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I read with interest Brian McLaren's latest post on Sojo this morning, where he speaks of immigration reform as the next fear-mongering issue, after health care. It reminded me of the recent Tim Horton's TV commercial below.

Now, I'm no fan of corporate interests manipulating emotions to manufacture profit, but this spot really is very, very good. The writing is "thin", so it leaves the back story to your imagination, forcing you to participate in the story and engage with it. As every Canadian knows, this spot played over and over AND OVER again during the Olympics. But if you were dialed into the twitterverse at the time you'll know that no one grew tired of it, and in fact many people spoke of being reduced to tears by it.

Here's the thing. Much to my dismay I've had more than one American friend tell me that it would never fly in the US because of the fuss over immigration. I understand the statement, but I find it hard to believe.

Filmed at Pearson International in Toronto, this spot is quintessentially Canadian. How does it make you feel? How would it be received where you are from? And as Brian implies in his piece above, what does that say about us? As people of faith, what should our posture be towards the stranger?

Comments

[Maria]

As I watched the ad, I couldn't help but think of the story of my mother as a 3-year-old meeting her father for the first time at Ellis Island. She was pitching a fit (as 3-year-olds will do), and my grandfather was rescued by someone who handed him a lifesaver candy.

It's sad and frightening to live in a society that has forgotten its own immigrant story, or refuses to connect the stories of our families with the stories of families torn apart today simply because their skin color or language is different.

[idelette]

I was one of the people moved to tears by that ad. As an immigrant, I read the Bible very differently now. The Old Testament is so full of references to the "alien," it's hard to ignore this call to action, justice and kindness, really.

I agree with what Maria says: most people on the North American continent who are against immigration reform, forget that they come from a similar story. Entitlement is just plain ugly. God calls us to remember: "Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt." (Exodus 23:9)

[robert]

There has been a minor controversy because apparently Tim Hortons took liberties with the wording of "based on a true story". Such nonsense, it's a wonderful ad and a heartwarming tale, whether it actually happened or not.

[ron cole]

Mike I loved it...it had reconciliation,love, hope, redemption. When you live in a culture that is constantly bombarded with fear from all diections...it makes it terribly difficult to embrace. Sadly, I think we are afraid to believe " love can conquer all." Instead we believe the myths and twisted words of the empire's spin doctors.

[Krissi]

I go to a church in Kentucky that is pastored by a Canadian couple, the wife of whom is my mentor. This church has begun a partnership with a church in Toronto that is pastored by my mentor's brother. A few Sunday's back, the pastor of my Kentucky church was talking about the Toronto church and said this, "The church has begun a ministry in Toronto for the new Canadians--the refugees. They now have a Spanish church, a Haitian church, an Iranian church, others and are still planting more." I loved how the pastor called the refugees new Canadians and was sad admittedly to know we would never call refugees new Americans. It has made me want to move to Canada for a while.

[Aaron Gallegos]

I've been part of several similar stories of family reunification here in Toronto, so it isn't hard to imagine the commercial being based on a true story. I got goosebumps when I first saw it. I shared it on FB and several of my Canadian friends said it brought tears to their eyes. As an American immigrant to Canada I agree with those who told you this ad wouldn't fly in the U.S. Place the same scene at Ellis Island 100 years ago with a family of European immigrants being reunited and I'm sure a lot of Americans would love it. However, make it about a Mexican immigrant family in present day and it would be highly controversial.

[Peter Banks]

A wonderful film capturing, what I have labelled on my blog, something 'Distinctively Canadian'. However, despite loving your country I wonder if the positive attitudes to immigration also represents some atonement for the way the native population was treated?

[Dave Csinos]

Well said! My wife and I had just moved back from the States to our home in Ontario about 2 weeks before the olympics. We were moved by this commercial almost everytime we saw it, especially during the closing ceremonies. Thanks for your insightful comments about it. However, I agree with Peter that things are always more complicated than they seem - commercials spoke highly of immigration and our relationships with other nations, but our first nations population and their culture was exploited during the olympics, even to the point of having an inukshuk as the logo. We certainly still have a lot of work to do in promoting the dignity of all persons, but the commercial you spoke of helps to remind us what makes us Canadian.

[Mike]

Great comments friends, thanks. (And thanks to Brian for the link.)

Peter and Dave, you are of course absolutely right. The First Nations story in Canada is an ongoing embarrassment, and we struggle with what to do with it. The work our ministry does everyday in the Downtown Eastside reminds us of the legacy of systemic racism, residential schools, etc. And yes, First Nations were represented in the host nations of the Winter Games, but they were just as represented on the Anti-Olympics side of the debate as well.

Things are absolutely more complicated than they seem. As Canadians we are much quicker to welcome new folks to the country than to deal with the histories of those who were here before us, to our shame.

[Miguel]

All I can say is that I am waiting the day I can bring my family and feel the same :)

[Mike]

Amen to that, Miguel. Amen to that.