Is there a special Canadian reason to hate Brett Hull? I mean, I’m not sure most hockey-loving Americans are going to think he’s the nicest guy.
Oh, jeez, my citizenship is in trouble. I can only answer yes to 7 (I have the NFB short on tape and VCD… it makes me sniffly and I don’t even like hockey!), and 10. And I lived there for 37 years!
I can add some new criteria, though:
If you remember when we got the New Flag.
If you ever wanted to go, or actually did go, to Expo '67 in Montreal. I never made it, but I was fascinated by the modern-art pavilions. I used to draw scale model pictures of them.
If you remember when the only TV network was the CBC, and their logo was a map of Canada, letters inside a black dot… and there was no French CBC outside Quebec. In fact, there was very little French outside Quebec, period.
If you remember before it became TVO, educational TV was shown on the CBC channel from about 8 AM until 10 AM, when the CBC signed on. With ancient footage of Canada shown during the national anthem, no less.
Specific to Southern Ontarians: if you woke up to Jungle Jay Nelson on CHUM, if you listened to Pete & Geets on CHUM-FM (and were late for school because you had to hear the end of their comedy sketch), if you heard the news delivered Armageddon-style on CKLW ("The Big 8…CKLW 20-20 News, I’m Byron MacGregor. Another big one went down today in the Motor City…)
If you’ve stood at the top of the Bulova Tower at the CNE, or planned to meet your family there at a pre-arranged time.
If Crowbar, Max Webster, Rush, Steel River, The Stampeders or Jericho played at your high school.
If you can remember what was at Yonge & Dundas in Toronto before the Eaton Centre.
If you ever climbed on the mountain of snow that was bulldozed to one end of the shopping center parking lot, so high that it obscured the stores.
If you were there when the change to Metric happened, and the TV and radio still gave the temperatures in Celsius and Fahrenheit for years afterward, because old folks had no concept of 26 degrees being warm. (Including me.) What’s that in real degrees?
If you ever swam in Lake Erie at Port Dover, when they still had an amusement park that operated all summer. Before the place got overrun with bikers and the park closed down.
If you were a Do-Bee.
For the slightly older Canadians:
You know what “The Pig and Whistle” is.
You think all country singers should stand on a piece of plywood.
You why there might be a ‘rustic spoon’ on the bad side of the moon.
You know who Don Messer was.
I have one. “Hocus pocus alimagocus!”
I also remember where I was when we heard the final tally for the 1995 Quebec referendum.
I’m also 33, and scored 13/16 on the original list. For my generation, you might add:
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You know the fine music of Helix or have had a crush on any of the singers from Heart.
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You can seriously debate whether arena fries are better than chipwagon fries.
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You have tried dulce and fish 'n brewis.
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You have splurged on a 99 cent, gourmet meal at a Peel Pub.
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You know the theme song to “Corner Gas” and “Hockey Night in Canada”.
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You have, at one time in your life, argued about whether the plural of “beer” is “beer”.
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You follow the adventures of Ricky and Bubbles.
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You don’t think of prostitutes when you see the “hors taxe” sign at the border.
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You understand that Americans will look at you funny when you ask for vinegar with your fries.
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You are passingly familiar with Margaret Atwood, Margaret Lawrence and the Group of Seven.
- If you have attended a Tragically Hip concert, AND listened to the live version of “New Orleans if Sinking”. Yes, that one. Killer whale tank, uh! Obviously, bonus points for attending a Hip concert where that version was performed.
I know WHO they are, and I have probably heard their music at least once, since I’m fairly sure I didn’t like them. I vaguely remember them being Canadian. Switch them with Our Lady Peace and I’d at least know that.
- If you remember where you were when Pierre Trudeau died.
**He’s dead? ** :eek:
- If you have watched at least two episodes of Telefrancais (Bonjour, Allo, Salut!)
No idea who that is.
- If you can explain why, exactly, most Canadians hate Canadian-born Brett Hull.
No idea who that is either.
- If you can impersonate Jean Chretien without really even trying.
Probably
- If you, as a young boy, wanted to be Wayne Gretzky. If you, as a young girl, wanted to be Wayne Gretzky (zero points if you wanted to marry Wayne Gretzky. Weirdo.)
Well, I know WHO he is. But what’s wrong with wanting to marry him?
- If you have read “The Hockey Sweater”/“Le chandail de hockey” by Roch Carrier.
Never heard of it or him
- If you can name at least 8 Robert Munsch books without looking them up.
Never heard of him.
- If you had a crush on nerd-god David Suzuki.
Well, being a heterosexual male, not really. But I do know a fair bit about him.
- If you have sampled both poutine and Timbits. Bonus points if you managed to bring either to a formal family holiday dinner and no one even blinked an eye.
Love both.
- If you know the names of both Don Cherry’s late wife and Don Cherry’s dog.
Never Heard of him.
- If, when asked to name characters on Sesame Street, you list Basil the Bear, Louis, and Dodi the pilot.
Wha?
- If you cried when Ernie Coombs died.
Never Heard of him.
- If you know exactly what I’m referring to when I say “Look up, look waaaaay up”.
No
- If you can hum the Fred Penner theme song, and name either one animal seen in the opening credits OR the super-awesome-secret way he got into Fred Penner land.
Wha?
- You’ve ever purchased a half-sack and gone to the peelers.
** Well, I know what “peelers” are, but half sack? **
Sorry, must be the American mass media…
some of us “more mature” Canadians remember when fish and chips wrapped in newspaper was the only take-out food available.
And taking lbs of pea-meal bacon across the border because it couldn’t be bought in the States. Ditto w/ salt and vinegar potato chips and Cadbury cookies.
I feel marginally more Canadian now that my Google IM avatar is Ti-Brin from Passe-Partout.
Add to the list: It’s common for you to have > $15 in coins on your person.
If you know what happened on:
- April 1, 1999
- October 30, 1995
- December 6, 1989
That’s a generic northern* thing. Precisely the same thing happens … well, in a lot of places, but Montana is certainly one of them.
*(And southern. Far southern.)
I celebrated the 5-year anniversary of #1 by attending a Susan Aglukark concert.
I was working news during #2 for a Montreal radio station.
My wife earned a scholarship to John Abbott Cegep which was named after one of the women involved in #3.
I missed two of the original. I have been in the US since May 02. What’s with Brett Hull? And why would I know Don Cherry’s wife’s name?
We still do that! There’s a group of Canadians around here who share the wealth whenever someone heads home. Next weekend, Brian’s bringing back Timbits! Yay! (Although, not a fan of the peameal bacon, and we can get salt & vinegar chips here now…)
Or his creepy little dog? (I’m guessing it’s a creepy little dog.)
That dog is creepy. It’s all shiny and shit.
And super bonus points if you attended a Jets game in the old barn - more if you were part of the original “white noise”
And you win if you still have the memorial key chain from their last regular season game
Does Foot in Cold Water count? They played at ours once. One year, our high school also won CHUM’s UNICEF contest for most money raised, and we got a free concert
from April Wine.
I must be an older Canadian. I can’t say much for the OP’s list, but I’ve done most of the things on yours and on Sam Stone’s. Here are some more for those our age, although they may have a southern Ontario bent in some cases:
– If you can remember stubbies.
– If you ever had a CHUM Star Sign and/or Car Sign.
– If you were affected by Ontario’s first teacher’s strike in 1975.
– If you ever had a bottle of Pop Shoppe pop.
– If you know what a Bricklin was.
Spoons, of course A Foot In Coldwater counts! They played my high school, too, as did April Wine when they only had two albums out. I don’t know who was on the student council, or where they got their money from, but we had some great groups come to our school.
I remember stubbies! And I really, really miss the Pop Shoppe cream soda, which was clear. Never seen a Bricklin up close, I don’t think.
If you have Canadian Tire money in a drawer someplace.
If you realize Meech Lake is much more than a place.