What’s a Canuck? Looking at the origin of Vancouver’s nickname

The word “canuck” often is defined in American dictionaries as an offensive or derogatory term for Canadians.

So why is it acceptable for us to refer to the Golden Knights’ opponent in the Western Conference semifinals as the Vancouver Canucks?

The answer lies in 19th century politics, a comic book and, legend has it, a poker game.

Researchers seem to disagree on the origin of the word “canuck,” but its first use in mainstream popular culture came in 1869 when a Canadian version of Uncle Sam named Johnny Canuck was first depicted in political cartoons.

The Johnny Canuck character reappeared as a Canadian World War II comic book hero from 1941 to 1946, fighting Adolf Hitler and the Nazis in 28 issues of Dime Comics.

While that was going on, Vancouver hotel owner Coley Hall set his sights on owning a team in the reformed Pacific Coast Hockey League for the 1945-46 season.

Jason Beck, curator of the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame since 2006, wrote that Hall is rumored to have won the rights to the city’s first hockey franchise since 1926 in a poker game.

With Canadian patriotism on the rise, Hall chose to call his team the Vancouver Canucks. According to former Vancouver Sun columnist Archie McDonald, Hall’s bookie suggested the name, which honored Canadian soldiers overseas.

In the early 1960s, when the Canucks played in the Western Hockey League, the team adopted a Johnny Canuck logo of a skating lumberjack. (The logo was resurrected by goalie Roberto Luongo on his mask in 2007.)

The Canucks were purchased in 1970 and joined the NHL as an expansion team, and the nickname remained.

While “canuck” is a term of affection to many Canadians, it’s been used as a putdown in U.S. politics.

In 1972, a forged letter was sent to the editor of the Manchester Union Leader newspaper two weeks before the New Hampshire presidential primary. The letter claimed Sen. Edmund Muskie of Maine, a candidate for the Democratic nomination, was prejudiced against French-Canadians living in New England.

It’s since come to be known as the “Canuck letter.”

Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau also addressed the “canuck” controversy in 1977, saying in part, “Whether or not you committed an ethnic slur (in using it) would depend entirely on the way the word was used.”

In other words, the Vancouver Canucks are probably closer to the New York Yankees than the Washington Football Team when it comes to offensive nicknames.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.