Canadians are tired of being reduced to clichés on American television, according to a new Writers Guild of Canada survey that digs into how viewers feel they’re portrayed — and what they actually want to see on screen. The poll of 1,000 Canadians found the most common stereotype spotted in U.S. programming is the exaggerated “funny accent,” complete with the familiar “eh” and “aboot,” cited by 71.4 per cent of respondents. Nearly as many flagged portrayals of Canadians as overly apologetic or dull, while others pointed to tropes like hockey obsession, northern isolation and bumbling personalities.
The survey shows Canadians believe these caricatures persist because American TV often leans on outdated shorthand. More than 64 per cent said portrayals are a mix of realistic and cliché, while nearly a quarter said they’re “mostly cliché.” Respondents also called out recurring visual stereotypes — from endless winter to Mounties on horseback and maple syrup everywhere.
But the findings go beyond frustration. Canadians overwhelmingly want more homegrown storytelling. More than 91 per cent say content written by Canadians is important, especially for children and youth, and 76.7 per cent believe Canadian‑written film and TV are essential to preserving national culture. Yet many say they struggle to find it: 36.4 per cent believe there simply isn’t enough Canadian content, while others say it’s hard to identify what’s actually Canadian.
When asked what they want more of, viewers pointed to comedies, historic dramas, sci‑fi, fantasy, romance and Indigenous stories. And they’re confident those stories would resonate globally — two‑thirds believe international audiences would watch Canadian‑created content.
WGC president Bruce Smith says the message is clear: Canadians want authentic representation, not caricature.
