Whether in Tokyo or London, Johannesburg, or New York, if you tell a hip-hop head that you're from Canada, they'll invariably ask: "Do you know Kardinal Offishall?" Kardi is one of the few Canadian rappers who can boast an international profile, A-list collaborations (including Busta Rhymes, Method Man, and the Neptunes), and a distinct sound that's all his own. His long-awaited new outing, Fire and Glory-which follows the collapse of his former label MCA and a period of uncertainty for the Toronto MC-proves an invigorating collection of reggae and dancehall-infused tunes. From the braggadocio-laden battle track "Kaysarasara" to the mellow church-services offering "Sunday" to the combative joint on racial profiling, "Mr. Officer," the album cements Kardinal's role as the global ambassador of Canadian hip-hop.

On the line from the T-Dot, where he's preparing to head out on tour with 50 Cent, for whom he opens at the Pacific Coliseum on Saturday (December 3), Offishall is quick to speak about the calibre of talent Canada has to offer-and just as quick to call out the ineptitude of our music industry.

"It's a lack of investment," Kardi maintains when asked for reasons why Canuck artists get so few opportunities. "These labels want a quick turnaround. They don't invest in domestic urban projects like they used to. You can't just put in lunch money and expect to get back a five-course dinner plus dessert.

"Sometimes in Canada we celebrate the fact that there's three or four artists that are out [on major labels]," he says. "It's absolutely atrocious that we can count all our releases on one hand. Especially for the amount of talent that we have across the country.

"I want people around the world to know that Toronto has artists that are something to be messed with," he adds thoughtfully. "In the same way that little regions in the States come up and have their time to shine, I would love for people from where I live to be able to shine around the world as well."

Unfortunately, what finally put Hogtown on the international map was not its Caribbean-flavoured hip-hop but a series of rap-related news stories, including Toronto MP Dan McTeague's attempt to ban 50 Cent from entering Canada, Kanye West's beef with Flow 93.5 (the radio station censored the phrase "white girl" on his single "Gold Digger"), and Mos Def's recent fly-by-night marriage to a Toronto video chick.

"For the most part, really and truly, people know that it's just Kanye being Kanye," Offishal says of the Flow altercation. "It doesn't reflect so bad on Toronto. But it is a little stain on the shirt. And as far as the whole Mos Def-getting-married thing, I really don't know what to say about that whole scenario. I got a lot of friends from the States that are DJs that are like, 'Yo, I want you to bring me up there, hire me, because I want to come up and get married.'

"A lot of people think that it's really hilarious because one thing that we do have a reputation for in Toronto is having some of the most beautiful girls in the world," he continues. "That's a regular comment when people come up here. They're like, 'Oh, my God, there's so many good-looking women.' So when Mos Def got married here, guys were like, 'Ah man, I've got to come back up to Toronto and find myself a wife.' That's not necessarily how I wanted Toronto to be seen, but what are you gonna do? I guess sometimes any attention is good attention."