At first glance, the poem "I Am Canadian" written by Glen Hunt, is a narrative of a proud Canadian named Joe, who seeks to disprove some of the preconceived notions about Canada . Used in the Molson Canadian beer commercial, this poem quickly captured the hearts of many Canadians, even though the speaker is addressing a specific group of Canadians; not Canada. His tone and condescending attitude towards countries and cultures other than his own make it clear that he is not representing Canada, but alternatively speaking on behalf of those in the country who have a culture similar to that of the European colonizers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Although the French and English who initially colonized the North American country, starting in the late 15th century, are not still alive, their effect on Canadian culture through invasion and assimilation is strong today. Many Canadians today see the colonizer's culture as their own, identifying with the colonizer. Through a post-colonial analysis, I argue that "I Am Canadian" is an attempt by the proud colonizer to illustrate what the true Canadian identity is determined by the European colonizing culture while ignoring the cultures of the colonized, clear through exclusion by of those who talk about the different varieties of Canadian cultures, affirmation of Canada as a superior country, and inability to discuss the country's darker times that resulted from colonization. “I Am Canadian” features a passionate Canadian named Joe, who gives a speech in an attempt to put to rest any distorted ideas about Canadian culture by stating facts about himself. By embodying the colonizer, Joe implies that he is an elite example of perfect Canadian status. He seems to speak on behalf of all Canadians in his impassioned speech, but leaves out any representation or respect for colonized people he considers “others,” who do not fit into his description of people fitting into society. Joe illustrates the colonizer's disdain and disdain for the diverse groups that were part of Canada long before the time of colonization. It is clear that Joe believes that the colonized condition of Canada is the appropriate culture that those residing in the country should correspond with. The narrator explains that he is "not a lumberjack" and that he "[does] not own a dog sled," and clarifies how he pronounces certain words, such as “about,” making sure the audience does not pronounce them “a-boot” (Hunt, 1,5,13-14). Joe's tone towards Canadians who bring with them these qualities he just described, clear from both the depiction of the poem in the beer ad and the tone of the poem itself, is condescending and shows the speaker's fury towards the residents of his country which are explained in this way. The colonizer's pride in his culture shines through as Joe tries to discredit these cultural traits and even imply that they don't exist, ignoring notable members of Canada who own dog sleds and have different accents. It also does not mention Canada's indigenous peoples, who settled and cared for Canada's territory long before European colonization. The speaker's omission of indigenous peoples, the wide range of accents, professions and lifestyles, is a great example of how little the speaker's outburst really illustrates a general overview of Canadian culture and glorifies the culture added by colonization. It is clear that Joe only cares about his people and making their voices heard because he believes the colonized way is the only wayCanadian. The opinionated speaker of the poem, "I Am Canadian", describes Canada as a nation superior to others, even compared to surrounding countries. By using statements such as “I can proudly sew my nation's flag on my backpack,” the colonizer congratulates himself on the country he has dominated. Joe also makes sure the public knows that a true Canadian “[speaks] English and French/not American,” proclaiming the first-rate languages ​​that his colonizing ancestors specifically brought to the North American country (11-12). This statement shows how proud the colonizer is of the particular colonization of Canada, even though the 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 cultural fusion. Joe even goes so far as to claim that Canada is “the best part of North America,” a strong statement, based solely on the narrator's view of Canada and its superiority to neighboring countries. (27). The speaker does not 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 against other countries and people, with no explanation of why he holds this view, other than the fact that he is Canadian, demonstrates that Joe believes that the changes brought about in Canada as a result of colonization make Canada the best country, and those who occupy this culture coincide with the most excellent condition of Canada. He has no respect for 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" to himself and, in his eyes, the truly superior Canadian culture; even those who have small cultural differences. Throughout the poem “I Am Canadian,” by Glen Hunt, the narrator is evidently trying to send a message to those who, in his opinion, are all wrong about Canada. Joe, careful to protect the image of Canada as corresponding to the aspects of the European colonizers, communicates the real Canada to his audience. Throughout the poem he suggests that Canada is an amazing 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 first-class Canadian citizen, but does not mention what it took to transform the great majority of Canadians into the Canadian he describes. He states, “I believe in peacekeeping, not policing/diversity, not assimilation,” implying that his country is kinder and more unique than other countries, but leaves out any mention of the fact that Canada has been without undoubtedly one of the most reckless and pro-professional countries. countries of all time assimilation towards those whom the colonizers deemed uncultured or unsatisfactory (17-18). Joe overlooks these events because he believes that Canada's old methods of conformity were not inhumane, as inhumane as they were, but alternatively, considered useful as they helped victims of colonization adapt to Canadian culture. He claims that his country is a peacekeeping nation, contradicting the truth of his country's dark assimilative past. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The speaker manages to paint Canada in a way that hides its lowest moments, but those who know the truth can easily recognize that Joe is glorifying the cruel methods of.