Rene Who? Most Canadians struggle to ID icons

says a lot for our history programs in schools.

Anyone think its changing anytime soon ?

I think a picture is a poor way to identify. I'm 17 and know all those people on the list. But I'd have trouble if all I was given is a picture.

Slow news day?

Michael Jackson can't die every day.

It's not history programs, it's collective ignorance. It's a product of society where intellectual relativism prevails and everyone's opinion matters, whether its correct or not. Knowledge-based questions can't survive as it requires a correct answer, not subjective prattle, so it's no wonder basic content (not just history, but politics, English lit, science, etc) suffers.

best book on the decline of education and standards written by a Canadian

for the US, Mortimer Adler & to a lesser extent Harold Bloom, did the same for the decline and rewriting of the value of the body of Literature that made Western civilization, civilized.

But I'll bet the average schoolkid can identify, by picture only, every single winner of American and Canadian Idol!

They did a study in Montreal some years ago and 7 out of 10 persons said that Jacques Cartier was a bridge...

I've been seeking out older out of print biographies of confederation era figures, and pre confederation figures alike, our history has more good moments, and great stories than we are led to believe.

I've read eight books on Sir John A MacDonald, he was ten times the superstar, and ten times more qualified than the Obamaniacs think Barrack was/is.

The grand vision is what we lack, leaders with foresight and vision, not the power hungry, sub par managers we elect.

But I'll bet the average schoolkid can identify, by picture only, every single winner of American and Canadian Idol!

The current maybe, but what about historical American idols?

Modern media has reduced our attention span....

Oh look.. a chicken..

Canadian history has always taken a back burner in our school systems. Kids of to-day couldn't give a rats ass about history. They are concerned about the now, and the tech age. I was in a food court to-day and the news was on. They were discussing the missing gold at the mint and some young guys were sitting at the next table. Two of them didn't know what the mint was or where it was.. pretty sad. I also attended the graduation of a friends son from grade 8. Most of the immigrants left after their kid received their diploma and about 6 people in the crowd sang the National Anthem.. one guy ( not an immigrant) was in front of us said to his wife ..I don't know the words and laughed.. people were walking in and out, moving papers, some sitting down etc.
It really pissed me off.. so I sang it in both languages.. might have sounded like an idiot but I made my point

Good for you Ken. If you weren't a Liberal I'd hug you.
And that French thing is bothersome, oh what the heck, give us a hug mate!

Two proud Canadians!

You don't think it's a combination of both? One perpetuating the other, which in turn perpetuates the first?

I think we don't know how history because we've been told over the years that it's not important, so we don't view it as such and neither do most immigrants. While other countries have folk songs and national heroes that play a prominent role in national identity, ours are pushed aside, forcibly forgotten in what seems to me to be an effort to appease one power or another.