How alike are Canadians and Americans

[leonardcohen]

Why we Canadians seem to need to differentiate ourselves from Americans? It seems we are more alike then we care to admit. I personally find negative knee jerk reactions to anything American to be indicative of a less then healthy obsession with the U.S.. Are we afraid of being assimilated by their culture?

There are aspects of American culture i find disturbing, such as their obsession with guns, the KKK and neo-nazis,as well as a split personality regarding porn,consider that the right wing has control of the government,yet America has the largest porn industry in the world,how is that anyway?

I guess i'm saying that despite our differences,there is no country in the world that i would rather have my back then The United States of America.

Just as an aside,how Anti-American would we be if George Bush wasn't in the White House?

http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.c...s=M1ARTM0012831

[mcqueen625]

Why we Canadians seem to need to differentiate ourselves from Americans? It seems we are more alike then we care to admit. I personally find negative knee jerk reactions to anything American to be indicative of a less then healthy obsession with the U.S.. Are we afraid of being assimilated by their culture?

There are aspects of American culture i find disturbing, such as their obsession with guns, the KKK and neo-nazis,as well as a split personality regarding porn,consider that the right wing has control of the government,yet America has the largest porn industry in the world,how is that anyway?

I guess i'm saying that despite our differences,there is no country in the world that i would rather have my back then The United States of America.

Just as an aside,how Anti-American would we be if George Bush wasn't in the White House?

http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.c...s=M1ARTM0012831

I believe that we are more alike than some segments of our population would have us believe, especially those who would have us align ourselves with the likes of socialist France and lets not forget China, who has one of the most horrendous human rights records in the world. The top of the list of this anti-American paranoia are the members of the Liberal, NDP and Bloc who see themselves as somehow better than our neighbours to the south. I'm with you, I am very happy to the United States of America having our backs, because if we ever have either the NDP governoring this country we may as well put up our hands and capitulate to whomever wants to take over Canada because this party and especially their leaders are naive enough to believe that if we kiss enough ass for our ememies all will be well. My but isn't that the same tactic used by France and the rest of Europe leading up to WW II? They sat back and did nothing until the Nazi's came for them and it took Brittain, Canada and the U.S. to pull Europe's ass out of the fire. As for the Liberals they did their damnest to dismantle our armed forces, and almost succeeded. As it is the armed services of Canada has parties like the NDP, Liberals and the Bloc, thinking that our troops are peacekeepers, when in fact these brave men and women were trained first and foremost to be soldiers trained to kill their enemies, and that peacekeeping is but a small part of what they do. These parties are naive enough to think that these troops can perform only as peacekeepers, but unfortunately, like police officers sometimes it requires that they draw their weapons and kill people.

[jbg]

Why we Canadians seem to need to differentiate ourselves from Americans? It seems we are more alike then we care to admit. I personally find negative knee jerk reactions to anything American to be indicative of a less then healthy obsession with the U.S.. Are we afraid of being assimilated by their culture?

My rather strong views on the subject are posted elsewhere. You can use the snapback feature to review the post and following thread. However, the "Readers Digest" version is that the ties among the core Anglosphere countries are closer than blood, and the resemblences far more striking than the differences.

My view, which should surprise no one, is that Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Israel should be closely aligned. The world today is being shaped into two conflicting civilizations. This has been happening minimally for decades, but more probably for centuries, and has now become most evident since September 11, 2001. One civilization, led by Judeo-Christian ethics, values life. Individual rights and freedoms, equality of the sexes, and peace amongst nations are pillars upon which this half of the world stands.

*snip*

I have often wondered why many Canadians lack the self-confidence in its own democratic values to stand up for them. A review of these threads reveals almost a self-hatred, though, through the aegis of anti-American sentiment, particularly on such issues as Iraq and the Middle East. It is time for Canada to stand up for its own, core values.

There are aspects of American culture i find disturbing, such as their obsession with guns, the KKK and neo-nazis,as well as a split personality regarding porn,consider that the right wing has control of the government,yet America has the largest porn industry in the world,how is that anyway?

The same parts of the US are obsessed with guns as the corresponding parts of Canada, i.e. the interior Rocky Mountain region of both countries. Our government is not by any means in control of the "right wing". To have effective control, "right wingers" would need 60 Senate seats, something that has never come close to happening and never will. As far as porn, ever been to Yonge Street?

I guess i'm saying that despite our differences,there is no country in the world that i would rather have my back then The United States of America.

Unquestionably having a similar and peaceful neighbor gives considerable latitude to have expansive and expensive social programs that would be unaffordable if you needed truly defensive military capability.

Just as an aside,how Anti-American would we be if George Bush wasn't in the White House?

http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.c...s=M1ARTM0012831

The Toronto family I stayed with in April 1973 for a weekend filled me in on the background and extent of Canadian anti-Americanism. Bush was not President then; he was in the reserves.

[jbg]

Received via e-mail from a Canadian friend:

Whilst strolling on the trail today I started to wonder what would happen if the U.S.A invaded Canada for our oil, water, and natural resources.

Well obviously the U.S.A militarily could take us in fifteen minutes.

Aah but what about afterwards. We have our secret weapons ya know.

1. Canadian beer. Every American whose lips ever touched Canadian beer became disgusted with the U.S product and would probably commit treason to get his hands on Canadian beer.

Canadian beer is real beer. Not chilled horse piss.

2. Pamela Anderson. We could parachute this Canajun porn/TV/etc., into one of your Army camps and when she left there would be 1000 dry husks of what were once proud men lying withered on the floor.

3. The clincher! We could capture some of your officers and subject them to Celine Dion songs for 24/7. After that they would do anything for us.

Yeah, you better leave us alone dammit!

Have a great day :-)

[guyser]

1. Canadian beer. Every American whose lips ever touched Canadian beer became disgusted with the U.S product and would probably commit treason to get his hands on Canadian beer.

Canadian beer is real beer. Not chilled horse piss.

2. Pamela Anderson. We could parachute this Canajun porn/TV/etc., into one of your Army camps and when she left there would be 1000 dry husks of what were once proud men lying withered on the floor.

3. The clincher! We could capture some of your officers and subject them to Celine Dion songs for 24/7. After that they would do anything for us.

Yeah, you better leave us alone dammit!

Have a great day :-)

I like it !

Celine and Pamela are enough to keep anyone away, and honestly, can't you just make them citizens of the US...pleeeeeeease ?

They pay a lot of taxes.

But the beer thing is a misnomer. Anyone that knows beer knows great beer can be had in any province or state. Its just those national brands we think about. Coors sucks here and there, as does Blue, Pabst, Canadian, Schlitz......

[leonardcohen]

There is always going to be a segment of Canadian society who do not like Americans and never will, no matter what they say or do. My question is are they a just a vocal minority or are Canadians as a society are a whining bunch of lefties who see America as a convenient whipping boy for our problems?

[jbg]

There is always going to be a segment of Canadian society who do not like Americans and never will, no matter what they say or do. My question is are they a just a vocal minority or are Canadians as a society are a whining bunch of lefties who see America as a convenient whipping boy for our problems?

I think it's more that the raison d' etre of Canada was to be "not United States". Canada and the US became friendly through the inevitable "border bleed" when both sides of the border speak the same language and have similar cultures. Still, Canada's origins and history decree a certain degree of separation, similar to friendly neighbors talking over the fence in the back rather than hopping the fence.

[leonardcohen]

There is always going to be a segment of Canadian society who do not like Americans and never will, no matter what they say or do. My question is are they a just a vocal minority or are Canadians as a society are a whining bunch of lefties who see America as a convenient whipping boy for our problems?

I think it's more that the raison d' etre of Canada was to be "not United States". Canada and the US became friendly through the inevitable "border bleed" when both sides of the border speak the same language and have similar cultures. Still, Canada's origins and history decree a certain degree of separation, similar to friendly neighbors talking over the fence in the back rather than hopping the fence.

I like to think that we as neighbors can overcome the the rhetoric that spews from the political level,from both the local and federal level on both sides of the border.

We may need to keep distance,as good neighbors do, because our interests are not always going to coincide, but in general the ties that bind us are stronger than the ones that seperate us.IMHO

[Remiel]

If Iraq has taught us anything, it's that overwhelming military superiority doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot when people are willing to fight.

Besides, if the U.S. were to actually invade Canada, does -anyone- think the rest of the world is just going to sit around and do nothing while there best excuse ever to destroy the U.S. is offered to them on a silver platter?

The bigger issue is that in that situation, we would be in nothing less than a World War. If the U.S. was that desperate, then so too would other countries.

Besides, it is a lot easier to poison water than it is to poison oil.

[Michael Hardner]

As far as porn, ever been to Yonge Street?

jbg, have YOU been to Yonge Street since 1973 ? It's all shopping now - HMV, The Eaton Centre, and so on. The massage parlors disappeared in the 1980s, and there are but two strip joints left...

[leonardcohen]

The idea that U.S. would ever invade Canada is beyond preposterous.The only reason that they would ever invade would be for our natural resources. In order for that to happen,the rest of the world would have run out of fuel or whatever natural resource and Canada would refuse to sell to them or charge exorbinant prices or perhaps Canada might use it as bargaining tool to get what we want. I realize for this to happen the government needs to grow some mighty big balls. All the more unlikely this might happen

[jbg]

We may need to keep distance,as good neighbors do, because our interests are not always going to coincide, but in general the ties that bind us are stronger than the ones that seperate us.IMHO

This is true. The US and Britain fought two wars (the reason Canada has for being remember). Also remember that the US came to Britain's aid, with blood, sweat and tears, not once but twice in the World Wars.

The bigger issue is that in that situation, we would be in nothing less than a World War. If the U.S. was that desperate, then so too would other countries.

What a hoot. France barely survived WW I even with Britain's help and Canada's heroism at Vimy Ridge. It re-emerged from captivity only by dint of the US and UK. And countries of that ilk are going to go to war against the US over Canada? Dream on.

LeonardCohen, above, has it right.

[jbg]

jbg, have YOU been to Yonge Street since 1973 ? It's all shopping now - HMV, The Eaton Centre, and so on. The massage parlors disappeared in the 1980s, and there are but two strip joints left...

I was there in 1997. It still looked pretty decrepit.

[Remiel]

You can keep going on with your crap about the U.S. being the great saviour of Britain and Europe, but they came late, both times. The U.S. has -never- come through for the rest of the world when it counted the most. Think about, jbg, how many of the Jewish people could of been saved if the U.S. had entered the war in 1939? How many Poles? How many Serbs? How many Sinti and Roma? Its so ironic that the US listened and believed every word that Bush Jr. said about Iraq, barely a threat, yet when Roosevelt wanted to go to war against a real threat in 1939, no one else had the stomach for it.

[leonardcohen]

You can keep going on with your crap about the U.S. being the great saviour of Britain and Europe, but they came late, both times. The U.S. has -never- come through for the rest of the world when it counted the most. Think about, jbg, how many of the Jewish people could of been saved if the U.S. had entered the war in 1939? How many Poles? How many Serbs? How many Sinti and Roma? Its so ironic that the US listened and believed every word that Bush Jr. said about Iraq, barely a threat, yet when Roosevelt wanted to go to war against a real threat in 1939, no one else had the stomach for it.

The same could of being said of Great Britain before Churchill became Prime Minister. The British people had little appetite for war with Neville Chamberlain as leader who through blindness or stupidity didn't think

Hitler was a threat.

Pacifism,if it was allowed to sweep thru the British Isles would have doomed Europe and changed the course of history in the rest of the world,because Britain was the lynchpin of Europe,the only power that had the will

and the means to defeat Hitler.

The U.S.,if it had remained pacifist and managed to avoid war would at best remained an isolated democracy and at worst a target for a victorious Hitler. I shudder to think what would have happened to all those people you mentioned if Hitler had remained in power even for another year or 2 or 5. Those who couldn't escape,most likely would have being totally wiped out.

The question i have is should a leader involve his people in a war they don't want any part of because he can see and appreciate the long term ramifications for his country if they don't? Great leaders are able to communicate their visions to their people,if they don't,theirs is a divided people.

[Higgly]

edit to null.

[leonardcohen]

edit to null.

Say What?

[jbg]

You can keep going on with your crap about the U.S. being the great saviour of Britain and Europe, but they came late, both times. The U.S. has -never- come through for the rest of the world when it counted the most. Think about, jbg, how many of the Jewish people could of been saved if the U.S. had entered the war in 1939? How many Poles? How many Serbs? How many Sinti and Roma? Its so ironic that the US listened and believed every word that Bush Jr. said about Iraq, barely a threat, yet when Roosevelt wanted to go to war against a real threat in 1939, no one else had the stomach for it.

What if we didn't come at all? Were we under any treaty obligation to jump in? We entered because, in the case of WW I it was the right thing to do. In the case of WW II it was a combination of being invaded, and joining the war being the right course of action.

The US wasn't combat-ready in 1939 and even after the Declaration of War in December 1941 took some time to retool productive capacity for defense.

Also, isn't it true that Canada exited right after V-E day, and didn't help with the occupation or the fight in the Pacific Theatre?

What about that?

[jdobbin]

The US wasn't combat-ready in 1939 and even after the Declaration of War in December 1941 took some time to retool productive capacity for defense.

Also, isn't it true that Canada exited right after V-E day, and didn't help with the occupation or the fight in the Pacific Theatre?

What about that?

Where did you hear Canada exited Europe? I thought you knew about Canada. Canada was still in country until 1946. In 1948, when Communists crushed dissent in Czechoslovakia, Canada was at the fore with the formation of NATO. The build up started immediately and Canadian forces were deployed to Germany by 1951. It was a year later because Canadian forces were also being deployed to Korea.

It should be noted that many Americans believed the U.S. would be out of Europe by 1948.

Canada was also in the Pacific Theatre. We were actually fighting before Pearl Harbor was attacked. The last Canadian to win a Victoria Cross died on the same day the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

It is all rather insulting considering Canadians were dying in the Pacific Theatre right up to Armistice. The Canadian Sixth Division was just preparing to ship out for an attack on the main island of Japan.

[bush_cheney2004]

You can keep going on with your crap about the U.S. being the great saviour of Britain and Europe, but they came late, both times. The U.S. has -never- come through for the rest of the world when it counted the most. Think about, jbg, how many of the Jewish people could of been saved if the U.S. had entered the war in 1939? How many Poles? How many Serbs? How many Sinti and Roma? Its so ironic that the US listened and believed every word that Bush Jr. said about Iraq, barely a threat, yet when Roosevelt wanted to go to war against a real threat in 1939, no one else had the stomach for it.

Well hell, Canada and Mac King didn't do the Jews any favors in 1939 either. The SS St. Louis was rejected admittance to Canada and the USA.

Further Canadian opposition to aiding the St. Louis came from Fred Blair, King’s deputy minister of immigration, whose remark about Jewish refugees, “None is too many,” became notorious. At the recent apology ceremony in Ottawa, Baptist minister Doug Blair apologized for his great-uncle.

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/or...tion/page3.html

[tml12]

Canada and the U.S. are almost exactly alike, save Quebec.

[BubberMiley]

Canada and the U.S. are almost exactly alike, save Quebec.

Funny how only Quebeckers ever say that. Out west, we think Quebec and Ontario are much the same, only they speak different languages.

[leonardcohen]

Canada and the U.S. are almost exactly alike, save Quebec.

Funny how only Quebeckers ever say that. Out west, we think Quebec and Ontario are much the same, only they speak different languages.

Then i should be thankful that Quebec is the only reason that that The U.S. hasn't taken over Canada,even they don't want to deal with The Seperatists

[Catchme]

... how many of the Jewish people could of been saved if the U.S. had entered the war in 1939? How many Poles? How many Serbs? How many Sinti and Roma? Its so ironic that the US listened and believed every word that Bush Jr. said about Iraq, barely a threat, yet when Roosevelt wanted to go to war against a real threat in 1939, no one else had the stomach for it.

Just think of how many would not have died, had Prescott Bush not financed Germany back to a armed power in double quick time?

Why didn't they have the stomach for? What propaganda was around at that time telling them differently?

[tml12]

Canada and the U.S. are almost exactly alike, save Quebec.

Funny how only Quebeckers ever say that. Out west, we think Quebec and Ontario are much the same, only they speak different languages.

Then i should be thankful that Quebec is the only reason that that The U.S. hasn't taken over Canada,even they don't want to deal with The Seperatists

Canada has more use for the U.S. than the other way around. The U.S. can live without Canada, but Canada sends almost 90% of its exports to the U.S., relies on the U.S. to pay for its defense and defend its borders, and needs the U.S. for tourism as well as to compare its image to the U.S.

A North American Union would probably be beneficial to Canada and I think we will see it within the next 100 years.