What are the important cultural differences between Canada and the US?

[cybercoma]

One more thing that makes Canada better, not many Americans.

It's a joke people.

You've obviously never been to downtown Windsor on a Friday or Saturday night during the summer. There's a reason some people refer to it as the Tijuana of the North.

[Missing Canada]

As a Canadian who has lived in the states for the last 13 years, I have noted many differences, and this post will only deal with my personal observations and experiences. This is choppy in an attempt to be brief. These events will sound negative, because in my mind they are. I feel these anecdotes shed light on the cultural differences.

Religion:

I have had Americans attempt to enlist myself and my family into their churches, somewhat aggressively and sometimes in an underhanded and sneaky way, like preaching to my young children when I am not around. . I never experienced this in Canada and this made me quite uncomfortable. Americans mention God and being blessed a lot, even in business settings, which I find completely inappropriate. They talk about church routinely. The Canadians I know tend to be more private about their faith or lack thereof and more respectful of diverse religious views. Some Americans love to tell you how Christian they are. They use bumper-stickers on their cars to advertise their religious and political beliefs. A group of students left my son's science class when evolution was being taught. A few neighbours said the Harry Potter books were evil ( but gave their son weapons as gifts). Because I am white, people here assume I am Christian without asking. I am agnostic, BTW. People have posted on FB that Obama should be a Christian. People have made comments that only Christians should be allowed to be president. Conclusion: The Americans i have encountered are more vocal about religion, and less respecting of divergent religious views.

Race Relations:

After 9/11, parents removed their children from the art program at the local public school, simply because a unit on Muslim art was being taught as part of an international art program. A neighbour, who has her children taught in a religious school, walked around our town during a parade with a "No Islam in Our Schools" sign. I attended school in Ottawa, and was lucky enough to develop strong friendships with Muslim kids. In university, I roomed with a Jewish girl and a Hindu girl. The area in which I currently live is overwhelmingly white. I have heard many racist comments here, even from a preschool teacher! I thought my neighbour was going to have a heart attack when I asked an African American man in Detroit for directions. The look of fear on her face was incredible. There are no blended neighbourhoods where I live. The real estate agent mentioned that as a plus when we were looking for homes. Yes, that shocked me! I love Toronto for its diversity! Yes, racism does exist in Canada, but I have witnessed so much more of it in the States. Conclusion: In my experience, Canadians respect cultural differences better than Americans.

Environment:

Neighbours here are finally catching on to recycling, whereas Canadian communities have been doing it for years. The schools here don't recycle much at all. We live off a dirt road and people dump tires, couches, mattresses, large furniture items, and even dogs along the road. You have to pay directly for waste pick up here, so people find it cheaper to dump. I didn't live off a dirt road in Canada, so i am not sure if dumping is a problem there. We have neighbours who laugh at the concept of global warming. It is a liberal conspiracy to them. Neighbours idle their cars for long times in winter, and school busses idle for over half an hour with students on board. Hunters leave empty liquor bottles, trash, and carcasses on the side of the road. Highways are heavily littered here compared to Canada. Conclusion: My Canadian friends and family are much more motivated to act to protect the environment.

Violence and Safety:

At a gathering of 15 neighbouhood women, almost all knew a murder victim. One had two murders in her extended family, one knew a high-school student who was raped and murdered, another knew of a home invasion and attempted murder.... I only have 1 Cdn friend who knew a murder victim. We back onto forrest. Another body was discovered a few miles from my house last week. One was discovered a half mile away last year. Both those were suicides with firearms. Bodies have turned up in lakes near my house, and this is considered a safe area. And our town is tiny! A teenage boy drove his car into a tree to kill himself a mile down the road a few years ago. Police officers have been shot in our town. There have been murder suicides with a few miles of my house... Many neighbours own guns. A friend of a friend lost a child to gun play. I do not recall this level of violence while I lived in Canada. Conclusion: In my experience, Canadians are less violent.

Health care:

I have had good and terrible health care here. Generally good, though. My health care experiences in Canada have also been good. My mother, who recently had heart surgery, can no longer visit me in the states because she cannot afford the cost of temporary health insurance to cover American procedures if something goes wrong. The rates are so much higher here. I have seen many jars in stores for collecting for those who need medical attention here. A woman down the street has had health issues to the point that her husband will have to retire 5 years later than planned to cover her insurance costs. Another neighbour's relative has been forced to sell his cottage to cover health care costs in his retirement years. I have never heard of Canadians having to change their financial future because of overwhelming health care costs. One of my coworkers has had a heart defect since she was a baby and now she is having a terrible time obtaining health insurance. Conclusion: Perhaps Americans are less generous when dealing with the needy, in a health care sense.

Other minor observations include: Americans don't return their shopping carts to the pen as often as Canadians do.

Canadians i have encountered in service industries tend to be friendlier than their american counterparts. Canadians i know tend to have greater knowledge about other countries. Americans I know tend to have odd ideas about other countries, such as assuming Germany is dangerous, or Canada is cold in the summer... American women tend to wear more make up. Many Americans are vocally patriotic and shocked to hear that I would rather live in Canada.

Okay, so why do I still stay here? The husband.... He likes his salary too much. I would move back to Canada in a heartbeat. I plan on retiring there!

[Michael Hardner]

Missing Canada - Thank you for sharing your personal experiences here. Do you think you might have experienced some of the same things moving from one area of Canada to another ?

I see north North America more as a patchwork of different nations - each with their own character and factions.

[Guest American Woman]

Missing Canada -

I have to wonder where in the world you live. I also have to marvel at the fact that in all of Canada, with all it's goodness, you either married an American - or married a Canadian who prefers the U.S. for the Almighty Dollar. What does that say?

[waldo]

Missing Canada -

I have to wonder where in the world you live. I also have to marvel at the fact that in all of Canada, with all it's goodness, you either married an American - or married a Canadian who prefers the U.S. for the Almighty Dollar. What does that say?

what it doesn't say is that you can discount the members anecdotes and drawn conclusions.

[bleeding heart]

But the remark wasn't made "on its own," but in reference to the article cited. Capice? But in light of your comments, are you recognizing that the U.S. has no such need to continuously, singularly compare itself to, and cut down, one nation, such as Canada?

Am I "recognizing" it?

I stated exactly that, already. Explicitly.

????

[bleeding heart]

This is still true.

If someone wants to move the goalposts for some undefined and pointless endeavour, go right ahead.

Bleeding heart, you were right to begin with.

That statement above was not in relation to the article, it got linked in an effort to prove something that was not discussed.

I will say it ....Americans compare themselves to others all the time. Not a surprise really.Or shouldnt be anyway.

Europeans do it too. Canucks ..yup. Aussies do it with Kiwis the same and vice versa.

And it is no secret when NZ'ers talk to other people around the world, they compare or use the Aussie experience as a baseline to achieve an understanding since more people are familiar with Aus than with NZ.

Like I said, Canadians dont use typically use an american reference when talking to fellow CDN's.

Just so.

And I've stated before that I do find some comparisons, whether outright or implied, as silly and irritating. "Americans are fat." Yeah, well, so, join the club! "Americans are arrogant." Fine...so is an annoying though well-loved friend of mine.

All quite beside my point, which was an uncontroversial and non-offensive truism.

[guyser]

Missing Canada -

I have to wonder where in the world you live. I also have to marvel at the fact that in all of Canada, with all it's goodness, you either married an American - or married a Canadian who prefers the U.S. for the Almighty Dollar. What does that say?

Could be almost anywhere from what i am told. Probably the south is my guess.

Well it says nothing because we cant presume to know why he and the poster are there,maybe transferred by his company and they pay him a lot of money?

Missing Canada, the church thing seems pretty common as I am told by many the same thing, Some neighbours will shun (politely) when you dont join their church. The constant religion angle, while it appears true, we have some who think its not the norm, but in many pockets...and states , it surely is.Apparently, the US as a whole is very non religious....cough cough.

As for the Muslim thing and walking out, I dont think anyone has the handle on xenophobia, it surely can happen here

Our rural roads can be refuse dumps as I well know. It is an absolute outrage that people think they can dump it, but no one has the corner on that market no matter the side of border you are on.

If some are shocked the hear youd rather live in Canada, well....that is being kind of rude if put that way to them. Nothing wrong with wanting to, but polite terms, along the lines of I love X very much, but family and familiarity will bring me home in due course.

[guyser]

Am I "recognizing" it?

I stated exactly that, already. Explicitly.

????

You may have, but another poster linked up the comparison for some convenience.

Your statement was true, the reply was an attempt to turn it around . You should have seen through it.

[Guest American Woman]

Could be almost anywhere from what i am told.

I have to wonder who in the world you've been talking to.

Edited July 17, 2013 by American Woman

[guyser]

I have to wonder who in the world you've been talking to.

People who lived and worked in the States, including but not limited to Americans.

Places like NY, CHi,Boston (although many pockets are ...dang Irish )LA are not.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Guyser2

[Guest American Woman]

People who lived and worked in the States, including but not limited to Americans.

Uh huh. And Rick Mercer's talked to Americans, too.

[bleeding heart]

You may have, but another poster linked up the comparison for some convenience.

Your statement was true, the reply was an attempt to turn it around . You should have seen through it.

Shoulda, but didna.

[guyser]

Uh huh. And Rick Mercer's talked to Americans, too.

Whatever relevance (meaning none at all) that has .

[Guest American Woman]

Whatever relevance (meaning none at all) that has .

Good. Then perhaps you're getting it.

[guyser]

Good. Then perhaps you're getting it.

Get what? There is nothing to get.

What they said was the truth.

Is there some issue with it?

Edited July 17, 2013 by Guyser2

[bush_cheney2004]

Another important "cultural difference".....

Police say the driver they pulled over on a Twin Cities interstate readily admitted that he was going 100. However, he blamed it on being Canadian.

Dalmar A. Ali, 22, of Toronto, was ticketed for speeding on southbound Interstate 35W near 66th Street in Richfield on a dark and rainy July 12 night.

The officer said Ali was caught on radar going 100 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone, “passing and catching other traffic and merging from the left to the right and then back,” court records show. There were six passengers with him.

http://www.startribune.com/police-driver-blames-ticket-for-going-100-on-his-being-canadian/388059752/

[Guest]

Another important "cultural difference".....

Police say the driver they pulled over on a Twin Cities interstate readily admitted that he was going 100. However, he blamed it on being Canadian.

Dalmar A. Ali, 22, of Toronto, was ticketed for speeding on southbound Interstate 35W near 66th Street in Richfield on a dark and rainy July 12 night.

The officer said Ali was caught on radar going 100 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone, “passing and catching other traffic and merging from the left to the right and then back,” court records show. There were six passengers with him.

http://www.startribune.com/police-driver-blames-ticket-for-going-100-on-his-being-canadian/388059752/

It's the metric system...

[taxme]

Some I can think of:

Canada, English-French.

US, English-Spanish.

Canada, monarch, parliament

US, President, republic.

Canada prefers multilateral international relations.

The US tends to prefer bilateral relations.

Canada, culture tends to be defined by governement (e.g. CBC-SRC, culture and arts funding, Official Languages Act, etc.)

US, culture is defined mainly by the individual.

There wasn't any at one time. We all came and basically had the same culture. But Canadian and American culture is starting to change and starting to reflect the rest of the world's cultures thanks to multiculturalism. North American culture looks like it is on it's way out. Not good for North America.

[cybercoma]

There wasn't any at one time. We all came and basically had the same culture.

This is so completely wrong that I have to wonder if you know anything at all about the history of North America.

[taxme]

This is so completely wrong that I have to wonder if you know anything at all about the history of North America.

Just go back a couple of hundred years ago when North America was founded and was then being created as two new countries. All the politicians in those pictures from that time were all white. At the time we all did come from the same mother Britain and Europe. Today, that is different now. Most of our new immigrants, approx. 85 - 90 %, are coming from the non-white world. And history can only tell me that this is not a good thing for white North America. Multiculturalism(white genocide)will make sure that this does happen. White people are on a racial suicide course if they don't wake up soon. I know some things about history. But on the other hand I guess that you must think that you are the expert on the history of North America by the looks of things. Well, I don't think so. But hey.

[?Impact]

Just go back a couple of hundred years ago when North America was founded and was then being created as two new countries. All the politicians in those pictures from that time were all white.

Go back a further three hundred years and none of the leaders were white.

[taxme]

Go back a further three hundred years and none of the leaders were white.

And thanks to multiculturalism and the massive third world immigration invasion that is going on right now there may not be any whites left around to become a politician in North America by the end of the century. By the end of this century all the politicians in North America will probably be all non-white. They are predicting that the white people by 2050 will become a minority. Another fifth years and we could disappear altogether. Canada cannot keep bringing in 80 to 85% of it's new immigrants from the third world and think that the white people are going to survive as a race. Our politicians are on a course of racial suicide if they don't soon change this disaster of an immigration policy that we have right now, and start bringing in more people from our own race from other Caucasian countries as it use to be before father Trudeau changed all of that and which his boy son will continue to carry on. But hey, if you want to call me a racist well go for it but it is your children and grandchildren that will pay the price for your being oh so politically correct and ignoring what will eventually happen. It may be a taboo and sacred cow non-topic to some here but it is not to me.

[dialamah]

And thanks to multiculturalism and the massive third world immigration invasion that is going on right now there may not be any whites left around to become a politician in North America by the end of the century. By the end of this century all the politicians in North America will probably be all non-white. They are predicting that the white people by 2050 will become a minority. Another fifth years and we could disappear altogether.

I fail to see why that would be a problem. Perhaps no whites in the world, anywhere, would mean a better world? Maybe it would be less warlike, more just, smarter, more ethical? Maybe whites are the reason why the world is such a terrible place for so very many other people, and animals. Maybe white people are the true spawn of the devil, and we're the the ones who need to be cleansed from the earth. I mean, you never know right? Could be us that's the problem.

[JamesHackerMP]

Taxme: my answer would be: so what?