Let's All Hate Toronto
Encyclopedia
Let's All Hate Toronto is a 2007 Canadian documentary film
co-directed by independent documentarian Albert Nerenberg
and Rob Spence
. The documentary is a comedic examination of the reasons why everyone in Canada
seems to hate Toronto
. In the film, co-director Robert Spence, nicknamed "Mister Toronto", takes off on a cross-Canada journey to find out why there seems to be so much resentment for Canada's biggest city, all the while promoting a fake "Toronto Appreciation Day".
after he sees a billboard boasting "Toronto Sucks" as an advertisement campaign. He finds out that some fans of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
put on bags over their heads because of the shame of losing to Toronto during the Labour Day CFL
game every year. He decides to go around Canada on a fake "Toronto Appreciation Day" tour. Mr. Toronto visits St. John's
and Halifax, where Atlantic Canadians spit on his "Toronto Appreciation Day" banner. Then he travels to Montreal
where local comedy troupe The Dancing Cock Brothers sing "Goodbye Toronto, Bonjour Montreal" and where his Toronto work ethic influences the city to change the light bulbs on the giant cross atop Mount Royal
. Next, he skips the Prairies
(because “every Torontonian does”), and lands in Calgary
and Vancouver
, where he learns that resentment towards Toronto runs very deep. During the 2006
NHL
Stanley Cup Finals
, he visits Edmonton
where he risks his life by wearing a faux Wayne Gretzky
Toronto Maple Leafs
jersey during the Edmonton Oilers
’ Stanley Cup
run.
Let's All Hate Toronto then presents a list of the top ten reasons why Canada hates Toronto, including envy, violence, pollution and The Toronto Maple Leafs. In the end, Mr. Toronto is so discouraged that, like the Hamilton Tiger Cats fans, he puts a bag on his head and wanders into the fog at Toronto's Nuit Blanche
art event, where, after admitting that Toronto does suck, he receives over 1,000 hugs from the Torontonians at the event, including the mayor of Toronto
. This makes Mr. Toronto believe that his native city does not suck as the rest of Canada seems to think.
Throughout the film Mr. Toronto does several television and radio interviews and is frequently asked, "What city in Canada hates Toronto the most?" At the end of the film he realizes that Toronto hates itself the most.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
co-directed by independent documentarian Albert Nerenberg
Albert Nerenberg
Albert Nerenberg is a Canadian independent filmmaker, actor, journalist, and laughologist. His films include Stupidity , Escape to Canada , Let's All Hate Toronto , and Laughology...
and Rob Spence
Rob Spence
Rob Spence is the former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Syracuse under Doug Marrone. S\ Prior to coming to Syracuse, he served as offensive coordinator at Clemson, Toledo, Louisiana Tech, and Hofstra. From 1992-1996, he coached quarterbacks at Maryland under Mark Duffner...
. The documentary is a comedic examination of the reasons why everyone in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
seems to hate Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. In the film, co-director Robert Spence, nicknamed "Mister Toronto", takes off on a cross-Canada journey to find out why there seems to be so much resentment for Canada's biggest city, all the while promoting a fake "Toronto Appreciation Day".
Plot
Mr. Toronto starts his journey in HamiltonHamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
after he sees a billboard boasting "Toronto Sucks" as an advertisement campaign. He finds out that some fans of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
put on bags over their heads because of the shame of losing to Toronto during the Labour Day CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
game every year. He decides to go around Canada on a fake "Toronto Appreciation Day" tour. Mr. Toronto visits St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
and Halifax, where Atlantic Canadians spit on his "Toronto Appreciation Day" banner. Then he travels to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
where local comedy troupe The Dancing Cock Brothers sing "Goodbye Toronto, Bonjour Montreal" and where his Toronto work ethic influences the city to change the light bulbs on the giant cross atop Mount Royal
Mount Royal
Mount Royal is a mountain in the city of Montreal, immediately west of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the city to which it gave its name.The mountain is part of the Monteregian Hills situated between the Laurentians and the Appalachians...
. Next, he skips the Prairies
Canadian Prairies
The Canadian Prairies is a region of Canada, specifically in western Canada, which may correspond to several different definitions, natural or political. Notably, the Prairie provinces or simply the Prairies comprise the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as they are largely covered...
(because “every Torontonian does”), and lands in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, where he learns that resentment towards Toronto runs very deep. During the 2006
2006 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2006 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2005–06 season. As a culmination of the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Eastern Conference champion Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers...
NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Stanley Cup Finals
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals is the championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, emblematic of the professional club championship of ice hockey. Although the Cup itself has existed since 1893, an annual championship series between professional teams was not established until 1913...
, he visits Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
where he risks his life by wearing a faux Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
jersey during the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
’ Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
run.
Let's All Hate Toronto then presents a list of the top ten reasons why Canada hates Toronto, including envy, violence, pollution and The Toronto Maple Leafs. In the end, Mr. Toronto is so discouraged that, like the Hamilton Tiger Cats fans, he puts a bag on his head and wanders into the fog at Toronto's Nuit Blanche
Nuit Blanche
Nuit Blanche is an annual all-night or night-time arts festival. A Nuit Blanche will typically have museums, private and public art galleries, and other cultural institutions open and free of charge, with the centre of the city itself being turned into a de facto art gallery, providing space for...
art event, where, after admitting that Toronto does suck, he receives over 1,000 hugs from the Torontonians at the event, including the mayor of Toronto
David Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
. This makes Mr. Toronto believe that his native city does not suck as the rest of Canada seems to think.
Throughout the film Mr. Toronto does several television and radio interviews and is frequently asked, "What city in Canada hates Toronto the most?" At the end of the film he realizes that Toronto hates itself the most.