Talking about Canada Day with Consul General Jamshed Merchant
July 01, 2015
Consul General Jamshed Merchant has worked at the Consulate General of Canada in Minneapolis since 2012. The office covers five states: Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, and is part of a network that represents Canada across the U.S. and around the world.
Who better, then, to talk about Canada Day on this July 1? Consul General Merchant joined Jade and Sean McPherson in our studio to talk about Canada Day.
"We're celebrating the birth of Canada," Merchant says. "One-hundred forty-eight years ago, Canada became a country. So July 1 — just like July 4 here — is that celebration.
"In Canada, and around the world," he continues, "we celebrate by having block parties, neighbors get together, have barbecues, have lots of refreshments, and it always ends up with a fireworks display."
In addition to talking about Canada Day celebrations, Merchant sheds light on the vibrant cultural environment that exists in Canada. "Around the country, Canada has invested a lot of resources in promoting and creating that sort of environment," he says. "So what you find over the last 20 years or so is a real sort of renaissance in Canadian culture, what it is to be Canadian. And it's a very interesting thing because you're hearing lots of voices, lots of groups that are world famous, just doing amazing music and contributing overall to world music."
Merchant also describes Canada's multicultural landscape, and how its different styles of music and influences — ranging from pop music to First Nations music to French traditions — create a rich mosaic of sound.
As The Current celebrates Canada Day with a number of all-Canada blocks throughout the day, Jade and Sean ask Merchant what he'd like to hear. "I'm kind of long in the tooth, so anything I would say is kind of dated," Merchant jokes, but he says he wouldn't mind hearing Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Arcade Fire or the Band.
"I'm open to anything you want to play," he says happily.