US tariffs on Mexico and Canada may be on pause for the moment, but the culture clash between the United States and its neighbor to the north rages on—this time with Canada on the offensive. Twenty-five years ago, Molson Canadian put out a beer ad called "I Am Canadian: The Rant," featuring an actor smashing stereotypes about Canada and earnestly running down a list of what makes the country so great. Now, that same guy is back with a remake of the 2000 promo that directly takes on the Trump administration's increasingly serious push to absorb Canada into the US and make it the 51st state.
"They mistake our modesty for meekness, our kindness for consent, our nation for another star on their flag, and our love of a hot cheesy poutine with their love of a hot cheesy Putin," the star of the updated ad explains while standing in front of a giant maple-leaf flag. "This is the birthplace of peanut butter and ketchup chips and yoga pants," he continues. "It is the land of universal health care and the bench-clearing brawl, of innovation and optimism and gettin' 'er done." The plaid-shirted man notes, "Are we perfect? No. But we are not the 51st anything."
Per the Guardian, the ad then puts a twist on the original ad's "final climactic cry," with its proud rep declaring: 'My name is Joe—and we are Canadian!'" The actor playing Joe, a now somewhat-grayer Jeff Douglas, says the new ad was put together by an unidentified group of Canadian ad pros and other creatives. "The client for this one is Canada," the Nova Scotia resident says. Douglas, who the CBC notes has become a popular CBC Radio host since the 2000 ad, says of the new video: "We humbly hope it may be something that can help boost Canadian spirits." (More Molson stories.)
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