Canadian hockey identity

04 Jan 2013 | Tyler Bilton

Due to the historical aspect of hockey, it is no surprise that hockey is identified as being Canadian and Canadian’s identify the sport as their national pastime. Canada is a nation with two official languages, has witnessed two attempts of separation by a province, and still has the Queen on its currency. Yet the one thing that continually unites the world’s second largest land mass and culturally identifies it is hockey. One such identity issue that has always plagued Canadians is the ‘Americanization’ of our country.

Michael Robidoux writes in his article - Imagining a Canadian Identity through Sport: A Historical Interpretation of Lacrosse and Hockey- that “hockey became a vehicle of resistance against British and American hegemony, something that Canadians continue to call on in periods of political and national uncertainty.”

Canada’s early dominance in IIHF events helped forge a national community when Canada was trying to establish itself as a nation. Through victories on the ice, Canadians were able to construct a shared history that lead to traditions. One such tradition that has been shared by generations is gathering around the television with family on Boxing Day and watching the World Junior Championship. No other nation covers the World Junior Championship like Canada, which is why the IIHF loves having Canada host the tournament every other year due to the large revenue it generates.

So you can imagine how crushing a defeat it was to Canadians after they got up very early, stayed up very late, or slept in and frantically grabbed their phone/tablet/laptop to check the score. The number of Tweets and Facebook posts could measure the collective anger and frustration across the nation. Not winning gold in any hockey event is like waking up to find coal underneath the Christmas tree. Losing to the USA in the semi-finals is like waking up finding that the tree, stockings, Santa’s milk and cookies, and turkey dinner has been stolen. It’s not only a loss in the record books, but it feels like a loss of our identity.

Outsiders may say it is foolish for us to identify our nation with a sport. But I certainly don’t. It is a sport that harmonizes agile grace with brute force much like Canada is a harmony of different cultures and races. So after this tournament is done, and many others, we must always remember that regardless of the outcome, it is the sport that continues to bring us together.