Just when we thought that Americans were finally recognizing Canada in all of its world-class glory, one viral Tweet has our US inferiority complex spiking back up.
Apparently, one woman in Connecticut has an issue with Toronto’s flashy Yonge-Dundas Square, calling it a wannabe Times Square. Now, that critique and comparison isn’t a new one – in fact, many locals may even agree with her.
The issue many Canucks are taking with the tweet is that she then went on to refer to Toronto’s giant screen-filled square as “downtown Canada.” And – at a time when Canadian pride is arguably at a high point thanks to how our country has so far handled the COVID-19 pandemic – passionate residents of our home and native land once again felt the need to remind the US just who (and where) we are.
A south-of-the-border dweller would be forgiven for not knowing all of the Canadian provinces the way most of us can rhyme off American states. It’s even safe to assume that many an American may not know, say, that Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia, or even that Ottawa – not Toronto – is the capital of the country.
But to refer as Yonge-Dundas Square as “downtown Canada” has struck a nerve with many a Twitter user. After all, our internationally renowned city is not only the largest in Canada; it’s the fourth largest in all of North America, falling behind only Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles. With global events like the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), world-class restaurants, and homegrown superstars, Toronto has made – and continues to make – headlines around the world. Yet, some people apparently remain in the dark.
Naturally, Canadians – and, to be fair, many Americans – jumped on the tweet to clear up some key facts about America’s neighbour to the north. They also threw no shortage of shade. “You should see Upper West Side Canada,” wrote one user; “This Tweeter want to be smart so bad,” tweeted another; “I hope you never discover what downtown Japan looks like,” added another.
And the tweets keep coming (for a few Monday LOLs, the retweets are worth a read).
For those wanting to draw the comparison to Times Square for themselves, COVID-19 restrictions mean that you’ll have to wait to visit “downtown America.” In the meantime, it’s going to be a beautiful week in the centre of the universe downtown Canada.
