Federal Politicians show their Olympic Spirit in the House of Commons. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)
By Brian Lidster
By gracing the country with its presence, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver put Canada under the global spotlight or more accurately, dissected under the rhetorical global microscope. In the usual Olympic spirit, Canada felt the expected kudos and ridicule on the handling of the games by countries that were neither suited nor selected to host the events. The conclusion of the games though, with an arguably shaky start, seemed to garner a mutual respect from Canada’s neighbours (that’s right, I spelt neighbours with a ‘u’). The games concluded and the world forgot about us once again with the exception of many of our intercontinental allies learning that not all parts of Canada have enough snow to hold a skiing and snowboarding event.
Although there were protests and uproars by groups on the interior of this nation unhappy with the placement, portrayal and costs of the games, a majority of Canadians stood proudly together under one flag… wearing red Olympic mitts.
As the popularity of the Olympics surged, Canadians saw the world looking into our windows and doors trying to figure out what exactly Canada was all about. As a Canadian in Canada, I found myself trying to look into these same doors and windows. I was trying to figure out the same thing, specifically, w[/quote]here did all the national pride come from? I always understood Canada’s part in global affairs to be similar to that of a supporting actor’s role in a movie. Sure, we don’t have the leading part, but without us, who knows how the entire movie (world) would fare? The answer is probably fine, but who really wants to find out.
The 2010 Winter Olympics did something to the country that is not often seen or felt on the frozen tundra of Canada. The country was overflowing with pride. Thanks to the branding campaign by a Canadian retailer, The Hudson Bay Company, and with all of our athletes and torchbearers dawning the Canadiana gear, Canadians had a sudden urge to show their pride and excitement. South of the border, popular American TV host Oprah Winfrey even hopped on the bandwagon by promoting the Canadian Olympic gear on her show.
Since many of us weren’t sure how long this craze would last and without spending the big bucks the get an Olympic sweater or coat, we settled for the next best and conveniently priced item. Mitts. The Bay rolled out their line of Olympic mitts made of deep-red wool, [i]coincidently[/i] similar to the red of the Canadian flag. They had the usual pouch to house four fingers and a nub to store the thumb. What made these mitts unique from just a usual pair of red mitts is they were stitched in with the Olympic Rings on the top of the hand proclaiming: Vancouver 2010. On the palm of the mitt, an elegantly simple white maple leaf. Millions of Canadians scraped the shelves bare of these hand warmers. No matter what colour scheme someone was wearing, the mitts had a way of tying everything together (Yes, I spelt colour with a ‘U’). The popularity of the mitts made headlines across the country and gained notoriety from other media outlets stationed in Vancouver. Everyone wanted a piece of these mitts and the three million that were made just weren't enough to keep up with the demand.
At first, I didn’t understand the fascination of the mitts until a friend of mine bought me a pair. I can remember being blown away by seeing the once closet-Canadians waiting to explode out of their shells and show the world that we are a proud nation. Stores couldn’t stock enough of the mitts to protect the fingers of Canadians against the harsh Canadian winter and the comfortably mild Vancouver winter. Those that had the mitts were able to show their patriotism and excitement toward the Olympic games while many others looked onward wishing their hands could look as nationally stylish as the mitt-wearers.
With people walking around wearing their pride proudly (or proudly wearing their pride), there was sense of camaraderie felt by these select Canadian mitt-wearers. I can remember walking down Bloor Street in Toronto during the peak of the Olympic games. Canada’s (absurd) own-the-podium campaign was in full swing and Canadian athletes were literally jumping onto the podium or graciously accepting Canada’s first Gold medal on Canadian soil. I was passing by other people wearing the same mitts as me (or as I like the call them: my fellow Canadians) and on occasion, giving and receiving high fives from them. Extending our arms, we proudly made the maple leafs on our palms touch (or as I liked to call it, the Canadian mitt kiss). I liked this so much, I exchanged Canadian mitt kisses with anyone I passed; leaf en leaf.
I kept this tradition up until one night I saw a young girl wearing the red Olympic mitts. As we approached I smiled and raised my arm to hopefully get a Canadian mitt kiss. Turns out the blaring headphones over her ears and having her head down led to my high five gesture to be taken as an evening whack-job about to attack his next victim. She screamed and understandably ducked to avoid my high five. Oh well...just another girl to turn down a (mitt) kiss from me. Also, if that young lady is reading this: I am sorry to frighten you that night and I only meant to spread the Canadian joy to you.
So here I am one year after the Olympic craze with another winter bearing down on the great city of Toronto. I have just immersed myself in my hallway closet to take part in the Canadian tradition of excavating the winter gear. For those that aren’t familiar with the practice of the excavation of winter gear, it is something that all Canadians go through each time fall turns into winter. It all starts two seasons earlier with the initial signs of spring (temperatures in the afternoon reaching seven Celsius). Canadian’s will shove their mitts, scarves, and boots into the very far depths of their closets hoping they will never have to see them again. And each and every year, we have to go into these same closets and find the match to the odd mitt and wipe the dirt and road salt off our scarves that have had two pairs of winter boots sitting on it since last season.
Upon discovering my one Olympic mitt and finding the other mitt five minutes later inside my hockey skate I was faced with a dilemma. Is wearing these Olympic Mitts going to be like that lame rule of nothing being able to wear white after Labour Day? Have these mitts and the Canadian pride that goes along with them expired? To be honest, I wear white after Labour Day. Heck…I wear white ON Labour Day (And yes, I spelt Labour with a ‘U’ all of those times). I am not going to let a little “Vancouver 2010” insignia stop me from remember the downright excitement I experienced while holding a bottle of Canadian (beer) in my Canadiana mitts, watching Canadian icon, Sidney Crosby, score Canada’s goal to give Team Canada another gold medal for Canada’s Canadian medal count.
I bravely wore them out for the first time when the cold first struck the city. I will admit, I thought twice about wearing them. I mean, what would people say? This guy is too cheap to by Vancouver 2011 gloves (which I would admit, would be a great Idea). I walked out of my apartment elevator and onto the street kind of feeling like I did as a younger lad going to my first day of grade 8 wondering how well my new running shoes would fare with my fellow classmates. It turns out that wearing my Vancouver 2010 mitts was exactly like wearing new shoes to my first day of grade 8. No one really noticed them.
To put me at ease, I saw others dawning the same mitts looking equally rattled from their own excavation process. I then asked myself if they were too cheap to buy the 2011 models of the mitts (and laughed).
This winter season, I implore all Canadians, Vancouver 2010 mitts or sans Vancouver 2010, to think back and reminisce not about the sheer amount of money that was spent on the games, but the pride that we all had while watching our athletes perform as the world looked on. It made us remember what it was to be Canadian and that no matter how deep we are in our Canadian closets, we aren’t afraid every once in a while to pop out and say hello.
I am wearing my mitts as we speak. Not literally right now as I type, but I am wearing them this season (also, try giving someone the middle finger while wearing mitts; along with typing, it’s another thing mitts don’t allow you to do). I don’t see as many of Canadian mitt kisses or pairs of mitts as I did last year but they still make me proud. I ask those that still have these mitts to not have the same fears that I did and wear your mitts with and honour your country. That’s right! Honour with a ‘U’.
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