“Due South” cleverly made fun of the stereotypical Canadian as seen by Americans. Fraser is unerringly polite and politically correct. There are many Canadian in-jokes, especially in character names. Consider the following character names:
*Diefenbaker is clearly named after former progressive Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker who served from 1957-1963.
*Margaret Thatcher—named after Margaret Thatcher, the first woman prime minister in the United Kingdom
*Kurt Browning (“Dead Men Don’t Throw Rice”)—named after the Canadian figure skater Kurt Browning
*Pavel Bure (“Dead Men Don’t Throw Rice”)—Named after hockey player Pavel Bure (the “Russian Rocket”) who played with the Vancouver Canucks
*Turk Broda (“Thin Blue Line”)—Named after Turk Broda, a Hall of Fame goalie for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
*Dawn Charest (“Thin Blue Line”)—Named after the outspoken Canadian hockey commentator Don Cherry.
*Dr. Clooney (“Say Amen”)—in-joke from George Clooney’s character Doug Ross on ER.
*Tie Domi (“Dead Men Don’t Throw Rice”) —named after Tie Domi, a right wing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
*Cameron Donnelley (“Gift of the Wheelman”)—named after the Legend of the Black Donnelleys, who were involved in family feuds and murder from 1847-1880 in Lucan, Ontario.
*Buck Frobisher (“All the Queen’s Horses,” “Manhunt,” “Call of the Wild”)—named after explorer Sir Martin Frobisher
Also, many characters’ names coincide with street names in Toronto where the series was filmed.
