The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics have given Canada an outlet for growing and pent up national pride that has been building for several years. Canada has (so far) tied the record for the most gold medals at a winter olympic games--13, and has surpassed its best ever total medal count of 24 from Turin with 25. In addition, Canada has had strong competitors in almost every event, even those where we didn't get medals. Add to all that the fact that these Olympics are being held right here in Canada and in fine style and it's no surprise it would be a proud moment for Canada.
Still, I have never seen anything like the flag waving, the partying in the streets, the sea of red and white, and the spontaneous breaking into O Canada in random places that I have seen here. The Olympic television ratings are through the roof, and the sales of the promotional wear are astounding. What's interesting is that this wave of pride went before the great accomplishments of Canada in these games. Even in the first few days of the Olympics when there were more disappointments than triumphs, the national fervour was already off the charts. I think it is safe to say that the national pride we are experiencing goes beyond the athletic achievements of the games. It's as if this Olympics gave us the excuse to express what we were already feeling inside. Finally, as a country, we aren't embarrassed to express our patiotism openly because, finally, we are grown up and confident in ourselves and the position of our country relative to the world.
Putting it in perspective, when I was growing up, Canada had a massive inferiority complex relative to the United States which manifested itself by the constant attempts to define ourselves as different from them, and to notice their irritating points and justify our existence by the absence of those attributes. In reality, we were jealous that the US had more accomplishments, lower unemployment, stronger currency, more wealth, more stars, better weather and on and on. And we resented being in the American shadow, constantly vulnerable to its whims, endlessly being outshone and underappreciated.
Now things have changed. We are now developing our own sense of self, a positive sense of pride in being (to steal the Conservative Party slogan) "The True North Strong and Free." Our country has weathered the economic storm better than any other western country. We now have strong currency, lower debt and unemployment, and with all this a sense of confidence and a new role of leadership on the world stage. Our regulated banking and financial system has been vindicated. Our national leadership is strong. And we have accomplished all this while still providing health care to all our citizens and having relatively safe and clean cities.
We are finally recognizing our potential for greatness. We now have our own banner to wave to the world; our own model for how to organize a society and an economy. And, our country is beautiful and majestic and free. And somehow, magically, these Olympics have given us permission to express our pent up feelings of love for our country...and we will never be the same.
