I hope our Canadian correspondant is peering in over the border, this afternoon. Perhaps, he will have primary-source commentary to offer.
The dislike of Canada’s biggest city, Toronto, in the rest of the country runs so deep that a filmmaker has made a documentary about it.
“People in Toronto are soulless, one-eyed corporate zombies,” Joey Keithley, of the Vancouver punk band D.O.A., says in the film, “Let’s All Hate Toronto.”
The 73-minute film, which premieres at Toronto’s Hot Docs documentary festival next week, follows a character called Mister Toronto, who embarks on a cross-Canada trip brandishing a sign that reads “Toronto Appreciation Day” and steels himself for the onslaught.
Co-director Albert Nerenberg said in an interview, “People have a grudging respect for New York outside of the city, and have a grudging respect for London. But people outside of Toronto don’t have that for Toronto, they really don’t.”
Since my Canadian kin live far enough away from big cities that my visits have always been pastoral – I’ll withhold an opinion.
17. nice igloos. better strip joints.
Ok, so for the non-canadians: there are a number of rivalries all over the country. The typical ones (east vs west, provincial rivalries, city rivalries and language rivalries) and the mundane and assinine (hockey/football/lacrosse teams, public transit rivalries).
Now, Vancouver is a beautiful city, as is Montreal and Ottawa. These three cities are involved in rivalries but more on the sidelines. The deepest rivalry between cities (nationally anyway) is between Toronto and Calgary. The best comparison would probably be Toronto is like a cross New York and Washington DC where Calgary is like Houston or Dallas. Torontonians think Calgarians are just a bunch of try hards and rednecks; Calgarians thinks Torontonians are arrogant and ignorant to the rest of the country. Both places have some basis for there arguments. Calgary does have your stereotypical ‘rednecks’ (think Cletus off of Simpsons) but then you can find people like that anywhere. Toronto has people who think that they are the favourite child, but again you can find people like that anywhere.
Calgary however has become the hub of western Canada for a number of businesses, mostly oil companies. Many of these companies came from Toronto. Calgary has a large proportion of entrepreneurs, while Toronto has a large proportion of corporate minded people. Also, Toronto is the capital of Ontario, but not of Canada (contrary to popular belief), where as Calgary is not a political centre at all, giving it more of a distaste for political intrusion/interference.
#2, that’s just a weird comment
I’d bet that the film is a satire, not a call to arms. This kinda reads like a fluff piece on American news – “and in other news – war breaks out in Toronto, Canadia”
#19 – Sounds ghastly….
I tend to believe in the “to each thier own” philosophy. I don’t know why people with functional ears listen to country music. I don’t know why men with eyes look at Paris Hilton. I can’t understand why people with taste buds eat fast food. I can’t fathom most of things most people do day to day.
And I can’t understand why anyone would not want to live inside the comforting cradle of a major metropolitan city. But if folks wanna live where you can’t order a sit down meal after 9… where you don’t have live music choices from major artists 7 nights a week… where you have no cultural institutions like museums, symphonies, or theater… where you have to drive two hours to shop for anything… where you have to drive at all… is a mystery to me.
But whatever… Someone wants to live in the sticks, be my guest. I don’t fault them for it. It’s what they like…
But it get tiresome hearing about how bad living in a city is. Cities, especially New York, Chicago, and cities on that level, are brimming with life. They are vibrant and eclectic, rich in diverse cultural heritages and histories, packed with a million opportunities for business and fun, and loaded with interesting people and remarkable potential.
For me, the only thing I ever did in the country was sit and get tired from boredom. And occassionally bristle when I overheard the off key scratchings of country music.
I saw an american bald eagle swoop from the sky 2 weeks ago, claws extended and grap a duck that was (until then) fishing for dinner on the Animas River in Colorado. It flew into a nearby tree and proceeded to feed. That, OFTLO is entertainment for me. We live at 7000 feet with a view of the Rocky Mountains , snow covered at the moment that will take your breath. I understand your need for culture, I just dont need it in the large doses that you do. When I was younger, it was importatnt for me to be in the bars every weekend night. I too love live music, its one of my biggest passions. Things changed a little for me as I got older and clubbing got old. And maybe, so did I, but it just doesnt have the appeal it use to. To say there is nothing to do in tthe sticks is just a matter of perspective. There is SO much to do its overwhelming.
#22,
Thanks for explaining to a US citizen the comparison, it really did help me understand better.
I enjoy Toronto. It is one of my favorite cities. Vancouver is nice, if you are part duck. I think it rained every day I was there. Old town in Montreal is nice, but the rest of the city is not nearly as charming. If you want old town, imitation Europe, Quebec City is better.
The only thing I disliked about Toronto was a statue in front of the old city hall about the “glory” of death in war. There is no glory, there is only death.
15 – Mister Justin – thanks for that comment. It really brought me back decades, to when I lived in Brooklyn – neighborhoods, quirky people, an incredible cultural mix, and I gave away my (rather old) car to a local kid because all it did for me was collect tickets. I never, ever used it.
I imagine the Brooklyn I knew back then (early 70s) is about as gone now as the bustling port of San Francisco. And I haven’t lived inside a large city for many years now, and don’t miss it. But I did love Brooklyn and I enjoyed NYC. As OFTLO says, it’s a matter of choice. Loved it then, don’t miss it now. No doubt a short stay in a major hotel in city center is NOT the best way to get to know Toronto, so I guess I’ll forego the experience. Oh well.
I suppose that this thread has scrolled off, … comment #22 has some truth to it, but it ignores the history: long ago, when Calgary was in the third echelon of Canadian cities, smaller than Winnipeg and Edmonton, but larger than London, Ont, the issue was Toronto and not-Toronto. It’s a lot like: there may be a New York – Chicago rivalry. But you still have people who hate New York because it is New York. Hardly any who hate Chicago because it is Chicago. Root for the underdog, unroot the überhund.
That said, you’re likely to find more Canadians who admit to being fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs (sic) than Americans outside NY who are unabashed fans of the New York Yankees.
None of this has anything to do with the objective merits of living in one Canadian city over another. Though I did get a kick out of #24. If he had been a Torontonian implying that all the rest of Canada lacked those wonderful reasons for his choice of residence, he’d be a poster boy for the Toronto-centric attitude that started this whole “rivalry” in the first place.
I just hate Toronto cause the Leafs really suck!!!! Oilers rule!
Personally i agree Calgary is horrible but you can’t say Toronto is. It’s like our father city. I’ve lived here for 8 years now and the people are EXTREMELY kind and caring. Now that I have moved to Calgary I have also found out that manny people can be quite rude. Anybody who doese think that Toronto is the worst city in canada needs to think again.
People do have different taste, some may like the contry side, and some may like the rush of the city. Calgary needs to get over itself and Toronto needs to stop acting all that. (although it probably is)
this whole calgary-toronto rivalry i can see where it’s coming from i’ve lived in toronto for 8 and a half years its definitly the only place i would EVER think of living in and this whole torontonians are snobs thing it’s not true you need to live in the city to appreciatte it I just moved to ca;gary last year and people in toronto have so much that ppl in calgary have NEVER EVEN HEARD of before toronto is the biggest and most metropolitician and populous area in Canada and all the bbuisness Canada gets comes from either toronto, chicago, new york vancouver or california and thats about it. if you ask me non-torontonians who say torontonians are snobs, arrogant, uncaring and whatever else are just jealous becuz they dont live in a place where a about a thousand “american” movies (and we all know how big that industry is) are made and a place where you can get take out food after 10, a beautiful skylight and more than 55% of canada’s population also if u’ve never lived there before and are saying it’s CRAP well think again and then KMA because you know nothing like i said u need to live in a place like toronto to appreciatte it bcuz u have so much over there that u dont have anywhere else in canada. calgary campared to toronto is definitly a BIG work hub bcuz of it’s huge oil industries but where do most of these companies come from? TORONTO. toronto is a beautiful place have you ever seen the skylight? or niagra falls about an hour away? its one of the 7 natural forgotten wonders of the world and the C.N.Tower one of the modern wonders of the world alos the worlds tallest tower so think again I’m a torontonian and EXTREMELY PROUD and ppl i really wanna say this: we all live in the same country CANADA? that stuff every one always says about canada all united and free and all well face it we’re all part of the same country and no matter where we live we’re probably gonna have something good or bad to say about it but i dont think any american or european would buy any of that “greatest country in the world stuff” if they heard this this whole comparison thing is BULL i think ppl only hate toronto because it’s “kool” to hate it thats really unfair. ppl hate calgary bcuz they’re “slow” no doubt they are andi agree with the person who said calgary woukld be hell in 50 years there’s no space for ANYTHING here. Toronto compared to calgary has a BIGG advantage being the largest city in canada because of its huge population and with the amount calgaryu is growing we’re gonna be like CHINA (have u studied it? do u know how much triouble and shortage they’re in?) well face it calgary is gonna be completly non-livable next thing u know they’ll need to kick ppl out of the city anyways toronto is my well used to be my home and u know what? I LOVE IT and its stupid of everyone to be judgemental bcuz calgarians are incredibly caring and kind well u know what? SO ARE TORONTONIANS.
i
i have to agree with 32 TORONTO_LUVER she definitly has this whole thing right and that whole we all live in the same country thing very true
Agree! should’ve be more mature!!
Agree! You guys should be more mature!!
@TORONTO_LUVER
I couldn’t have proved that in some people, Torontonian snobbery is alive and flourishing better myself. Bravo. *facepalm*