Culture Wars: Canada vs. America

For those of you who are not big X-Men fans you might not be aware that Wolverine -- the berserker, self-healing mutant with metal claws that extend from his knuckles at will, played by Hugh Jackman -- is a Canadian.

And that's started me thinking about how Canada effects American culture.

Those of us raised in Canada are pretty used to the idea of protecting Canadian culture from the nasty influence of America. Hell, Canadian content has been mandated in the Canadian media since the days of Trudeau.

But when you really start looking at it, you might find yourself asking whose culture needs protecting from who (from whose?, from whom? -- sorry about the grammar folks).

I suggest we have it backwards. American culture has been so heavily influenced by Canada and Canadians that you would have a very different America with it.

And I'm not just talking mounties and maple syrup her guys. I mean backbone, hard core America.

Where would America be without, say, Disney? What!? That's right y'all. Disney may have been born in the States, but his parents were from Canada. So no parents, no Walt, no Mickey Mouse, etc.

Not scary enough for you? How's this: the Man of Steel himself, perhaps the greatest of all superheroes -- half Canadian. Joe Shuster who co-created the super dude with Jerry Siegel was born in Toronto.

Star Trek is opening this weekend. Now where would that franchise be without the Bill Shatner (yes, Canadian) or even Scotty (James Doohan was another).

Like funny movies? How about Jim Carey, Mike Myers, Dan Akroyd, Howie Mandel, Catherine O`Hara, Dave Thomas, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Leslie Nielsen, Martin Short, Matthew Perry, the late Phil Hartman, and Rick Moranis -- Canucks one and all. Heck, do you like Saturday Night Live? Lorne Micheals, the creator and producer was born in Toronto.

Maybe you watch 24 Hours every week? Keifer Sutherland is the son of Canadian born Donald Sutherland and in fact attended school in Canada from the age of 5 until 15.

The fact is I could go on and on about the influence of Canada and Canadians on American culture. The reality is that without Canada, America would be a different place indeed.

Gonna go watch Wolverine kick some butt now.