Tribute to the White Towels and the Canucks of 82 Posted by João on 1:38 pm

In the next few days, leading up to the start of the Stanley Cup Finals in which we will see the Vancouver Canucks trying to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup for the first time ever, I am going to write a little something about the two very memorable Stanley Cup runs previously put together by the Canucks, the first in 1982 and the second in 1994.

If any sports team is worthy of the label 'Cinderela team', undoubtedly it's the 1982 Vancouver Canucks. The 82 Canucks, not exactly a team full of talent and skill, where a hard working bunch which included some colourful characters, none of which more colourful then Dave 'Tiger' Williams and defencemen Harold Snepsts. What the 82 Canucks did have in their favour, however, was goaltender 'King' Richard Brodeur (below) who in many of the games leading them to the Stanley Cup final that year, carried the team on his back.

After finishing the regular season with more loses then wins (or in other words, a below .500 record), the Canucks started their Stanley Cup campaign by eliminating, first, the Calgary Flames and, second, the Los Angeles Kings. The Conference final matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks, however, would bring about an episode that would forever leave it's mark in ice hockey. In game 2 of that series, Vancouver coach Roger Neilson, fed up with the performance of the officials in the game, placed a white towel on the end of a hockey stick and held it up like a white flag, in a mock surrender (see below). A few Canuck players followed suit and Neilson was ejected from the game.

In the game to follow, back in Vancouver, in tribute to Neilson's actions one game earlier, fans brought white towels to the game and began waving them above their heads. On that day in Vancouver a tradition was born - Towel Power - today pretty much a play-off tradition in hockey rinks everywhere.

Vancouver would go on to eliminate Chicago only to be dispatched in 4 games straight by the powerful New York Islanders. By then a whole industry had commenced based on Towel Power. Below is an example of the towels produced for the Canucks-Islanders series with the Canuck battle cry.

As far as Neilson, while he spent 25 years in the NHL, taking on various coaching duties, he will forever be remembered for the white towel act. In fact, in Vancouver, outside Roger's Centre, the home of the Vancouver Canucks, now sits a statue of Neilson as a rememberance of that day in Chicago.

The Evolution of Alcohol Sales in Canada Posted by João on 10:23 pm

Today's entry is exclusively for those over the age of 18 if from Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, and over 19 from the rest of Canada.

Ok now that I got that out of the way, today I'm going to rant about how alcohol sales in Canada have come a long ways. Once upon a time, not to long ago, I recall alcohol sales being completely government controlled (well except for those who produced at home for their own consumption, or in other words, any Portuguese home). The government-ran liquor stores all had the same store fronts (and still do) and that's where you would go to get your booze under the watchful eye of 'the man' and on his time.

Then, slowly but surely, privatisation started creeping in, primarily in the case of wine and beer sales, and all of the sudden cold beer and wine stores started popping up everywhere. Those of course were convenient and had longer hours.

Now if these liquor selling establishments weren't convenient enough, retailers started to think of other ways of making them even more convenient. What was the next natural step then? Well if MacDonalds have them as do Tim Hortons and Starbucks, why not these liquor stores? Thus the birth of the drive thru liquor store.

Everyone knows how a drive thru works - you drive up, place your order, they give you the merchandise and you drive off. Sure it permits laziness, yet some would say that the liquor store visiting thrill is completely lost. What to do? The liquor store drive-in! Yes the latest craze! You drive into the liquor store, you're surrounded by the liquor, you pick out what you want and you still get to pay while sitting in the confort of your car! Exactly as you see below.

Ok now the Portuguese angle on this 'strange and funny world' of 1. preoccupation with underage drinking, 2. the love affair with the automobile, and 3. complete laziness. Here in Portugal the closest you get to parking your car right next to a case of beer is by parking right up on the curb in front of your local Pingo Doce (believe me, you wouldn't be the first and certainly not the last). Leaves you to wonder if scenes like this one below will soon be an ancient thing to do for those on the 'new' continent - what, standing in front of a selection of alcoholic beverages and then walking to the till to pay? Crazy!

Newfies and Alentejanos - What do they have in common? Posted by João on 12:52 pm

Well the answer is actually pretty simple: they are both the butt end of jokes in Canada and in Portugal, respectively. The reasons why the peoples from these geographical regions of the two countries are constantly moked, however, are very different.

In Canada everyone knows of Newfie jokes. They often go something like this:

How did the first Newfie get to Toronto? Some were playing hockey on the frozen-over Gulf of St. Lawrence and one of them got a breakaway.

How many Newfies does it take to go ice fishing? Four. One to cut a hole in the ice and three to put the boat through.

Also, here's a pictorial example:

Newfie Paramedics

Now here in Portugal, Alentejano jokes are a little different. They often go something like this:

Why do Alentejanos open their windows before reading their newspapers? So that the draft will turn the pages for them.

How many Alentejanos does it take to make a baby? Six. One woman, one man and four to shake the bed.

Also, yet another pictorial example:

An Alentejano committing suicide

So while in the case of Newfie jokes the significance is often one of not being very bright (as the Newfie revolver below to the left demontrates), in the case of Alentejanos it's a case of laziness, as if shirtless Christ told them "Don't do anything until I get back" (as the image below to the right shows).

So funny or not; degrading or not - I'm sure every country has Newfies or Alentejanos the rest of the country often has a poke at, be it because they're seen as slow, or not very smart, or because they're a backwards folk, etc.

By the way, have you heard the news about the airplane crush in Newfoundland?

Canadian Films at IndieLisboa Film Fest. 2011 Posted by João on 10:55 pm

This years IndieLisboa Film Festival gets underway this Thursday, May 5th, running through Sunday, the 15th. With over 240 films to be shown this year, from all over the globe, Canada, of course, is represented through a series of long and short films. These include:

Curling (98' 35 min.) - Denis Coté
Exhibitions: 8 May, 15:00, Cinema São Jorge, Sala 1 / 12 May, 21:30, Cinema São Jorge, Sala

Les Amours Imaginaires (95' 35 min.) - Xavier Dolan
Exhibitions: 5 May, 21:30, Cinema São Jorge, Sala 1 / 7 May, 24:00, Cinema São Jorge, Sala 3

Neil Young Trunk Show (83' min.) - Jonathan Demme
Exhibitions: 7 May, 21:45, Cinema São Jorge, Sala 1 / 14 May, 24:00, Cinema São Jorge, Sala 3

This Movie is Broken (88' 35 min.) - Bruce McDonald
8 May, 24:00, Cinema São Jorge, Sala 3 / 14 May, 19:15, Cinema São Jorge, Sala 1

All Flowers in Time (12' min.) - Jonathan Caouette
Exhibitions: 8 May, 17:15, Teatro do Bairro / 12 May, 16:30, Teatro do Bairro

Lesser Apes (18' min.) - Cooper Battersby and Emily Vey Duke
Exhibitions: 11 May, 14:30, Culturgest / 13 May, 14:30, Culturgest

On the Way to the Sea (20' min.) - Tao Gu
8 May, 21:30, Teatro do Bairro / 13 May, 19:00, Teatro do Bairro

Postface (7' min.) - Fréderic Moffet
Exhibitions: 6 May, 19:00, Culturgest / 15 May, 21:45, Culturgest

Woman Waiting (15' 35 min.) - Antoine Bourges
Exhibitions: 7 May, 17:00, Culturgest / 11 May, 21:45, Culturgest

For more on these films check out the IndieLisboa site by clicking here: http://www.indielisboa.com/

As a fan of the Canadian classic rock n'roll road movie, Hardcore Logo, I'm personally looking forward to the film This Movie is Broken, directed by the same individual who made Hardcore Logo: Bruce MacDonald.

So get on out and enjoy the movies!

16th Annual Terry Fox Run / 16ª Corrida Terry Fox - May 7th / 7 de Maio - Praça das Nações Posted by João on 2:30 pm

We all know who Terry Fox was, and most of all, what he represented. After embarking on his cross-Canada Marathon of Hope back in 1980, 143 days and 5 373 kilometres into his journey, Terry was forced to cut short his marathon outside of Thunder Bay, Ont. due to the spread of his cancer that ultimately cost him his life.

Terry's legacy, however, has remained, one that has become recognised worldwide. The marathon Terry could not finish back in 1980, the world now tries to finish for him through the annual Terry Fox Run.

In Portugal, Terry's Marathon of Hope has been honoured for the last decade and a half through the annual Corrida Terry Fox. Organised by the Portuguese League against Cancer in conjunction with the Canadian Embassy in Lisbon, this years 16th annual run takes place Saturday, May 7th at the Praça das Nações. Registration starts at 9:30AM and the run will start at 11:00PM. Registration is 5 euros with all proceeds going towards the financing of oncological and cancer fighting projects. With their registration fees, participants will receive a t-shirt marking the event, as well as an Olá ice cream (yum-yum). Participants will also have a choice of distances, either 1.5 kilometres or 5 kilometres. In sum, through its previous Corridas Terry Fox in Lisbon, 520 000 euros has been raised in honour of Terry's fight against cancer.

CanadiansinPortugal.com thus urges everyone to come out on the morning of the 7th of May to Praça das Naçoes for what will be a fun and healthy event, and to honour Terry and keep his dream alive as well. Hope to see you there.

Happy Easter and a little something more... Posted by João on 5:00 pm

This year here in Portugal the Easter long weekend is a little longer then usual due to the fact that the 25th of April holiday is right after Easter Sunday (the 24th). Of course in Canada a 4-day Easter break is an annual happening, as proceeding Easter Sunday is Easter Monday, which is a holiday as well. Although Easter Monday is common throughout much of the English Commonwealth, in the Canadian case, the tradition of having a holiday after Easter Sunday is, in fact, connected to immigrants from Eastern European countries, namely Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Ukraine, where traditions connected to Easter Monday are adundant. Now-a-days, however, Easter Monday serves newer traditions, ones that frequently includes sitting around eating chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies, this often after a bustling Easter egg hunt Sunday.

Speaking of Easter eggs, nowhere on earth is this symbol of Easter more evident then in the town of Vegreville, Alberta, just east of Edmonton, as it's in this community where the worlds largest Easter egg sits. Constructed in 1975, the Ukrainian 'Pysanka' (Easter egg) was constructed to honour the early Ukrainian settlers in this part of Alberta. Today it sits as an all-year-round symbol of re-birth, the exact intent of what the Easter egg is suppose to represent - a symbol of resurrection, containing a 'new life' within its shell.

The Pysanka of Vegreville, Alta.

Now if within these shells is solid chocolate or some sort of creamy filling, this will definitely brings new life upon us, am I right? HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYONE! Have a chocolate or two on us.

"Sitting here at the Hortons, so you know this is important" Posted by João on 2:06 pm

The title of this entry is a line from the song 'Vancouver Divorce', a track off of Gordon Downie's (aka singer of the legendary Tragically Hip) first solo album Coke Machine Glow. As a songwriter that often reverts to the Canadian cultural landscape to get his point across in his songs, in this case Downie's reference to the 'The Hortons', if you haven't guessed it, refers to that all-Canadian house of coffee and donuts and other gastronomical treats known as Tim Hortons. My favourite among those treats, by the way, is the chili, served up with some of that country fresh bread which you can then dip into the chili ... oh that's tasty!

But anyway, in Canada, it's pretty well know that Tim Hortons is an important gathering location for many; a place of conviviality where friends and acquaintances come together to sit around and discuss, gossip, reminisce, etc. As Downie points out, if it's being debated at 'the Hortons' it's got to be 'important'. Now I highly doubt Downie was thinking of the Portuguese when he was putting those lyrics together, however, if there's an ethnic group that loves to gather at 'the Hortons', it's the Portuguese. I first witnessed this when I used to live in Prince George, B.C., among the local Portuguese community there. At first I thought that this was perhaps a local phenomenon, after all the older members of the community had to meet somewhere. Recently, however, during trips to Toronto and Montreal, I discovered that the same phenomenon occurs in these cities as well. In Montreal I was especially amazed by the large concentration of Portuguese at one Tim Hortons, but more then the large concentration, was the male/female division with men sitting around one table, women around another. If the men were to break out a game of sueca (the card game), it would almost be like being at a Portuguese association clubhouse.

So it seems that Tim Hortons has conquered the Portuguese emigrant market in Canada as far as fast food is concerned. The question that remains, however, is: are the Tim Hortons people aware of the market potential when it comes to the Portuguese? Perhaps they would consider this suggestion as a donut substitute?

Canada at the Fête de la Francophonie / Francophone Festival Posted by João on 6:45 pm

Taking place next week, from the 14th-20th, various cities through out Portugal will be host to Fête de la Francophonie (aka Francophone Festival). See the program here: http://www.fetedelafrancophonie.com/.

Canada's contribution to the event comes in two forms:

1. Showing of the film De Pêre en Flic by Quebecois director Émile Gaudreault in two cities:

Caldas da Rainha - Tuesday, the 15th @ 10:30 and again at 21:00 at the Centro Cultural e de Congressos - admission: 2.50 euros;

Lisbon - Thursday, the 17th @ 19:00 at the Institut Français du Portugal - admission: free.

2. Conference with Haitian born, Quebec resident poet/novelist/storyteller Marie-Célie Agnant. Organised by the Canadian Embassy in Lisbon, in collaboration with the Centro de Estudos das Migrações e Relações Interculturais (CEMRI) http://www.univ-ab.pt/cemri/, Agnant will be giving a talk entitled: Immigration, integration et condition féminine: perspectives canado-haitiennes on Friday the 18th @ 17:00. Admission is free.

We urge all to come out and support Canadian culture in Portugal.

Conference Sons/Daughters of Portuguese Emigration/Immigration Posted by João on 6:24 pm

This Thursday, the 24th of February of 2011, the Conference Sons/Daughters of Portuguese Emigration/Immigration co-coordinated by yours truly (João Sardinha) will take place at the French Institute of Portugal (former Instituto Franco-Português) from 14:30 till 19:00. If these issues are of interest to you, entrance is free of charge.

Besides my co-coordinating duties, I will also present the paper: 'In this Country, being Portuguese is also being Canadian': the Identity Negotiations of Luso-Canadians in Multicultural Canada'.

For more information on this event you can look here:

www.univ-ab.pt/cemri/detailnew.php?new=30

More on dogs and cheese Posted by João on 10:08 pm

Ok, last week I gave you fine Serra da Estrela cheese and ever-so-cute Serra da Estrela dogs, two symbolic as well as socio-cultural centre pieces of this mountain region known as ... yes, you guest it, Serra da Estrela.

Although no mountain range in Canada is synonymous with cheese and dogs, this does not mean that Canada itself is not synonymous with cheese and dogs. In fact, one of the most beloved breed of dog here in Portugal is Canadian - the labrador. Straight out of 19th century Newfoundland to the upper class suburbs of Lisbon, is it just me or does it seem that the labrador is the prefered dog of the 'well-off' here? Whatever the case, the Saint John's Water Dog (its former name before they started shipping them to England where they were then named after the region they came from in Canada) is certainly capable drawing a lot of 'awe, how cute!' comments, am I right?

Now concerning cheese, well ... as if I have to tell you. Does anybody know where we can get a fine cheddar here? This is the cheese we're raised on in Canada. Canadian kids are basically given cheddar cheese singles at birth. Ok, but now your thinking to yourself: "This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. Cheddar cheese is not even Canadian, it's British". Yes ... true ... but in Canada cheddar cheese is Canadian cheddar cheese like this classic Black Diamond:

But beyond cheddar cheese, perhaps even more Canadian when it comes to cheeses, is that of marble cheddar cheese. How they were able to bring together this delightful combination of orange and white cheese curd was one of the biggest mysteries to me growing up. Beyond the mystery though, there was also the challenge - that of trying to get only orange cheddar out of one bite and then white chedder from a second bite, this as a way of trying to tell the flavour of the two apart. Growing up Portuguese in Canada, I remember it would often get placed on the table along side chouriço and tremoços. The creation of a true multicultural table. Such is Canada.

Marble cheese, if we are to think about it, it's what Canada's all about - a coming together of colours, textures and tastes you just can't separate. I could go for Saskatchewan and Manitoba right now.

Serra da Estrela Posted by João on 12:28 pm

Do you like to ski? If you do, and you live here in Portugal, you probably miss "serious skiing", as in "serious hills", that is unless you get the opportunity to wisk away to Switzerland or Andorra or something like that every once in awhile.

Now in Portugal, this is what skiing looks likes:

Yes it's Serra da Estrela, the only place you can slalom your heart away in the 'land of Camões'.

Ok, it looks treeless, it does have a chair lift and buildings with round-shaped tops. Those are known as The Towers - old military observatories. In 2008 the Portuguese Ministry of Defense had wanted to put them up for sale. Unsure of how that turned out - if the listing ever went ahead, and if so, if it's still up for sale. Here's a closer look.

So maybe Serra da Estrela may not offer up the best skiing, nothing like what we may get at Grouse Mountain, if you're from Vancouver ...

... or Mont Tremblant if you're from Quebec.

However, does any ski resort or mountain range in Canada produce a cheese as delicious as this Serra da Estrela cheese?

Or a breed of dog as cute as the Serra da Estrela shephard dog?

I thought not.

Hey, skiing isn't everything.

Crisis? Maybe ... but we're still far from becoming Greece Posted by João on 9:57 pm

My father, who still lives back in Prince George, British Columbia, listens to a lot of Portuguese radio while he works. When we talk on the phone he always starts talking about the economic crisis Portugal is going through. He tells me about phone-in shows on Radio Renascença and how everybody that phones in speaks of how the country is going from bad to worse and how the lives of the Portuguese is following suit.

From the perspective of someone like my dad, Portugal is in deap dire straits - we're all in deap suffering and there's no way out of it any time soon. Of course in our day-to-day lives here we don't really see this - the cafés are still full, the cars on the streets are newer and newer and, lets face it, everything still looks the same. From the passivism of the people here, even if unemployment is at 10%, it looks like we're still a long way from turning into Greece.

I am, however, fascinated with how the foreign press sees what is going on in Portugal, economically speaking. On the 23rd of January a story in the (Canadian) Globe and Mail stated: "the (Portuguese) government has enacted deeply unpopular austerity measures amid fears that the financial crisis spells economic crisis for Portugal". Well surely any austerity measure is bound to be unpopular, theoretically speaking, but how did the Global and Mail reach the conclusion that it was "deeply unpopular"? Is it the daily protest marches? The sit-ins? The vandalising of storefront windows? Besides a day-long strike and the half-day ones in certain labour sectors, I don't see any deep displeasure with what's going on.

Much has been written about the IMF bail out and how, even though Portugal claims that it won't be necessary, the country (and above all P.M. José Sócrates) sits in denial. A January 12th Reuters news piece entitled 'Bailout Would Hurt Portuguese Pride, Again' pointed out that: "Wounded pride (caused by the coming of the IMF) could give away to another Portuguese trait, a tradition of resignation to a sad fate summed up in its fado music". Yes, so true - denial, leading to reality sinking in, turned to 'we're used to it; it's in our blood'.

So is it so bad, this crisis? Maybe, but we're trying not to look it in the eyes. We're all just sitting back waiting on 'the super powers', and only when they come will the mighty evil crisis be overthrown. It might get messy but the capes await us.