Shraytus

I bet that's what Karl Marx, Lenin, Stalin and Castro were thinking too.

I don't want to sound arrogant, honestly. But this is happening again, let's drop the country against country act and focus on the topic that we were given. If a guest from a non North-American country came on this forum and saw the question that was posted here and then saw our responses to it - I'd think that they'd be disgusted that the citizens of the two countries with the largest undefended border and the countries that rely most on each other are arguing over our respective opinions on what it means to be from our respective countries. These debates are what forums like "Mapleleafweb" are made for, yes, but the discussion going on currently isn't directly related to the original question, who's PM's were blocked or ignored has no bearing on Canadian pride.

I retracted what I said about the USA, and made MY opinion on what I BELIEVE it is to be Canadian, and now there's Americans telling us not only what it means to BE AMERICAN, but that my opinion is wrong, when I just did what they told me to. Can we just make another topic so we can beef at each other, and keep already-made topics what they are?

You're right, eh. That's right --- i went there. I said the world's biggest stereotype about Canadians. But seriously, Lily bud, you are right.

I just said that so I wont be labelled as anti-American (which i"m not obviously) my comment before that one demonstrates what I feel about being Canadian. Just So you know that I'm a Canadian patriot.

Like I said, I'm not labelling all the US residents, there's hundreds of millions of Americans like Condoleeze Rice and Colin Powell and Martin Luther King jr and Barack Obama and countless others, who will serve the planet great, and represent perfectly the creedo that the USA was founded upon. The very slim minority however, that refuses to accept others' ways of life, like gays for example or Muslims or Jews or whomever, those sometimes tend to be the individuals that speak the loudest and make the greatest impression on foreigners, which is very unfortunate.

Despite the facts, I must agree with the Yankees on this page. It's not a forum regarding what it means not to be American, it's what it means to be Canadian. Sure, when it comes to comparing us to another individual from another country, it must be to our largest trading partner and only territorial neighbour. But, the point is that I retract my statements for another subject regarding the differences between our countries, not what it means to be from Canada itself. Being Canadians means being from a country that made hockey, Tim Horton's, basketball and the G-suit. Being from a country where you can learn about most cultures from walking down the street, a multicultural and tolerant nation to everyone (despite several black spots of our past). The maple leaf is used by many non-Canadians travelling abroad in hope that they get the same respect that we do. Second largest landmass on the planet, largest coastline, and the best health care in North America PERIOD

The two modern-day economic depressions/recessions (1930s, and the 2000s) were caused directly by the USA, they're 11 trillion dollars in debt.

It's no secret that the industrialized nations of NATO, and the Anglosphere to be specific, spy on each others' citizens, with their permission of all things. The UK, for example, with biometric ID cards, detention without trial, and 4.2 million cameras, is Big Brother watching you? Do you think he should be watching us? Or do you think this is a gross invasion of our constitutional rights and privacy? Will the 21st century result in 1984?

If you're implying this, no I'm not a member of the nationalist white supremacist party of Canada, I'm not a member of any political party. I'm saying, however, that if people are forced to vote that it's A) a breach of freedom and if they aren't voting in the first place when they don't have to, they certainly wont vote with respect when they're *forced* to. If they wish to vote, let them educate themselves so they can make an informed decision, not jeopardize the country's freedom and its political well being.

Vancouver for example, is largely composed of 29% Chinese, 6% South Asian. It supports, also a "rich-range of multicultural media," including three Chinese-language dailies (Ming Pao, Sing Tao Daily and World Journal." "Daily broadcasts are made in Cantonese, Mandarin, Punjabi, Korean and Tagalong. It's also home to BC's longest running Ukrainian radio program, Nash Holos." There's as many Buddhists as Protestants and Catholics. In all of Vancouver, 47% of the population is of a visible minority group. To learn about other cultures and languages, take a quick trip to the Punjabi Market, Little Italy (common in the northern USA also), Greektown or Japantown. Vancouver constitutes the largest native community in the province of BC, and it hold's one of the countries largest gay communities. That's the very definition of multiculturalism. Compare that to the southern USA where, the majority, not all, it would be quite difficult to be homosexual, for example, with ministers like Fred Phelps Sr, or rednecks riding around in cars labelled "Fagbug," or teenagers with signs saying "God hates fags!" or "fag=anal=sex=DEATH." and NO, i am not labelling the USA as all of these people, absolutely not. I'm simply saying that in my experience, Canada, on average, has a great wider variety of culture, languages and religion, and is more accepting of people with different ways of life, compared to numerous locales in the USA.

Discrimination is nothing new to humankind, and in this modern era, it's common for less educated individuals to label the entire Muslim population as .... well you know how they're labelled. So, as intelligence scholars here, let's hear your opinion, some practical experience, like meetings and travel to the Arab world would be appreciated as well.

I absolutely agree, New York is amongst the best locales to discover the many cultures in North America. My point however, is the South States, their past excluded, as, in my experience of Las Vegas and Dallas, the only other culture, probably, you'd have a chance of witnessing is Latin American, and few others as in the northern USA and all of Canada.

Well said, and this was the entire goal of Trudeau's law on multiculturalism. It's amazing that you can learn about almost every global culture by walking down the street in Ottawa, Toronto or Vancouver to name a very few. No disrespect intended, but I find such a phenomenon difficult in most southern US cities, hopefully that's changing however.

"Obviously.....as far more Americans died in total. Canada did not play a major role in the Pacific at all. Americans note the fickleness of Canadians wishing us to join their wars in a hurry, even when they have not been attacked." - bush_cheney2004 (sorry for this format, I was just getting the quotation fundamentals worked out) I respect and enjoy debating your point bush_cheney2004, while I disagree with it. I would, however along with the other Canadians on this forum, appreciate it if you refrain from insulting the quality of our soldiers, especially those dead from past conflicts. And had the Nazi Germans and the Japanese not attacked your vessels and naval bases in WWI and WWII respectively, we all know that your nation would of sat nice and tight while Canada helped decide the fate of the world. Ask an intelligent non-North American that, and you'll see what I mean, go to Vimy Ridge maybe, or Ypres, or la Somme, then come back and we'll have some more friendly debates.

I mean no disrespect to the gay community, in fact I support their rights. What I do NOT support however, is the segregation (sorry for my lack of word choice) that they receive because of their orientation. Is there a straight pride parade? exclusive straight only arts festival? no, because they'd be right-wing rednecks. What people do in their own homes, if its not against the law and no one is hurt, is their own business. The more down-to-earth gays and lesbians who keep their sex life their own private business, as it is common sense to, those are the individuals that I strongly support. When it comes to parading through the streets in a public orgy ... please, you can play on the other team, but still have some class.

If I remember history correctly - and I always do - the USA has the international reputation for entering wars when they're needed, too late and starting wars that aren't necessary, too early. WWI, they entered in 1917, only after two American vessels were sank, in WWII, they only entered after Pearl Harbour in 1941 (the brave American volunteers before that tragedy are obviously an exception.) The Afghanistan Invasion, yes, according to our principles is what you call a "legal war," as we all know the perks one gets from joining NATO. Iraq, however, is far from the same, and we can ask the families of US servicemen and women what they think of that illegal war and the former Bush administration. Thank God for Obama. And for the USA gaining independence more peacefully than Canada - please, get a refresher on grade three history. A needless war with tens of thousands dead and hundreds of millions of costs. We all know who has the better international reputation. Our countries need each other to live yes, but it's ignorant people like these that give foreigners reason to loathe the USA.

Absolutely, the government should intervene. Not only does it hinder the individual throughout their life, reduces said life, and as mentioned ushers forward a lifetime of mockery and ridicule, but it hinders the presentation of the country as well. Think about the stereotype that one thinks of Americans, and as with many stereotypes its exaggerated blatantly, but it's a fat redneck watching television. Not only would enforced - or for you leftists, "strongly encouraged" - physical fitness programs be beneficial to the population, but also to the country itself, as well as its presentation to the global community.

To me, being Canadian means not only coming from the country that created basketball, Tim Hortons, and the zipper, it means being from the country whose flag is worn by Americans, and the like, travelling to places of danger. A country that gained its independence through peaceful means unlike our neighbour to the south. A country that was able to take Vimy Ridge in 1917, when the British and the French failed. A country that participated in WWII not because we had to, or because we were attacked, but because it was just and right thing to do. Say the word Canada in any part of the planet, and you'll get an even better answer.

Ask the Tsar in the year 1910 if a Communist government is possible, my bet is the reply would be a steadfast no. Thinking about how far and fast humankind has advanced since the turn of the early 1900s however, the rapid extensions to the human potential need to be sheltered somehow. Our race cannot continue fighting each other, whether in the Gaza Strip, Somalia or tribal warfare, while the other side of human ingenuity is working on ways to battle cancer, build a 3km tall pyramid in Tokyo Bay, and make colonies on distant planets and moons. For the foreseeable future, however, a world government is possible, but hardly practical. Until our space exploration endeavors increase in scope and magnitude, and the world must face a necessity of one ruling body, then organizations like the European Union, the Arab League, and the Commonwealth will have to suffice. Like I said, however, looking back as to how far we've advanced the last century, anything is possible.

As Pierre Trudeau said, (to my best memory) "What people do in their own homes, if it's not against the law, and no one's getting hurt, the government as no say in it." This theory should be made a complete reality. Homosexual and lesbian individuals, in my opinion, with their own sexual orientations, and that is their business, and their business only. Love who you want to love, within reason obviously, and I believe, with no confusion in myself, that gay rights should be supported to their fullest potential. My major argument, however, is how far some of the more "flamboyant" members of the gay community take their preference to such a public level. Gay pride parades, and the likes, are, an unacceptable demonstration of sexuality which bears no significance to their current struggle against oppression. If an individual is gay, or otherwise, marry who you want, don't hide what you are, but the people around you have no business - and I'm sure frankly don't care - whether you're gay or straight or bisexual. If my neighbours are man and man, or woman and woman, and they keep their sex life - and all other aspects that that entails - in their private affairs as all others do, then you shall gain all my possible unwavering support.

Even if Americans have mid-level health insurance, chances are that the company wont pay, or if they do it'll be for only a minuscule fraction, of the total cost itself. As inefficient as the Canadian health care program may be, at times, I must be thankful that we have one at any rate. To look into the hopeful future, however, our health care is lacking in comparison to western Europe, France in particular. For being such a first rate country, I'm very thankful our health program is what it is, and what further faith I have in Harper's government will be scattered if the Conservatives commit to otherwise. That being said, there's plenty more than our health care system can bring to Canadians.

Our Western cultures are formed on the premise that all people are created equal, remain equal, and die equal. When the USA was formed in 1776, as we all know, they were content on a country synonymous with freedom for all, in it's most raw form. The reality, however, was vastly different. Discrimination ran rampant for centuries further, with Blacks only being "decreed people" thanks to great individuals like Martin Luther King Jr. and others, and women only decades before that. I mean no disrespect, by the way, for giving a history lesson. The idea of freedom is what everyone craves, but their palate itself, however, is always vastly different. I greatly dislike blaming the Islamic faith for the oppression of women in many Middle-Eastern locales, as I detest racism in any form. After travelling to the United Arab Emirates, for example, I was finally immersed into their culture, for the unfortunately-short period of my stay, and I realized the entire concept of having more than one wife, for example, was something that, for the most part, us Westerners don't understand right now, and we condemn it. That being said, the physical oppression (and otherwise) of females in many parts of the world, is despicable, and a crime against humanity and everything we've fought for in regard to true peace and freedom. It took the western world centuries to "realize" that Blacks, and then women are "people" too. How long will it take, not for their culture, but their policy for freedom, take to change in the Middle-East? And let's please remember, when someone says "Terrorism is mostly caused by Islam." Say, "No, terrorism is always caused by fanatics."

The Service, as most other Western intelligence agencies is only brought public and into the widespread media when they do something that's not ethical or such, which does happen of course, but considering the scope of their operations, fairly rare. What they do everyday, however, by ending threats to our national security and to the people themselves, that NEVER goes public. Because of this, when one hears of CSIS, their impression instantly beams to the faults of their past, not the plots that they uncover almost daily to kill innocent Canadians. As said in a recent movie, "They don't care what we do, they care what we get photographed doing."

I wouldn't be surprised if any Israeli soldiers came forward describing war crimes committed by the Israelis, they'd be called anti-semetic or a bigot or whatever is in style these days. One can speak out against Saudi Arabia, UAE, or Iran, but say one word about the Israeli conquest and you're instantly labelled as anti-Judaism and you're compared to the Nazis.