Canada on Strike

Canada On Strike

Season	s12
Episode	e04
Written By	Trey Parker
Production Code	1204
Original Air Date	2008-04-02

Episode Chronology

Previous
Major Boobage
Next
Eek, A Penis!

Story

After the citizens of the world fail to acknowledge "Canada Appreciation Day," Canadians everywhere go on strike. As a result, people from Denmark flock to the U.S. to take the place of the striking Canadians. Ike pickets in solidarity with his countrymen and the boys fear for his life, so they step in to broker a settlement with the head of the World Canadian Bureau.

Description

Mr. Mackey informs the students that it is Canada Appreciation Day. He plays a video in which Stephen Abootman, President of the World Canadian Bureau (initialism: WGA),[2] asks the students to remember all of Canada's contributions to the world. When he asks, "When you think of Canada, what's the one thing that comes to mind?", Cartman responds "Gayness!" Abootman also asks, "What is it that makes Canada so important?" and Craig replies "Nothing!" All the other students laugh and ridicule the Canadians (except for Ike, who is the only South Park Elementary student of Canadian descent).

In Canada, Abootman learns of the world's lackluster response to Canada Appreciation Day, and resolves to have the country go on strike, spurring the Canadians to break out into a choreographed song and dance number. When Abootman and his cohorts announce the strike to an assembly of world leaders, the other countries' delegates are confused as to what exactly Canada wants. Abootman responds "more money", and when asked where this money should come from he exclaims "the Internet makes lots of money. Give us some of that money!"; the other delegates try to explain that they cannot give Canada money, but Abootman is insulted, storms out and shouts that the strike will continue.

Later, Kyle is watching Ike, his adopted brother from Canada, stand outside his house, picketing. Kyle approaches the other boys with worries about his brother, but they are too busy watching Terrance and Phillip to care. After realizing that all the Terrance and Phillip episodes are reruns, they attempt to call Steven Abootman to end the strike. While on the phone with him, they agree that Canada deserves more money but they do not have any to give. In a plan to raise money from the Internet, the boys post a video on "YouToob" of Butters singing Samwell's "What What (In the Butt)".[3] It goes viral, but in order to claim their money at the Colorado Department of Internet Money, the boys must wait in line behind other Internet video sensations, such as Laughing Baby, Dramatic Chipmunk,[4] Tay Zonday, Afro Ninja, Sneezing Panda, Chris Crocker, Tron Guy, the Star Wars Kid, and Numa Numa. In an argument over who is more famous, most of the other Internet celebrities kill each other (the fate of Laughing Baby, Asian Backstreet Boys, and Afro Ninja is never depicted), the boys advance in line, and they receive 10 million "theoretical dollars", which are printed on clear plastic cheques with no monetary value.

Still striking, many Canadians are dying of starvation, and a news report shows that the United States has brought in Danish people to fill their positions. Despite protests from Terrance and Phillip, Abootman vows to continue the strike. When the boys present him their theoretical dollars, Abootman is outraged, and refuses to call off the strike until he feels he has won something. Kyle convinces the world leaders to give Canada a consolation prize of gumballs and Bennigan's coupons. The strike is settled, and the boys go home where Kyle gives an extremely verbose speech about the current feasibility of generating revenue on the Internet.

Abootman throws a party to celebrate end of the strike and treats it as a great victory for Canada with Celebration playing, but Terrance and Phillip reveal to the Canadian public that the gumballs and coupons are worth $3,008, whereas Canadians lost $10.4 million by not working during the strike. As a punishment, Mr. Abootman and his men are banished by being set adrift on a block of ice.