Trans-cultural Values Week 4 C u l tural Va l u e s o f C a n a d a

Canadian culture is a term that explains the artistic, musical, literary, culinary, political and social elements that are representative of Canada and Canadians, not only to its own population, but people all over the world. Canada's culture has historically been influenced by European culture and traditions, especially British and French. Over time, elements of the cultures of Canada's Aboriginal peoples and immigrant populations have become incorporated into mainstream Canadian culture. It has subsequently been influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between the two countries. Canada is often characterised as being "very progressive, diverse, and multicultural".Canadian Government policies such as; publicly funded health care, higher and more progressive taxation, outlawing capital punishment, strong efforts to eliminate poverty, an emphasis on cultural diversity, imposing stricter gun control, and most recently legalizing same-sex marriage are social indicators of how Canada's political and cultural identities differ from that of the United States. Canada's federal government has influenced Canadian culture with programs, laws and institutions. It has created crown corporations to promote Canadian culture through media, such as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), and promotes many events which it considers to promote Canadian traditions. It has also tried to protect Canadian culture by setting legal minimums on Canadian content in many media using bodies like the Canadian Radiotelevision and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Development of a culture Historical influences

North American fur traders at work as depicted in 1777 by Claude J. Sauthier Although not without conflict and bloodshed, early European interactions with First Nations and Inuit populations in what is now Canada were relatively peaceful, compared to the experience of native peoples in the United States. Combined with relatively late economic development in many regions, this peaceful history has allowed Aboriginal Canadians to have a lasting influence on the national culture while preserving their own identity (see: The Canadian Crown and Aboriginal peoples). Over the course of three centuries countless North American Indigenous words, inventions and games have become an everyday part of Canadian language and use. Many places in Canada, both natural features and human habitations, use indigenous names. The name "Canada" itself derives from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word meaning "village" or "settlement".Canada's capital city Ottawa comes from the Algonquin language term "adawe" meaning "to trade". Most of Canada's territory was inhabited later than other European colonies in the Americas, with the result that themes and symbols of pioneers, trappers, and traders played an important part in the early development of Canadian culture The French originally settled New France along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and Saint Lawrence River, during the early part of the 17th century. The British conquest of Canada and subsequent immigration, during the mid 18th century brought the large Francophone population under British rule, creating a need for compromise and accommodation, while the migration of 46,000 United Empire Loyalists from the Thirteen Colonies brought American influences which gave the Canadian provinces a distinct American flavor until the Great Migration of Canada (1815 to 1850) from the British Isles. Canada until the 1940s saw itself in terms of English and French cultural, linguistic and political identities, and to some extent aboriginal.

The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver's Chinatown is the first full-size Chinese or "scholars" garden built outside of China Legislative restrictions on immigration (such as the Continuous journey regulation and Chinese Immigration Act) that had favoured British, American and other European immigrants (such as Dutch, German, Italian, Polish, Swedish and Ukrainian) were amended during the 1960s, resulting in an influx of diverse people from Asia, Africa, and the Caribbeans. By the end of the 20th century immigrants increasingly were Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Jamaican, Filipino, Lebanese and Haitian As of 2006, Canada has grown to have thirty four ethnic groups with at least one hundred thousand members each, of which eleven have over 1,000,000 people and numerous others are represented in smaller amounts. 16.2% of the population self identify as a visible minority. Canada has also evolved to be religiously and linguistically diverse, encompassing a wide range of dialects, beliefs and customs. According to the 2001 census, 77.1% of Canadians identify as being Christians; of this, Catholics make up the largest group, accounting for 43.6% of the population. The largest Protestant denomination is the United Church of Canada (accounting for 9.5% of Canadians), followed by Anglicans (6.8%), Baptists (2.4%), Lutherans (2%), and other Christian denominations (4.4%). About 16.5% of Canadians declare no religious affiliation, and the remaining 6.3% are affiliated with non-Christian religions, the largest of which are Islam (2.0%) and Judaism (1.1%). English and French are the first languages of 59.7% and 23.2% of the population, however over six million people in Canada listed another language as their mother tongue. Some of the most common include include: Chinese (3.1%), Italian (1.4%), German (1.2%), Spanish (1.2%), Punjabi (1.1%), Tagalog (0.9%), Tamil (0.8%), Gujarati (0.6%). Identity

The maple leaf is the symbol most associated with Canadian identity. The issue of Canadian identity remains under scrutiny, perhaps more than the identity of the people of any other modern nation. Journalist and professor Andrew Cohen wrote in 2007: The Canadian Identity, as it has come to be known, is as elusive as the Sasquatch and Ogopogo. It has animatedand frustrated generations of statesmen, historians, writers, artists, philosophers, and the National Film Board...Canada resists easy definition. Andrew Cohen, The Unfinished Canadian: The People We Are[ In true Canadian fashion, however, even the search for an identity has become itself an object for self-criticism. The question of Canadian identity was traditionally dominated by three fundamental themes: first, the often conflicted relations between English Canadians and French Canadians stemming from the French Canadian imperative for cultural and linguistic survival; secondly, the generally close ties between English Canadians and the British Empire, resulting in a gradual political process towards complete independence from the imperial power and, finally, the close proximity of English-speaking Canadians to the military, economic and cultural powerhouse of the United States. In the 20th century immigrants from African, Caribbean and Asian nationalities have shaped the Canadian identity, a process that continues today with the continuing arrival of large numbers of immigrants from non British or French backgrounds, adding the theme of multiculturalism to the debate.

Nationalism and protectionism

Quebec's National Holiday (French: La Fte nationale du Qubec) is celebrated annually on June 24, St. John the Baptist Day

In general, Canadian nationalists are highly concerned about the protection of Canadian sovereignty and loyalty to the Canadian State, placing them in the civic nationalist category. It has likewise often been suggested that anti-Americanism, or at least hostility towards the United States, often plays a prominent role in Canadian nationalist ideologies. A unified, bi-cultural, tolerant and sovereign Canada remains an ideological inspiration to many Canadian nationalists. Alternatively French Canadian nationalism and support for maintaining French Canadian culture would inspire Quebec nationalists, many of whom were supporters of the Quebec sovereignty movement during the late-20th century. Cultural protectionism in Canada has, since the mid-20th century, taken the form of conscious, interventionist attempts on the part of various Canadian governments to promote Canadian cultural production and limit the effect of foreign, largely American, culture on the domestic audience. Sharing a large border and (for the majority) a common language with the United States, Canada faces a difficult position in regard to American culture, be it direct attempts at the Canadian market or the general diffusion of American culture in the globalized media arena. While Canada tries to maintain its cultural differences, it also must balance this with responsibility in trade arrangements such as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Arts
Visual arts

The Jack Pine, by Tom Thomson, 1916. Oil on Canvas, in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada

The arts have long flourished in Canada, and especially since the end of World War II in 1945.] Government support has played a vital role in their development enabling visual exposure through
publications and periodicals featuring Canadian art, as has the establishment of numerous art schools and colleges across the country.

The works of most early Canadian painters followed European trends. During the mid-19th century, Cornelius Krieghoff, a Dutch born artist in Quebec, painted scenes of the life of the habitants (French-Canadian farmers). At about the same time, the Canadian artist Paul Kane painted pictures of aboriginal life in western Canada. A group of landscape painters called the Group of Seven developed the first distinctly Canadian style of painting. All these artists painted large, brilliantly coloured scenes of the Canadian wilderness. Since the 1930s, Canadian painters have developed a wide range of highly individual styles. Emily Carr became famous for her paintings of totem poles in British Columbia. Other noted painters have included the landscape artist David Milne, the abstract painters Jean-Paul Riopelle and Harold Town and multi-media artist Michael Snow. The abstract art group Painters Eleven, particularly the artists William Ronald and Jack Bush, also had an important impact on modern art in Canada. Canadian sculpture has been enriched by the walrus ivory, muskox horn and caribou antler and soapstone carvings by the Inuit artists. These carvings show objects and activities from the daily life, myths and legends of the Inuit. Inuit art since the 1950s has been the traditional gift given to foreign dignitaries by the Canadian government. Literature

Canadian writer Robertson Davies, author of The Deptford Trilogy which included the famous book, Fifth Business. Canadian literature is often divided into French and English-language literature, which are rooted in the literary traditions of France and Britain, respectively. Canadas literature, whether written in English or French, often reflects the Canadian perspective on nature, frontier life, and Canadas position in the world, Canadian identity is closely tied to its literature. Canadian litera ture is often categorised by region or province; by the status of the author (for example,, literature of Canadian women, Acadians, Aboriginal peoples, and Irish Canadians); and by literary period, such as "Canadian postmoderns" or "Canadian Poets Between the Wars." Canadian authors have accumulated numerous international awards. In 1992, Michael Ondaatje became the first Canadian to win the Man Booker Prize for The English Patient. Margaret Atwood won the Booker in 2000 for The Blind Assassin and Yann Martel won it in 2002 for the Life of Pi.[68] Carol Shields's The Stone Diaries won the Governor General's Awards in Canada in 1993, the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and the 1994 National Book Critics Circle Award. Theatre

The National Arts Centre was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2006 Canada has had a thriving stage theatre scene since the late 1800s. Theatre festivals draw many tourists in the summer months, especially the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario, and the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The Famous People Players are only one of many touring companies that have also developed an international reputation. Canada also hosts one of the largest fringe festival the Edmonton International Fringe Festival. There are also 2 major theatre venues in Ottawa, the government-owned and sponsored National Arts Centre and the privately owned Great Canadian Theatre Company.

Media Canada has a well-developed media sector, but its cultural output particularly in English films, television shows, and magazines is often overshadowed by imports from the United States. Television, magazines, and newspapers are primarily for-profit corporations based on advertising, subscription, and other sales-related revenues. Nevertheless, both the television broadcasting and publications sectors require a number of government interventions to remain profitable, ranging from regulation that bars foreign companies in the broadcasting industry to tax laws that limit foreign competition in magazine advertising. Television

CBC's English-language master control point, the Canadian Broadcasting Centre, in Toronto Canadian television, especially supported by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, is the home of a variety of locally produced shows. French-language television, like French Canadian film, is buffered from excessive American influence by the fact of language, and likewise supports a host of home-grown productions. The success of French-language domestic television and movies in Canada often exceeds that of its English-language counterpart. In recent years nationalism has been used to prompt products on television. The I Am Canadian campaign by Molson beer, most notably the commercial featuring Joe Canadian, infused domestically brewed beer and nationalism. Film A number of Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood significantly contributed to the creation of the motion picture industry in the early days of the 20th century. Over the years, many Canadians have made enormous contributions to the American entertainment industry, although they are frequently not recognized as Canadians.

Standard Theatre, 482 Queen Street West. (Toronto, Canada), 1906 Canada has developed a vigorous film industry that has produced a variety of well-known films, actors, and auteurs. In fact, this eclipsing may sometimes be creditable for the bizarre and innovative directions of some works, such as auteurs Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter, 1997) and David Cronenberg (The Fly, Naked Lunch, A History of Violence). Also, the distinct French-Canadian society permits the work of directors such as Denys Arcand and Denis Villeneuve. At the 76th Academy Awards Arcand's The Barbarian Invasions became Canada's first film to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. James Cameron is a very successful Canadian filmmaker, having been nominated and receiving many Academy Awards. The National Film Board of Canada, is 'a public agency that produces and distributes films and other audiovisual works which reflect Canada to Canadians and the rest of the world'. The agency helped to pioneer the concept of the documentary. Canada has produced many popular documentaries such as The Corporation, Nanook of the North, Final Offer, and Canada: A People's History. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is considered by many to be one of the most prevalent film festivals for Western cinema. It is the premire film festival in North America from which the Oscars race begins. The CRTC's Canadian content regulations dictate that a certain percentage of a domestic broadcaster's transmission time must include content that is produced by Canadians, or covers Canadian subjects.[81] This also applies to US cable television channels such as MTV (MTV (Canada) and the Discovery Channel (Discovery Channel (Canada), which have local versions of their channels available on Canadian cable networks. Similarly, BBC Canada, while primarily showing BBC shows from the United Kingdom, also carries Canadian output.

Canada's television industry is in full expansion as a site for Hollywood productions.[ Since the 1980s, Canada, and Vancouver in particular, has become known as Hollywood North. The American TV series Queer as Folk was filmed in Toronto. Canadian producers have been very successful in the field of science fiction since the mid-1990s, with such shows as The X-Files, Stargate SG-1, the new Battlestar Galactica, Smallville, and The Outer Limits, all filmed in Vancouver. As with its southern counterpart in California, many Canadians are employed in the film industry. Music

Ottawa Jazz Festival inside Rideau Centre, 2008 The Music of Canada has reflected the multi-cultural influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the French, and the British have all made contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The country has produced its own composers, musicians and ensembles since the mid 1600s. From the 17th century onward Canada has developed a music infrastructure, that includes church halls, chamber halls, conservatories, academies, performing arts centers, record companys, radio stations and television music video channels.[86][87] The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between the two countries. Canadian rock has had a considerable impact on the development of modern popular music and the development of the most popular sub-genres. The national anthem of Canada O Canada adopted in 1980, was originally commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, the Honourable Thodore Robitaille, for the 1880 St. Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony. Calixa Lavalle wrote the music, which was a setting of a patriotic poem composed by the poet and judge Sir AdolpheBasile Routhier. The text was originally only in French, before it was translated to English in 1906. Music broadcasting in the country is regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presents Canada's music industry awards, the Juno Awards, which were first awarded in a ceremony during the summer of 1970. Video games Canada has one of the largest video game industry in terms of employment numbers right behind the USA and Japan with 16,000 employees, 348 companies, and a direct annual economic impact of nearly $2 billion. Canada has grown from a minor player in the video games industry to a major industry player. In part, this is made possible by a large pool of university-educated talent and high quality of life, but favourable government policies towards digital media companies also play a role in making Canada an attractive location for game development studios. Symbols

One of the national symbols of Canada, the beaver is depicted on the Canadian five-cent piece and was on the first Canadian postage stamp, c.1859.

Main articles: National symbols of Canada and Canadian royal symbols Official symbols of Canada include the maple leaf, beaver, and the Canadian Horse.[100][101][102] Many official symbols of the country such as the Flag of Canada have been changed or modified over the past few decades in order to 'Canadianize' them and deemphasise or remove references to the United Kingdom.[103] Other prominent symbols include the Canada goose, loon and more recently, the totem pole and Inuksuk.[104] Symbols of the monarchy in Canada continue to be featured in, for example, the Arms of Canada and armed forces Her Majesty's Canadian Ship. The designation 'Royal' remains for institutions as varied as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. During unification of the forces in the 1960s, a renaming of the branches took place, resulting in the "royal designations" of the navy and air force being abandoned. [105] On August 16, 2011, the Government of Canada announced that the name "Air Command" was re-assuming the air force's original historic name, Royal Canadian Air Force, "Land Command" was re-assuming the name Canadian Army, and "Maritime Command" was re-assuming the name Royal Canadian Navy.[106] The change was made to better reflect Canada's military heritage and align Canada with other key Commonwealth of Nations whose militaries use the royal designation.[106] [edit] Humour Main article: Canadian humour Canadian humour is an integral part of the Canadian Identity. There are several traditions in Canadian humour in both English and French.[107][108] While these traditions are distinct and at times very different, there are common themes that relate to Canadians' shared history and geopolitical situation in North America and the world. Various trends can be noted in Canadian comedy. One thread is the portrayal of a "typical" Canadian family in an on-going radio or television series.[109] Another trends include outright [112] absurdity,[110] political and cultural satires.[111] Satire is arguably a primary characteristic of Canadian humour.

Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, Qubec at the Saint-Denis Theatre. The beginnings of Canadian radio comedy started in the late 1930s with the debut of The Happy Gang, a long-running weekly variety show that was regularly sprinkled with corny jokes in between tunes.[113] Canadian television comedy begins with Wayne and Shuster, a sketch comedy duo who performed as a comedy team during the Second World War, and moved their act to radio in 1946 before moving on to television.[114] Second City Television, otherwise known as SCTV, Royal Canadian Air Farce, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, The Kids in the Hall and more recently Trailer park boys are regarded as television shows which were very influential on the development of Canadian humor.[115] Canadian comedians have had great success in the film industry and are amongst the most recognized in the world.[115] Humber College in Toronto and the cole nationale de l'humour in Montreal offer post-secondary programmes in comedy writing and performance.[116] Montreal is also home to the bilingual (English and French) Just for Laughs festival and to the Just for Laughs Museum, a bilingual, international museum of comedy.[117] Canada has a national television channel, The Comedy Network devoted to comedy. Many Canadian cities feature comedy clubs and showcases, most notable, The Second City branch in Toronto (originally housed at The Old Fire Hall) and the Yuk Yuk's national chain.[118] The Canadian Comedy Awards were founded in 1999 by the Canadian Comedy Foundation for Excellence, a not-for-profit organization.[119] [edit] Sport See also: Sports in Canada Sports in Canada consists of a variety of games. Although there are many contests that Canada value, the most common are Ice hockey, Lacrosse, Canadian football, basketball, soccer, curling and baseball. All but curling and soccer are considered domestic sports as they were either invented by Canadians or trace their roots to Canada.

A scene at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver seconds after Team Canada won gold in men's ice hockey. Ice hockey, referred to as simply "hockey", is Canada's most prevalent winter sport, its most popular spectator sport, and its most successful sport in international competition. It is Canada's official national winter sport. [120] Lacrosse, a sport with indigenous origins, is Canada's oldest and official summer sport.[120] Canadian football is Canada's second most popular spectator sport,[121] and the Canadian Football League's annual championship, the Grey Cup, is the country's largest annual sports event.[122] While other sports have a larger spectator base, association football, known in Canada as soccer in both English and French, has the most registered players of any team sport in Canada.[123] Professional teams exist in many cities in Canada. Other popular team sports include curling, street hockey, cricket, rugby and softball. Popular individual sports include auto racing, boxing, karate, kickboxing, cycling, golf, Ultimate (sport), hiking, horse racing, ice skating, rodeo, skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, swimming, tennis, triathlon, track and field, water sports, and several forms of wrestling. As a country with a generally cool climate, Canada has enjoyed greater success at the Winter Olympics than at the Summer Olympics, although significant regional variations in climate allow for a wide variety of both team and individual sports. Great achievements in Canadian sports are recognized by Canada's Sports Hall of Fame,[124] while the Lou Marsh Trophy is awarded annually to Canada's top athlete by a panel of journalists.[125] There are numerous other Sports Halls of Fame in Canada. [124] [edit] Cuisine

A small sampling of Canadian foods. Top to bottom, left to right: Montreal-style smoked meat, Maple syrup, Peameal bacon, Butter tart, Poutine, Nanaimo bar Canadian cuisine varies widely depending on the regions of the nation. The former Canadian prime minister Joe Clark has been paraphrased to have noted: "Canada has a cuisine of cuisines. Not a stew pot, but a smorgasbord." There are considerable overlaps between Canadian food and the rest of the cuisine in North America, many unique dishes (or versions of certain dishes) are found and available only in the country. Common contenders as the Canadian national food include Poutine and Butter tarts. A noteworthy fact is that Canada is the world's largest producer of Maple syrup.

The three earliest cuisines of Canada have First Nations, English, and French roots, with the traditional cuisine of English Canada closely related to British and American cuisine, while the traditional cuisine of French Canada has evolved from French cuisine and the winter provisions of fur traders. With subsequent waves of immigration in the 18th and 19th century from Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe, and then from Asia, Africa and Caribbean, the regional cuisines were subsequently augmented. The Jewish immigrants to Canada during the late 1800s also play a significant role to foods in Canada. The Montreal-style bagel and Montrealstyle smoked meat are both food items developed by Jewish communities living in Montreal. Outside views In 1984, Baron Moran, the British High Commissioner to Canada, stated that, in his opinion, Canadians have limited talents and are "deeply unimpressive." Said Moran, "Anyone who is even moderately good at what they do in literature, the theater, skiing of whatever tends to become a national figure. And anyone who stands out at all from the crowd tends to be praised to the skies and given the Order of Canada at once."[ In a 2002 interview with the Globe and Mail, Aga Khan the 49th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims described Canada as "the most successful pluralist society on the face of our globe",[ citing it as "a model for the world". A 2007 poll ranked Canada as the country with the most positive influence in the world. 28,000 people in 27 countries were asked to rate 12 countries as either having a positive or negative worldwide influence. Canadas overall influence rating topped the list with 54 per cent of respondents rating it mostly positive and only 14 per cent mostly negative The United States is home to a number of perceptions about Canadian culture, due to the countries' partially shared heritage and the relatively large number of cultural features common to both the US and Canada. Many in the United States believe that the typical Canadian is more polite than his or her American counterpart. Canada and the United States are often inevitably compared as sibling countries, and the perceptions that arise from this oft-held contrast have gone to shape the advertised worldwide identities of both nations: the United States is seen as the rebellious child of the British Crown, forged in the fires of violent revolution; Canada is the more calm offspring of the United Kingdom known for a more relaxed national demeanor. What are Canadian Values? Every society has values that are important to it and that sets it apart from others. Canadian society is no different from other societies in this respect. There are values that are important to Canadians that may not be fully shared by other societies. Many Canadians feel that its values are what make Canada an attractive place to live. Canada has long been recognized for its peace-keeping role around the world. Canadians are seen a polite, sometimes too polite. We often say sorry or excuse me even when other people bump into us. Canadian values include freedom, respect for cultural differences and a commitment to social justice. We are proud of the fact that we are a peaceful nation. Canada is a large country with a small population. We have developed a unique federal style of government that is based on compromise and co-existence. We value our democracy, and every citizen is encouraged to do his or her share. Our laws are based on our democratic values. Canadian values include: EqualityWe respect everyones rights. Everyone has the right to speak out and express ideas that others might disagree with. Governments must treat everyone with equal dignity and respect two other fundamental Canadian values. Respect for cultural differencesWe try to understand and appreciate the cultures, customs and traditions of all Canadians, whether they were born in Canada or came here from another country. FreedomAs Canadians, we enjoy basic freedoms, such as freedom of thought, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of peaceful assembly. PeaceWe are proud of our non-violent society and our international role as peacekeepers. Law and orderWe respect democratic decision making and the rule of law. We promote due process so that the courts and the police treat everyone fairly and reasonably. We ensure that our elected governments remain accountable to Canadians. Should you decide to become a Canadian citizen you will be asked to pledge yourself to upholding these values. (from CIC web site on citizenship http://www.ci.gc.ca/english/resources/publications /look/look-03.asp)