5.5 Promoting Canada's National Identity
Completion requirements
5.5 Promoting Canada's National Identity
Should individuals and groups in Canada embrace a national identity?
Big Ideas:
- Explore multiple perspectives on national identity in Canada.
- Examine methods used by individuals, groups and governments in Canada to promote a national identity.
Canada promotes its national identity in a variety of ways. Our nation's symbols and myths, government programs and institutions, and even our own citizens help promote and form a national identity. Click on the following boxes below to read about the methods used to promote a national identity.
People often refer to symbols when they are discussing national identity. A symbol is a physical way of representing a quality or an idea (for instance, the picture of the pair of skates could literally be connected to hockey, but
the skates could also be a symbol of Canada's love of hockey through the ages). A symbol is usually an object that stands for something greater than the object itself. For example, a national flag is generally recognized as a symbol of
the
country it represents. Other symbols could be animals, landmarks, or land areas such as national parks.
Some highly recognized symbols of Canada are the beaver and the Canada goose.
Some highly recognized symbols of Canada are the beaver and the Canada goose.
Most recently, the inukshuk has become one of Canada's recognized symbols, popularized by the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
View the video clarifying the characteristics and importance of inukshuk according to Peter Irniq, an Inuit cultural activist.
View the video clarifying the characteristics and importance of inukshuk according to Peter Irniq, an Inuit cultural activist.
Every country has its own national symbols that represents the nation's identity. Symbols reveal what a country means to both its citizens and to people of other nations. One way to spark feelings of Canadian identity is through national symbols. We all have ideas of what it means to be Canadian. Sometimes, we can use symbols to express concepts we find difficult to express in words. These symbols can produce strong emotional responses that bring groups together. Although symbols do not tell us who we are, they do give us a sense of unity and a common purpose.
Consider Canada’s national flag. While it is the most recognizable Canadian symbol both within Canada and outside Canada, the flag wasn't always the strong symbol we know and love today. In fact, there was much debate over the change from
the red ensign flag to the one we are familiar with currently. The red and white design with the maple leaf placed at the centre was adopted as Canada’s official flag in 1965 after a great deal of debate about the identity of Canada. However,
adopting what we know today as Canada's national flag was not without conflict and debate.
© Thinkstock
Watch
View the CBC video below "The real story behind the Canadian flag" to further your understanding on how symbols develop and shape a nation's identity.
Besides national symbols, a country may also create stories that help to develop its national identity. The stories could be the truth or they could be exaggerations. For example, have you ever heard of the Ogopogo in British Columbia or the elusive Sasquatch (left)?
Creation stories from the First Nations people have also become part of our national identity. Myths are promoted when a nation chooses to remember specific stories that then become part of the national memory, such as Haida's tale of the Raven. For example, Canada's image of the rugged settlers taming their natural environment to cultivate a wild land is an example of a national myth.
Creation stories from the First Nations people have also become part of our national identity. Myths are promoted when a nation chooses to remember specific stories that then become part of the national memory, such as Haida's tale of the Raven. For example, Canada's image of the rugged settlers taming their natural environment to cultivate a wild land is an example of a national myth.
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Go to your textbook, Understanding Nationalism, read pages 314 to 316 and take notes. These pages will help deepen your understanding of the methods used by individuals, groups, and governments in Canada to promote a national identity and help you explore multiple perspectives on national identity in Canada. |
| To view short videos on some important Canadian symbols go to Historica: Canada |
Many Canadian organizations go to great lengths to promote Canadian identity. These organizations have become institutions of Canadian culture, whose purpose is to develop our identity both within Canada and internationally. Each institution has a stated goal outlining the group of people it supports and some type of organized hierarchy to make decisions.
Some organizations such as the CBC, the Art Gallery of Ontario, or the Canadian University Music Society promote cultural goals such as art, music, or dance.
Other institutions such as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission(CRTC) or the Historica Foundation work towards a Canadian identity by encouraging opportunities and Canadian content in films or in education.
Still other organizations, such as the Métis National Council work as pressure groups to promote the agendas of specific groups within Canada. By working to promote group-specific agendas, organizations try to make their voices and interests heard in an attempt to clarify their group's part of Canada's national identity.
Economic and commercial institutions are also part of the Canadian identity. In some of these cases, long-established businesses, such as Bombardier have been identified closely with Canada.
Review pages 317 to 320 in Understanding Nationalism (see the diagram below) to understand how these institutions promote the Canadian identity. Read the textbook pages indicated on the diagram to learn more about each institution, and take notes while you read.
Some organizations such as the CBC, the Art Gallery of Ontario, or the Canadian University Music Society promote cultural goals such as art, music, or dance.
Other institutions such as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission(CRTC) or the Historica Foundation work towards a Canadian identity by encouraging opportunities and Canadian content in films or in education.
Still other organizations, such as the Métis National Council work as pressure groups to promote the agendas of specific groups within Canada. By working to promote group-specific agendas, organizations try to make their voices and interests heard in an attempt to clarify their group's part of Canada's national identity.
Economic and commercial institutions are also part of the Canadian identity. In some of these cases, long-established businesses, such as Bombardier have been identified closely with Canada.
Review pages 317 to 320 in Understanding Nationalism (see the diagram below) to understand how these institutions promote the Canadian identity. Read the textbook pages indicated on the diagram to learn more about each institution, and take notes while you read.
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Obviously, governments try to promote the identity of their nations. The Canadian government uses many programs as part of its domestic policy to promote the Canadian identity. Some of its programs are symbolic and serve to represent
aspects of Canadian historical identities. National historic sites, such as the
Fortress of Louisburg on Cape Breton Island and Batoche in Saskatchewan,
preserve elements of Canada's past. Other symbols of office, such as the
Governor-General, link Canadians to its parliamentary past.
Canada’s government promotes art and culture through official departments, and this has become increasingly more important as access to more mass media (ex. United States' programs, Netflix) makes maintaining a distinct Canadian identity more difficult. Various educational programs allow students to experience a wide variety of Canadian culture through language programs or travel experiences.
Some of Canada's programs intended to help the country run well have become most important to Canadian identity. In this way, the agencies that exist to keep the peace, enforce the law, or control the economy are closely identified with Canada.
Read pages 321 to 325 in Understanding Nationalism (see the following diagram below) to understand how these government programs promote Canadian identity; take notes while you read.
Canada’s government promotes art and culture through official departments, and this has become increasingly more important as access to more mass media (ex. United States' programs, Netflix) makes maintaining a distinct Canadian identity more difficult. Various educational programs allow students to experience a wide variety of Canadian culture through language programs or travel experiences.
Some of Canada's programs intended to help the country run well have become most important to Canadian identity. In this way, the agencies that exist to keep the peace, enforce the law, or control the economy are closely identified with Canada.
Read pages 321 to 325 in Understanding Nationalism (see the following diagram below) to understand how these government programs promote Canadian identity; take notes while you read.
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Not all of Canada’s identity is forged by formal organizations or institutions. Individuals also powerfully influence the identity of a nation. In some cases, Canadians have forever altered the national identity through their actions on a national or
international stage. Canada has had famous people in athletics (Hayley Wickenheiser, Olympic hockey player), entertainment (k.d. lang, singer), writing (Alistair Macleod, novelist), and the arts (Marcelle Feron, abstract painter). Some Canadians, such as the
Kielburger brothers or Terry Fox have made an impact on the world through their
humanitarian and peace efforts. However, individuals do not have to be "famous" to promote Canadian identity. By simply wearing Canadian symbols, a Canadian can promote the Canadian identity.
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Go to your textbook, Understanding
Nationalism, read pages 326 to 329 and take notes. These pages will help you deepen your understanding of the methods used
by individuals, groups, and governments in Canada to promote a national identity and help you explore multiple perspectives on national identity in Canada.
On the next page, you will review and discuss various points of view on whose responsibility it is to promote a national identity. |