Zeitgeist

Okay no. You need to learn Canadian history. Upper Canada and New Brunswick had Loyalist "American" early settlement. Quite simply, until the Revolution there was no U.S.. It was all New England, the 13 Colonies plus Newfoundland, Nova Scotia (including the rest of English Acadia, such as current New Brunswick), plus all of the French settlement in New France (Quebec) and French Acadia (Cape Breton, PEI). Nova Scotia, which included New Brunswick, had been settled well before the Revolution. It started off mostly under the control of France. Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia was taken by the Brits in the early 1700's before the French Acadians moved their new capital to Louisburg (which become one of the largest ports in North America) and the Brits established Halifax in the mid-1700's. By the time of the American Revolution, there had been long established settlements, English and French, all through the Maritimes and Quebec. New Brunswick was carved out of Nova Scotia as a new territory for settlement by United Empire Loyalists in the 1790's. There were many French and English already there. Present day Ontario was carved out of the old New France (Quebec) and became Upper Canada when it was established by United Empire Loyalists. Most of the settlement of all of these territories in the 19th century came from overseas, such as from England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Holand and Scandinavian countries. Manitoba's early settlers were Metis (a mix of French and Indian) and a mix of all of the other groups mentioned. British Columbia and later the Prairies, were settled by all of these and other groups. I don't know who's writing your posts (BC_2004?) or someone else, but any Canadians who have learned the history, which is most, would know that your claim is way off base.

I’ve never met anyone in the CF with views like Dougie. I think he’s fake. I’m seeing a good friend who’s a colonel, and I’ll get his take on those posts. Everyone I know in the CF is bleeding red and white. They’re the most patriotic people I know.

No, those raids were splinter aggressions that had little to do with Confederation, which had been in the works since the 1840’s. Basically the Irish rebels didn’t like seeing British North America consolidate, especially with the US weakened by the Civil War. After that both countries boomed with railroad expansion.

I hope more follow in her footsteps.

No, the demographic has changed in Quebec. Young people and immigrants have little or no interest in separating. Also, the rest of Canada is much more tuned into Quebec and the French language. My kids don’t question learning French as a second language and they’ve enjoyed our exchanges with Quebecers, who also feel more connected to the rest of Canada. In fact Quebec’s biggest ally right now is BC, the most Anglo part of Canada.

That’s utter bullshit. Canada without the US beside it would be like Australia or England. The US and Canada are each other’s biggest export markets out of convenience. There’s nothing wrong with that. Why do you want Canada to adopt more policies like the US’s? It’s a less safe, peaceful and harmonious society. We haven’t had a revolution or a civil war, and that’s probably a good thing. Less volatile and violent. Don’t get me wrong. I like the warm winter weather in the South. We don’t have that. The larger market creates more options in some ways, but if you end up with a serious illness are are born with a disability or in a bad area, it’s harder down there. There are advantages and disadvantages to both countries. I think we have become more tolerant and freer in Canada, but by March I want to go out without a jacket, which probably won’t happen up here.

Why does this feel like a quote from 1995? Oh yeah, because that’s about the last time separation might have happened, yet it didn’t.

As I already said, I voted Conservative. You voted for the Liberals you criticize. Figure yourself out.

I wonder what would happen if we said, Anyone who wants to be here, come (after screening for criminal or terrorist background of course). I think it would look like a more populous Canada of a century ago. Even with crooks it would eventually turn into a large Australia. Of course I don’t want to give up our current immigration filters, but my point is, it wouldn’t make as much difference as you might think. People generally make the effort to emigrate because they’re motivated to build a new life. Immigration built this great country and will continue to do so whatever right wing xenophobic nonsense people on here want to spew.

Can we get more Canadians or at least some moderate posters on here? It’s getting boring. I’m also tired of hearing the stereotypical US perspective that no one matters in the world but the US. Most traditional Canadian towns have an English or French feel, with lawn bowling and pastry shops and the kind of thing you’d find in Europe. I get many home swap requests from France though I live in Ontario and English is my first language. I use my best French and they use their best English. Our institutions have old traditions and the US isn’t our only ally. I think it’s very ignorant and naive to think that by writing all these anti-Canada posts you’re going to sway people. We see them as silly. Most English Canadians really like Quebec and bilingualism. We appreciate many aspects of US culture, but it’s overwhelming, and the CBC that you like to dump on is a highly valued and important part of Canadian media and culture. Grow up. There’s really no audience up here for such nonsense.

Seriously though, which state? I’m thinking Ohio or Florida.

Absolute bullshit. Canada entered WW1 and 2 with Britain from the start. For a country with less than 10 million people to train and deploy nearly a million of them...WW1 still looms large in Canada. If you were in the CF you should know that.

Which part of the US are you from?

Canada truly became a country at Vimy Ridge, leading the charge with four divisions, the largest number of Canadian soldiers to have fought together. Taking that strategic ridge was a win upon which further victories the following summer were built that turned the tide of the war. Even Hitler honoured Vimy and had soldiers protect the monument. Paintings of the battlefields line the Senate Chamber and names of the war dead are inscribed in the Peace Tower in the Centre Block of Parliament.

Canada faces many of the same humdrum challenges as most of our trading partners. If we go to hell at least our friends will be there.

If Canada has a debt problem, most of the rest of the G7 and OECD countries face a worse debt crisis. That’s why central banks are maintaining low, stimulating interest rates and raising them very slowly without slowing the economy. Long term debt is a problem worldwide unless countries eventually reduce it. Some seek to grow their way out of debt (lowering debt to GDP). The US is growing and raising debt at the same time.

Part of the reason Canada is a very peaceful society is that there’s less economic polarization.

Yeah not happening...

I’m a middle aged Canadian with post grad degrees. I have worked in Russia and studied in England where I also have citizenship. You are clearly writing through a certain American lens for a certain American audience. Your views carry little water in Canada. It doesn’t matter. The older cynic is replaced by the younger builder of the coming society.

And yet Canadians’ contributions in Afghanistan were substantial, the third largest. Canada remains one of the best countries in which to live and work. I don’t buy for a second that you’re Canadian given your damaging hopes and remarks. Nice try though.

Again, tell that to the remote locations with federal infrastructure and services. Wide swaths of the country would struggle without a federal government. In any event, Canadians are proud of their country and don’t seek to dismantle the federation.

Well I’m not military but I have some high level contacts who have described some of the challenges equipping the forces given competing public interests. Canada is often forced to compromise and focus on fewer types of hardware. It’s been the ongoing saga with heavy lift, fighters, used submarines...There were some successes with some of the LAV’s, city class frigates, and so forth, but Canada’s role is never in isolation but as part of a multi-national force in NATO. Canada draws ire from enemies of the US for being a member of NATO, which we fully accept. We also recognize the value of the defence NATO provides for Canada and have no illusions about who is the dominant power in NATO. Having said that, I don’t think Canada’s central role in NATO is combat, though we can and should be able to engage in it. Canada is seen as an honest broker, a kind of liaison between the US and Europe, and in some ways, between the US and the world. Trudeau actually helped explain Trump to European leaders. In NATO operations, Canada is good at building relationships with locals, keeping the peace, and rebuilding institutions. I believe that it helps the US to have the maple leaf in the field. It’s as much about diplomacy as blowing up shit, which no doubt the US can do better than any other NATO country. I think it’s a big mistake to cut funding to the military and lose more capabilities. We lost the Airborne, much of the old Marines, and our Air Force is small. We need more, not less.

Our foreign policies are very aligned. If Canada was where Australia is, it would probably be Australia. The concern always for Canadians with further integration with the US is that Canadian priorities are drowned out or overwhelmed. I can only imagine the fates of lone provinces.

Doubtful

Okay that’s too much. To what end? To watch Moscow and St. Petersburg get wiped off the face of the Earth? Get real.