Post on 20-Feb-2018
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Canadi an Jour nal of
Pol i t i cal
and Soci al Theor y Revue
canadi enne de t heor i e
yol i t i que et r oci al e
Vol ume
X
N
1 2 ( 1986)
TECHNOLOGI C L N TI ON LI SM
Maur i ce
Char l and
Ther e
was
a t i me i n t h i s f a i r
l and
When t he
r ai l r oad
di d not r un
Pi ct ur e c l a r i t y
and
i nt el l ect ual
c l a r i t y
ar e l i m t ed by el ect r omagnet i c r esources
Gor don
Li ght f oot
A I nni s
I n
t he
openi ng sequence of
t he
Canadi an
Br oadcast i ng
Cor por at i on s
pr oduct i on
of
t he
Nat i onal Dr eamPi er r e Ber t on s
hi st or y
of
t he
Cana
di an
Paci f i c
Rai l way
t he pr i st i ne maj est y
of
t he
Rocky Mount ai ns
and
a l one
I ndi an ar e
conf r ont ed w t h
t he t echnol ogi cal dynamo
of a
l ocomo-
t i v e
Thi s
t el evi si on
i mage
of
a
r ai l r oad
as
t he nat i onal
dr eam
her oi cal l y
spanni ng t he w l der ness t o f ashi on a st at e
r eveal s
i n a condensed
nar r at i ve
t he
mani f ol d r el at i ons bet ween t echnol ogy and Canada
whi ch
can i mag
i ne
Her e, we ar e encour aged t o see t echnol ogy as
const i t ut i ve
of
Canada,
and
as
a mani f est at i on of Canada s et hos The Nat i onal Dr eam
hi ghl i ght s,
of cour se,
t he
r ol e of space- bi ndi ng t echnol ogy i n Canada s
hi st or y
Thi s
C C
epi c
r em nds us t hat Canada exi st s by
vi r t ue
of t echnol ogi es
whi ch bi nd
space
and
t hat t he r ai l r oad
pe rm t t ed a t r anscont i nent al
econom c
and
pol i t i cal s t a t e
t o emer ge i n
hi st or y
Fur t her mor e,
t he Nat i onal Dr eam s an
i nst ance
of
t he
di scour se
of
t echnol ogy
i n
Canada,
of
t s
r het or i c
The
CPR
s pr esent ed
as
t he
ar chet ypal
i nst ance of Canada s
t echnol ogi cal const i t u-
t i o n
Mor e
si gni f i cant l y
t he
CPR
s
of f er ed as
t he
pr oduct of pol i t i cal wi l l
nat i on and r ai l r oad wer e
dr eam of by Canada s ar chi t ect s and t hen
consci ousl y cr eat ed
We
see a
Canadawhi ch i magi ned i t s e l f
i nt o exi st ence
Canada s
i magi nat i on,
a Canadi an
i magi nat i on,
s mani f est by
t he
196
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TE HNOLOGI L
N TI ON LI SM
Nat i onal
Dr eami t s e l f
Ber t on s t el evi sed hi st or y i s a r het or i cal epi dei ct i c f or
a
t echnol ogi cal l y
medi at ed
Canada
Thi s
r het or i c
of
a
t echnol ogi cal nat i on,
basi ng
i t s e l f
on a
r omant i c
i nt er pr et at i on
of hi st or y,
equat es t he
const r uc-
t i on of
t he
PR wi t h
t he const i t ut i on
of Canada and
pr ai ses
each wi t h
r ef er ence
t o
t he
ot her Canada
i s
val or i zed
as a nat i on
because
t i s
t he
pr oduct
of a
t echnol ogi cal
achi evement ,
and
t he r ai l r oad
i s
t he gr eat pr oduct
of
her oi c i ndi vi dual s
who dr eam a nat i on
Cur i ousl y,
t he
Nat i onal
Dr eam
r ear t i cul at es a
r het or i c
whi ch gave r i s e t o i t s own
mat er i al i zat i on
That
r het or i c i s
of f er ed
t hr ough
a
pr oduct
of i t s e l f
t he
CBC
The
CBCexi st s by
vi r t ue of a di scour se of t echnol ogi cal
nat i on- bui l di ng,
and r epr oduces t he
r het or i c
whi ch
l egi t i mat es
t
and
t he
anadi an
s t a t e
when
i t
i nvi t es us t o
j o i n
Ber t on
and dr eamof
nat i onhood
I n t h i s essay,
I
w l l expl or e what per cei ve t o be r het or i c of t echnol ogi -
c l
nat i onal i sm i n angl ophone Canada whi ch ascr i bes t o t echnol ogy
t he
capaci t y
t o
creat e
a
nat i on
by enhanci ngcommuni cat i on
As I
wi l l show
t he
r het or i c
of
t he
PRbecomes
t he
power - l aden
di scour se
of a s t a t e
seeki ng
t o
l egi t i mat e
i t s e l f p o l i t i c l l y by
const i t ut i ng
nat i on
i n
i t s
i mage Thi s i s
a si gni f i cant r het or i c, f or i t
under gui r ds Canada s
o f f i c i l i deol ogy and
gui des
t he f or mul at i on
of
f eder al
gover nment
pol i c y
t
l e st
i n
t he ar ea
of
br oadcast i ng t he
CBC
i s l egi t i mat ed i n
p o l i t i c l
di scour se by t he PR
Fur t her mor e,
w l l ar gue
t hat
t he
r het or i c
of
t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm
i s
i nsi di ous, f or i t
t i e s
a anadi ani dent i t y
not
t o
i t s
peopl e,
but
t o
t hei r
medi at i on t hr ough t echnol ogy
Rhet or i c and I deol ogi cal D scour se
Thi s
s t hen,
a c r i t i c l
t heor i sat i on
of
t he
devel opment
of
anadi an
i deol ogi cal
di scour se
Wt h
regard
t o
t he
met hod
of
i deol ogy-anal ysi s,
t he
st udy
pr oceeds 1) by
i dent i f yi ng
how anadi ani deol ogi cal
di scour se
i s
grounded
i n
t he p o l i t i c s
and
econom cs
of
t he ear l y
anadi ans t t e
;
2) by
t r aci ng out t he r het or i cal
ef f ec t
t he
consequence
of
t hat
di scour se on
t he anadi anpol i t i c l economc and i ndeed popul ar
m nd,
as i t c l l s a
cer t ai n
Canada
i n t o
bei ng
and 3) by examni ng how t h i s di scour se cr eat es
t he
condi t i ons
of
i t s
own r epr oduct i on
w l l demonst r at e t hat
t he r het or i c
of
t he CPR seeki ng
t o const i t ut e a s t t e becomes
t he r het or i c
of
t he
CBC
seeki ng
t o
const i t ut e
a
pol i r and
nat i on
Thi s r het or i c,
t he r het or i c
of
t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm
i s
t he
domnant
di scour se
of
t he
o f f i c i l
i deol ogy
of nat i on- bui l di ng
t hr ough st at e- suppor t ed
br oadcast i ng,
and
has
been
si gni f i cant
but
not excl usi ve)
det er m nant
of
t he f orm
of
Canada s
br oad-
cast i ng
syst em
t i s
al so
t he domnant di scour se of anadi annat i onal i sm i n
angl ophoneCanada
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M URI EH RL ND
Whi l e my concer n i s wi t h r het or i c and i t s si gni f i cance, I w l l
not si mpl y
st udy di scour se
Such an
appr oach
woul d
numb
my
cr i t i que
f or r het or i c
i s
pr eci sel y
t he
f orm
of
di scour se
whi ch
pr oj ect s out si de of
i t s e l f
i n t o t he
r eal m
of human at t i t ude and
act i on
I w l l t ake a
l ead
f r omKennet h ur kewho
has
r i gh t l y obser ved
t hat
whi l e
t her e
exi st s a
di f f er ence bet ween
t hi ngs and
wor ds
about t hi ngs,
wor ds
pr ovi de
an
or i ent at i on
t o t hi ngs Thus I w l l
examne t he r el at i onshi p
of words t o t hi ngs
speci f i cal l y
t he r el at i onshi p
bet ween
t wo
di st i nct but
i nt er t w ned
ent i t i es
t he
Canadi an
r het or i c
of
a
t echnol ogi cal nat i on,
and
t he t echnol ogy
of
t he
Canadi an
s t a t e
ot h
t echnol ogy
and
r het or i c
wer e
necessar y
f or Canada as a nat i on
com ng
t o
be,
but
t hey
const i t ut ed
a
Canada
w t hi n
a spi ral
of
cont r adi ct i ons
I
w l l
seek
t o i dent i f y t hese cont r adi ct i ons I ndeed, my cl ai m i s
t hat
t he
cont r adi ct i ons
bet ween t hese t wo have produced
t he
r ecur r i ng c r i ses i n Canadi an br oad-
cast i ng pol i cy
and i n
t he
quest f or a Canadi an i dent i t y Technol ogi cal
nat i onal i smpr om ses a
l i ber a l s t a t e
i n whi ch t echnol ogy woul d be a
neut r al
medi umf or t he
devel opment
of
a
pol i s
Thi s
vi si on
of
a
nat i on
i s
bankr upt ,
however ,
because
i t pr ovi des
no subst ance
or
commonal i t y f or
t he
pol i s
except
communi cat i on i t s e l f
As
a
consequence,
t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm s
( angl ophone)
Canada
has
no
def ense
agai nst t he
power
and
seduct i on
of
t he
Amer i can cul t ur al i ndust r y
or
i ndeed,
of t he t echnol ogi cal exper i ence
Canada,
t hen, i s
t he
absent
nat i on
My anal ysi s w l l
t ake
i nspi r at i on f r omJamesCar ey s and John J
Qui r k s appl i cat i on of I nni s i n t hei r st udy of t he
r het or i c
of e l e c t r i c i t y i n t he
Uni t ed
St at es
3 I wi l l consi der howwhat I nni s t erms
t he bi as
of communi
cat i on t echnol ogy undermnes t he pr om ses of
t hat
t echnol ogy s
r het or i c
as
Car ey and Qui r k
put
i t
I nni s
uncover ed t he
most
vul ner abl e
poi nt
i n
r het or i c
of
el ect r i cal
subl i me I nni s
pr i nci pal l y
di sput ed
t he not i on t hat e l e c t r i c i t y
woul d
r epl ace
cent r al i zat i on
i n econom cs
and
p o l i t i c s
w t h decen-
t r al i zat i on
democr acy
and
a
cul t ur al r ev i val I nni s
pl aced
t he
t r ag -
edy of moder n cul t ur e
i n Amer i ca
and Eur ope
upon t he
i n t r i n s i c
t endenci es of bot h
pr i nt i ng pr ess
and
el ect r oni c medi a t o
r educe
space
and t i me
i n t he
ser v i ce
of a cal cul us of commer ci al i sm
and
expansi oni sm
4
Fol l owi ng
M chael
McGee
I
t ake rhet or i c
t o
be
a
necessar y
mat er i al
condi t i on of human
soc i al
exi st ence I ndeed,
r het or i c i s
a
const i t ut i ve
component of t he soc i al appl i cat i on of t echnol ogy,
f or i t gui des i t s
possi bl e
appl i cat i ons Consequent l y, my ai m s t o consi der
t he appr opr i at eness of t he
r het or i c
of t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm
i n t he
f ace of
Canadi an exi genci es
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TE HNOLOGI L
N TI ON LI SM
Canada Technol ogy and Technol ogi cal Rhet or i c
Canada
i s
a
t echnol ogi cal
state
Thi s
i s
j ust
t o say t hat
Canada s
exi st ence
as an economc uni t
i s
pr edi cat ed
upon
t r anspor t at i on and communi cat i on
t echnol ogy
I n
addi t i on, t he
i dea of Canada
depends upon a
r het or i c
about
t echnol ogy
Fur t her mor e, we
can
under st and
t he devel opment of a
Cana-
di an
nat i on- st at e
i n
t er ms
of t he i nt er pl ay bet ween
t h i s t echnol ogy and i t s
r het or i c
That Canada owes
i t s exi st ence t o t echnol ogi es
whi ch
bi nd space
i s
r eadi l y appar ent Canada
i s
a
spar sel y popul at ed
t e r r i t o r y i n
whi ch
r ock,
mount ai ns,
and
sheer di st ance
i nhi bi t
human
cont act
bet ween
t hose
who
l i v e i n i t s
sever al
di st i nct r egi ons The t el egr aph
and
t he
r ai l road t o a
degr ee
over came t hese obst acl es and pe rm t t ed
t he
movement of goods
and i nf or -
mat i on
acr oss
what was, i n
t he
ni net eent h cent ur y, an undevel oped
w l der -
ness
I ndeed, as Har ol d
I nni s obser ves, [ t ] he
hi st or y of
t he
Canadi an
Paci f i c
Rai l r oad
i s
pr i mar i l y
t he hi st or y
of
t he spr ead
of
west er n ci vi l i zat i on over
t he
nor t her n
hal f
of
t he Nor t h mer i can
cont i nent
. 6 Thr ough t he CPR
I nni s
poi nt s out
west er n
Canadi an t e r r i t o r i e s became
i nt egr at ed
i n t o
t he
economc and pol i t i cal syst ems
whi ch had
devel oped
i n East er n Canada
nd
what
i s
t he
nat ur e
of t hi s ci vi l i zat i on?
t
i s
one
based
i n
t he
ci rcul at i on or communi cat i on of commodi t i es
and capi t al The ci vi l i zat i on
t he rai l r oad ext ended was one of commer ce as t he PR
ext ended east er n
economc i nt er est s The rai l road r epr oduced andext ended a s t a t e
appar at us
and economy whi ch
concent r at ed
power i n
met r opol i t an
cent r es,
pe rm t -
t i ng t he i ncor por at i on
and dom nat i on of margi ns
f
t he
PR was a
nat i onal
pr oj ect ,
i t
was so f i r s t and f or emost as an
econom c
vent ur e The
r ai l r oad
was bui l t wi t h a combi nat i on of
publ i c
and
pr i vat e capi t al f or
t he
advant age of
t he
state and
mer chant s,
and
t he
f or mer , l i k e t he l a t t e r
saw
i t s
i nt er est s i n t er ms of
econom c devel opment
The
ni net eent h
cent ur y
Br i t i sh-s tyl e
s t a t e
was,
a f t e r
a l l a st at e of
capi t al i st s
The rai l road d
. i d
mor e t hough
t han enhance t r ade t pe rm t t ed t he
devel opment of a pol i t i cal
s t a t e
and
cr eat ed t he
possi bi l i t y of a
nat i on
t di d
so by
ext endi ng
Ot t awa s
pol i t i cal
power i t pe rm t t ed
O t awa t o
excl ude
a
power f ul mer i canpr esence
f r omwest er n
Canada and t hus est abl i sh
i t s
pol i t i cal
cont r ol
over
t he
t er r i t or y Speci f i cal l y
t he
PR
f ost er ed
i mmgr a
t i on i nt o t he West er n
pl ai n, ef f ect i vel y
di scour agi ng
Mnnesot ans f r om
movi ng
nor t hwar d and annexi ng
a
spar sel y
popul at ed
ar ea
t he
PR
pe rm t t ed
O t awa
t o est abl i sh i t s m l i t ar y pr esence
i n t he
west ,
as
i t di d
when
suppr essi ng t he
Met i s
r ebel l i on,
and,
of cour se,
east er n
Canadi ans
no
l onger had t o t r avel t hr ough t he
Uni t ed
St at es
i n or der
t o
r each Br i t i sh
Col umbi a Fur t her mor e, t h i s physi cal spanni ng of
t he count r y
pe rm t t ed
Canadi ans, i ncl udi ng t hose i n Quebec, t o uni t e i n pat r i ot i c sent i ment , as t hey
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M URI E H RL ND
di d
when m l i t i a f r omNova Scot i a,
Quebec,
and
Ont ar i o f ought
si de by
si de
agai nst
R el s
suppor t er s
i n
Saskat chewan
I n a
sense, t he power t he
CPR ext ended coul d become
t he obj ect
of a
nat i onal
exper i ence t he PR of f er ed
t hose i n Canada
t he exper i ence
of
a t echnol ogi cal l y-medi at ed pol i t i cal
uni t y
as a
common
denom nat or
My poi nt
her e
i s
t hat
t hePRpe rm t t ed
mor e
t han t he
physi cal
l i nki ng
of a t er r i t or y Apar t f r om
j oi ni ng
t he count r y t o f a c i l i t a t e commer ci al
i nt er cour se and pol i t i cal adm ni st r at i on, t he PR
of f er ed
t he
possi bi l i t y
of
devel opi ng
a myt hi c r het or i c of nat i onal or i gi n Fol l ow ng McGee s
argument s on t he
devel opment
of
col l ect i vi t i es,
woul d
ar gue
t hat
such a
r het or i c
i s
necessar y
t o
t he
r eal i zat i on of
t he
pr oj ect
of
Canadi an
nat i on-
hood
That
r het or i c
i s necessar y bot h as
a l egi t i mat i on
of
a
sover ei gn
uni t ed
Canada
w t hi n t he
di scur si ve f i e l d of
par l i ament ar y gover nment
and as an
i nducement
f or
t hose i n Canada t o
see
t hemsel ves as Canadi an
f or Canada
t o be
l egi t i mat ed,
a
myt h
i s necessar y
The
PR i s wel l
sui t ed
t o such
myt hol ogi zat i on because
( 1) i t s const r uct i on i n
t he
f ace of
p o l i t i c a l , eco-
nom c,
and geogr aphi c
obst acl es
can be
pr esent ed
as an
epi c st r uggl e 2
t he
PRwas a st at e
pr oj ect
and
t hus can
be
r epr esent ed
as
t he
mani f est a-
t i o n
of a Canadi an wi l l t o sur vi ve
p o l i t i c a l l y
and ( 3) t he
st eamengi ne
i t s e l f
of fers Canadi ans t he oppor t uni t y t o i dent i f y w t h a nat i onal i zed
i con
of
power I n sum t he PR i s
si gni f i cant
not
onl y as a mode of t r anspor t at i on
and communi cat i on, but al so as t he basi s f or a
nat i onal i st
di scour se The
t echnol ogi cal
nat i on i s
di scur si ve
as
wel l
as pol i t i cal
Fur t her mor e,
t he
very
exi st ence of
t he
PR
can
be under st ood as a moment i n
t he
nat i onal i st
r het or i c
i t
r ender s
possi bl e, f or i t was a symbol i c
st r at egy
i n
t he
f ace of
pol i t i cal exi genci es
To
put i t bl unt l y,
t he CPR s exi st ence
i s
di scur si ve
as
wel l
as
mat er i al ,
f or
i t
st ands
as
an
ar t i cul at i on
of
pol i t i cal
w l l
Whi l e
t he
PR
pr oved
econom -
c a l l y
pr of i t abl e f or i t s
backers,
t he
l i nki ng
of Mont r eal t o
Vancouver was
not
a
happenst ance
or t he
r esul t
of a
pr i vat e
ent r epr eneur i al vent ur e, r at her t he
r oad was
bui l t
under t he auspi ces of Canada s f eder al gover nment f or
t he
expl i ci t pur pose of ext endi ng spat i al
cont r ol
over a t er r i t or y That i s t o say,
t he
det er m nat i on of Canada t o r emai n
Br i t i sh
i n
char act er
r at her
t han
be
absor bed by
t he
Uni t ed
St at es
pr eceded
t he
r ai l way s
const r uct i on
Fur t her -
mor e,
t he
const r uct i on of
t he
Paci f i c Rai l way
was
not even
a necessar y
condi t i on
t o Br i t i sh Col umbi a s
ent r y i n t o
Conf eder at i on
That
Paci f i c
col ony
had
demanded
onl y
t hat
O t awa
bui l d
a
wagon
r oad
Thus, t he
PR
was par t of
a
r het or i cal pl oy
Car t i er
and
MacDonal d
of f er ed
mor e t han
was
necessar y, a
r a i l l i nk
t o t he west coast
wi t hi n
t en
year s
of Br i t i sh
Col umbi a s
j oi ni ng
t he Dom ni on
l Consequent l y,
t he
PR
cannot
be vi ewed as
t he
pr oduct or mani f est at i on onl y of economy The const r uct i on of
t he
r ai l r oad
was mor e t han an over det er m ned r esponse t o mat er i al and
pol i t i cal exi -
2
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TECHNOLOGI CAL NATI ONALI SM
genci es
;
a w l l t o st at ehood pr eceded i t
I t was
anel ement of a
st r at egy
based
i n
t he
bel i ef t hat a
nat i on
coul d
be
bui l t
by
bi ndi ng
space
s
t he mat er i al i za-
t i o n
of
bel i ef and
of
pol i t i cal w l l , t he
r ai l r oad
i s t he consequence
of
pol i t i cal
r het or i c,
of di scour se
whi ch
const i t ut es
power
s John
A
MacDonal d put
i t speaki ng i n
t he House
of Commons :
The
r oad w l l be
const r uct ed
and
t he
f a t e
of
Canada,
w l l
t hen
as
a Dom ni on,
be r eal i zed
Then wi l l t he
f a t e of Canada, as
one gr eat
body be f i xed
I
I
Thi s
epi dei ct i c
or at or y
r eveal s
t hat
t he
rai l r oad
pr oj ect
exi st s as a
moment
i n
a
speci es
of rhet or i c
:
t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm Thi s r het or i c i s
evi dent
i n
MacDonal d s di scour se
above, f or
i t
l i nks Canada s f at e t o a
t echnol ogy
Si r Char l es Tupper , f or exampl e, coul d r ef er t o t heCPR
as a our
great
nat i onal wor k
.
Thi s
r het or i c pr esent s
t he
r ai l r oad
as mat er i al
condi t i on
of possi bi l i t y f or t he exi st ence of
anadi an
nat i on,
and
i t f i nds i t s
cont emporary echo
i n Ber t on s
t r eat ment
of
anadi anhi s t or y,
as
he
f eat ur es
MacDonal d
as a myt hi cal her o
and
asser t s :
[ I t was
Macdonal d s i nt ent i on t o def y nat ur e
and
f ashi on
a nat i on
i n
t he process
H s t ool ,
t o t hi s
end, woul d be t he Canadi an Paci f i c
t
woul d be a
r a r e
exampl e of a nat i on
creat ed
t hr ough t he
const r uc-
t i o n
of a r ai l way
13
The myt h
of
t he r a i l r oad,
or of
t he bi ndi ng
of space
t echnol ogi cal l y
t o
creat e a
nat i on,
pl aces Canadi ans
i n
a very par t i cul ar
r el at i onshi p
t o
t echnol -
ogy
14
I n Kennet h Bur ke s
l anguage, t h i s r het or i c
pr i vi l eges agency as
t he
mot i ve
force
f or
Canada s
const r uct i on
Canada s
exi st ence
woul d
be
based
i n a ( l i b e r a l )
pr agmat i sm
i n
whi ch
t echnol ogy i s mor e
pot ent and
mor e
r esponsi bl e
f or Canada s
cr eat i on
t han
t he
so- cal l ed Fat her s of
Conf eder a-
t i on .
I n
t he
popul ar
m nd anada
exi st s mor e because of t he t echnol ogi cal
t r anscendence
of
geogr aphi cal
obst acl es t han
because
of
any
pol i t i ci an s w l l
Thus,
t echnol ogy
i t s e l f
i s
at
t he cent r e
of
t he anadi an
i magi nat i on, f or
i t
pr ovi des
t he
condi t i on of possi bi l i t y f or a
anadi an
m nd
The i mpor t
of agency or
t echnol ogy
i n Canada s o f f i c i a l popul ar
cul t ur e
al so
can
be seen, f or
exampl e, i n Gor don
Li ght f oot s
Canadi an Rai l r oad
Tr i l ogy, wher e
t he
CPR
f uses
wi t h
an
ent r epr eneur i al
s p i r i t
and
her al ds t he
t r u l y moder n
pr oj ect
of expansi on
and
pr ogr ess
:
But
t hey
l ooked
i n t he
f u t u r e
and what
di d t hey see?
They saw
an i r on
r a i l
r unni ng
f r om t he sea t o t he sea
20
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M URI E H RL ND
The song of t he f u t u r e has
been
sung,
Al l
t he bat t l es
have been
won
We have
opened
up t he l and
Al l t he wor l d s
at
our
command
We have
opened
up t he
soi l
Wt h
our t ear dr ops and our
t o l
I n
t he r het or i c and
const r uct i on of
t he CPR
we
see t he
genesi s
of
t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm as a component
i n
t he
pr oj ect
of bui l di ng
t he
nat i onal
state
Thi s
pr oj ect has
t wo component s
one,
physi cal ,
t he ot her ,
di scur si ve
( 1)
The exi st ence
of
a
t r anscont i nent al
Canada
r equi r ed t he
devel opment
of a
syst em
of t r anspor t at i on f aci l i t at i ng
t e r r i t o r i a l
annexa-
t i on col oni zat i on, and t he
i mpl ant at i on of a
m l i t ar y
pr esence
( 2)
The
exi st ence of t h i s Canada al so r equi r ed t he devel opment of a
r het or i c
whi ch
i deol ogi cal l y
const i t ut ed
t hose i n Canada as
Canadi ans,
uni t ed i n
t he
nat i onal
pr oj ect
and
under
t he pol i t i cal
aut hor i t y
of a
nat i onal
gover n-
ment
For t he moment l et
us f ocus
on t he r het or i cal component
of
t echnol ogi -
cal nat i onal i sm
The
Canadi an
t r adi t i on of
par l i ament ar y
publ i c
address,
whi ch Canada
i nher i t ed f r om
Br i t ai n,
pl aces par t i cul ar
demands
on t he
r het or i c
of
t he
Canadi an
s t a t e I n t h i s Whi g
Li ber al
t r adi t i on,
pol i t i cal
power
s
l egi t i mat ed
by
a
r het or i c
of
t he
peopl e
16
That
s t o
say at t empt s
t o
di scur si vel y secur e
l egi t i macy
wi l l
ar gue
t hat
a nat i onal peopl e exi st s
whi ch
aut hor i zes
t he
s t at e s
power
For
O t awa t o
successf ul l y exer ci se t he
power
t he
PR
ext ended, t
must
count er
argument s
i n
f avour
of
pr ovi nci al
aut onomy or
conver sel y,
annexat i on by
t he
Uni t ed
St at es
by per suasi vel y
r epr esent i ng t hose i n Canada as
f or m ng
a
Canadi an peopl e
I ndeed,
t he
exi st ence
of
such
a
pan Canadi an
col l ect i vi t y
was
asser t ed
by
Geor ges
Et i enne
Car t i er
i n def ense of
Conf eder at i on
. Wt hout such a per suasi ve
r het or i c
of nat i onal i dent i t y
and
nat i onal i nt er est Ot t awa s
power
woul d di ssol ve
I n Canada,
t he const i t ut i on
of
peopl e of
i ndi vi dual s
uni t ed
under
a
l i ber al
state
r equi r es
t hat t he bar r i er s bet ween r egi ons
be
appar ent l y t r an-
scended As
t
per m t s mast er y over
nat ur e,
t echnol ogy of fers
t he
possi bi l i t y
of
t hat
appar ent
t r anscendence Consequent l y,
i n
or der
t o asser t a
nat i onal
i nt er est
and
uni t y, O t awa
depends
upon a
r het or i c
of t echnol ogi cal
nat i on-
al i sm
a
r het or i c
whi ch
bot h
asser t s
t hat
a
t echnol ogi cal l y
medi at ed
Canadi an
nat i on
ex i st s
and c a l l s
f or i mproved
communi cat i on
bet ween
r egi ons
t o
r ender t hat
nat i on mat er i al l y pr esent
I n
ot her
wor ds,
Canada
s
a st at e
whi chmust
const ant l y seek t o w l l a
nat i on
i n
t s
own i mage,
i n or der
t o
j u s t i f y
t s
very exi st ence
The
PR
can be under st ood
as
one
mani f est a-
t i o n
of t hi s necessi t y,
but
as a
f orm
of
economc communi cat i on
i t
gave
r i s e
nei t her t o a common
Canadi an
cul t ur e,
nor
t o a
Canadi an
publ i c of
202
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TE HNOLOGI L N TI ON LI SM
ci t i zens
capabl e
of
par t i ci pat i ng
i n
t he count r y s
pol i t i cal w l l f or mat i on
At
most ,
i t
of f er ed
t hose
i nCanada
t he
possi bi l i t y
of
j o i n t l y
par t i ci pat i ng
i n
t he
r het or i c
of
t he
nat i onal
pr oj ect
Pr i mar i l y,
t he
PR
enmeshed
Canada
w t hi n a ser i es of net wor ks of
dom nat i on
As
I nni s
obser ves
and
t he
suppr essi on of
t he
Met i s upr i si ng of 1885
makes
mani f est l y
c l ear
space-
bi ndi ng
t echnol ogi es
ext end
power as t hey
f ost er
empi r e.
Because
of
t he
CPR s
i n a b i l i t y t o creat e a peopl e or nat i on, anot her t echnol ogi cal i nst r u-
ment was necessar y, an
i nst r ument
whi ch woul d perm t
t he
r epr esent at i on
and
act ual i zat i on
of
some
f orm
of
Canadi an publ i c
andcommon Canadi an
cul t ur e
Bot h
t he r het or i c
of nat i onal i dent i t y and
t he
f ac t of a Canadi an
pol i t i cal communi t y
r equi r ed
a
cul t ur al
r at her
t han
economc
f orm
of
communi cat i on Technol ogi cal nat i onal i sm
r equi r ed
r adi o, and t he advent
of
t he
br oadcast i ng er a advanced t he
pr oj ect
of a
t echnol ogi cal l y- const i t ut ed
nat i on
Technol ogi cal Nat i onal i sm
i n
t he Br oadcast i ng
Er a
The
devel opment
of
el ect r oni c
communi cat i on,
and i n par t i cul ar br oad-
cast
t echnol ogy,
pe rm t t ed
a
new
ar t i cul at i on of
t he r het or i c
of
t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm
Technol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm
became
a
maj or
f act or i n t he
devel -
opment
of
t he st r uct ur e
of br oadcast i ng i n
Canada,
as r adi o and t el evi si on
wer e enl i st ed
i n t o
t he nat i onal
pr oj ect
However t h i s
r het or i c
of a
t echnol o-
gi cal l y-medi at ed Canada
i s cont r adi ct or y
S gni f i cant l y,
Canada s
f i r s t
nat i onal r adi o net wor k
was
est abl i shed
by a
r ai l way
Whi l e
l ocal
r adi o had been pi oneer ed by pr i vat e ent r epr eneur s,
nat i onal
r adi o was
t he pr oduct
of a st at e agency,
t he NR The
nat i onal
r ai l way saw i n r adi o a means
t o f ost er i mm gr at i on, t o enhance
i t s
own
i mage,
and
t o
suppor t
t he pr oj ect
of
nat i onhood
9
NR
r adi o
whi ch
i n i t i a l l y
br oadcast
t o rai l r oad
par l our
cars devel oped i n 1924
i n t o
a
net wor k
of st at i ons i n maj or Canadi an c i t i e s f r omVancouver t o
Monct on
I t
of f er ed
symphony br oadcast s,
comc
oper as,
speci al
event s,
and i n
1931,
a dr amat i c
pr esent at i on of Canadi an hi st or y
St at e- suppor t ed r adi o, f ol l ow ng t he
r ai l r oad s pat h,
pr esent ed
t hose
who
l i v e i n Angl ophone Canada wi t h an
i mage
of Canada
NR sought t o bi ndCanada wi t h i nf or mat i on j us t as
r ai l
had bound
Canada
econom cal l y
Thus
was
f or ged t he
l i nk i n
t he
o f f i c i a l
Canadi anmnd
bet ween r ai l r oad
r adi o and
nat i onal
i dent i t y
As t he
o f f i c i a l
bi ogr apher
of
Si r
Henr y
Thor t on, t he
CNR s
pr esi dent
and
i nst i gat or
of
i t s
r adi o ser vi ces,
wr i t es
As
a di r ect r esul t
of
Si r
Henr y s
ab i l i t i e s
t o
see
t he possi bi l i t i es
i nher ent i n
a
newmedi umof expressi on, t he r ai l way di d f or Canada
what
she
was t o apat het i c
t o do
f or
her sel f
He saw
r adi o as a gr eat
uni f yi ng
f o r c e
i n Canada
;
t o
hi m
t he pol i t i cal
concept i on
t r an
3
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MAURI CEH RL ND
scended
t he
commerci al , and
he set
out
consci ousl y
t o
c reat e
a sense
of
nat i onhood t hr ough
t he
medi um
of t he
Canadi an
Nat i onal
Rai l way Ser vi ce
12
The
r het or i c of t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm
had i ncor por at ed r adi o I t
sought t o enl i st
anot her space- bi ndi ng t echnol ogy
i n
t he pr oj ect
of const i -
t ut i ng a nat i on i n t he
i mage
of t he state Fur t her mor e, t h i s
vi si on
of
an
el ect r oni cal l y
const i t ut ed
Canada
di d
not r emai n
Thor t on s,
but
became
t hat
of
t he nat i onal gover nment
Thus,
one
of
t he f i r s t
l i ve nat i onal br oadcast s
was
a
cel ebr at i on
of Canada
Pr i me
M ni st er MacKenzi e
Ki ng s
voi ce was
hear d
acr oss
t he
count r y
as
he
spoke
f r om
O t awa
on
Jul y
1927,
Con
f eder at i on s
anni ver sar y
Comment i ng
on
t hat moment
a
mont h l at er
at
t he
Canadi an
Nat i onal
Exhi bi t i on, t he
Pr i me M ni st er
pr esent ed r adi o, a g i f t of
sci ence, as
t he
means
wher eby
Canada woul d devel op
a
peopl e
or
publ i c
t o j u s t i f y i t s
gover nment
On t he
mor ni ng, af t er noon and eveni ng of Jul y
l l
Canada
became, f or
t he
t i me- bei ng,
a
si ngl e
assembl age, swayed by a
com-
mon emot i on, w t hi n t he
sound of a si ngl e voi ce
Thus has moder n
sci ence
f or t he f i r s t
t i me r eal i z ed
i n t hegreat nat i on- st at e of moder n
days t hat condi t i on whi ch
ex i st ed
i n t he l i t t l e ci t y st at es of anci ent
t i mes
and
whi ch
was
consi der ed by
t he w sdomof t he
anc i ent s
as
i ndi spensabl e t o f r e e
and
democr at i c
gover nment
t hat al l t he
ci t i zens
shoul d
be abl e t o hear f or
t hemsel ves
t he
l i v i n g
voi ce
To
t hem
t
was
t he
voi ce of a
si ngl e
or at or a
Demost henes
or a
C cer o
speaki ng
on
publ i c
quest i ons
i n t he
At heni an
Assembl y
or i n
t he Roman
Forum
H t her t o
t o
most Canadi ans,
Ot t awa
had
seemed
f ar
o f f
a mer e
name t o
hundr eds
of
t housands
of
our
peopl e,
but hencef or t h
al l Canadi ans w l l st and w t hi n
t he sound of t he
car i l l on
and
w t hi n
hear i ng
of t he
speaker s on
Par l i ament Hi l l May
we
not
pr edi c t
t hat as a r esul t of
t h i s car r yi ng of t he
l i vi ng voi ce
t hr oughout
t he l engt h
of t he
Dom ni on, t her e w l l be
ar oused
a
mor e
gener al i nt er es t i n
publ i c
af f ai r s
and an
i ncr eased
devot i on
of
t he
i ndi v i dual
ci t i zen t o
t he
commonweal ?
23
Ki ng s st at ement
pr eceded
a
nat i onal
r adi o
pol i cy
by
f i v e
year s
However
t
can
be
under st ood
as a
char ge
t o
f u tu re
pol i cy
maker s
Cer t ai nl y, t
ar t i cul at ed
t he
maj or
t hemes of
t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm
i n t he br oadcast -
i ng er a
I n
par t i cul ar , t
r eveal s
t he par adoxi cal pr omse of
democracy and
domnat i on
i nher ent t o
t he rhet or i c
of
t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm MacKen
zi e
Ki ng s
speech
r educes Canada t o a communi t y or
smal l c i t y whi ch does
not
suf f er f r om
t he
i sol at i ng
e f f e c t s
of di st ance,
r egi onal i sm or cul t ur al
di ver si t y
Her e,
t echnol ogy
woul d
creat e
a
pol i s
where t he
pr oxi m t y of
4
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TE HNOLOGI L
N TI ON LI SM
speaker t o audi ence woul d promot e f r eedom
and
gi ve
r i s e
t o a
democ
r acy
of a
publ i c
shar i ng
a
commonweal
s
MacKenzi e
Ki ng
al so
put
i t
I t
i s
doubt f ul
i f
ever bef or e t hose i n aut hor i t y wer e br ought
i n t o
such
i mmedi at e and sympat het i c and
per sonal t ouch wi t h t hose wi t h
whomt hei r
aut hor i t y
i s
der i ved
24
s such, t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm
i s
a f or m of
l i ber al i sm I t pr oposes
t he
el ect r oni c pol i s
and
af f i r ms
no
val ue save
t he
communi cat i on of
t he peopl e s voi ces
as
expr essed
i n
Par l i ament However
t h i s
vi si on
of a soci et y
i n
and
t hr ough communi cat i on
i s
underm ned
by
t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm s
ot her goal ,
t hat of
cr eat i ng
a
uni t ed
Canada
Thi s
second
goal i s
al so
i mpl i ed
above Not e t hat
t he
speech
i dent i f i es
an
i nt er est i n
publ i c
a f f a i r s wi t h devot i on, and
t hat t he
communi t y cal l ed
i n t o bei ng i s but an audi ence, subj ect
t o a
voi ce Radi o, i f i t of fers communi t y
al so of f er s dom nat i on, as I nni s obser ves i n count er poi nt t o MacKenzi e
Ki ng
The
r i s e
of H t l er t o
power was
f a c i l i t a t e d by
t he
use of
t he
l oudspeaker and
r adi o The r adi o
appeal ed
t o vast ar eas over -
came
t he
di vi si on
bet ween cl asses i n t
escape
f r om l i t eracy and
f avour ed
cent r al i zat i on
and
bur eaucracy
si ngl e
i ndi vi dual
coul d
appeal
at
one
t i me
t o
vast
number s of peopl e speaki ng t he
same
l anguage
.
MacKenzi e
Ki ng s
r emar ks capt ur e t he
s p i r i t
of
t he r het or i c
of
Canadi an
gover nment
pol i cy t owar ds br oadcast i ng
as ameans of
bi ndi ng
space
f r om
hi s
own
t i me unt i l t he r ecent f l i r t a t i o n s
w t h
cul t ur al cont i nent al i sm s
wi t h r a i l ser vi ce
i n
Canada, br oadcast i ng was consci ousl y r egar ded as a
means
of
cr eat i ng
a Canada
w t h
suf f i ci ent commonal i t y t o j u s t i f y i t s
pol i t i cal
uni on,
whi l e
si mul t aneousl y,
i t
was al so
consi der ed
a
means
of
si mpl y enabl i ng Canadi ans
t o be
aware
of each
ot her
and t hei r
al r eady
const i t ut ed
val ues
and
i dent i t y
Such
a cont r adi ct or y
rol e
f or br oadcast i ng
was ar t i cul at ed i n
var i ous
gover nment
r epor t s
deal i ng wi t h
t he probl ems
posed
by br oadcast i ng t echnol ogy
i ncl udi ng
t he 1929 Repor t of t he Royal
Comm ssi on
on Br oadcast i ng,
and t he
1932
Repor t of t he
Par l i ament ar y
Comm t t ee on Br oadcast i ng
These
and subsequent
r epor t s
of f er ed
a
r het o-
r i c whi ch asser t ed t he exi st ence
of a di st i nct l y
Canadi an
( and t hus uni t ar y)
consci ousness whi ch r equi r ed t echnol ogi cal
medi at i on and al so
char ged
br oadcast i ng wi t h
t he
t ask of
real i zi ng
t hat
consci ousness
and
i t s
nat i on
The
Devel opment
of
a
Br oadcast i ng Pol i cy
of
Technol ogi cal Nat i onal i sm
The
1932
Br oadcast i ng Act
f ol l owed
r at her t han ant i ci pat ed
br oadcast -
i ng s devel opment
Canada s
f i r s t commer ci al
r adi o
st at i on was l i cenced
i n
20
5
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MAURI CE
H RL ND
1919
decade
el apsed
bef ore t he
Royal
Comm ssi on
on Radi o Br oadcast -
i ng,
chai r ed
by
Si r
John
Ai r d,
f or mer
pr esi dent
of
t he
Canadi an
I mper i al
Bank
of Commer ce
i ssued
a
report
cal l i ng f or
excl usi ve
gover nment cont r ol
of
br oadcast i ng, i ncl udi ng t he
nat i onal i zat i on
of
exi st i ng
pr i vat el y owned
out l et s . z6
The
Comm ssi on s
st ance
was one of
def ensi ve expansi oni sm
as
Margar et
Pr ang
woul d put i t
f or
i t poi nt ed
t o
t he
t hr eat of Amer i cani zed
ai r waves
and cal l ed f or
pr ot ect i ve f eder al i ni t i t i ves . O
cour se, t he Com
m ssi on
asser t ed t hat
t he ai r waves
must be pr ot ect ed f r oman
Amer i can
expansi on dr i ven by mar ket f or ces
Mor e
si gni f i c nt l y t he
Ai r d Repor t
al so
echoed
MacKenzi e Ki ng s
i t asser t ed
t hat
r adi o must become a
means
f or
devel opi ng
Canadi an
hegemony
and
f ost er i ng
a
uni f i ed
cul t ur e
i n
t he
f ace
of geography and
r egi onal i sm
At present t he maj or i t y of
pr ogr ams heard r e f r omsour ces
out si de
of Canada
t has
been emphasi zed
t h t t he
cont i nued
r ecept i on of
t hese
had t endency
t o mol d t he
m nds of young
peopl e
i n t he
home
t o
i de l s
and opi ni ons
t h t are
not Canadi an
I n
count r y
of
t he vast
geogr aphi cal di mensi on
of Canada,
br oadcast i ng w l l
undoubt edl y
become
a gr eat
f o r c e
i n
i mpar t i ng
a nat i onal
s p i r i t
and
i nt er pr et i ng nat i onal ci t i zenshi p
. z
The o f f i c i l Canadi an m nd concei ves
of Canada as a
nat i on
whi ch must
come
t o be i n spi t e of space
Thus,
even t hough
t he
Ai r d
Comm ssi on
di d
not
seek t o
est abl i sh a
r epr essi ve si ngl e
Canadi an di scour se,
but
cal l ed
f or
a br oadcast i ng
syst em
i n whi ch
progr amm ng
woul d be
pr ovi nci al l y
con-
t r ol l ed
i t
sought t o
creat e
an ext ended communi t y
i n whi ch common
Canadi an i nt er est s woul d be
ar t i cul at ed and a shar ed
nat i onal i dent i t y
coul d
emer ge
The
popul ar
m nd
l i k e
t he
l and, must
be
occupi ed
Not e
however
t hat
t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm
onl y
def i nes
Canadi an
i deal s
and
opi ni on by
vi r t ue
of
t hei r not
bei ng f r om
f or ei gn sour ces
Thi s
i s
si gni f i cant because,
i n
i t s r el uct ance
or
i n b i l i t y
t o art i cul at e
a
posi t i ve
cont ent t o
t he
Canadi an
i dent i t y an
i dent i t y s t i l l t o be
cr eat ed
t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm
i s
a
fo rm of l i ber al i sm
pr i vi l egi ng
t he pr ocess of
communi cat i on over
t he
subst ance of
what
i s
communi cat ed
Consequent l y, i f
r adi o were t o
br i ng
f o r t h a nat i on by
pr ovi di ng
a common
nat i onal
exper i ence, t hat
exper i ence
woul d
be
one of communi cat i on of
sheer medi at i on
Thi s
i s t he f i r s t
cont r adi ct i on
of
t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm The
cont ent
of
t he
Canadi an
i dent i t y woul d be
but t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm
i t s e l f
O t awa
di d not ,
of
cour se,
per m t
a
great
deal
of pr ovi nci al
aut onomy i n
br oadcast i ng
Nor
di d i t
ul t i mat el y,
est abl i sh a st at e
monopol y The 1929
Depr essi on began
weeks
af t er
t he Ai r d Repor t s
publ i cat i on and
t he
gov-
er nment
t ur ned
t o mor e
ur gent mat t er s
Meanwhi l e
sever al
pr ovi nces,
l ed
by
Quebec, chal l enged
Ot t awa s j ur i sdi ct i on over
br oadcast i ng i n
t he
cour t s
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TE HNOLOGI L
N TI ON LI SM
Thi s
del ayed
t he i mpl ement at i on
of a
Canadi an r adi o
pol i cy
Canada s
Supr eme
cour t
uphel d
O t awa s
j ur i sdi ct i onal
cl ai m
i n
1931
The
Br i t i sh
Pr i vy
Counci l r ej ect ed Quebec s
appeal
of
t hat r ul i ng
i n 1932
Onl y t hen
di d
O t awa
act
Pr i me M ni st er Bennet t ,
who
consi der ed
r adi o
a
most ef f ect i ve i nst ru-
ment
f or nat i on
bui l di ng, est abl i shed
i n 1932
speci al
comm t t ee
of
t he
House of
Commons
t o
exam ne
br oadcast i ng
and dr af t appr opr i at e l egi sl a
t i o n
z
The 1932 report echoed bot h t he
r het or i c
and t he
r ecommendat i ons
of
t he
Ai r d
Comm ssi on Mor e st r ongl y
t han bef or e,
r adi o was pr esent ed
as
hei r
t o t he
r ai l r oad s
m ssi on Thus, t he chai rman of t he 1932 Par l i ament ar y
comm t t ee,
Dr
Raymond
Mor an
asser t ed
Had
t he
f a t he r s
of Conf eder at i on been
abl e
t o
add
t h i s means of
communi cat i on t o
t he
r i bbons of
st eel
by whi ch t hey endeavor ed t o
bi nd
Canada
i n
an econom c whol e, t hey woul d have
accompl i shed
great
deal
mor e
t han
t hey
di d
gr eat even as
t hei r achi evement
was
The
comm t t ee
r eal i zed
t hat
nat i onal
r adi o
ser v i ce
l i k e
nat i onal
r a i l
ser v i ce
woul d not devel op
w t hout
s t a t e di r ect i on
and
capi t al
The
Canadi an
cul t ur e
and
uni t y
sought a f t e r woul d not spr i ng
f r om
unbr i dl ed
commer ce
but
woul d
have t o spr i ng
f r om t he s t a t e
i t s e l f
Thus t he comm t t ee, l i nki ng
r adi o t o
r ai l r oad
cal l ed f or t he
cr eat i on
of a r adi o commssi on empower ed
t o
nat i onal i ze
pr i vat e br oadcast i ng st at i ons
The
hoped- f or r esul t
woul d
be
uni t ed Canada TheCommons comm t t ee s report l ed t o t he 1932 Radi o
Br oadcast i ng
Bi l l
That
b i l l
was i nt r oduced t o
t he
House
by
Pr i me
M ni st er
Bennet t s
he
pr esent ed t he l egi sl at i on he char ged r adi o wi t h t he
t ask
of
cr eat i ng nat i onal uni t y
and
ser vi ng
t he
Empi r e
Radi o,
l i k e
t he
CPR
woul d
permt a
t echnol ogi cal l y medi at ed s t a t e
and
nat i on
Wt hout such ( Canadi an) cont r ol r adi o br oadcast i ng can never
become
great agency f or t hecommuni cat i on of mat t er s of
nat i onal
concern and f or
t he
di f f usi on
of
nat i onal t hought and i deal s and
w t hout
such
cont r ol
i t can never
be
t he agency
by
whi ch
nat i onal
consci ousness may
be
f os t er ed and sust ai ned and nat i onal
uni t y
s t i l l
f ur t her
st r engt hened Fur t her more,
r adi o br oadcast i ng, con-
t r o l l e d and oper at ed i n t hi s
way,
can ser ve
s
a dependabl e l i n k
i n
a
chai n
of empi r e communi cat i ons by whi ch
wemay
be mor e
cl osel y
uni t ed one
w t h
t he ot her
Bennet t s
r het or i c appr opr i at ed
f or O t awa
t he r i ght
t o
creat e
a
consci ous-
ness
Cer t ai nl y, hi s
di scour se i s
appar ent l y
l i b e r a l f or
i t
pr esumes
t hat
7
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MAURI CE
CHARLAND
nat i onal concer ns
and
t hought s
pr e- exi st
r adi o and need
onl y t o
be com
muni cat ed
and
di f f used
However
Bennet t s address
al so
r eveal s
t hat
w t hout t he
common
denomnat or s
of r adi o
and
s ta t e
t her e woul d be
no
nat i on,
f or
i t i s
a
nat i on dependent upon t echnol ogy
t o be cr eat ed
and
sust ai ned
Radi o was
t o be a
means of soci al i zat i on, di f f usi ng
t he
i deal of t he
nat i on
t o
be const r uct ed, t he
i deal of
communi cat i on I n ot her
wor ds,
t he
pr ocess of
communi cat i on woul d
l egi t i mat e
t he state
and
t he (Br i t i sh)
empi r e
whose power
t
ext ended
The
Cont r adi c t i ons
of
Econom c and Cul t ur al
Communi cat i on
Canada di d
not
end up wi t h t he exact br oadcast i ng
syst em
t hese r epor t s
envi saged, of
cour se,
f or
t he abst r act pr i nci pl es
of
pol i cy ar e
not easi l y
r eal i zed
I n
par t i cul ar ,
t he devel opment
of bot h
communi cat i on
and
t r ans-
por t at i on
i nf r ast r uct ur es are based on
t echnol ogi es and econom c
f or ces
whi ch
exi st
somewhat aut onomousl y f r om
t he state
I ndeed,
f r om t he
out set ,
r adi o
of f er ed l i t t l e
pr omse
of cr eat i ng or
st r engt heni ng
t he Cana-
di an
state
or nat i on
si nce
Amer i can
si gnal s
penet r at ed Canada s
bor der s
f ar
mor e
easi l y t han st eel r a i l s
By 1930,
Canadi ans wer emor e l i k e l y t o
r ecei ve
Amer i can t han
Canadi an
si gnal s
near l y al l
Canadi ans
were wi t hi n
r each of
an Amer i can st at i on
whi l e onl y 6
coul d
r ecei ve
a si gnal
or i gi nat i ng i n
Canada
32 Fur t her mor e,
Amer i can-made
pr ogr ams wer e very
popul ar
among
Canadi ans
At
l east 50 of
Canadi an
l i st eni ng t i me
was
devot ed
t o
Uni t ed
St at es
pr ogramm ng
33
Whi l e t he CNR at
t hat
t i me oper at ed a
nat i onal net wor k
ser vi ce
al bei t
of
l i m t ed
scope) ,
i t
coul d
not
compet e wi t h
Amer i can
pr ogr ams, be t hey di st r i but ed
i n Canada
by
Canadi an
st at i ons
or
by
power f ul
st at i ons
based
i n
t he
Uni t ed
St at es
I n
consequence,
Margar et
Pr ang
poi nt s
out , as
I
obser ved
above,
t hat Canadi an br oadcast i ng pol i cy has
been
char act er i zed by def ensi ve
expansi oni sm
I t
has been
sensi t i ve t o
Amer i can
expansi on, and
has
cal l ed
f or
a
concer t ed
st at e ef f or t t o
use
t echnol ogy
bot h as a
form
of
def ense
and
as a means of
est abl i shi ng
Canadi an hegemony
over
i t s
t e r r i t o r y
Canada
had
secured
i t s
west er n
t e r r i t o r y
t hr ough
space- bi ndi ng
t echnol ogy
;
i t
had
not ,
however
secur ed i t s
cul t ur al t er r i t or y
Thus
t he Canadi an Radi o Br oadcast i ng
Commssi on
and
i t s successor ,
t he
CBC wer e
i nst i t ut ed
t o
occupy and def end
Canada s et her
and
consci ousness
33
Whi l e var i ous
gover nment s i n O t awa coul d
rhet or i cal l y
cal l f or a
t echno-
l o g i c a l l y medi at ed
nat i on,
t hey
were
i n no
way
assur ed of success, especi al l y
si nce r adi o,
l i k e
r a i l an
ext ensi on
of
an
economc
syst em
domnat ed by
Amer i can
capi t al
I n spi t e of
Pr ang s
def ensi ve
expansi oni sm
and t he
consci ent i ous
wor k
of
br oadcast er s at t he
CRBC
and
CBC angl ophone
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TE HNOLOGI L
N TI ON LI SM
Canada
f ound i t s e l f saddl ed
wi t h a model of
br oadcast i ng
as ent er t ai nment
l ar gel y
devel oped
out si de
of
t he
count r y,
and
wi t h
a
t i met abl e
f or
i t s
devel opment
over
whi ch
O t awa had l i t t l e
cont r ol
Canada
was
t he
subj ect
of
what Boyd- Bar r et t
t er ms
medi a
[ as opposed
t o
cul t ur al ] i mper i al i sm
And
of
cour se, bot h of t hese coul d
onl y
be
count er ed t hr ough
maj or
gover nment
expendi t ur es
Technol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm
t hus
encount er ed
i t s
const r ai nt
I n
passi ng t he
1932
Radi o
Br oadcast i ng Bi l l Par l i ament sought
t o
empower
t he di scour se
of
t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm
However ,
whi l e
t a l k
may
be cheap,
i t s
t r ansm ssi on
by
r adi o
i s
not andPar l i ament
was ul t i mat el y
unw l l i ng
t o
advance
t he
f unds
necessar y f or
t he new
r adi o
s er v i c e t he
Canadi an Radi o
Br oadcast i ng
Comm ssi on
( CRBC) ,
t o
nat i onal i ze exi st i ng
st at i ons
or est abl i sh many new f a c i l i t i e s
35
The
f eder al
gover nment under
John
MacDonal d s l eader shi p, had
been
w l l i ng t o
subsi di ze t he
CPR,
but
t hat pr oj ect
ul t i mat el y
woul d
promot e
Canadi an commer ce
and
t he
Cana
di an
accumul at i on
of capi t al
St at e r adi o on t he
ot her hand,
of f er ed
no
f i nanci al benef i t s
On
t he cont r ar y, state r adi o
woul d
al ways
be
a dr ai n
on
t he publ i c
pur se, par t i cul ar l y i f i t
wer e t o avoi d
commer ci al i zat i on
and
seek
t o upl i f t
i t s
audi ence, r at her
t han
t r ansm t
popul ar ( and
pr edom nant l y
Amer i can) pr ogr ammes
We
see her e a
f undament al
di f f er ence
bet ween t he
rai l road
and
r adi o
Whi l e
bot h wer e
and
ar e cal l ed
upon
t o hel p
creat e
a
nat i on, t he
r ai l r oad s
nat i on
i s
econom c, whi l e
r adi o s i s c ul t ur al and
i deol ogi cal
That t he
PR
woul d carry Amer i can
goods, or
t hat i t s Canadi an
car go
woul d
be
undi s-
t i ngui shabl e f r omAmer i can
f r ei ght
was uni mpor t ant
Canadi an
commer ce
coul d
be i dent i cal
i n
cont ent
t o
i t s
Amer i can count er par t
and
r emai n
Canadi an
Conver sel y, r adi o
i s
not
acommon car r i er
and i s
t hus
qui t e
unl i ke
r a i l
ser vi ce
I f
r adi o
wer e
t r eat ed
as a
common
car r i er l i ke
t he
r ai l r o ad
i t s
cont ent
woul d be
i r r el evant Radi o
woul d
be
successf ul i f i t wer e pr of i t abl e
However ,
r adi o
i s Canadi an
by
i t s cont ent , and
i s
t hus qui t e unl i ke t he
PR
Canadi an
r adi o
must creat e i t s own
f rei ght ,
and f i n d
a mar ket
f or
i t
as wel l
However , bef or e
Canadi an
r adi o
had
devel oped
i n t o
a
mat ur e
f o rm t he
nat ur e of
demand
i n
t he
r adi o
mar ket had al r eady
been const i t ut ed
by
t he
di st r i but i on
of Amer i can
pr ogr ammes Consequent l y,
Canadi an
r adi o,
unl i ke
Canadi an
r a i l coul d
be ei t her
prof i t abl e or
Canadi an, not
bot h
We
see
her e t hen
t he second
cont r adi ct i on
of
t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm
i t
i dent i f i es a
medi um
ul t i mat el y
based upon a f or ei gn economc
and
pr o-
gr amm ng
l ogi c as
t he
s i t e f or
Canada s cul t ur al const r uct i on
The
CRBC s mai n
f a i l u r e
was
i t s
i n a b i l i t y
t o compet e successf ul l y
w t h
commer ci al
br oadcast er s
and so t r ansf or m
t he
ai r waves i nt o a medi um
f ost er i ng nat i onhood
Thi s
f a i l u r e
was
not uni que
t o
t he
CRBC, but i s
endemc t o
Canadi an
br oadcast i ng s hi st or y
The Canadi an
Br oadcast i ng
209
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MAURI CE
CH RL ND
Cor por at i on,
est abl i shed t o
succeed t he
CR C
i n
1936, f aced t he same
di l emma
Fr om
i t s
cr eat i on
unt i l
t he advent
of
t el evi si on
i n
Canada
i n
1952,
t he
CBC di d, t o a
degr ee,
of f set
t he i nf l uence
of
Amer i can
br oadcast i ng
i n
Canada
Cer t ai nl y,
w t hout
st at e- sponsor ed
r adi o,
t he ai r waves
i n Canada
woul d have
become
but
anot her mar ket f or
Amer i can
net wor ks
I n
par t i cu-
l a r , t he
CBC
di d
of f er t o
Canadi ans
a common
exper i ence and i t s
popul ar i t y
i ncr eased dur i ng
t he second
wor l d war , as
Canadi ans
sought i nf or mat i on on
Canada s
war ef for t
Never t hel ess, Amer i can progr amm ng
r emai nedpop-
ul ar
i n Canada
Tor ont oand
Mont r eal hadUS net wor k
a f f i l i a t e s ,
and
t he
CBC s
most
popul ar
pr ogr amme
wer e
Amer i can pr oduct i ons such
as
Fi bber McGee
and
Mol l y
and Edgar Ber gen and
Char l i e
McCar t hy
36
Communi cat i on
t echnol ogy, her al ded as
t he means
of pr omot i ng Cana-
di an st at ehood
and nat i onhood, par adoxi cal l y
of f er ed t hose i n Canada a
common nat i onal
exper i ence whi ch i ncl uded
cul t ur al commodi t i es f r om
t he Uni t edSt at es Thi s
phenomenon was
i nt ensi f i ed
w t h
t he devel opment
of mor e
sophi st i cat ed
and
expensi ve medi a
New
medi a,
as
t hey
accel er at ed
t he
bi ndi ng of space and
t he
r i s e of
empi r e, i ncr easi ngl y
dr ew
Canada i nt o
t he Amer i can
cul t ur al syst em Thus,
when CBC
t el evi si on
was bor n
i n
1952,
t her e
wer e
al r eady
146, 000
r ecei vi ng
set s i n Canada
w t h ant ennae poi nt i ng
sout h.
Tel evi si on
as a
medi um wi t h expensi ve genr es
of progr amm ng
st yl es of
pr oduct i on,
and a st ar
syst em was
al r eady devel opi ng
i n t he Uni t ed
St at es
Canadi an t el evi si on
coul d scar cel y compet e Onl y
t he
CBC s
monop-
ol y
over
Canadi an
TV
net wor k
progr amm ngand
t he
s t i l l poor
penet r at i on
of cabl e t el evi si on
pr eser ved a Canadi an pr esence
on Canadi an scr eens
Thus, t he 1957
Royal Comm ssi onon
Br oadcast i ng
obser ved t hat Canadi an
t el evi si on coul d not be
Canadi an and t u r n a
p r o f i t , and
r easser t ed t he
s ta te s
r ol e i n const r uct i ng a
nat i onal
i dent i t y
The choi ce
i s
bet ween
a Canadi an s t a t e - c ont r ol l ed
syst em w t h
some
f l ow
of pr ogr ams east
and
west
across
Canada,
w t h
some
Canadi an cont ent and
t he
devel opment
of a Canadi an sense of
i dent i t y, at
a
subst ant i al
publ i c
cost ,
and a pr i vat el y
owned
syst em
whi ch
f or ces of econom cs
w l l
necessar i l y
make
pr edom nant l y
dependent on Amer i can
r adi o
and
t el evi si on pr ogr ammes
As i n pr evi ous
decades,
t he t hr eat
of Amer i can
expansi on i s
pr esent ed
as
war r ant i ng state
act i on
And as i n
t he
past , t h i s
1957
report
ar t i cul at es
t he
i mper at i ve of
t echnol ogi cal nat i onal i sm
I t l i kens br oadcast i ng
t o
t heCPR
as i t af f i r ms
t hat
t he
bui l di ng
of
t he
f i r s t Canadi an
r ai l way was
onl y t he
f i r s t of many
devi ces t o
pul l
t oget her
i n t o
a nat i on t he
vast
expanse of
Canadi an
t er r i t or y
39
I t t hen asser t s
t hat
w t hout publ i c
expendi t ur es, a
Canadi an
nat i on coul d not exi st
Wt hi n t he l ogi c of a
t echnol ogi cal l y
210
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TECHNOLOGI CAL
NATI ONALI SM
medi at ed
nat i on,
t he comm t t ee s obser vat i ons ar e, of cour se, t r ue
Mor e
si gni f i c nt l y
as
an
ar gument at i ve
j u s t i f i c t i o n
f or a
publ i c
pol i cy
of
nat i on-
bui l di ng, t hei r i mpor t
i s
r het or i cal The
need
t o suppor t Canadi an t el evi si on
i s based
upon a
vi si on
of t echnol ogy as a means of cr eat i ng
and
mai nt ai ni ng
a
nat i on at
wi l l
Si gni f i cant l y,
t h i s r het or i c sees
a
Canadi an
nat i on
and
i dent i t y
as
exeget i c
of
t he state i t s e l f
N net y
year s af t er Canada s
p o l i t i c l
const i t ut i on,
a
nat i onal i dent i t y
i s st i l l
so ephemer al t hat
t he s t t e and i t s
agenci es, f eel compel l ed
t o
creat e i t
Technol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm r ef uses
t o
consi der
t hat
Canada
i s not
a nat i on but a s t t e
and
t hat Canadi an
cul t ur es
coul d exi st
out si de
of t hei r
t echnol ogi cal
medi at i on
Canadi an
t el evi si on i ni t i l l y
of f er ed
a var i ed
menu
whi ch
i ncl uded
many
hi gh qual i t y
pr ogr ammes The CBC s
schedul e was marked by
accl ai med
dr amas,
musi cal
pr ogr ammes,
and
document ar i es
4 However ,
as
t el evi si on
mat ur ed,
i ncr easi ngl y
f i l ed
t o
creat e t he nat i on t hat t he r het or i c
of
t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm
envi saged As ear l y
as 1956, onl y
5
of pr o-
gr amm ng
on
CBC Engl i sh- l anguage t el evi si on was of Canadi an or i gi n
41
The
CBC, i n or der t o
f i l l i t s schedul e,
r ai se adver t i si ng r evenue,
and
r espond
t o vi ewer demand,
of f er ed
what
i t
consi der ed t o
be
t he
best
of
US
pr ogr am
m ng
W i t i ng
t he
r esear ch r epor t
f or
t he
1957
Royal
Commssi on,
Dal l as
Smyt he wonder ed whet her t he
CBC
was not i t s own wor st enemy,
of f er i ng t he
best i n
US
pr ogr ammes
and
so ar ousi ng a desi r e
f or
mor e of
t hem
42
The econom cs
of
t he
t echnol ogy
whose
m ssi on
was
t o
consol i -
dat e
Canadi an
uni t y
pe rm t t ed t he di f f usi on
of
Amer i can
cul t ur e
i n t o
Canada
Fur t her mor e,
as t el evi si on expanded i n Canada,
t he
number
of
hour s
of
Amer i can pr oduct i ons vi ewed on Canadi an scr eens st eadi l y
i ncr eased
I n par t i cul ar , as t el evi si on devel oped,
i t i ncr easi ngl y of f er ed t he
pot ent i al f or
prof i t
Thus, pr i vat e
i nt er est s
wer e anxi ous
t o gai n access t o
Canada s
maj or
mar ket s
and
compet e
wi t h
CBC
st at i ons
I n 1958,
a new
br oadcast i ng act r emoved f r om
t he
CBC
t he
power
t o
r egul at e
br oadcast i ng
and est abl i shed a
new agency f or
t hat
pur pose
I n
1961,
t he Boar d
of
Br oadcast Gover nor s BBG) , yi el ded
t o
busi ness
and
vi ewer demand and l i censed second- t el evi si on ser vi ces
i n Mont r eal ,
Tor ont o, Vancouver ,
Cal gar y, Wnni peg, and
Hal i f ax
43
The cr eat i on of t he
CTV t el evi si on
net wor k i ncr eased Canadi an vi ewer
choi ce,
and
so
f ur t her
ext ended
US
t el evi si on
i n t o
Canada I n r et r ospect , t heBBG s deci si on
mght
seem t o
have been
i l l -advi sed
Cer t ai nl y,
i t di d
not
promot e
Canadi an
uni t y
and i dent i t y
s br oadcast i ng
was char ged
t o
do However , t he t echnol ogi cal
i mper at i ve
i s not
t he excl usi ve pr oper t y of t he state
The t echnol ogi cal
and
econom c
possi bi l i t y of of f er i ng a
second
t el evi si on
ser vi ce
t o Canada begat
a
desi r e
f or i t bot h
among an
audi ence
mesmer i zed
by
t el evi si on s
del i ght s
and
ent r epr eneur s
eager t o t u r n a
prof i t Tel evi si on,
as
a
key
vehi cl e of
consumer cul t ur e, gave
r i s e
t o a desi r e f or i t s e l f
7/24/2019 Charland - Technological Nationalism
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MAURI CECH RL ND
The BBG
whi l e
pr esi di ng over t he
Amer i cani zat i on of Canadi an
ai r waves, coul d
onl y
echo
f a i n t l y
t he
r het or i c
of
t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm
and pr omul gat e a ser i es of
i nef f ect i ve
Canadi an progr amm ng cont ent
r egul at i ons
Needl ess t o say except
f or
news,
publ i c af f ai r s and hockey,
Canadi ans
pr ef er r ed progr ams pr oduced by
t he
Amer i can medi a empi r e
Canadi an
br oadcast t echnol ogy
had
become
pr i mar i l y a channel f or Amer i -
can cul t ur al
pr oduct s
Tel evi si on
was
i ncreasi ngl y
l i k e a
r ai l r oad,
f or
i t was
pr i mar i l y a
del i ver y
syst em
f or
st andar di zed commodi t i es
pr oduced
i n
t he
Uni t ed
St at es
Fur t her mor e,
t el evi si on s t endency t o
i nt egr at e
Canada
i n t o
t he
cul t ur al syst em of
t he
Uni t ed
St at es
was
accel er at ed
by
t he cabl i ng
of
Canadi an c i t i e s
Cabl e t el evi si on r ender ed
t he
i dea of a
Canadi an
medi at ed
cul t ur e
near l y
obsol et e
By
1976, cl ose
t o 50 of Canadi an
homes
wer e ser ved by cabl e and 7 9
of Canadi an
Engl i sh vi ewi ng
t i me was
devot ed
t o
pr ogr ammes of
f or ei gn
or i gi n
44 Thi s was,
i n f a c t
not ed
by t he
BBG s
successor ,
t he
Canadi an
Radi o
Tel evi si on
Comm ssi on
( CRTC) ,
whi ch
asser t ed we now
have i n pl ace a
di st r i but i on
syst em
mor e
ef f ect i vel y or i ent ed t o t he devel opment
and d i s t r i -
but i on
of mor e
f or ei gn
progr amm ng t han t o
t he
cr eat i on and
evol ut i on
of
di st i nct l y
Canadi an
works
45
Cl ear l y
space- bi ndi ng
t echnol ogy
has
not
pe rm t t ed
t he
devel opment
of an aut hent i c
Canadi an cul t ur e,
shar ed
by
t he
maj or i t y of Canadi ans,
whi ch i s aut onomous
f r om
Amer i can cul t ur e
Com-
muni cat i on t echnol ogy
has
per haps of f er ed Canadi ans
a shar ed
exper i ence,
but
onl y as i t
has
al so
i ncl uded t hem
i n
t he
Amer i can cul t ur al
mar ket
I f
r egi onal i sm
has
been sof t ened by
t echnol ogy, t he i dent i t y
or
cul t ur e f ost er ed
i s
har dl y a di st i nct i ve
Canadi an
one
Fur t her mor e,
i t coul d be
ar gued,
as does
Ber nard
Ost r y,
t hat ef f or t s by
O t awa t o devel op cul t ur al
uni t y have f uel ed
demands i n Canada f or r egi onal
aut onomy 6 I n t he
f ace
of
a di scour se of
nat i on- bui l di ng,
a
t u r n
away
f r oma
t echnol ogi zed
cul t ur e
i n
t he
i mage
of
t he f eder al state woul d
har dl y be sur pr i si ng
Never t hel ess, f eder al
pol i cy-maker s cont i nue
t o
dr eam
a nat i on and
rhet or i cal l y asser t
t he l egi t i macy
of t hei r
e f fo r t s t hr ough t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm
For
exampl e, i n 1977 CBCpr esi dent
. W
Johnson announced
t he cor por at i on s
pl an
t o
Canadi ani ze i t s
progr amm ng
He
char act er i zed
t he
Amer i can
cul t ur al onsl aught
as
r ape
and
l i kened
t oday s C C t o
Conf eder at i on s
CPR
Our
f or ef at her s
wer e pr epar ed t o pay
t he pr em umas
t hey
sup-
por t ed
John A MacDonal d
w t h
hi s
and our
nat i onal dr eam
They
pai d
t he pr em umbui l di ng
East - West communi cat i on l i n k s
whi ch
have been t he l i f e- gi vi ng
ar t er i es of
our nat i on
f r om t he t i me of
t he
voyageur s, t heHudson
Bay
t r apper s
and
VanHorne
t o t h e
cont em
por ar y connect i ve
ser i es of r ai l r oads t el ephones,
ai r l i nes pi pel i nes
212
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TE HNOLOGI L
N TI ON LI SM
r adi o and
t el evi si on
W t hout t hese East - West l i n k s
Canada
woul d
not
sur v i ve
f or ef f ect i ve
communi cat i ons
and
t r anspor t at i on
sys-
t ems ar e f ar mor e si gni f i cant f act or s i n t he
ex i s t ence
of
Canada
as
a pol i t i cal and
soci al
e n t i t y
t han
f or any ot her
nat i on
on
ear t h
8
Johnson her e
depi ct s
Canada as a
t echnol ogi cal l y
const i t ut ed
soci et y
Wt hout t echnol ogy,
t her e woul d
be no
Canada
I ndeed, Canada does
not
emer ge
out
of
t he
l and,
but out
of i t s conquest by t echnol ogy
and pol i t i cal
wi l l And f or
Johnson, t echnol ogy and
pol i t i cal
w l l
must agai n,
as
al ways,
count er
t he Amer i can t hr eat
The
Cont r adi c t i ons of Cul t ur e
and Technol ogy
Whi l e,
cer t ai nl y,
t he
Canadi an econom c state
depends
upon t echnol ogy,
we
shoul d quest i on whet her t echnol ogy const i t ut es or r egener at es a
Cana
di an cul t ur e
Technol ogi cal nat i onal i sm
of fers
Canadi ans a common
exper i -
ence of
si gns and i nf or mat i on
i n whi ch
cul t ur e i s di sembodi ed
Thus,
t echnol ogy promot es a cul t ur al exper i ence
whi ch i s
not grounded i n a
r egi on or
t radi t i on,
par t i cul ar l y
i f i t i s
i n
t he
ser vi ce
of
some nat i onal
i nt er est
Because t he state
i t s e l f
i s
t he basi s of a
Canadi an
commonal i t y, i t s
nat i onal consci ousness
woul d
be
t he
pr oduct of a
bur eaucrat i c
cul t ur al
appar at us Once
a
cul t ur e i s associ at ed
wi t h t el evi si on, and
t echnol ogy
gener al l y, t he
nat ur e
of t he Amer i can subor di nat i on becomes cl ear
Amer i
can cul t ur e
or
what s t he same : i nt ense commodi f i cat i on) i s i mposi ng
i t s e l f
onCanada t hr ough t he very
t echnol ogi es
whi ch
shoul d be const i t ut i ve
of
t he Canadi an
exper i ence
and essence Fur t her mor e,
Amer i ca s pr esence
on
Canadi an scr eens i s
a
cur i ous f or m
of
subor di nat i on,
f or
Canadi ans enj oy
Amer i can
cul t ur al
pr oduct s,
even
whi l e
r ecogni zi ng
t he
cul t ur al
i nvasi on,
or what ,
i n
br oadcast i ndust r y j ar gon, i s r ef er r ed
t o as
mar ket penet r at i on
I t seems,
t hen, mor e
accur at e
t o say
t hat
Canadi ans ar e
bei ng
seduced
by
Amer i can cul t ur al
commodi t i es
desi gned f or a t echnol ogy capabl e of
e l i c i t -
i ng desi r e
9
Thi s poi nt s t o t he t h i r d cont r adi ct i on of t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal -
i sm The medi at ed
cul t ur e
whi ch i s
i mper at i ve t o
Canadi an
st at ehood has
w t hi n i t s
l ogi c
t he
seduct i on of
t echnol ogy
i t s e l f
5 Amer i can t el evi si on
expl oi t s
t he
seduct i veness of
t he
t echnol ogi cal
exper i ence
Even
i n
t he i deal wor l d
of
Canadi an t el evi si on envi si oned by t he CBC t he
Canadi an
exper i ence
woul d
r emai n an
exper i ence of t echnol ogy, of
t he
s t at e
and
of power
I n
i t s
1978
subm ssi on
t o
t he CRTC t he
CBC asser t s
t hat
Canada s shar ed exper i ence
i ncl udes
Paul Hender son s 1972
w nni ng
goal
f or
Team
Canada
agai nst
t he USSR t he
t el evi sed dr ama of
t he
Mont
real
O ympi cs,
and Pet er Kent s r epor t i ng
of
f ederal el ect i on
r esul t s
Not e
t hat
each of t hese moment s of exper i ence
ar e medi a
event s wher e
nat i onal i dent i t y i s i nscr i bed
i n a myt hos of
power , and wher e
o f f i c i a l state
21
3
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M URI CE
CH RL ND
cul t ur e
i s
cel ebr at ed
Each of
t hese
el ement s of our
nat i onal
exper i ence
exi st s
pr eci sel y
as
an
absence
of
a
non- t echnol ogi zed
commonal i t y
The
Canadi an i magi nat i on, accor di ng t o t echnol ogi cal
nat i onal i sm i s
a
t echno-
l ogi cal l y
medi at ed one whi ch
der i ves
f r om
t he
state and
i s
i n
opposi t i on t o
nat ur e as wel l as r egi onal i sm But , i n t he
f ace
of t he Amer i can pr esence
and
r egi onal
cul t ur es
t r adi t i ons, and
hi st or y t he di scour se
of
t he
Canadi an state
and
i t s
i nst i t ut i ons
can
onl y offer medi at i on i t s e l f as
t he
ground
f or
uni t y,
as
have ear l i er obser ved
Just
as
t he
CPR
woul d
be our nat i onal dr eam
so
t he
C Cwoul dbeour common cul t ur al
ground
Thus, t he
CBCcan asser t
t hat i t s
pur pose
i s
t he creat i on of our
nat i onal
consci ousness
my empha-
si s
z
As i s obvi ous
t o even
t he casual obser ver
of Canadi an
br oadcast i ng,
and
as t heC C
andCRTChave
at
t i mes compl ai ned, el ect r oni c
del i ver y
syst ems
cannot , i n t hemsel ves,
creat e
a cul t ur e
As t he
1956
Royal
Comm ssi on
on
Br oadcast i ng
obser ved,
what
i s
i mpor t ant
i s
t he progr amm ng I n or der t o
gi ve r i s e
t o a Canadi an
i dent i t y
communi cat i on t echnol ogi es must carry
Canadi anpr oduct s
However ,
t o
si mpl y
ber at e
Par l i ament
f or
i t s
unw l l i ng-
ness t o bet t er f und Canadi an
t el evi si on,
t o c r i t i c i z e commer ci al
i nt er est s f or
t hei r
unw l l i ngness
t o
sacr i f i ce
prof i t
f or
t he
sake
of a
nat i onal
cul t ur e,
or
t o