MEMES OF THE WORLD #2: Canadian Memes
What are the funniest Canadian memes? What differentiates Canadian meme culture from that of the United States, or indeed the wider world? Are Canadians genuinely obsessed with syrup, the weather and hockey, or is that kinda racist?
Canada, also known as ‘that random country in America’s attic’, has so many fine qualities. There’s Canada’s ravishing natural landscape. Canadian people’s reputation for courtesy and good humour. Poutine.
For a country that’s so proud, and great at branding – that simple maple leaf motif that makes it everywhere, even the apostrophe on McDonalds signs – you’d expect them to also have a vibrant meme culture.
And you’d be right. Here’s a look at some of the sweetest Canadian memes.
CANADIAN SORRY MEMES
It’s true, our splendidly moustachioed neighbours north of the border are courteous and considerate, almost to a fault. Which is to say, they use the word ‘sorry’. A lot.
One explanation ventured for this linguistic quirk is that Canada, with its generous social security programmes, don’t consider apologies to be an admission of fault, or liability.
It’s just a reflexive expression of niceness. No wonder Canada’s greatest musical export (Bieber, we mean Justin Bieber obvs) named his biggest hit ‘Sorry’.
CANADIAN HOCKEY MEMES
One area of Canadian life where ’sorry’ is way less of a thing is hockey. Man, do Canadians love to fight at their hockey games.
Hockey is the most popular sport, because it works on ice – Canada is cold, fun fact fans – and it allows Canada’s usually modest, button-down population to lay the fuck into each other, fists flying.
The sport is so popular, that Sportsnet reported that nearly three-quarters of Canadians watched at least part of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this NHL season. That’s 26 million viewers.
Authorities have suggested, in the past, that fights are the reason people come to games, and to ban fighting would unacceptably hit revenue. However recent data suggests that this century fighting at hockey games has actually declined, while attendance of games has actually increased. Go figure.
CANADIAN ABOOT MEMES
Yeah, they talk funny. They deny it, as you would deny it too, if your sentences dissolved into that silly vowel sound whenever they drop their guard, and forget there’s an ootsider in the room.
And that’s just the ones who speak English. The French ones are even more insufferable. To the point they even annoy genuine French people.
Although fair’s fair, the French side is responsible for Canada’s greatest culinary export, poutine. Which is available at McDonalds in Quebec, what a glorious mishmash of civilisations.
ACTORS WHO ARE SECRETLY CANADIAN
There’s a bunch of popular stars who most people assume are probably from the United States, but oh no siree, they’re as Canadian as maple syrup and lame cars.
Pamela Anderson! Seth Rogen! Michael Cera! Ryan Reynolds! Michael J Fox! Jim Carey! Keanu Reeves! Sandra Oh! Mike Myers! Dan Akroyd! Rick Moranis!
Talk about immigrants coming over and taking your jobs
CANADIAN WEATHER MEMES
Alright, there aren’t technically polar bears chilling in downtown Vancouver. It’s mostly crackheads.
Jokes aside, the summers are hot and sticky and plagued by mosquitoes. We’re all going to die of climate change! But the winters are chilly, sure, no doubt aboot it.
In fact, the titchy village of Snag in the Yukon holds the lowest temperature ever recorded in the entirety North America. The mercury read -63°C and it took place on Feb. 3, 1947.
The most snowfall ever recorded in Canada was at Tahtsa Lake, in British Columbia. Fully 145 centimetres of snow cascaded to earth Feb. 11, 1999.
Witty citizens of the Canadian town of Chatham Kent had a competition to name their new civic snowplow. Entries included ‘Blizzard of Oz, Sled Zeppelin, Buzz Ice-Clear, Qunuk – an Inuit word for snowflake – Flurrious George, School’s Not Cancelled, Snobi One Kenobi and Sleetwood Mac.
TIM HORTONS MEMES
It’s a chain of coffee shops, and a national institution. Statistics show some 15% of Canadians visit one of 3,500 nationwide locations every single day.
Tim Hortons serves over two billion cups of coffee a year. Keeping Canucks caffeinated since 1964.
Justin Bieber did a collaboration with Tim Hortons, changing their iconic doughnutty ‘Timbits’ snacks to ‘Timbiebs’ for a couple of glorious months.
Of course, everybody just referred to them as ‘Bieber balls’.
Hey, IS STEALING MEMES ILLEGAL?
While we’re here, does anybody know IS IT PRONOUNCED GIF OR JIF?