'll watch it continuously. Few Canadian ones pass that test. "Saint Pierre," "Son of Critch," "Amazing Race Canada," and (Lord help me) "The Great Canadian Baking Show" have, but that's about it.

Unintentional I think the success of "Saving Private Ryan" and other big graphic war movies has raised the bar so high in regards to special effect, graphic portrayal of combat that few smaller production companies can hope to match or even come close. I grew up on "Combat". That was a show that relied more upon the quality of the story, than on accuracy of equipment or effects.
I think there is a deep desire for well written war movies. I note that you still have to pay for classic war movies on channels like Tusi TV, so clearly there is a market for the genre.

Personal I think a mini-series on Tommy Prince has the potentiel of being an excellent story and does not need a lot of BS added to make it interesting to audiences and would cover the aboriginal angle as well.

 

[mariomike]

I grew up on "Combat".

Favorite ep was "Nightmare on the Red Ball Run".

Because, it seemed to me , if you had to fight from Normandy to Berlin , it would be more comfortable sitting down , rather than walking.

 

[YZT580]

Unintentional I think the success of "Saving Private Ryan" and other big graphic war movies has raised the bar so high in regards to special effect, graphic portrayal of combat that few smaller production companies can hope to match or even come close. I grew up on "Combat". That was a show that relied more upon the quality of the story, than on accuracy of equipment or effects.
I think there is a deep desire for well written war movies. I note that you still have to pay for classic war movies on channels like Tusi TV, so clearly there is a market for the genre.

Personal I think a mini-series on Tommy Prince has the potentiel of being an excellent story and does not need a lot of BS added to make it interesting to audiences and would cover the aboriginal angle as well.

that would be a go for APTN. They have had some good shows worth watching