Tom Brokaw Explains Canada

After Sunday's USA/Canada hockey game the web swelled with patriotic strutting, one-upmanship and friendly chiding. Americans find a unique pleasure in defeating Canadians in hockey, and our neighbors to the north are uncharacteristically proud and sensitive when it comes to their national sport. Amidst the post game chatter I'm drawn to the underlying dialogue, the familiar and yet surprisingly unfamiliar relationship that exists between us. Tom Brokaw's mini-expose which aired on NBC before the opening ceremonies is an intriguing fragment of this dialogue.

Tom Brokaw explains Canada to Americans on NBC (via YouTube)

Despite an almost Pollyanna-ish summary of historic US/Canada partnership and cooperation highlighting Canada's splendid natural resources, Brokaw fails to even touch on the vibrant French past, present and future of Quebec province. I'm sure there was good reason that it wound up on the cutting room floor, especially because it doesn't offer an easy point of connection between Canada as a whole and the United States as a whole. Despite this glaring omission the video is handsomely mashed up and emotionally compelling. Thanks, Canadians, for being such great neighbors!

[Hat tip to Holy Kaw.]