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Raisins "Raisins" "It's Christmas in Canada" "Good Times with Weapons" Good Times with Weapons
"It's Christmas in Canada"
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ItsChristmasinCanada100
Episode no. Season 7
Episode 15
Production no. 715
Original airdate December 17, 2003
Episode chronology
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"Raisins" "Good Times with Weapons"
List of all South Park episodes

"It's Christmas in Canada" is the fifteenth and final episode of Season Seven, and the 111th overall episode of South Park. It first aired on December 17, 2003.[1]

Synopsis[]

The town decides to cancel Christmas and take up a collection when Ike's Canadian birth parents show up unexpectedly and want their baby back.[1]

Plot[]

SPW pic -- Spoiler Spoiler warning!
Plot details follow.

It is a few weeks until Christmas. At the Broflovski Residence, the entire family is celebrating Hanukkah together. Gerald joyfully notes how much the family's togetherness means at this time of year, and that nothing can break them apart.

Seconds later, the doorbell rings, and Gerald answers. At the door is a Canadian couple who introduce themselves as Harry and Elise Gintz. Just as Harry begins to calmly explain why they have sought out the Broflovskis, Kyle and Ike walk into view to see who is at the door. Elise, calm and not saying the word until this moment, immediately screams "Peter!" and rushes in to hug Ike, who, frightened, takes cover behind Kyle.

While in discussing in the dining area with the Gintzs and the Broflovskis, with Kyle and Ike outside listening in, Harry and Elise reveal they are Ike's (or address him as his birth name Peter's) biological parents who had given Ike up for adoption at a turbulent time in Canada. They steadily regretted their decision as time went on. Initially, it is assumed the Gintzs are here to visit Ike, and Gerald gently asks them not to do so again for fear of emotionally hurting him. However, it turns out the Gintzs want to take Ike back home to his birth country, Canada. The couples begin to argue. Harry justifies their right to change their mind about putting Ike up for adoption as, due to a new law made by the Prime Minister of Canada, all Canadian-born children in America must be returned. The Gintz's depart, with the Broflovskis vowing to fight them in court.

Sadly, the Canadian law is legal and cannot be overturned by South Park's court, so Ike is remanded to the custody of his biological parents, devastating Gerald and Sheila. Ike then leaves the next day with his biological parents.

Two weeks later, Kyle notices his parents steadily getting worse without Ike. Sheila walks around the house like a zombie and Gerald cannot stop crying. Kyle attempts to get his friends to help him, but they have other things on their minds. Cartman selfishly believes that presents are more important, Stan is obsessed with the Christmas adventures that he may have this year, and Kenny, while he doesn't verbally explain why he doesn't want to go, may believe that he will die again, as mentioned later in the episode.

In the wake of this incident, South Park's citizens decide to help the Broflovskis. To aid them in their attempts to reach the Prime Minister and convince him to allow Ike to return to America, they decide to give them their Christmas gift money. All the children are upset about the prospect of Christmas without any presents (When hearing the news, Kenny and Heidi became upset and Clyde bursts into tears). Most especially is Cartman, who is greatly outraged and (naturally) blames it all on Kyle since his family is being given money. Cartman finally reaches his breaking point and prepares to fight Kyle, but Kyle has an idea of how to save Christmas: the boys can go to Canada and get Ike back themselves in the few days before Christmas, saving everybody's money for presents. Cartman calms down and agrees, but promises that he will fight him if they do not get back home in time.

They fly with City Airlines, run by City Wok owner Tuong Lu Kim. Cartman and Kenny do not want to fly the moment they see the single-engine Cessna they are expected to fly in; Cartman because he does not trust the Cessna, and Kenny because he is afraid he will die. Stan convinces them both by reminding them that they both care about Christmas. Cartman, who only cares about presents, exclaims, "Of course I care about Christmas!" but then is forced to come. During the flight, the plane suffers from mechanical troubles, not helped by the fact that Tuong falls asleep and flies further than he intended. He parachutes out of the plane, leaving the four boys alone in it. It crashes in Canada, but the four boys get out completely unharmed. In Canada, they meet a bunch of Canadians, including Scott, a Canadian who is "a dick". He hates both Americans and Canadians and vows to stop them from meeting the prime minister.

Along the way to the capital, Ottawa, on the "only road" in Canada, the boys meet others plagued by the new Prime Minister's laws - a Mountie named Rick, who is forced to ride a sheep instead of a horse because his funding has been cut; an unnamed French Canadian mime, who can no longer drink wine; and a Newfoundlander named Steve, who can no longer practice sodomy. In Newfoundland, Steve points out, to the boys' horror, that they were heading in the wrong direction, but the group gets to Ottawa in Steve's boat.

At the Center Block of the Parliament Buildings, the boys are initially denied entrance into the Prime Minister’s building, but convince the guards to let them in by breaking down into tears. The boys finally meet with the Prime Minister who is a giant floating head. Scott then arrives with the Gintz's. Scott and Kyle both appeal to the Prime Minister to support their separate views, with Kyle making an impassioned monologue about a family that touches the Gintzs. However, the Prime Minister, after acknowledging Kyle’s speech, reveals himself to be a brutal dictator and refuses to repeal any of the laws he made. To prove his point, he vaporizes Kenny. While the Prime Minister rants, Stan spots a curtain in the corner and pulls it back to reveal that the giant floating head is mechanically controlled by Saddam Hussein in a spider-hole. Upon discovery of the Prime Minister's true identity, the Canadian authorities arrest Saddam and declare all of the new laws null and void. The Gintzs, touched by Kyle's dedication to get Ike back, admit they were wrong and let Ike go back to his home in Colorado. Ike accepts, and the Gintzs are happy that their son is in the care of a family that loves him.

Suddenly Cartman's watch beeps; it is Christmas Day. Cartman is shocked about missing Christmas, but Kyle insists that he got his brother back and that is all that matters. Cartman however gets angry and thirsts for a fight. Kyle finally agrees and, very reluctantly, hits Cartman, once, with a simple punch to the nose. Cartman immediately breaks down, screaming and bawling at the top of his voice, calling for his mother.

Rick the Mountie then comes back and invites the boys to celebrate Christmas Canadian-style as part of a parade celebrating Saddam's capture and the boys' efforts to de-power him. Oblivious (either unaware or unwilling to realize it) to what has transpired, Stan is the only one unhappy. He sighs and says that maybe they will have a Christmas adventure next year.

References[]


Holiday Episodes
Christmas
"Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo" | "Merry Christmas Charlie Manson!" | "Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics" | "A Very Crappy Christmas" | "Red Sleigh Down" | "It's Christmas in Canada" | "Woodland Critter Christmas" | "#HappyHolograms" | "Bike Parade" | "Christmas Snow"
Halloween
"Pinkeye" | "Spookyfish" | "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery" | "Hell on Earth 2006" | "A Nightmare on Face Time" | "Goth Kids 3: Dawn of the Posers" | "Sons A Witches" | "The Scoots" | "Tegridy Farms Halloween Special"
Thanksgiving
"Starvin' Marvin" | "Starvin' Marvin in Space" | "Helen Keller! The Musical" | "A History Channel Thanksgiving" | "Black Friday" | "A Song of Ass and Fire" | "Titties and Dragons"
Easter
"Fantastic Easter Special" | "Jewpacabra"
Others
"Tom's Rhinoplasty" | "Credigree Weed St. Patrick's Day Special" | "Summer Sucks" | "Holiday Special" | "Are You There God? It's Me, Jesus" | "Cupid Ye" | "Spring Break"


  715: "It's Christmas in Canada" edit
Story Elements

Harry and Elise GintzCanadaSaddam Hussein • "Welcome Friends to Canada" • "Follow the Only Road" • "French Canada" • "Ding Dong They Caught Saddam" • "Greensleeves"

Media

ImagesScriptExtrasWatch Episode

Release

South Park: The Complete Seventh SeasonChristmas Time in South Park

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