Vancouver 2010 Olympics Opening Ceremony Strives to Break Stereotypes

Why is Canada trying so hard to change the way they are viewed by the world? In this difficult economy, job seekers are told to stick with their "brand" and do what they know rather than try for a career change. Canada should exploit their stereotypes and their unique "brand" at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

What do tourists want to do when they visit Canada? Fish, hunt, ski, visit Montreal, snowmobile, see a hockey game, and other outdoor activities.

I don't know about most Americans, but I guess I do have a stereotypical view of Canada. For the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics that will be held in Vancouver, I wondered what exactly do Americans think about Canada as a tourist destination?

During the handoff during the 2008 Turin Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony, the transition to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics showed ice fishermen. That caused some controversy in that Canada has much more to offer.

Living in the border state of Minnesota, I have had numerous occasions to visit Canada. I went for these reasons: fishing, snowmobiling, and, well, fishing in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter. I'm sure there are tons of other things to do in Canada. Like hunting, for instance.

I really want to go hunt for amethyst someday up near Thunder Bay. I did find an amethyst on my own while spending time in northern Ontario, but since I have such high personal integrity, I abided by the Canadian rule (or is it Law), to leave all natural items alone and undisturbed. I didn't want to get busted crossing the border back into Minnesota with an illegal amethyst. Someday, I will go hunt amethysts in the Thunder Bay mines that are open to the public. That would be my definition of hunting.

There are lakes at the border of Minnesota and Canada that are really huge. If you are boating or fishing up on one of those lakes, you might at any time be in Canadian waters accidently, without knowing it.

You really have to have a map. Maybe these days, you could have a GPS which would alert you if you start to enter International Waters. I don't know how those things work, but I'm sure you could program your GPS to beep or something if you accidently crossed the border.

The closest thing we have to a GPS is a fish finder. It does beep, but only if you have the volume turned up. The theory is that it beeps when it is hovering over a school of fish. Since we don't fish walleye, it's not much good. Northern's are always on the move and the fish finder doesn't really track them too well.

I know that Canada will portray itself during the Opening Ceremony as a diverse, multi-cultural, deep-rooted, people friendly country with many ways to "Inspire the World". They want to educate the world and attract investment dollars.

I hope that at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, Canada will stick to their "brand", and portray their special strengths and those activities that draw most tourists to Canada. Let's see a tribute to Canadian fishing, hunting, skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and hockey! Ya, you betcha!