A recent survey by the Writers Guild of Canada has found that a significant majority of Canadians are dissatisfied with how they are depicted on American television shows, with long-standing clichés being a major source of irritation.
Survey Highlights Stereotypes
The survey, which polled 1,000 Canadians and was released in May, revealed that 71.4 per cent of respondents believe Canadian characters on U.S. TV speak with a 'funny accent,' often overusing the word 'eh' and pronouncing 'about' as 'aboot.' Additionally, 62.3 per cent of those surveyed took issue with characters portrayed as 'overly dull and apologetic,' while 60.8 per cent objected to the 'hockey obsessed' stereotype. Furthermore, 43.7 per cent noted that Canadian characters are often depicted as living only in rural areas or the north.
Desire for Authentic Representation
Bruce Smith, president of the Writers Guild of Canada, commented on the findings, stating, 'I hadn’t really realized, although it makes total sense to me, how discerning we are about spotting the real thing versus a caricature Canadian.' He cited the example of Robin Sparkles, the Canadian pop star alter ego of Robin Scherbatsky on the CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother, played by Vancouver-born Cobie Smulders. Smith noted that while the character was a parody, it was well-received because it was not malicious. 'Early Alanis Morissette was clearly the inspiration for Robin Sparkles, and we loved it even though it was making fun of us,' he said.
Strong Support for Homegrown Content
The survey also revealed overwhelming support for Canadian-produced content. A full 91.7 per cent of respondents said it is important to have content written and created by Canadians, and 76.7 per cent agreed that film and TV written by Canadians in Canada is crucial to preserving the country's culture. Smith emphasized the timeliness of these sentiments, warning against being 'swamped by American culture.' He noted, 'At first glance, it looks the same and it’s better produced, usually because it’s more expensive. But look at the difference culturally between the two countries right now. Our relations are strained, and our values are not automatically identical.'
Balancing Consumption and Identity
Despite the critique, Smith acknowledged that Canadians will continue to enjoy American media. 'We’re gonna all go see their movies and watch their TV, but what the survey is saying is that people would really like to see some Canadian stuff and know that it’s actually Canadian,' he said. The Writers Guild of Canada, which represents 2,500 professional English-language screenwriters, conducted the survey to gauge public opinion on representation and cultural identity.
