Post by Canada on Sept 24, 2010 11:34:33 GMT -5
Nation: Canada
Name: Matthew Williams
Gender: Male
Appearance of Age: Appears to be nineteen – I’d really love to see how they actually DECIDE how old the country SHOULD be, though.
Hair Color: A reddish-blonde shade.
Eye Color: This is a hard call, as he has two official colours… In the official manga he is depicted with soft, lavender eyes, whereas in the anime he is given cerulean blue eyes, like his brother.. For the sake of being canon to both, I’ll say they are a blue-tinted violet.
Height: 174 cm : 5’9”(Average height of Canadian men)
Weight: 83kg : 182 lb (Average weight of Canadian men)
Appearance: There is nothing particularly outstanding about Matthew’s appearance, the first…second…or even third time you look at him. He stands at only an average height for a Canadian, and isn’t even particularly intimidating looking. He is, out of the nations, a little more built than some – But he has to be. Second Largest Nation in the World and all that jazz. He carries a little extra weight here and there, most notably a little around his hips and his face, giving him slightly effeminate curves, and a very child-like face. He has a large set of violet-blue eyes set behind equally large glasses, aiding the sweet and innocent look that the pale nation has.
His hair, a reddish blonde mop, is generally unruly and Matthew has long since given up trying to actually tame the floofy locks. He barely manages to get it into a presentable appearance in the morning and refuses to push it past that. It falls longer than a typical male, but still too short to really be called “long” hair. It skims his shoulders, and he quite likes it that way. There is one strand that even on a good day he can’t tame – A curly lock that seems to relocate day to day, sometimes curling forward, other times curling upwards. He likes to joke that it changes depending on his mood. Regardless, Matthew does not let people grasp it as it “does things”, as he puts it.
In the venue of fashion, Matthew has always been pretty lost. His business uniform is generally blue or brown based, but never from a high-class vendor. Often, he manages to pick up his uniforms from thrift shops, or second hand stores. He has no desire to spend an outrageous amount of money on something he knows he can get cheap somewhere. The same seems to go for most of his daily outfits – They came right out of a thrift shop. He seems content with wearing jeans and a bunnyhug on his casual days, and doesn’t understand why Francis cringes when he witnesses these outfits. As for his military garb, he prefers to wear a long, heavy winter coat, uniform-issue pants tucked into high brown boots, and goggles high on his head. Often, these goggles make an appearance whether he is in uniform or not.
Another portion of his appearance could be the omni-present bear that he hauls around with him : Kumajiro. Matthew never gets the bear’s name right, but judging by a secret smile he gives the (rather plump) lump of fuzz, it’s something he intentionally does. Kumajiro, in return, always questions who he is. Matthew is often seen carrying this bear around in his arms. Kumajiro, when in public, presumably pretends to be an oversized stuffed animal and tries to remain quiet for Matt.
Personality: Matthew, like the other Nations of Hetalia, seems to embody the stereotypes of his country. He is generally quiet and shy, preferring to sit during a meeting with a little smile on his face, his loyal bear cuddled in his arms, and listen to the other countries yammer about this and that…and watch as things never really get done at the G8 meetings. His silence may be perceived as him having nothing to say, or perhaps he is gathering all of the information before deciding to state his point.
The truth is, he’s only quiet because he recognizes no one would hear and/or listen to him anyway, even if he spoke up.
He is demure by all standards, tending to stand with a slightly slouched posture (though that might be blamed on the Kermode bear he carries around in his arms – One can imagine that weight might eventually start pulling on your spine) and downcast eyes. He doesn’t give off a very impressive aura, and tends to stammer out his words when he chooses to speak, except for when he’s talking to his brother. Sometimes other nations that recognize him (England, on the occasion, France, Cuba [when the island doesn’t call him America], Netherlands…) can get him to speak whole sentences without stammering, but the more imposing, impressive nations that hardly ever give him a glance over still get the whisper-speak on an average day.
This confidence level fluctuates with his rulers, however. The more confident the ruler, the more Matthew can be seen, the stronger his voice is. For instance, at his height beneath Trudeau, Matthew was more than likely fully recognized at meetings, as the man almost imbued his nation with a remarkable, and unforgettable, presence. He may also be more “ballsy”, so to speak, after he’s gone outside and grabbed himself a quick smoke.
True to stereotype, Matthew is polite and gentle almost to a fault. He’ll let you run over him for a good while, keeping the resentment either locked inside or completely squashed and hidden away. He still says “please” and “thank you” and waits his turn for everything. Some would say this adds to a “forgettable” personality, which is far from the truth.
Matthew is also overshadowed by his louder, more dominant and impressive brother, America. He wouldn’t mind being overshadowed so much, but it’s when people confuse the two of them that he can’t stand it. Canada can put up with it for a ridiculous amount of time (the patience of a Saint…), but eventually his self control snaps and he pops off at whomever is there. The only one he’s really been able to berate about it, however, is aforementioned brother. Everyone else get’s the “polite” method; Alfred get’s the passive aggressive way. He has no problem with berating America, however, for however long it takes. Three hours, straight, in a soft voice? Not a problem. The effect of this passive-aggressive attack is like being whipped to death by thousands of wet spaghetti noodles. You think you can handle it at first, but by the end you’re begging for it to stop.
He is also fiercely loyal to his family, be it England that ignores him, his loudmouth brother, or the perverted France. If it is within his power, he will immediately rush to assist them. He responded to World War I and II with startling speed and rushed to his brother’s aid within minutes of hearing what had happened in 9-11. He even continues to fight alongside his brother in the Afghan War, despite not completely understanding why they have troops there anymore. He is slightly more attached to his twin, however, and a simple policy falls here for the two : You mess with the US, you mess with Canada. While that might not sound like much of a threat at first, history has taught us otherwise.
The passive-aggressive, polite Canadian is only one side of the Matthew coin, however. The boy, deep down, harbours another side that is rarely witnessed, and it is probably for the best. He can be just as fierce and aggressive as any other nation, rushing into wars and committing atrocities that make even the older nations flinch (one such example occurred during World War II in which some of his troops would carve into the bodies of their deceased German enemies). This side is usually contained during times of peace, but is glimpsed during hockey matches. This personality is fondly dubbed the “Hockey Side” or “Hockey Mode”.
Matthew still remains rather naïve and sheltered from the world, even to this day. Large wars outside of the two World Wars are things he hasn’t had to deal with, and it shows. He still hasn’t quite figured out how to handle unrest with his own people yet either, unlike some older nations. A simple problem, such as the October Crisis with his French-Canadian citizens, should have been handled in a much quicker, efficient way… However, his inexperience in this world lead to the entire disaster being much worse than it needed to be, with the answer to fixing it being more extreme than what it could have been. Matthew is willing to learn from his mistakes, though, and will do everything in his power to keep his people happy so such an event does not happen again.
Likes:
+ Maple Syrup
+ Nature
+ Animals (Specifically beavers, moose, and polar bears)
+ Being noticed
+ Being useful
+ Pancakes
+ Hockey and Figure Skating
+ Canoeing
+ Maple Leaves
+ Poutine (And other odd, French-inspired dishes)
+ Long walks in the snow.
Dislikes:
- Being mistaken for his brother.
- Being ignored.
- Losing in hockey.
- Fighting.
- Unrest with his people.
- Inequality.
- Being stereotyped as saying “eh” all the time (even if he does do it QUITE often).
- Getting too hot.
Fears:
~ Quebec separating.
~ The border with his brother closing.
~ Losing Kumajiro.
~ Being unprepared for Blizzards (that happened once and he will NOT lose that many people again).
~ Windigos.
~ To an extent, Canada has a fear of fire, what with how OFTEN parts of his land have been set on fire, both by his brother (1812), but more often by England.
~ The polar ice caps completely melting.
Strengths:
+ Invisibility : While Matthew won’t eagerly jump on this bandwagon to consider this a strength, it has actually come in helpful during wartime on more than one occasion. The effect seems to be negated, however, in large crowd of Canadian’s (Vimy Ridge, Normandy, etc). As a solitary, this strength has let him infiltrate buildings that may be otherwise inaccessible.
+ Loyalty : Canada is fiercely loyal – To his cause, to his people, to his family, and even to the Crown (even if he sometimes grumbles about the policies; overall he accepts that he has worked beneath the Crown quite well…). His loyalty has lead to him fighting in many separate battles and wars before, but it has always been a driving point for the Canadian.
+ Marksmanship : While Matthew may not enjoy fighting, he has honed his skills sometime between the War of 1812 and the ending of World War II. Running and shooting may not be his thing, but stationary sniper skills? There are few better than the sharp-eyed boy.
+ Listening Skills : It seems like a small thing to list, but because Matthew is usually ignored, he has developed an innate skill for listening, memorizing details, and even being able to “talk people out of” committing something, all because he listened to the individual.
+Matthew would argue that his other strength is in hockey, buuuut…
Weaknesses:
- Invisibility : One of his greatest strengths is also one of his greatest weaknesses. When he really, -really- needs to be seen…he usually isn’t. This means that he rarely gets to voice his own opinion at meetings, or is completely forgotten. It makes him feel like he has no control over his own destiny again.
- Inexperienced : Matthew has seen a fair share of battles himself, but nothing in comparison to other nations, so he always suffers a bit of a shell-shock when he’s first thrown back into a fight. He still doesn’t really understand how to handle the fighting, or the feelings that it stirs within him. In the beginning of a fight, he’s usually reduced to a small, curled up mess in the corner until he manages to get his bearings. He is also inexperienced with his own government – he’s still used to England basically deciding his every move, so his government is shaky now that he has control over it.
- Inability to Communicate : Because Matthew is so used to being invisible, when he is actually seen and put on the spot, he can’t speak. He’s so shaken by people actually seeing him as himself that anything he had planned to say goes right out the window, including his anger which dissipates almost instantlyexcept for with his brother.
- Anger : While his isn’t comparable to everyone else’s, Matthew does have a hidden temper streak, and it has caused him to do unforgivable things in the past (Burning of the White House). He also harbors a lot of resentment deep down, and it tends to explode at inappropriate moments (the battlefield, for one. Hockey for another).
History:
- 1535 : Canada earns his name, “Kanata”, derived from his First People’s tongue. It means “Village”. Little Canada emerges as a young infant, relying on the care of his First People. This is when he first “came into consciousness”, so to speak.
- 1600 : Jacques Cartier and Humphrey Gilbert claim portions of Canada. Cartier claims New France, while Gilbert claims the location of Newfoundland for England. This begins the struggle between the two countries for ownership over the small nation, who has by this point grown to be somewhere around the physical age of a two year old.
1604 : French settlement is established in New France, and with it comes the nation of France to claim Canada as his own. Canada is eager to meet and explore with this new man, and accepts his language rather readily. He even assists in further exploration, and by the end of the summer they have explored what we now know as the peninsula of Nova Scotia, and charted the coast of present day New Brunswick and Maine. Acadia is also established by the French.
1608 : Champlain settles Quebec City. This became the capital of New France.
1615 : Champlain begins further exploration, rowing up the Ottawa River. Matthew did not follow with him, preferring to curiously follow around France’s ankles when he could. Champlain would, during his time upriver, aid the Wendat (the Hurons) in their battles versus the Iroqouis Confederacy. As a result, the Iroqouis would later become enemies of the French.
1632 – 1653 : Ownership of Canada will be tossed back and forth between France and England, depending on economic times for each country. Matthew was very confused during this time, often separated rudely from France, only to be taken back not long after. It gave him great insight, even at a young age, to how the two older nations acted.
1654 : With England in control, French colonization effectively ceased between 1654 and 1670. Matthew pined for the Frenchman during this time, and missed seeing the French ships arrive on his shores, but begrudgingly understood the situation at hand. By this point, Matthew is fully bilingual, while maintaining his First People’s language. He also worries from time to time that he will run out of furs to give France, and feels that the man will leave him behind for this.
1670 : The Hudson Bay company is established and rapidly turned into a British settlement. Matthew is uncertain about this, but continues to provide England with furs, fish, and precious minerals to keep him happy – He is saddened, however, at the preoccupation that England holds for his twin to the South.
1755 : Ethic cleansing is ordered by England in an event that would be called The Expulsion of the Acadians. It forced some 12,000 Acadians to be forcefully shipped to North American locations (Louisiana, which was nothing but almost uninhabitable swampland at this moment) under British rule, and even to France, Quebec, and the French-Caribbean colony of Saint-Domingue. Many tried to hide and stay – The British would find and either deport or kill these. Matthew, during this time, was torn apart and grew to resent England, to an extent.
1759 : England wins against France and claims Quebec – New France falls, as well, to England after the Battle on the Plains of Abraham. England, being kind in his eyes, offers the captive French a “mild and just government”. It is, to an extent, a lie, and the French are forced to now swear allegiance to the English Crown. Matthew is infuriated by England for this move. This is also where the seeds of discord finish being sewn by the French-Canadian’s. They will often, in the future, reference this battle during their attempts to separate from the rest of Canada.
1763 : The Treaty of Paris is signed, and Matthew is officially handed over to England forever. He is still young, resembling a ten to twelve year old at this point, and screams and begs France to not give him over. Inevitably, however, he is forced to live as one of England’s colonies. It is a date that is forever emblazed into his mind.
1783 : Treaty of Paris signing (again). This time, it was signed to formally end the American Revolution (part of Canada had supported America during the revolution, but again a small portion did not). It affected Matthew, however, as the border between the United States and Canada was formally declared. Land that was South of the Great Lakes (formerly parts of Quebec) were removed from Matthew. He was sad to see the land go, but he was more saddened at having an actual border between he and his twin now.
1812 : A date forever marked by Matthew. His brother made his first, and only, attempt at invading him. America’s goal, it seemed, was to take Canada and use him as a pawn against England. Canada refused to allow this and, with men who were better trained and provided with better gun equipment, fought back against his brother. He forced him out of his lands, but not before Alfred had set his capital ablaze. Hurt at this gesture, Matthew goes with Arthur and burns the White House down as well, hoping to leave a matching scar on his brother. Matthew tries to not let this event get to him, but it still bothers him to this day. The War formally ends in 1814.
1837 : The Rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada occur. In Upper Canada, they are lead by the now famous William Lyon Mackenzie. They lead small, ultimately unsuccessful skirmishes against the British rule, but it did little to cause a dent. The Rebellions in Lower Canada provided more significant results. Hundreds of homes and villages were lost, however. They were burnt.
1840 : The Act of Union – Upper and Lower Canada are united under the name United Province of Canada. Matthew is delighted by this, and goes from resembling a thirteen year old to a sixteen year old at a sudden, remarkable rate.
July 1st, 1867 : The British North American Act in enacted, and Matthew becomes the Dominion of Canada – An official country. He is still in the body of a sixteen year old at this point, but he could not have been happier to be declared a nation. It gave him political and governmental right, as well as removed him from being “just a colony”.
1914 : Canada, being the good little commonwealth he is, sends troops to assist Britain during World War I.
1917 : The “highlight” of the military achievement for Canada in World War I occurs – The Battle at Vimy Ridge. It is a battle that Canadian’s, nor German’s, would be able to forget. It was also the first time that Matthew showed just how vicious he could be in battle. Here, the Canadian military earns a reputation (and a pretty snazzy one at that). Despite the praise that comes with it, Matthew does not gloat about the victory. Instead, he prefers to remain silent on it and wish it never had to happen.
1920 : Canada is allowed to join the League of Nations at it’s inception. Again, the boy is thrilled with what he is able to accomplish.
1929 – 1935 : The Great Depression for Canada.
1939 - 1945: World War II begins and, after waiting only a week after England’s declaration of War, Canada declares war as well. As with World War I, Canada participates in many notable battles during this time. They form a joint militia group with America, known as “the Devils”, and become recognizable powerhouses. Matthew became involved in the Defense of Hong Kong, the Dieppe Raid, the Allied Invasion of Italy, and the Battle of Normandy. It was also his troupe of Canadian’s that spearheaded their way Northeast and Liberated the Netherlands. The Royal Family would later be so grateful as to send them 20,000 tulip bulbs to go with the 100,000 the people sent. These tulips were later planted on Parliament Hill. Ultimately, Matthew loses more than 45,000 men to the war, and another 55,000 were significantly wounded. By the end of this war, Canada is recognized (at least temporarily) as being a significant military power.
1960’s : The Quiet Revolution in Quebec. Quebec Nationalists begin to voice their unrest with the Canadian government in an event that would only escalate over the years. At this point Matthew, nineteen in body, can feel the anger from his French Canadian citizens, but has no idea just how bad things are getting ready to become.
1965 : Under Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, Canada adopts their well-recognized Maple Leaf Flag. Matthew is delighted with it, but the entire process did receive much debate from English-speaking Canadian’s.
1968 : Pierre Elliott Trudeau, a liberal French-Canadian from Quebec, becomes Prime Minister of Canada. Matthew, at first, is not sure how to handle or approach this man – He is more relaxed and laid back than all of Matthew’s former Prime Ministers, and his popularity was comparable to that of Kennedy back in the States (Trudeaumania : That says it ALL). At first Matthew doesn’t even believe this man will grow to be a competent leader. He will be proved very wrong.
1970 : The October Crisis. Quebecois Nationalists anger reaches the boiling point, and terrible riots are held. Bombs are set off, buildings are vandalized, and the kidnappings occur. The Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) arrive on October 5th kidnapped the British Trade Commissioner, James Cross, from his home. This is their first hostage. Matthew is slightly shaken by this, but Trudeau reassures him things will be handled. October 10th sees their second kidnapping, this time the Minister of Labour of the Province of Quebec, Pierre Laporte. Trudeau brings in the military by this point and utters his infamous “Just Watch Me” in response to how far he would go. Matthew’s pride in this man soars by this point, and he puts all of his hope in him, even as he is torn apart by the FLQ (half of him desired to help – the other half desired for them to remain whole. It was a hard time for Matthew). October 16th, the War Measures Act is implemented for the first (and last) time in Canadian history.. And on October 17th, Laporte’s body is found in the trunk of a car, deceased. The entire thing would be finished by December, but not without this loss weighing heavily on Trudeau and Matthew’s psyche. The War Measures Act would also bother Matthew for years to come.
1970’s : Bilingualism was forced for all of Canada by Trudeau. Ultimately, his goal was to make it so federal systems had to offer their services in French for French-speakers. Governmental workers were also trained to speak English and French. Bilingualism remains one of his largest contributions, as Canada is one of the only countries who has two official languages.
1976 : With Trudeau spearheading it, Canada becomes an official member of the G7. Matthew, albeit reluctantly from the other members, is accepted as a formidable power, thanks to his Minister. This is not to say that his membership in the G7 was not constantly questioned, mostly by America, who did not like/approve of Trudeau.
1982 : Still under the control of Trudeau, Matthew gets his greatest gift from the man – the Constitution Act. Previously, the Constitution of Canada was not even located in Canada. Now it was. Simultaneously with this, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was added to the Bill of Rights. This was the most power over his own destiny that Matthew had ever been given, and he will never forget what Trudeau did for him.
1985 : Air India Flight 182 explodes above the Atlantic Ocean, just South of Ireland. All 329 passengers aboard (82 were children, and 280 were Canadian citizens) are killed. Prior to September 11th in America, the bombing was the single deadliest terrorist attack involving aircraft. It is still the largest mass murder in Canadian history.
1999 : After fighting in 1990 between the Mohawks and military forces in Oka, Quebec, Northwest Territories is divided to create a third territory : Nunavut. This area is primarily for the descendants of the First People in Canada. Matthew knows it does little to forgive what his people had done to the First People, but he hopes in his heart this repairs some damage.
2000 : Former Prime Minister Trudeau dies at the age of 80. It is the largest funeral turn-out for any Prime Minister, and is even witnessed by his friend Fidel Castro. Matthew attends the funeral as well – This is the first and only one he ever has, or will.
2001 : September 11th – While this date did not affect Matthew as it did his brother, his loyalty to his twin took action immediately. He opened up every airport possible to defer his brother’s planes to, and housed his people. Everything within Matthew’s power was done to assist. He would later even send people to help with the cleanup, repairs, and basic care of the victims in New York.
2002 : Canada becomes involved in the Afghan war with his brother and, unlike other Nations, remains committed and involved.
(I-I am so sorry, dude. I cut words EVERYWHERE that I could. D: Everything that I deemed not-as-important to Matthew’s development got cut from my ORIGINAL History draft [which is, like, eight pages long]. It’s still so long and.. Orz.)
Allies:
Battle of the Plains of Abraham : France
War of 1812 : England
World War I :France, England, Russian Empire, Italy (1915-1918), United States, Japan, Romania, and other Allied Sympathizers.
World War II : England, France, America, China, Soviet Union, and allied support sympathizers.
Cold War : Difficult to say, as Canada never really participated in the War. He did, however, side with America on most topics. Most.
Afghan War : N.A.T.O
Enemies:
Battle of the Plains of Abraham : England
War of 1812 : United States
World War I : German Empire, Austria, Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.
World War II : England, France, America, China, Soviet Union, and allied support sympathizers.
Cold War : The Soviet Union, to an extent. But even then he had no real enemies, as he was never really involved. He played middle-man.
Afghan War : Mostly Insurgent Groups. Basically whatever his brother decrees is an enemy, he kinda accepts.
Sample Post:
” I am confident that those persons who unleashed this tragic sequence of events with the aim of destroying our society and dividing our country will find that the opposite will occur. The result of their acts will be a stronger society in a unified country. Those who would have divided us will have united us.”
Matthew listlessly watched as his Prime Minister spoke to the nation through the broadcast on his television, blue-violet eyes barely blinking as the images flickered on his old television system. Enacting the War Measures Act… The boy let out a shaky little breath and finally closed his eyes, blocking out the images on the screen as the man continued to speak in the background, a little noise to speak louder than Matthew’s inward thoughts.
Never had he anticipated they would be forced to go this far.
Another noise, not one from his television set, distracted him for a moment and he cracked open a single eye to glance at the bear sleeping soundly on the couch beside of him. Kumajiro was snoring again… Part of the Canadian wanted to laugh about it, but right now he didn’t feel like he could even draw the breath into his lungs. Parts of him hurt all over. So many bombings had occurred…and already so many had been injured. The crisis had to end. He couldn’t take this dull throb anymore.
” I sense the unease which grips many Canadians today. Some of you are upset, and this is understandable. I want to reassure you that the authorities have the situation well in hand. Everything that needs to be done is being done; every level of government in this country is well prepared to act in your interests.”
’It would be in everyone’s best interest to let Quebec separate,’ a nagging voice, something lower in the back of his mind that spoke only in French, whispered. ’It’s what they deserve.’
Matthew shuddered hard and shook his head out, arms falling down onto either side of his body to shove himself up from the couch. Shaking legs carried him to his television, and the same fumbling hands reached out to flip the old equipment off before he could make eye contact with his young Minister. He didn’t need that right now.
“I need sleep… That’s all.” Canada mumbled quietly to himself, even as the shaking appendage rose to run itself through his curly blonde locks. “Y-Yeah… I’ll feel better in the morning, eh?”
He slept that night, with Kumajiro clutched tight in his arms, wishing for that other voice to shut up and leave him alone. He wished for the sick feeling in his stomach to cease. He wished for James Cross and Pierre Laporte to be released. He wished he understood why some part of him felt the release was an unobtainable dream.
That night, Matthew dreampt of his own hands around Pierre Laporte’s neck. He dreampt of shoving the body into the back of a vehicle and clapping them together, then rubbing, as if smoothing imaginary dust off and away; a job well done.
The next day Pierre Laporte’s body would be found, deceased – strangled and shoved in the back of a car.
Did you read the rules?
"So much fun! But I'm tired! I'm going to rest now~
To the last, I'm so cool!"
Name: Matthew Williams
Gender: Male
Appearance of Age: Appears to be nineteen – I’d really love to see how they actually DECIDE how old the country SHOULD be, though.
Hair Color: A reddish-blonde shade.
Eye Color: This is a hard call, as he has two official colours… In the official manga he is depicted with soft, lavender eyes, whereas in the anime he is given cerulean blue eyes, like his brother.. For the sake of being canon to both, I’ll say they are a blue-tinted violet.
Height: 174 cm : 5’9”(Average height of Canadian men)
Weight: 83kg : 182 lb (Average weight of Canadian men)
Appearance: There is nothing particularly outstanding about Matthew’s appearance, the first…second…or even third time you look at him. He stands at only an average height for a Canadian, and isn’t even particularly intimidating looking. He is, out of the nations, a little more built than some – But he has to be. Second Largest Nation in the World and all that jazz. He carries a little extra weight here and there, most notably a little around his hips and his face, giving him slightly effeminate curves, and a very child-like face. He has a large set of violet-blue eyes set behind equally large glasses, aiding the sweet and innocent look that the pale nation has.
His hair, a reddish blonde mop, is generally unruly and Matthew has long since given up trying to actually tame the floofy locks. He barely manages to get it into a presentable appearance in the morning and refuses to push it past that. It falls longer than a typical male, but still too short to really be called “long” hair. It skims his shoulders, and he quite likes it that way. There is one strand that even on a good day he can’t tame – A curly lock that seems to relocate day to day, sometimes curling forward, other times curling upwards. He likes to joke that it changes depending on his mood. Regardless, Matthew does not let people grasp it as it “does things”, as he puts it.
In the venue of fashion, Matthew has always been pretty lost. His business uniform is generally blue or brown based, but never from a high-class vendor. Often, he manages to pick up his uniforms from thrift shops, or second hand stores. He has no desire to spend an outrageous amount of money on something he knows he can get cheap somewhere. The same seems to go for most of his daily outfits – They came right out of a thrift shop. He seems content with wearing jeans and a bunnyhug on his casual days, and doesn’t understand why Francis cringes when he witnesses these outfits. As for his military garb, he prefers to wear a long, heavy winter coat, uniform-issue pants tucked into high brown boots, and goggles high on his head. Often, these goggles make an appearance whether he is in uniform or not.
Another portion of his appearance could be the omni-present bear that he hauls around with him : Kumajiro. Matthew never gets the bear’s name right, but judging by a secret smile he gives the (rather plump) lump of fuzz, it’s something he intentionally does. Kumajiro, in return, always questions who he is. Matthew is often seen carrying this bear around in his arms. Kumajiro, when in public, presumably pretends to be an oversized stuffed animal and tries to remain quiet for Matt.
Personality: Matthew, like the other Nations of Hetalia, seems to embody the stereotypes of his country. He is generally quiet and shy, preferring to sit during a meeting with a little smile on his face, his loyal bear cuddled in his arms, and listen to the other countries yammer about this and that…and watch as things never really get done at the G8 meetings. His silence may be perceived as him having nothing to say, or perhaps he is gathering all of the information before deciding to state his point.
The truth is, he’s only quiet because he recognizes no one would hear and/or listen to him anyway, even if he spoke up.
He is demure by all standards, tending to stand with a slightly slouched posture (though that might be blamed on the Kermode bear he carries around in his arms – One can imagine that weight might eventually start pulling on your spine) and downcast eyes. He doesn’t give off a very impressive aura, and tends to stammer out his words when he chooses to speak, except for when he’s talking to his brother. Sometimes other nations that recognize him (England, on the occasion, France, Cuba [when the island doesn’t call him America], Netherlands…) can get him to speak whole sentences without stammering, but the more imposing, impressive nations that hardly ever give him a glance over still get the whisper-speak on an average day.
This confidence level fluctuates with his rulers, however. The more confident the ruler, the more Matthew can be seen, the stronger his voice is. For instance, at his height beneath Trudeau, Matthew was more than likely fully recognized at meetings, as the man almost imbued his nation with a remarkable, and unforgettable, presence. He may also be more “ballsy”, so to speak, after he’s gone outside and grabbed himself a quick smoke.
True to stereotype, Matthew is polite and gentle almost to a fault. He’ll let you run over him for a good while, keeping the resentment either locked inside or completely squashed and hidden away. He still says “please” and “thank you” and waits his turn for everything. Some would say this adds to a “forgettable” personality, which is far from the truth.
Matthew is also overshadowed by his louder, more dominant and impressive brother, America. He wouldn’t mind being overshadowed so much, but it’s when people confuse the two of them that he can’t stand it. Canada can put up with it for a ridiculous amount of time (the patience of a Saint…), but eventually his self control snaps and he pops off at whomever is there. The only one he’s really been able to berate about it, however, is aforementioned brother. Everyone else get’s the “polite” method; Alfred get’s the passive aggressive way. He has no problem with berating America, however, for however long it takes. Three hours, straight, in a soft voice? Not a problem. The effect of this passive-aggressive attack is like being whipped to death by thousands of wet spaghetti noodles. You think you can handle it at first, but by the end you’re begging for it to stop.
He is also fiercely loyal to his family, be it England that ignores him, his loudmouth brother, or the perverted France. If it is within his power, he will immediately rush to assist them. He responded to World War I and II with startling speed and rushed to his brother’s aid within minutes of hearing what had happened in 9-11. He even continues to fight alongside his brother in the Afghan War, despite not completely understanding why they have troops there anymore. He is slightly more attached to his twin, however, and a simple policy falls here for the two : You mess with the US, you mess with Canada. While that might not sound like much of a threat at first, history has taught us otherwise.
The passive-aggressive, polite Canadian is only one side of the Matthew coin, however. The boy, deep down, harbours another side that is rarely witnessed, and it is probably for the best. He can be just as fierce and aggressive as any other nation, rushing into wars and committing atrocities that make even the older nations flinch (one such example occurred during World War II in which some of his troops would carve into the bodies of their deceased German enemies). This side is usually contained during times of peace, but is glimpsed during hockey matches. This personality is fondly dubbed the “Hockey Side” or “Hockey Mode”.
Matthew still remains rather naïve and sheltered from the world, even to this day. Large wars outside of the two World Wars are things he hasn’t had to deal with, and it shows. He still hasn’t quite figured out how to handle unrest with his own people yet either, unlike some older nations. A simple problem, such as the October Crisis with his French-Canadian citizens, should have been handled in a much quicker, efficient way… However, his inexperience in this world lead to the entire disaster being much worse than it needed to be, with the answer to fixing it being more extreme than what it could have been. Matthew is willing to learn from his mistakes, though, and will do everything in his power to keep his people happy so such an event does not happen again.
Likes:
+ Maple Syrup
+ Nature
+ Animals (Specifically beavers, moose, and polar bears)
+ Being noticed
+ Being useful
+ Pancakes
+ Hockey and Figure Skating
+ Canoeing
+ Maple Leaves
+ Poutine (And other odd, French-inspired dishes)
+ Long walks in the snow.
Dislikes:
- Being mistaken for his brother.
- Being ignored.
- Losing in hockey.
- Fighting.
- Unrest with his people.
- Inequality.
- Being stereotyped as saying “eh” all the time (even if he does do it QUITE often).
- Getting too hot.
Fears:
~ Quebec separating.
~ The border with his brother closing.
~ Losing Kumajiro.
~ Being unprepared for Blizzards (that happened once and he will NOT lose that many people again).
~ Windigos.
~ To an extent, Canada has a fear of fire, what with how OFTEN parts of his land have been set on fire, both by his brother (1812), but more often by England.
~ The polar ice caps completely melting.
Strengths:
+ Invisibility : While Matthew won’t eagerly jump on this bandwagon to consider this a strength, it has actually come in helpful during wartime on more than one occasion. The effect seems to be negated, however, in large crowd of Canadian’s (Vimy Ridge, Normandy, etc). As a solitary, this strength has let him infiltrate buildings that may be otherwise inaccessible.
+ Loyalty : Canada is fiercely loyal – To his cause, to his people, to his family, and even to the Crown (even if he sometimes grumbles about the policies; overall he accepts that he has worked beneath the Crown quite well…). His loyalty has lead to him fighting in many separate battles and wars before, but it has always been a driving point for the Canadian.
+ Marksmanship : While Matthew may not enjoy fighting, he has honed his skills sometime between the War of 1812 and the ending of World War II. Running and shooting may not be his thing, but stationary sniper skills? There are few better than the sharp-eyed boy.
+ Listening Skills : It seems like a small thing to list, but because Matthew is usually ignored, he has developed an innate skill for listening, memorizing details, and even being able to “talk people out of” committing something, all because he listened to the individual.
+
Weaknesses:
- Invisibility : One of his greatest strengths is also one of his greatest weaknesses. When he really, -really- needs to be seen…he usually isn’t. This means that he rarely gets to voice his own opinion at meetings, or is completely forgotten. It makes him feel like he has no control over his own destiny again.
- Inexperienced : Matthew has seen a fair share of battles himself, but nothing in comparison to other nations, so he always suffers a bit of a shell-shock when he’s first thrown back into a fight. He still doesn’t really understand how to handle the fighting, or the feelings that it stirs within him. In the beginning of a fight, he’s usually reduced to a small, curled up mess in the corner until he manages to get his bearings. He is also inexperienced with his own government – he’s still used to England basically deciding his every move, so his government is shaky now that he has control over it.
- Inability to Communicate : Because Matthew is so used to being invisible, when he is actually seen and put on the spot, he can’t speak. He’s so shaken by people actually seeing him as himself that anything he had planned to say goes right out the window, including his anger which dissipates almost instantly
- Anger : While his isn’t comparable to everyone else’s, Matthew does have a hidden temper streak, and it has caused him to do unforgivable things in the past (Burning of the White House). He also harbors a lot of resentment deep down, and it tends to explode at inappropriate moments (the battlefield, for one. Hockey for another).
History:
- 1535 : Canada earns his name, “Kanata”, derived from his First People’s tongue. It means “Village”. Little Canada emerges as a young infant, relying on the care of his First People. This is when he first “came into consciousness”, so to speak.
- 1600 : Jacques Cartier and Humphrey Gilbert claim portions of Canada. Cartier claims New France, while Gilbert claims the location of Newfoundland for England. This begins the struggle between the two countries for ownership over the small nation, who has by this point grown to be somewhere around the physical age of a two year old.
1604 : French settlement is established in New France, and with it comes the nation of France to claim Canada as his own. Canada is eager to meet and explore with this new man, and accepts his language rather readily. He even assists in further exploration, and by the end of the summer they have explored what we now know as the peninsula of Nova Scotia, and charted the coast of present day New Brunswick and Maine. Acadia is also established by the French.
1608 : Champlain settles Quebec City. This became the capital of New France.
1615 : Champlain begins further exploration, rowing up the Ottawa River. Matthew did not follow with him, preferring to curiously follow around France’s ankles when he could. Champlain would, during his time upriver, aid the Wendat (the Hurons) in their battles versus the Iroqouis Confederacy. As a result, the Iroqouis would later become enemies of the French.
1632 – 1653 : Ownership of Canada will be tossed back and forth between France and England, depending on economic times for each country. Matthew was very confused during this time, often separated rudely from France, only to be taken back not long after. It gave him great insight, even at a young age, to how the two older nations acted.
1654 : With England in control, French colonization effectively ceased between 1654 and 1670. Matthew pined for the Frenchman during this time, and missed seeing the French ships arrive on his shores, but begrudgingly understood the situation at hand. By this point, Matthew is fully bilingual, while maintaining his First People’s language. He also worries from time to time that he will run out of furs to give France, and feels that the man will leave him behind for this.
1670 : The Hudson Bay company is established and rapidly turned into a British settlement. Matthew is uncertain about this, but continues to provide England with furs, fish, and precious minerals to keep him happy – He is saddened, however, at the preoccupation that England holds for his twin to the South.
1755 : Ethic cleansing is ordered by England in an event that would be called The Expulsion of the Acadians. It forced some 12,000 Acadians to be forcefully shipped to North American locations (Louisiana, which was nothing but almost uninhabitable swampland at this moment) under British rule, and even to France, Quebec, and the French-Caribbean colony of Saint-Domingue. Many tried to hide and stay – The British would find and either deport or kill these. Matthew, during this time, was torn apart and grew to resent England, to an extent.
1759 : England wins against France and claims Quebec – New France falls, as well, to England after the Battle on the Plains of Abraham. England, being kind in his eyes, offers the captive French a “mild and just government”. It is, to an extent, a lie, and the French are forced to now swear allegiance to the English Crown. Matthew is infuriated by England for this move. This is also where the seeds of discord finish being sewn by the French-Canadian’s. They will often, in the future, reference this battle during their attempts to separate from the rest of Canada.
1763 : The Treaty of Paris is signed, and Matthew is officially handed over to England forever. He is still young, resembling a ten to twelve year old at this point, and screams and begs France to not give him over. Inevitably, however, he is forced to live as one of England’s colonies. It is a date that is forever emblazed into his mind.
1783 : Treaty of Paris signing (again). This time, it was signed to formally end the American Revolution (part of Canada had supported America during the revolution, but again a small portion did not). It affected Matthew, however, as the border between the United States and Canada was formally declared. Land that was South of the Great Lakes (formerly parts of Quebec) were removed from Matthew. He was sad to see the land go, but he was more saddened at having an actual border between he and his twin now.
1812 : A date forever marked by Matthew. His brother made his first, and only, attempt at invading him. America’s goal, it seemed, was to take Canada and use him as a pawn against England. Canada refused to allow this and, with men who were better trained and provided with better gun equipment, fought back against his brother. He forced him out of his lands, but not before Alfred had set his capital ablaze. Hurt at this gesture, Matthew goes with Arthur and burns the White House down as well, hoping to leave a matching scar on his brother. Matthew tries to not let this event get to him, but it still bothers him to this day. The War formally ends in 1814.
1837 : The Rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada occur. In Upper Canada, they are lead by the now famous William Lyon Mackenzie. They lead small, ultimately unsuccessful skirmishes against the British rule, but it did little to cause a dent. The Rebellions in Lower Canada provided more significant results. Hundreds of homes and villages were lost, however. They were burnt.
1840 : The Act of Union – Upper and Lower Canada are united under the name United Province of Canada. Matthew is delighted by this, and goes from resembling a thirteen year old to a sixteen year old at a sudden, remarkable rate.
July 1st, 1867 : The British North American Act in enacted, and Matthew becomes the Dominion of Canada – An official country. He is still in the body of a sixteen year old at this point, but he could not have been happier to be declared a nation. It gave him political and governmental right, as well as removed him from being “just a colony”.
1914 : Canada, being the good little commonwealth he is, sends troops to assist Britain during World War I.
1917 : The “highlight” of the military achievement for Canada in World War I occurs – The Battle at Vimy Ridge. It is a battle that Canadian’s, nor German’s, would be able to forget. It was also the first time that Matthew showed just how vicious he could be in battle. Here, the Canadian military earns a reputation (and a pretty snazzy one at that). Despite the praise that comes with it, Matthew does not gloat about the victory. Instead, he prefers to remain silent on it and wish it never had to happen.
1920 : Canada is allowed to join the League of Nations at it’s inception. Again, the boy is thrilled with what he is able to accomplish.
1929 – 1935 : The Great Depression for Canada.
1939 - 1945: World War II begins and, after waiting only a week after England’s declaration of War, Canada declares war as well. As with World War I, Canada participates in many notable battles during this time. They form a joint militia group with America, known as “the Devils”, and become recognizable powerhouses. Matthew became involved in the Defense of Hong Kong, the Dieppe Raid, the Allied Invasion of Italy, and the Battle of Normandy. It was also his troupe of Canadian’s that spearheaded their way Northeast and Liberated the Netherlands. The Royal Family would later be so grateful as to send them 20,000 tulip bulbs to go with the 100,000 the people sent. These tulips were later planted on Parliament Hill. Ultimately, Matthew loses more than 45,000 men to the war, and another 55,000 were significantly wounded. By the end of this war, Canada is recognized (at least temporarily) as being a significant military power.
1960’s : The Quiet Revolution in Quebec. Quebec Nationalists begin to voice their unrest with the Canadian government in an event that would only escalate over the years. At this point Matthew, nineteen in body, can feel the anger from his French Canadian citizens, but has no idea just how bad things are getting ready to become.
1965 : Under Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, Canada adopts their well-recognized Maple Leaf Flag. Matthew is delighted with it, but the entire process did receive much debate from English-speaking Canadian’s.
1968 : Pierre Elliott Trudeau, a liberal French-Canadian from Quebec, becomes Prime Minister of Canada. Matthew, at first, is not sure how to handle or approach this man – He is more relaxed and laid back than all of Matthew’s former Prime Ministers, and his popularity was comparable to that of Kennedy back in the States (Trudeaumania : That says it ALL). At first Matthew doesn’t even believe this man will grow to be a competent leader. He will be proved very wrong.
1970 : The October Crisis. Quebecois Nationalists anger reaches the boiling point, and terrible riots are held. Bombs are set off, buildings are vandalized, and the kidnappings occur. The Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) arrive on October 5th kidnapped the British Trade Commissioner, James Cross, from his home. This is their first hostage. Matthew is slightly shaken by this, but Trudeau reassures him things will be handled. October 10th sees their second kidnapping, this time the Minister of Labour of the Province of Quebec, Pierre Laporte. Trudeau brings in the military by this point and utters his infamous “Just Watch Me” in response to how far he would go. Matthew’s pride in this man soars by this point, and he puts all of his hope in him, even as he is torn apart by the FLQ (half of him desired to help – the other half desired for them to remain whole. It was a hard time for Matthew). October 16th, the War Measures Act is implemented for the first (and last) time in Canadian history.. And on October 17th, Laporte’s body is found in the trunk of a car, deceased. The entire thing would be finished by December, but not without this loss weighing heavily on Trudeau and Matthew’s psyche. The War Measures Act would also bother Matthew for years to come.
1970’s : Bilingualism was forced for all of Canada by Trudeau. Ultimately, his goal was to make it so federal systems had to offer their services in French for French-speakers. Governmental workers were also trained to speak English and French. Bilingualism remains one of his largest contributions, as Canada is one of the only countries who has two official languages.
1976 : With Trudeau spearheading it, Canada becomes an official member of the G7. Matthew, albeit reluctantly from the other members, is accepted as a formidable power, thanks to his Minister. This is not to say that his membership in the G7 was not constantly questioned, mostly by America, who did not like/approve of Trudeau.
1982 : Still under the control of Trudeau, Matthew gets his greatest gift from the man – the Constitution Act. Previously, the Constitution of Canada was not even located in Canada. Now it was. Simultaneously with this, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was added to the Bill of Rights. This was the most power over his own destiny that Matthew had ever been given, and he will never forget what Trudeau did for him.
1985 : Air India Flight 182 explodes above the Atlantic Ocean, just South of Ireland. All 329 passengers aboard (82 were children, and 280 were Canadian citizens) are killed. Prior to September 11th in America, the bombing was the single deadliest terrorist attack involving aircraft. It is still the largest mass murder in Canadian history.
1999 : After fighting in 1990 between the Mohawks and military forces in Oka, Quebec, Northwest Territories is divided to create a third territory : Nunavut. This area is primarily for the descendants of the First People in Canada. Matthew knows it does little to forgive what his people had done to the First People, but he hopes in his heart this repairs some damage.
2000 : Former Prime Minister Trudeau dies at the age of 80. It is the largest funeral turn-out for any Prime Minister, and is even witnessed by his friend Fidel Castro. Matthew attends the funeral as well – This is the first and only one he ever has, or will.
2001 : September 11th – While this date did not affect Matthew as it did his brother, his loyalty to his twin took action immediately. He opened up every airport possible to defer his brother’s planes to, and housed his people. Everything within Matthew’s power was done to assist. He would later even send people to help with the cleanup, repairs, and basic care of the victims in New York.
2002 : Canada becomes involved in the Afghan war with his brother and, unlike other Nations, remains committed and involved.
(I-I am so sorry, dude. I cut words EVERYWHERE that I could. D: Everything that I deemed not-as-important to Matthew’s development got cut from my ORIGINAL History draft [which is, like, eight pages long]. It’s still so long and.. Orz.)
Allies:
Battle of the Plains of Abraham : France
War of 1812 : England
World War I :France, England, Russian Empire, Italy (1915-1918), United States, Japan, Romania, and other Allied Sympathizers.
World War II : England, France, America, China, Soviet Union, and allied support sympathizers.
Cold War : Difficult to say, as Canada never really participated in the War. He did, however, side with America on most topics. Most.
Afghan War : N.A.T.O
Enemies:
Battle of the Plains of Abraham : England
War of 1812 : United States
World War I : German Empire, Austria, Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.
World War II : England, France, America, China, Soviet Union, and allied support sympathizers.
Cold War : The Soviet Union, to an extent. But even then he had no real enemies, as he was never really involved. He played middle-man.
Afghan War : Mostly Insurgent Groups. Basically whatever his brother decrees is an enemy, he kinda accepts.
Sample Post:
October 16th, 1970 : The War Measures Act
” I am confident that those persons who unleashed this tragic sequence of events with the aim of destroying our society and dividing our country will find that the opposite will occur. The result of their acts will be a stronger society in a unified country. Those who would have divided us will have united us.”
Matthew listlessly watched as his Prime Minister spoke to the nation through the broadcast on his television, blue-violet eyes barely blinking as the images flickered on his old television system. Enacting the War Measures Act… The boy let out a shaky little breath and finally closed his eyes, blocking out the images on the screen as the man continued to speak in the background, a little noise to speak louder than Matthew’s inward thoughts.
Never had he anticipated they would be forced to go this far.
Another noise, not one from his television set, distracted him for a moment and he cracked open a single eye to glance at the bear sleeping soundly on the couch beside of him. Kumajiro was snoring again… Part of the Canadian wanted to laugh about it, but right now he didn’t feel like he could even draw the breath into his lungs. Parts of him hurt all over. So many bombings had occurred…and already so many had been injured. The crisis had to end. He couldn’t take this dull throb anymore.
” I sense the unease which grips many Canadians today. Some of you are upset, and this is understandable. I want to reassure you that the authorities have the situation well in hand. Everything that needs to be done is being done; every level of government in this country is well prepared to act in your interests.”
’It would be in everyone’s best interest to let Quebec separate,’ a nagging voice, something lower in the back of his mind that spoke only in French, whispered. ’It’s what they deserve.’
Matthew shuddered hard and shook his head out, arms falling down onto either side of his body to shove himself up from the couch. Shaking legs carried him to his television, and the same fumbling hands reached out to flip the old equipment off before he could make eye contact with his young Minister. He didn’t need that right now.
“I need sleep… That’s all.” Canada mumbled quietly to himself, even as the shaking appendage rose to run itself through his curly blonde locks. “Y-Yeah… I’ll feel better in the morning, eh?”
He slept that night, with Kumajiro clutched tight in his arms, wishing for that other voice to shut up and leave him alone. He wished for the sick feeling in his stomach to cease. He wished for James Cross and Pierre Laporte to be released. He wished he understood why some part of him felt the release was an unobtainable dream.
That night, Matthew dreampt of his own hands around Pierre Laporte’s neck. He dreampt of shoving the body into the back of a vehicle and clapping them together, then rubbing, as if smoothing imaginary dust off and away; a job well done.
The next day Pierre Laporte’s body would be found, deceased – strangled and shoved in the back of a car.
Did you read the rules?
"So much fun! But I'm tired! I'm going to rest now~
To the last, I'm so cool!"
