ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the media narratives that have constructed a particular social memory for Canadians based upon the lives of two sporting celebrities, one viewed as a hero, the other as a villain. It examines the way in which a number of media discourses worked to define a national identity in crisis by relating the fate of particular individuals to wider political, economic, and cultural issues. The chapter outlines the context of Canada in 1988 because it is essential for understanding how and why the athletes continue to figure so prominently within the popular consciousness. It highlights the meanings, politics, and effects of crisis, a central concept in the construction of Canadian collective social memory. The chapter argues that the media-generated stories of Wayne Gretzky and Ben Johnson represent forms of pride and prejudice with respect to identity politics in Canada.
