The Colonizer's Pride in His Painting

At first glance, the poem, "I Am Canadian" written by Glen Hunt, is a narrative by a proud Canadian named Joe, who tries to disprove some of the preconceived notions about Canada. Used in a Molson’s Canadian Beer commercial, this poem quickly captured the hearts of many Canadians, even though the speaker addresses a specific group of Canadians; not Canada. His tone and condescending attitude toward countries and cultures aside from his own make it clear that he is not representing Canada, but alternatively speaking for those in the country whose cultures resemble that of European colonizers.

Although the French and British people who initially colonized the North American country, beginning in the late 15th century, are not still living, their effect on Canadian culture through invasion and assimilation stands strong today. Many Canadians today view the colonizer’s culture as their own, identifying themselves with the colonizer. By a post-colonial analysis, I argue that "I Am Canadian" is an attempt by the proud colonizer to illustrate what true Canadian identity as determined by European colonizer culture whilst ignoring the cultures of the colonized, clear through the speaker’s exclusion of the diverse variety of Canadian cultures, assertion of Canada as a superior country, and failure to discuss the country’s most dark times that came as a result of colonization. "I Am Canadian" features a passionate Canadian named Joe, who performs a speech attempting to put to rest any skewed ideas about Canadian culture by stating facts about himself. Embodying the colonizer, Joe implies that he is an elite example of perfect Canadian status. He appears to speak for all Canadians in his passionate speech but leaves out any representation or regard for the colonized people who he views, ‘others’,who do not fit into his description of those adequate for society. Joe illustrates the colonizer’s disregard and contempt toward the diversified groups who have been a part of Canada since far before the time of colonization. It is clear that Joe believes the colonized condition of Canada is the proper culture those residing in the country should correspond with.

The narrator explains that he “is not a lumberjack,” and that he “[doesn’t] own a dogsled,” and clarifies how he pronounces certain words, such as “about,” ensuring the audience he does not pronounce it “a-boot” (Hunt, 1,5,13-14). Joe’s tone toward the Canadians that carry these qualities that he just described, clear through both the beer commercial's portrayal of the poem and the tone of the poem itself, is condescending and showcases the speaker’s infuriation with residents of his country being explained this way. The colonizer’s pride in his culture shines through as Joe tries to discredit these cultural traits and even imply that they do not exist, ignoring the important members of Canada that own dog sleds and have different accents. He also fails to mention the indigenous people of Canada, who have established and taken care of the land of Canada long before European colonization.

The speaker’s omission of the Indigenous Peoples, diverse range of accents, professions, and lifestyles, is a prime example of how little the speaker’s rant really illustrates a general overview of Canadian culture and glorifies culture added by colonization. It is clear that Joe is only concerned with his people, and letting their voices be heard because Joe believes that the colonized way is the only Canadian way. The opinionative speaker of the poem, "I Am Canadian", depicts Canada as a nation that is superior to others, even in comparison to its surrounding countries. Using statements such as “I can proudly sew my nation’s flag on my backpack,”the colonizer congratulates himself for the country he has dominated. Joe also makes sure that the audience knows that a proper Canadian “[speaks] English and French/ Not American,” proclaiming the first-rate languages that his colonizing forefathers specifically brought into the North American country (11-12). This statement shows just how proud the colonizer is about the particular colonization of Canada, even though colonization in the United States shared many cultural similarities. The speaker neglects to mention all the other languages spoken on the territory before colonization, as well as all the other languages added through immigration and the cultural blending. Joe goes as far as claiming that Canada is “the best part of North America,” a strong claim, based solely on the narrator’s view of Canada and its superiority to neighboring countries. (27). The speaker fails to realize that there are many people from different countries living in Canada, as well as contributing to the well-being and sustainability of Canada. Joe’s discrimination of other countries and people, without any explanation to why he holds this view, other than being Canadian, shows that Joe believes the changes that made in Canada as a result of colonization make Canada the finest country, and those who occupy this culture coincide with the most excellent condition of Canada. He does not have any regard for any countries or lifestyles that are outside of the culture he deems best, even though these populations are all around him. Joe still considers these people ‘the other’ compared to himself, and the true superior Canadian culture in his eyes; even those who have small cultural differences.

Throughout the poem, "I Am Canadian", by Glen Hunt, the narrator evidently tries to send a message to those who in his opinion, have it all wrong about Canada. Joe, careful to protect the image of Canada as corresponding with the aspects of European colonizers, communicates the true Canada to his audience. He suggests throughout the poem that Canada is a remarkable country, but fails to acknowledge the country’s dark times that occurred during the process of colonizing Canada. The colonizer describes his version of a prime Canadian citizen, but he does not mention what it took to turn a large majority of Canadians into the Canadian that he describes. He states, “I believe in peacekeeping, not policing/ diversity not assimilation,” implying that his country is more kind and unique to other countries, but leaves out any mention of the fact that Canada was arguably one of the most inconsiderate and pro-assimilation countries of all time toward those who the colonizers deemed uncultured or unsatisfactory (17-18). Joe overlooks these events because he believes that Canada’s old ways of conformity were not inhumane, as inhumane as they were, but alternatively, viewed as helpful as it assisted the victims of colonization in becoming suitable for Canadian culture. He claims his country is a peacekeeping nation, contradictory to the truth of his country’s dark assimilative past.

The speaker succeeds in painting Canada in a way that hides its lowest moments, but those who know the truth can easily recognize that Joe is exalting the cruel methods of assimilation used by the creators of his culture. Through a post-colonial analysis of the poem, "I Am Canadian", written by Glen Hunt, I assert that the narrator, Joe, speaks for all colonizers of Canada and those successfully assimilated into the standards of Canada’s colonizers, presenting to readers the colonizer’s perspective of ‘true Canadian identity’, through omission of cultures outside of his own, argument of Canada as a superior country, and neglecting to speak about or show remorse for Canada’s sinister past. The poem itself, also embodied in the form of a commercial, resembles a speech from a proud Canadian attempting to break stereotypes about his country, but really is a message from one of many Canadians affected by the colonizers’ culture, presenting to his audience the colonizer’s pride in what they created a true Canadian to become.