New video a 2025 rallying cry about what it means to be Canadian

Article content

Jeff Douglas has done it again. Made us proud to be Canadian with a mix of humour and serious patriotic tugs on our heart strings.

He appears in a video, “We Are Canadian,” that was launched on Tuesday afternoon. It’s the so-far sole video on a newly minted YouTube channel called @AverageJoes1867 and has garnered more than 8,500 views in the first few hours.

The channel proclaims on its page: “Canada needed a rallying cry. So, we made one.”

Article content

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Article content

Article content

You may remember Douglas, the current host of CBC Halifax’s afternoon radio show, in a former incarnation as “Joe Canada.”

In 2000, he appeared in a highly popular ad for Molson Canadian beer that boasted some of the unique elements about what it meant (and still means) to be Canadian. The ad has received millions of views on YouTube.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Article content

The Molson ad marked the differences between Canada and America right off the top. “I have a prime minister, not a president. I speak English and French, not American,” the character Joe says from a stage with a movie screen behind him.

And as any young traveler would know then and now: “I’m proud to sew my country’s flag on my backpack.”

And then a few key (if patriotically interpreted) stats: “Canada is the second largest land mass (in the world, after Russia), the first nation in hockey and the best part of North America.”

After the ad, he went on to co-host CBC Radio’s national program, As It Happens, for several years before returning to his home province of Nova Scotia in 2019.

In the 2025 video, Douglas identifies himself as “Jeff.” No more Joe Canada. The National Post contacted the CBC in Halifax for a comment from Douglas, but his radio producer said he is away on a multi-week vacation and not reachable at the moment. Jeff’s Facebook page shows a small crew of people working on the video, according to the producer.

Meanwhile, CBC Nova Scotia sat down with Douglas recently as the old video sprung to new life amid the present political climate. That Molson ad appeared on TV during the Oscar ceremony that year, right after Robin Williams did a comic song from South Park called “Blame Canada.” And he toured across the country as Joe Canada on Canada Day. The gig led to new work on History television and later at the CBC.

Article content

2025 is providing “very different context” from the 2020 cultural background, says Douglas. “What we’re finding right now is that when someone outside the country starts to take aim at us, we can close ranks very quickly. And that sense of identity and pride…and love of our neighbour comes right back into the fore.”

The new video opens with what might be called typical Canadian consideration for the other person. “I know it’s in our nature to cut a guy some slack,” Douglas begins quietly.

“Maybe he was confused…or maybe he really needed a ‘double-double’.” An image of red coffee cups (Tim Hortons?), one with “POTUS” (an acronym for president of the United States) written on the side, appears in the background.

Then an image of Trump pops up.

“But this isn’t that guy.”

A pointed criticism is levelled at a well-known image of Trump overlooking a mountain range with a Canadian flag by his side quickly.

“And those are not the Rockies. They (Americans) make a lot of mistakes. They mistake our modesty for meekness, our kindness for consent, our nation for another star on their flag.”

Article content

A good-humoured view of a favourite Canadian food forms the basis of the next barb: They mistake “our love of hot cheesy poutine with their love of a hot cheesy Putin.” A bare-chested, horse-rising Putin appears behind Douglas.

Canada is not about to be bullied or threatened, proclaims Douglas. He pokes at Trump’s contention that the boundary between Canada and the U.S. is “artificially drawn.” It’s “not artificial,” he says, and pointing to his heart, adds: “It’s right here.”

“This is the land that Terry (Fox) ran, the land that Gord (a dual photo of Gordon Lightfoot and Gord Downey appears) sang about.”

And lest, he become a little too full of gravitas, Douglas recalls that Canada is the land where peanut butter, ketchup chips and yoga pants were invented.

Though he does give a few nods to universal health care and Canadian UN peacekeepers.

And while Canadians may not be perfect (cue the 1990 photo of a Canadian soldier facing off nose to nose with an Mohawk warrior during the Oka stand-off), he admits, “we are not the 51st anything!”

Instead, he says, Canadians “are the first to unite in a crisis, the first to build bridges (a reference to Trump’s wall on the Mexico-U.S. border?). And the first to stand on guard for thee.”

Then the final rallying cry: “We are Canadian.”

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.

Article content