A Maritimer Speaks About Speaking Like a Maritimer

Maritimers were either right pissed-off or some pumped-up about our take on how to speak like a Maritimer. There were furious Newfies on the comment boards and Twittershpere chastising our apparent confusing of Newfoundland as being part of the Maritimes. And then there were those who felt that we’d played too hard on outdated stereotypes that didn’t reflect the “vibrant, educated and multicultural” version of what they considered the Maritimes to be today. So in the interest of fairness and love for our fellow Canadians and all that, we talked to Robbie Carruthers, a native PEIer and one of the boys behind the viral video PEI Encyclopedia to get his take on the hullabaloo. Turns out, when it comes to hate mail, he and his Maritimer buddies “don’t give two sweet flying fucks.”

Some Maritimers got really offended about the article, what gives? Most Maritimers I know have a really good sense of humour.

Yes bud, you pounded it! See, now East Coasters are a tough crowd, fer sure we are hands down some of the funniest people in the country ie: Rick Mercer, Ron James, Boomer Gallant, Rita McNeil. In the East we love to break the fuck outta each other. But break too hard and you'll get your cupboards slammed fer sure. We are a little sensitive to the fact that the rest of the country don't give two sweet fucks about us a’tall. Now if this article was written in the Globe and Mail I would understand the anger, but this is VICE.

What’s with all those Newfies getting so worked up about me confusing them with the Maritimes? They live by the sea, and are mostly a bunch of fishermen, aren’t they Maritimers?

First off, Newfoundlanders are from Atlantic Canada, not the Maritimes. We in the Maritimes live "by" the sea. They live square in the middle of the fucking ocean, basically the edge of planet Earth. Now I consulted my go-to Newfoundlander buddy, Ian St. Aubin aka Michael from Donnie Dumphy, He had this to say: "We don't like anyone calling us any fucking thing. You could refer to the song lyric in the Battle Anybody by Dumphy "If yer not from Newfoundland and ya call me a Newfie, I'll put yer fucking head through the back of a toonie" That about says ‘er.

Do you guys ever get shit from people who get offended by PEI Encyclopedia?

We never got em' as riled up as you got em', but a few times, "Anne of Green Gables died for our sins" got a few blue hairs goin' but as far as I'm concerned I'm from fucking PEI and can say whatever I want about Anne. Some of the stuff I say in Leaf’s Beefs offends me sometimes, but I can fuck right off, my opinion doesn't matter.

Do you ever get offended by things people or tourists assume or say about the Maritimes?

All the fucking time! I hate when away I get called a "Newfie" ‘cause of my accent. Now don't get me wrong I love our crazy cousins in the North East Atlantic but out here we give a fuck about our identity East Coast pride man, we love where we're from I got fucking "Prince Edward Island" tattooed across’d my chest for chrissakes. One night we were in a bar up in Toronto, and buddy comes up sayin' "oh you guys from NFLD?" "No man I'm from PEI" He says "No way! I'm from the East Coast too!" So I ask him where from?  He say fucking Ottawa. Are you slapping your dick in my face? Otta-fuckin-wa? So I went out and got "REAL EAST" tattooed across’d my knuckles. I'll show ya's the real east coast.