I Am Canadian
I am Canadian was a series of Canadian television commercials aired in the early 2000s advertising the Canadian brand of Molson beer in Canada; the commercials also aired in the United States. The premise, using patriotism as a platform, was a man named Joe, an average Canadian, standing in a theatre, with a cinema screen behind him showing different images relating to Canadian culture; Joe proceeded to give a speech about what is it to be a Canadian, and what Canadians are not, as some aspects get confused with US culture.
It was performed by actor Jeff Douglas. The commercial won an advertising industry lumberjack, or a fur trader, and I don't live in an igloo or eat blubber, or own a dog sled, and I don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, although I'm certain they're really, really nice.
- I have a Prime Minister, not a President. I speak English and French, not American, and I pronounce it 'about', not 'a boot'.
- I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack. I believe in peacekeeping, not policing; diversity, not assimilation; and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal.
- A touque is a hat, a chesterfield is a couch, and it is pronounced zed: not zee – zed!!
- Canada is the second largest land mass! The first nation of hockey! And the best part of North America!
- My name is Joe!! And I am Canadian!
Parodies
The success of I Am Canadian in Canada, led to many parodies of the advertisement. The best known of these was Toronto radio station Edge 102's I Am Not Canadian, featuring a Quebec separatist.
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