Freedom 35

September 25, 2005 9:55 PM

Does the expression "Freedom 35" mean anything in Canadian history or culture?
posted by Rothko to Society & Culture (6 answers total)

Best answer: This is the best I could find.
posted by mragreeable at 10:16 PM on September 25, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks!
posted by Rothko at 10:21 PM on September 25, 2005

mragreeable is correct. There was a series of commercials for years about a "Freedom 55" plan where you could retire at 55. Season 2 of the Trailer Park Boys revolved around "Freedom 35" in which the boys would organize their crimes so they could "retire" at 35 and not become old criminals. This plan failed, but once and a while they bring the idea up again.
posted by Yorrick at 10:27 PM on September 25, 2005

Just curious why you asked or where you came across the phrase if it wasn' t while watching Trailer Park Boys?
posted by Jaybo at 10:51 PM on September 25, 2005

I have to assume TPB is where he came across it, but wasn't sure if the phrase used was somehow meaningful beyond the show (since it's such an arbitrary phrase). Big fan of TPB, but as a USAian like Rothko, I also didn't know where that phrase came from or if had any meaning beyond TPB.

I'm actually interested in finding out that "Freedom 35" had some cultural meaning to Canadians; I'm sure there are a ton of jokes I didn't get in the show because of the foggy mysteries of Canadian culture (such as what game Ricky's dad was addicted to in Season 5).
posted by hincandenza at 2:13 AM on September 26, 2005

Best answer: A little more background on the commercials: The freedom 55 commercials would depict a 30 something person meeting him or herself at age 55. Usually the 55 self is sailing a sailboat or lying on the beach or something, and the younger person is amazed that they've been able to retire at 55 and afford a sailboat or whatever. Then oldy explains that its because of Freedom 55. No explanation was ever given for how the time travel occured or what the repurcussions would be for the person who'd seen their future self.
posted by teg at 7:02 AM on September 26, 2005