I suspect part of the problem for the CBC was that it started with an American template for this show (from what I've heard). An American version of "The Story of Us" can work because they have an overriding mythology for their country and a concrete idea of what makes America and Americans. The local cultures and histories don't matter so much as the central myth.

Canada is different: We allow all our people to have their own unique story. Quebeckers have a sense of their own identity, Maritimers too. We Torontonians are a nation unto ourselves – never mind that, the 416 is distinct from the 905! Small town and rural Ontario is not the same thing as Toronto at all and the Prairies are different yet. Within the prairies Edmonton and Calgary are different from one another. BC is its own thing from what I can tell.

Throw in a healthy helping of brand new Canadians who bring all kinds of new perspectives to this great country and you have dozens or even hundreds more conceptions of Cana