Read this great Salon article in their “brilliant careers” dept about Farley Mowat: Northern Exposure.

They author makes the point that

…the Great White North does have its heroes. Typically, though, there’s nothing intrinsically Canadian about them. In fact, their fame is usually the result of having shed that confining distinction. A truly Canadian celebrity is one who elicits the reaction, “I didn’t know X was Canadian.”

I think they are confusing “celebrity” with “hero” in this case, but it’s not a bad point. I’m to blame for this is in my own little expat way, I often catch myself saying “they’re Canadian you know” when someone mentions Neil Young or (yikes) Jim Carrey. Salon goes on to point out that Mowat is not one of those, that he is a hero for his very Canadian nature, not despite of it. No question about it.

So who else have we got? I guess the “greatest Canadians” thing offers some starting points – I’ll take Tommy Douglas, Suzuki, Trudeau and Gretzky as being genuinley Canadian in nature (incidentally, I’ll take Terry Fox any way I can get him, even if he has a more American tone that some of the others, I always get litte leaky eyed thinking about Terry Fox. Damned malfunctioning eyes).

What else have we got?

I’m thinking Glenn Gould, and, um….

I’m sure I’m definitely missing some people.

Part of the problem here may be our inability to define what our national character is. I think some Canadians figure we’re just watered down Americans. Worse, I think a lot of Canadians think we can only define ourselves as being different than Americans.

I wrestle plenty with coming up with a good description of the Canadian identity, and I remain pleasantly unsucsseful in the task. I’m convinced we have one, and I’m convinced that I appreciate and respect it, cynical doubter of most things that I am. It’s optomistic to think that your home nation can be both a little mysterious and also good at it’s root. It suggests that there is more good to be revealed. It also discourages jingoistic hollow nationalism of the kind practiced by Americans. Yes, I know, I’m doing it, defining Canada as unAmerican.

Well hell. I’m going to sit here and think of some more really Canadian Canadian heroes, and I’m confident that when I do, they’ll be people I really like.

ps. fuck Don Cherry