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[wylies99]

Hatred of Toronto examined in mockumentary at Montreal comedy festival

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20070715/ca_pr_on_en/film_hate_toronto_2

NELSON WYATT
Sun Jul 15, 1:52 PM ET



MONTREAL (CP) - Pity poor Mr. Toronto. He has a thankless task.

The burden he carries on the broad shoulders of his corporate blue suit is trying to get Canadians to see Toronto for the world-class city it really is.

Not the "suffocating, sanctimonious icebox" that some of those in the film "Let's All Hate Toronto" suggest.

The film, by mischief-making documentarian Albert Nerenberg, is screening at the Just for Laughs comedy festival and has already gotten lots of attention, including headlines south of the border.

But for Mr. Toronto - also known as Robert Spence - slagging Toronto is no laughing matter.

"When I first found out that Canadians hate Toronto in many cases - I know this is going to be hard for you to believe - I cried.

"I'm an incredibly macho guy. You wouldn't think that I ever cry and I think I hardly ever had. Except for when my dog died."

The tongue-firmly-in-cheek film recounts all the reasons why people think Toronto the Good is bad - no soul, uptight, not taking the rest of the country seriously. Getting the army to clear its snow.

But in his 15-city Toronto Appreciation Day tour that makes up the framework of the film, Spence carries the message that Hogtown is a place with people, not some two-dimensional bank that runs Canada.

As feisty as that other Mr. T, Spence even tries to make other Canadians reach Toronto-like standards.

When he arrives in Montreal in the film and sees some bulbs burned out in the illuminated cross that dominates Mount Royal, Spence exhorts a crowd to "stop drinking wine. Get up in the morning and change the lightbulbs."

Interestingly, the movie segment ends with footage of the bulbs having been changed.

Nerenberg, a former Montreal journalist, said the film hopes to provoke a dialogue on an issue that has lurked beneath the rich cultural soil that is Canada.

He notes the book where the film took its title was written in 1956. There was also a radio play called "We All Hate Toronto" broadcast in 1948.

"Well before that there were well-documented frustration issues with Toronto," said Nerenberg, somewhat astonished that his is the first film on the subject.

"I think the larger issue is, is Canada overdominated by one city."

That draws a snort and a sharp look from Spence, who says, "I think Canada should smarten up."

Spence says Canada suffers from a sense of insecurity where it has to take down its best. He shakes his head when he thinks how the U.S. can trumpet I Love New York while a Hamilton, Ont., radio station trumpeted a Toronto Sucks slogan during a football rivalry.

He even found reticence in his visit to Toronto, PEI - "a charming, quaint little place. Very friendly people." Even they succumbed to some of the stereotypes about their larger twin.

"We talked to a girl who looked just like Anne of Green Gables, except she was fixing her Camaro with a hammer. She's afraid to come to Toronto partially because of irresponsible Montreal journalists portraying that Toronto is a very dangerous place to be.

"I don't know anyone who's ever been mugged in Toronto."

Although Montreal would likely be the most fervant Toronto-hater in the country because of long-standing sports and cultural rivalries, Spence and Nerenberg found that's not the case.

"The West only started hating Toronto in the way it does now in the last 20-30 years," Nerenberg said. "This is a trend that Toronto isn't really aware of. It's news to them."

Top honours go to Vancouver, Nerenberg said. "Vancouver is much more resentful."

Another snort from Mr. Toronto.

"I think here's what happens, is you have somebody who can't cut it in Toronto. They like to lay around and smoke pot all day and maybe do the occasional kayak. So they move out to the 'mountainlands' where they can basically escape the responsibilities that we carry in Toronto to make the country work."

But there is a bright spot to all the resentment. In a country threatened by political divisions and western alienation for years, hating Toronto is a great unifier.

"French, English, we can all hate Toronto," Nerenberg said brightly. "What we discovered is that you could go to the most remote Inuit village in the Far North of Canada and you will find people who hate Toronto.

"You can go as far west as you want to go, you'll find Toronto haters. You can go as far east. Rich, poor, short, tall, with mustaches, without mustaches, it doesn't seem to matter. All these people can be unified by hating Toronto."

Since the film had its packed premiere - in Toronto - last spring, some Torontonians have asked Nerenberg if reconciliation with the rest of the country is possible now that dialogue on the burning issue has begun.

"A lot of these issues are quite resolvable," he says optimistically. "Maybe show a few less Toronto Maple Leafs hockey games."

That doesn't mean Mr. Toronto can rest. Nerenberg said he's thinking about a sequel where Spence can use the skills he used on Canada's problems to help the world.

"We're thinking of sending him to Iraq," Nerenberg says.

Spence is undaunted.

"I think some Toronto know-how and positivity could go a long way in Iraq."

[RACETRAITOR]

Sounds like that guy is clueless.

I know the main reason western Canadians hate Toronto/Ontario is because of federalist issues.

[Homer]

I was born in Toronto and raised there until High School when we moved.

Toronto has many great things about it. It is diverse, multi-cultural and offers many activities.

The problem with Toronto is not he city...it is Torontonians and their attitude. Add to that the aforementioned problems with federalism and you will understand why TO is strongly disliked by most of Canada.

[mindmetoo]

[Homer]

Different perspectives then mindmetoo.

I visit the place every year (still have family and friends there) and the attitude is alive and well. But, the rest of the country is still fueling on the 80s as you described as well as on current attitude.

[twg]

[cosmicgirlie]

I saw the 'mockumentary' at the HotDocs festival this year and it does give an insight into why the rest of Canada hates Toronto...my favorite part of the whole flick is the ummmm trip to Calgary and the comparison of that city to Toronto--and how ummm Calgary is fastly becoming the new city to hate in Canada.

[mindmetoo]

[Homer]

[swetepete]

Hear hear, Calgary is the new One To Hate.

Out in the hippy-dippy hyper-west of Vancouver and the Islands, we have a cliche image of Alberta as an oil-fat redneck wearing a crappy button down shirt tucked into a nasty white snakeskin Bible-belt, and too-tight Tommy Helfingers tucked into a set of greasy cowboy boots still blood-slicked from stomping some drunken aboriginal, laughing and farting and whoop-whooping like a frat boy, totally bloody sure that all that success is their God-given right.

I doubt it's true, but it's a popular image. Probably about as accurate as their image of us Western-ests.

[sundubuman]

Toronto is nice...

Can't hold a candle to Chicago though.....but not bad for Canada...



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[pest2]

wait, is toronto a different country from canada?

[cosmicgirlie]

[sillywilly]

Years ago, having recently moved from Toronto to Ottawa I was on the bus with a few of my new juniour high-school friends. A man on the bus started chatting us up, nothing weird or pervy, just conversation. Anyway, after he got off the bus I turned to the girls and asked whether they knew him. When they answered no I was shocked. You don't even make eye contact with strangers in Toronto, not unless you want them to think you're crazy. It is really. really unfriendly.

Also, Toronto is too wide-spread and I don't drive.

[yingwenlaoshi]

I dunno. Maybe it's too expensive and not worth the bother even if it wasn't.

Live in Quebec. That'll do you some good. Other than that, there's BC or the Maritimes.

Fk Ontario unless you wanna build a cabin in the woods.

Even then...

Might as well go no holds barred and live in New York City. Fk that!