CN Tower: A Friendly Middle Finger To The US

A few years ago I was teaching ESL at some schools in downtown Toronto and I participated in a class trip to the CN Tower. Growing up outside of Toronto, the CN Tower as always there, unquestioned, but my ESL students didn't understand. They kept asking 'What is it for?' and not willing to accept my answer of 'It's...uh... a Tower?' Apparently in places such as Korea, Japan and Latin America, you build towers and structures that serve some purpose, such as containing offices or telecommunication purposes, not just to have a big tower.

This article in the Post reminded me of that:

9:21 a.m. A reporter asks Mr. Robinson whether the latest bells and whistles have anything to do with the Burj Dubai. Last summer, the glittering office and condo tower became the world’s tallest freestanding structure, quashing a record the CN Tower had held for 31 years.
9:25 a.m. After his interview, Mr. Robinson informs reporters that the taller Dubai tower is now off limits for conversation. “I think it’s irrelevant to the story,” he snaps.
9:28 a.m. “This is the world’s tallest building and this is the world’s highest glass paneled elevator,” Mr. Robinson says. He’s right on one of two: Dubai? Is the elevator a Guinness bid? “Probably not,” says Mr. Robinson. “It’s just something to say.”

One of my ESL students, from Mexico, came up with best explanation of the CN Tower after I explained that on the other side of Lake Ontario is the US -'So, the Tower is a a middle finger to the US!'.

They should start using that in the brochures.