proof of canadianness

Where and when I grew up (it can be argued I never grew up though), Southern Ontario in the 1970s and 1980s, it was a tradition to always have some so-called Canadian Tire Money in your wallet at all times. The joke was that it would prove one's Canadianness.

my 10¢ note, it is starting to get worn

I am sure other parts of Canada do the same thing, but this is where I learnt it. I still to this day have Canadian Tire Money in my wallet, a 10¢ note.

the back side

However, with Canadian Tire Corporation moving in to the online age, very poorly in many ways I might add, they are on the drive to eliminate their paper money. They have points cards, key fobs, and really crappy apps with virtual cards.

Also, my paper money is getting worn just sitting in my wallet. I suspect the same with the wife's CTC note and the boy's 5¢ bill as well. I started to think on how the boy, and others, could carry on this tradition.

Well, I had a small eureka moment several weeks back. I searched online and cadged a bunch of CTC Money images off the interweb. Then I picked the ones I wanted to use and spent an inordinate amount of time resizing and shaping the images to print on some stiff cardstock I had laying about. I printed a total of four "cards" and laminated them.

the front face of the "perma-money" i created

It was a huge pain in the ass to do. For some reason I wanted to use a three cent note, but I could not find a matching front and back. In the end the two sides are from two different 3¢ series. At least it makes it quite original and nearly unique as there are only four made. I keep one in the "ID" picture slot of my wallet to present to prove my Canadianness.

the back end, from a much older note

I think why I wanted to use the 3¢ was to be funny. You see when I chime in on most things, I cannot just "put my 2¢ in" as it were. I have to always do more. So, 3¢. At some point when I will be arguing with someone, I know I will throw the card in and imply I trump them. I am so witty.

Anyway, I thought about how when friends and relatives would come and visit from overseas and if they ended up in Canadian Tire for any reason would be amused by the notes. I have known people coming from abroad who make it a mission to get to a "Crappy Tire", as it is affectionately and not so affectionately at times known, and get some Canadian Tire Money.

From that, I thought that since we will be at the Canadian National Scout Jamboree and will be camping with Guides from Scotland and will surely meet others from abroad, that it may a fun idea to present them with honourary Canadianness cards.

I was not going to go through the travesty I did previously though. I had an image from a 4¢ note, both front and back and proportioned equally to each other. I dug out my business card template and inserted the images and then threw the sheets in the printer and printed them up. Forty of them, cards not sheets.

a full sheet showing front and back

i would flip it to print on the other side to complete the cards

I was pretty chuffed with myself. It did not take me all that long to print, separate, and laminate them. This one is pretty cool for foreign visitors too. It has the old tire mascot on the front, a map of Canada on the back, and is still in a weird denomination. However, as I was typing right now, I realised it may suck for some Asian cultures due to the word for the number four sounding similar to the word for death. Well, maybe the next run will be another denomination. blbbl

close-up of my latest creation before laminating

of course, the other side