Running head: FOSTERING A NATIONAL IDENTITY

Fostering a national identity

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FOSTERING A NATIONAL IDENTITY

Fostering a national identity

In the article Fireworks, folk-dancing and fostering a national identity: the politics of
Canada day, Matthew Hayday examines the changes which have taken place in the celebration
of the national day. The author contends that celebration of such a national day has undergone a
great transformation in the history of Canada. Hayday posits that history of the Canadian day has
reveals some critical evolution mechanism which has since changed the Canadian national
identity. He reckons that the Canadian government has been instrumental in effecting such
changes through its existing structures, as well as administrative institutions. The Canadian
government has continuously introduced public policies which cater for the emergence of a rich
cultural heritage and the multicultural dynamism of Canada. Part of the policy change involves
the observance of the rich cultural diversity in Canada, as well as observance of respect for the
perceived national identity. It is a transformation which has been characterized by change of
names from Dominion day to Canada day
In the article, Hayday contends that Canada has an important part in the history of
Canada in that; it reflects the rich cultural diversity and the significant changes which have taken
place in Canada either socially, politically, economically. He even goes to the extent of tracing
the history of Canada day, highlighting the different ways through which politicians have tried to
introduce their own concepts in its celebration. Further, the author looks at the previous names
by which the present day Canada day was referred to back in the days. Mayday argues that the
popularity of Canada day even led to the decline of popularity of other national holidays which
were previously observed with religious zeal. The Canadian government then saw the need to use
July 1st as the Canada day and an event to foster national identity. Unlike in the past, where
Canada day celebrations focused on the observance of military-linked rituals, the current

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celebrations have been transformed by politicians, as well as the existing government policies.
Such transformations have in effect given the Canada day a totally new definition and with
renewed objectives. One of the main objectives of embracing certain changes was to cater of the
emerging cultural diversity in Canada and to bring about a sense of national identity which could
be subscribed to by all stakeholders including the government of the day, as well as the general
citizenry. The approach to Canada day celebrations has also significantly changed with time to
reflect the community dynamics. It has shifted from the military-like celebration to a more
accommodative populist approach which has seen the introduction of folk performances as part
of celebration. Mayday argues that all these changes came about due to the accommodation of
Canadians opinions. The government basically borrowed elements of celebrations which were
popular with the masses and which it deemed necessary for the popularization of a national
identity. In essence, the change in style of celebration of Canada brought about some sense in the
idea of national identity and increased the spirit of patriotism and togetherness among Canadians.
Other scholars have corroborated Maydays argument about the evolution of Canada as it
pertains to the sense of national identity. They all contend that the amount of changes which have
characterized the history of Canada day is especially critical for the continued appreciation of
national holidays and celebrations. For instance, in the book National days/national ways:
Historical, Political, and Religious Celebrations around the World, Linder Fuller looks at the
historical evolution of Canada day and the changes which have characterized such a
transformation. She contends that Canadians express a lot of enthusiasm during the celebration
of Canada day. She reckons that through the celebration, Canadians get the chance to feel proud
of nationality and express their loyalty (Fuller, 2004). However, she argues that not all Canadians
embrace the national day with the same level of zeal. She particularly speaks of the hundreds of

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thousands Canadians who prefer to stay at home rather than attend the national holiday
celebrations (Fuller 55). She argues that not every Canadian see the sense of nationhood through
Canada day celebration. Rather, they see these celebrations as merely a formality just like any
other holiday celebration. She also contends that observation of Canada day does not necessarily
produce the desired results of nationhood spirit, it is impossible to force loyalty not unless it is
through suppressive tendencies (Fuller, 2004). Other author also has a different view of the
whole connection between Canada day celebration and the spirit of national identity. For
instance, Wayne Thompson argues that the number of Canadians who still believe in the national
day has been on the decline over the last century. He believes that the idea of national identity
has not been fully embraced by the Canadian citizenry (Thompson, 2013).
From the article, it can be argued that the author is of the opinion that the Canadian
government is trying to promote a sense of national unity and cohesiveness. Observation of the
national day is also another good approach to acknowledge the existence of a diverse cultural
background. These celebrations further show that the Canadian government is committed in its
endeavor to promote a sense of national identity and to embrace citizenry from a diverse
background. True, Canada day has been celebrated before with some significant level of
glamour, pomp and color but then it does not match the current observation. Either way one
looks at it, celebration of Canada day truly reflects the spirit of nationalism and the clamor for a
unionized society. The simple elements of celebration which characterize Canada day serve an
extremely noble purpose of unity which cannot be underestimated. It is a good show of the
progress which has been made towards the spirit of oneness and the desire to forge ahead in
terms of cultural interrelationship, as well as the idea of a culturally-tolerant society.

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One cannot ignore the nitty gritties which have become synonymous with national day
celebration. For instance, the folklores which characterize national day give the Canadian
citizenry a sense of true belonging and boost their sense of identity. Through the national
celebrations, citizens get to know the true value of togetherness and commitment to
individualistic sense of loyalty. The current style of celebration has further signaled the shift
from a politically-inclined motivated event to a loyalty-motivated one which emphasizes the
spirit of togetherness. July 1st remains the most inspirational national holiday in Canada ever. All
these are attributed to the remarkable changes which have been the centre stage of Canada day
celebration.

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References
Hayday, M. (2010). Fireworks, Folk-dancing, and Fostering a National Identity: The Politics of
Canada Day. Canadian Historical Review, 91(2), 287-314.

Fuller, L. K. (Ed.). (2004). National days/National ways: Historical, political, and religious
celebrations around the world. Greenwood Publishing Group.

Thompson, Wayne C. Canada 2013. , 2013. Print