In the states our identity is not as well-known as we would hope. When people in the states ask you if you’re from Canada and the answer is yes, then the following remarks are usually typical stereotypes about how cold it is up here or what the name of my polar bear is. One time when I was across the border in Montana, this gas station attendant ask my dad how the weather was and he replied with actually not bad, like twenty, twenty five. The attendant said holy isn’t that ridiculously warm for you guys up there. My dad said no, with a puzzled look on his face. The attendant proceeded to say well then, how do you keep your igloos from melting. My dad was so stunned that he didn’t reply and we left that gas station.
I love Canada; I know that I would like to live nowhere rather than the Great White North. Canada is known for many things, and I am proud to say that most are positive. Does Canada have a strong national identity? Anyone can see the answer is yes. Just take a look at the facts. For example, we are renowned for our peacekeepers and no other country is considered more peaceful. Without a doubt this is the type of identity we should work to keep.
The first thing we should examine is what exactly is meant by “strong national identity”. A very good example of strong national identity is the U.S. I doubt there is a man on this planet who is not familiar with the U.S. People immediately recognize their flag, and most people can tell you quite a bit about them. The same is true of Canada, and what do they know of Canada? In 1995 U.S. President Bill Clinton stated his view of Canada in a speech where he declared, “Canada has shown the world how to balance freedom with compassion and tradition with innovation.
As I have already stated Canada is very well known for our many peacekeeping efforts. This is due to the many places our peacekeepers have been. Our peacekeepers have helped save countless lives and Canada has gained