Canadian $20 Bills Feature Nude Woman, Twin Towers? (VIDEO)
Canadian $20 bills have caused controversy after focus groups said they saw what appears to be a nude woman and a representation of the Twin Towers in the newly designed note.
Canadian $20 bills were redesigned as part of the country's issue to combat counterfeiting, which has become a serious problem since 2001. Unfortunately, when focus groups were tested, many thought the "pornographic" nature and what looks like the Twin Towers were bad ideas, according to CTV.
"It's too pornographic," a Toronto cash handler said, according to a September 2011 focus group report. "What is the woman on the top holding?"
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"The naked women are going to offend someone," another told The Strategic Council, the market research firm responsible for polling Canadians.
Worse were the reactions to the Twin Towers look-a-like, which is actually homage to the Canadian National Vimy Memorial- a commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge during World War I.
"My first thought when I looked at the back of this bill was the Twin Towers because I've never seen this monument, ever," said a Vancouver resident.
"Given the climate domestically and around the world, I wonder if war is too much of a statement … Canada used to have the label of peacekeeper," noted another from Halifax.
The new Canadian $20 bills were supposed to "[evoke] the contributions and sacrifices of Canadian men and women in military conflicts throughout our history," according to the Bank of Canada, but it has appeared to miss its mark completely.
The bill also features an updated image of Queen Elizabeth, who celebrates her Diamond Jubilee this year.
Despite the concerns about the design of the country's new $20 bill, there is little chance it could change. Similar focus groups were conducted for the redesign of the $100 bill and the $50 bill, where Canadians saw a sex toy and a skull and crossbones, respectively- those bills were still released.
The new Canadian $20 bills go into circulation in November.
