simu liu

Simu Liu's emotional I Am Canadian speech at JUNOs was just what Canada needed

Simu Liu was the host of Sunday's JUNO Awards and Canada's so-called biggest night in music might just want him back next year.

In his opening monologue that really seemed to strike a chord, Liu delivered a new and improved version of the iconic I Am Canadian Molson commercial.

Reaction to Liu's monologue was overwhelmingly positive.

Everyone was feeling the vibes from his shout-outs of relatable Canadian things like growing up on Jamaican beef patties, speaking multiple languages and the Leafs not winning the Stanley Cup again.

Here's the full transcript of Liu's monologue below:

Some crazy energy Toronto. It's almost as if you guys have been, uh, cooped up at home for two years straight or something. Now we are broadcasting live nationwide at Budweiser Stage so if anyone has ever wanted to go viral like around the world now's your chance. Come on, the floor is open. Have at 'er.

No one? Avril? Shawn? Any takers? Front row? Nobody wants to slap? Me? Okay hey sure. Suit yourselves.

We're here to celebrate artists like Shawn Mendes, Avril Lavigne and Arcade Fire who like me have all fulfilled the ultimate Canadian dream of making it in America. Yes, but...but...to our credit we always come back...we do...because we love this country. I love this country.

And uh you know, I'm not a curler or anything but but i know what it means to hurry hard, and the only fight i ever lost was against the Canada Goose, went to Montreal for my 18th birthday for the, uh, wink wink culture.

And my favourite thing about Toronto, the CN Tower and Drake...views, hashtag...best i ever had.

I proudly fill my days with Canadian inventions like basketball, Timbiebs or insulin and and hey not a lot of people know this but Canada also invented the pacemaker which we all desperately need because the Leafs keep giving us heart attacks. Better luck next year boys.

In Canada you can truly have anything except for affordable housing. That one's a tough one. And whether you call it a cabin, a camp or a cottage, we spell weekend without the third e.

I speak English and Mandarin et un petit peu Francais.

I grew up on Ketchup chips, roti and Jamaican beef patties, and...and by the way it is pronounced bubble tea okay not boba! Bubble tea God damn it!

So whatever your background or gender even if it's Toronto Man's....everyone is fam because Canada is a place where the government is also our drug dealer and we're into snowboarding not waterboarding and where a woman always has the right to choose.

My name is Simu Liu and I am Canadian.

Lead photo by

Live Nation Ontario


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