- Canadian popular culture
Canadian
popular culture (or pop culture) is the vernacular (people's) culture that prevails in Canadian society. Canadian popular culture is influenced by Canada's British and French ancestry. Canadian pop culture is also influenced by theUnited States , which borders Canada to the south; US films, television shows and magazines dominate the Canadian media system. Canadian pop culture is also influenced by the diverse cultures of its immigrant communities, which include substantial populations fromChina andIndia .English-speaking Canadians
History
About two-thirds of Canadians speak English as their own language. Some aspects of English-Canadian popular culture have been influenced by Canada's British ancestry, from the period in the 1800s when Canada was a dominion of the
British Empire . Since Canada's independence from Britain in the 1860s, English-Canadian popular culture has been influenced by the pop culture of theUnited States and by the diverse cultures of the huge immigrant communities which came to Canada.2000s pop culture
Major touchstones for English-speaking Canadians include
Canadian beer , promoted through advertising by brands such asMolson andLabatt , and comedies that poke fun at Canadian's love for beer, such as the 1980s "hoser" television comedy skit "The Great White North " (from SCTV) and the spin-off film "Strange Brew ."Television programs influencing Canadian popular culture include the comedies such as "
Royal Canadian Air Farce , SCTV,This Hour Has 22 Minutes ,Kids in the Hall , andRick Mercer "; sports coverage such as "Hockey Night in Canada ",curling , and theCanadian Football League 'sGrey Cup playoffs; children's shows such as"Mr. Dressup " and "Polka Dot Door ;" and teen dramas such as theDegrassi series.Hockey provides another popular culture reference, with longstanding rivalries between teams (e.g., theToronto Maple Leafs and theMontreal Canadiens ; or, more recently, theOttawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs) and cultural references to hockey in songs such asStompin' Tom Connors 'The Hockey Song .Canadian musicians that have become an important part of English-Canadian pop culture include the singer
k.d. lang , singer-guitaristStompin' Tom Connors ,Jann Arden , and theBarenaked Ladies .French-speaking Canadians
History
About one-third of Canadians speak French as their mother tongue. While most French-speaking Canadians live in the province of
Quebec (the area originally settled by French colonists in the 1600s), there are also major communities of French-speaking Canadians in the provinces ofManitoba ,Ontario ,New Brunswick , and smaller communities in other parts of Canada.Some aspects of French-Canadian popular culture have been influenced by the earlier period of Canada's history, in the 1600s and 1700s, when Canada was a French colony. French settlers passed on a rich heritage of French songs, dances, and stories that continue to have an influence on French Canadian pop culture.
2000s
French-Canadians have been strongly influenced by the popular culture of the
United States ; US films and television shows dubbed into French often appear in French-Canadian theaters and television channels. However, due to the language barrier, French Canadians have been more successful at preserving their culture from the powerful US media influence than English Canadians.French-speaking regions of Canada are not as dominated by US television and magazines as English-speaking regions. There is a thriving French-language popular culture, which includes French-language television shows, newspapers, and magazines. The different media help to promote a "
star system " of Canadian French-language celebrities such as popular television and film actors, sports stars (e.g., Formula 1 racing starJacques Villeneuve ), and musicians.Major touchstones for French-speaking Canadians include
Canadian beer , promoted through advertising by brands such asMolson andLabatt , and a love for icehockey .ee also
*
Acadian music
*Canadian beer
*Canadian English
*Ice hockey
*List of Canadian celebrities by hometown
*Loonie
*Peacekeeping
*Poutine
*President's Choice brand products
*Red Green ofThe Red Green Show
*"Trailer Park Boys "
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