by Brian Taylor

Created on: February 02, 2010

The symbols associated with Canada are varied and well known, yet it seems, it would depend upon whom you were asking.

A Texan might think we are all snowshoes and beer.

Someone from Washington state might reference Canada to trees and fish.

An Australian probably equates us with mountains and skiing.

If you ask a Canadian what the symbols representing Canada are, he or she would ultimately list the obvious: The maple leaf. hockey, beer, snow, the beaver, parliament, trees, fish, bears and touques. This is the list of more physical attributes.

I believe the most important symbol of Canada is "Canadians."

I'd like to take a moment to look at the Canadian domain of morality, for I believe that this is truly the internal symbol of Canada.

Canada is, after all, a product of Canadians and it is our makeup that determines the true symbols of what it means to the world to say that something is "Canadian." A beaver would still be here if we weren't available to call our land "Canada." It would still be a symbol of the land, but not what it is to be Canadian. I believe this is what we should be considering.

Those of you who aren't familiar, "the Domain of Morality" is the current accepted standardization of moral opinion. It is simply a scale that is arranged in what we would consider an “atypical political right/left” scenario thusly:
    
    Harm/Care      Fairness/Justice      Ingroup/Loyalty      Authority/Respect      Purity/Sanctity
    
We use this standard of Fairness, Harm, Ingroup, Authority, Purity as the measuring  stick of our sociological or moral makeup. It’s important that we understand the categories of this moral scale. This scale has been in development for hundreds of years and those who wish to follow it’s history should also look up David Hume, Lawrence Kohlberg and Elliot Turiel.

The five categories are the Definition of the Domain of Morality by Elliot Turiel. They are referred to as the “Foundations of Morality.” To be most concerned with a particular single branch or group of branches points to your morality. The stronger the assignation of importance to the beginning of the list, the more left leaning, liberal, democratic, etc. you are. You are a two foundation person. The more importance you assign to the latter three the more right leaning, conservative, authoritative,

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