When it comes to Canuck clichés on American television, many Canadians have had ‘aboot’ enough, according to a new survey. The Writers Guild of Canada, which represents more than 2,500 English-language screenwriters across the country, surveyed 1,000 Canadians about the stereotypes they see on television. More than 71 per cent of respondents said a “funny accent” was a major Canadian stereotype on American television. Sixty-two per cent noted that Canadians are “overly dull and apologetic” on the small screen, while 60.8 per cent found television Canucks to be obsessed with hockey. The survey found 64.4 per cent of respondents believe Canadians are written to be sometimes realistic and sometimes cliché on American television. Only 12.1 per cent thought Canadians are written in a mostly realistic way, while 23.5 per cent said Canadians are written in a mostly cliché way. “A whopping 91.7% believe having content written and created by Canadians is important for Canadians, and 89.5% see this as important for Canadian children and youth,” the survey reads.
