[Donny_Brasco]

It seems to me that lately there have been some very angry Canadians, angry at our governments, at the Americans, at the terrorists, Muslims, Jews, immigrants, Aboriginals or whoever crosses our path on that given day.

Could it be that we are suffering from an identity crisis? Not oll of us, but maybe some of us.

What do you mean when you say your a Canadian? What is the Canadian identity?

Who is a "real" Canadian hero, do we have any?

What have we as Canadians done that we have not borrowed or stolen from some other culture?

How can we be the richest of the richest people in this world yet have so much to bitch about?

[Rev_Blair]

There is a very definite Canadian identity, Donny. Some of it is borrowed from other cultures because we are made up of people from various cultures. That in itself is a very Canadian thing, something European countries are now borrowing from us as their populations become more diverse.

It also pushes us towards acting multilaterally. We work with other countries through groups like the UN and the Commonwealth, instead of taking unilateral action.

We are one of the few countries in the world that has never suffered a devastating civil war. We had the Riel Rebellion, but it was not nearly as divisive as what most countries have gone through at some point in their history.

We formed peacefully. We gained our independence from Britain through negotiation, not through war.

Heroes? Check out CBC's Greatest Canadian for a fairly complete list.

[Mattimer]

I am a nationalist, i feel like i belong/contribute to my country.
Nationalism is a strong bond that bonds many canadians together, creating an canadian identity that we can all share

[Gangrenous]

I would like to add a little known fact to the Rev's list that Canadians should be proud of.

We are the only country that has ever voluntarily decided (not forced) against the development of nuclear weapons.

[RoyalHighlander]

HEY "G" good to see you back.. (Check your PM's) Being Canadian is special, but its also not easy to put yopur finger on it, beside our peculiar language traits.. (eg EH!) And our love for hockey LOL, but there is most definatly a Canadian identity.. Explaining it would kind of ruin the myth about it though,,, We are mostly a peaceloving people who when pushed are capable of extraordinary responces to thjreats, disasters and so on..

[electricbuford]

And mostly decent people,with a couple of exceptions,live in Canada.Canadians practice altruism alot better than Americans overall I think.But beware-rampant assholism is creeping up in your society.Oh, that reminds me-Where's karra been lately?

[Darkreaver]

Since I don't live in Canada anymore you might think I have no say in the matter,but living here I see the difference between Canada and the rest of the world.Canada is made of every other country,more or less,but we have created a distingtive character that exists nowhere else.I can't disgribe this and I don't think anyone,Canadian or otherwise,can either.It's everything that happened in Canada's history and everythng we believe in that molded us into what we call a "Canadian".To me being a Canadian is an ideology,to someone else it's completely different,that's my understanding of it.

[QBC]

Darkreaver, I have to agree with what you say. Being Canadian ia an ideology.

[QBC]

As far as heroes go. Canada is full of them and our history is full of them. People that stood up and did what had to be done and then went back to their lives without the need for fanfair or recognition. Look around you, in your neighborhoods, town and cities. The heroes are all around you.

[Zenfisher]

I'll take a stab at it...

Canadians have a great sense of duty. This does not mean every Canadian wants to be in the armed forces. It is on a more personal level than that. It steeps into how they approach the way they perform their chosen occupations, the importance of their families, the values they believe in. The passion they feel, sets the criteria for how they approach, what the value about their lives.

Words. The spoken and written language is held with high regard. The freedom to debate, create and analyze ideas allows Canadians to be open to new concepts. To accept and alter a thought and apply it to a practical application .

Fairness. Although they may view what is fair to be different...most Canadians do strive to be fair, as an ideaology. This extends through personal, business, legal and yes, even political factions of their lives.

Canadians respect the attempt or the ability to overcome great hardship. ( Terry Fox, bye the bye, is my vote for a Canadian Hero)

Canadians celebrate the different cultures that make up its people. These societies all add to make Canada a rich and vibrant nation.( in answer to the question...all societies have borrowed from other cultures at one point or another. Its making it your own that establishes your identity.)

Canadians, love and respect their country. Their pride swells when one of their own does good. It makes us shine. The, we are Canadians... CanaDOES... aspect of our personality, comes forth. We feel we are making our mark on the world, when any Canadian does well.

We want the world to see what Canada can do. We want to help make the world a better place.

[jerrysb]

i cant say i've travelled much but bieng canadian is going to another country and when you tell people whre your from, some of them have ment previuos canucks and they ahve nothing but good things to say about them. It's not the country they remember foundly but the person. We sould all remmeber that we make Canada a great nation through our actions

[Johnnybgoodaaaaa]

Isn't it also apart of the Canadian culture to look down upon and dislike anything American? Or to think that Canadians are better than Americans because of the imaginary line?

[Zenfisher]

No, Johnny that's not part of Canadian culture. A few canadians do look down on other nations and cultures. That aspect of human nature is not particularily Canadian and can be found in all nations around the globe.

[Scape]

Liberty and Justice for All are the bedrocks of American ideology and the spirit of entrepreneurship that anyone can make it if you try hard enough is American and I can think of nothing more respected by Canadians. So I fail to see your point John. It is when they fail those lofty goals they get flak and they should, right?

Canada is the world on a smaller scale. It is an inclusive society that is a mosaic of cultures, beliefs and ideals. It has been forged by the flames of British and French wars and quests for empire and has been witness to the carnage and has a healthy respect for the demands and losses incured by war and tries everything in its power to divert, delay and defuse it. We are huge but tiny and has the best interests of the world at heart.