I hate Canada. Who's with me?

[Jahender]

Shania Twain, Brian Adams, shitty overpriced beer, loonies, twoonies, bitching about how the US has corrupted their country while they work in the States, watch our TV shows, visit our cities, buy our music, and generally forget that we make their cold, boring, shitty, country livable. Kilometers, the dumb way they pronounce or-gan-i-z-a-t-ion, rezour-ces,...CBC, the goddamn word "eh", curling, the way they drive the speed limit in the left friggin lane,...

------------------
The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by those who don't have it.
George Bernard Shaw

[kathmandu]

Ah, you're just jealous.

Things we Canadians hate about the U.S.: How Americans travel to our country and take advantage of our campgrounds, wilderness, and other "rezour-ces", but haul in their own gas and food and don't spend a cent here; how American tourists (in Canada and overseas) consistently complain about how much better the food, malls, stadiums, attractions, etc, etc, are so much better "back home" (so stay there, I say); megalomaniac politicians; gang warfare; crack; your stupid paper money (all of the bills look EXACTLY the same); rap music; Touched by an Angel; that Taco Bell dog; the KKK and David Duke; the NRA; Dennis Rodman....

[ruadh]

but haul in their own gas

HA! Everytime I've been at a US gas station near the border it's been full of Canadians! If you guys don't want to buy your own gas, why should we? :)

There's only one thing that truly bugs me about Canadians: the way you bitch about us usurping the term "American" but go into conniptions if anyone calls you one.

Jahender: as for the music, Canadian Top 40 is pretty vile, but no worse than its American counterpart. Having said that - you left out Anne Murray :)

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[SuperNerd]

Ohhhhhhhh. Things WE don't like about the States - you forgot Monty Python's assesment of American beer: Making love in a canoe (i.e. f**king close to water). Also, may I add the seven dozen confrontational talk shows? Metal detectors in the high schools ... I'm gonna like this thread.

-E-

[SuperNerd]

Dang. In that message 'American beer' referred to U.S. beer. A long long time ago, I accepted that American belongs to that big country just to the south of the good place to live ...

-E-

Hey, Canadians gave us hockey, one of the greatest of all sports. For that reason alone, I love those guys! :)

Adam

[BoBettie]

I hate Canada.
When my husband and I were there sightseeing in Niagra Falls, we got pulled over in customs, asked to leave the car (with my purse in it) asked for our ID's while they went through our car (there was literally nothing in it- it was new and our luggage was back at the hotel on the American side). We waited 25 minutes while the fiddle-fucked around, I started getting pissed- asking if we were being detained or what? What they hell were they looking for, for Christs sake? We were the ultimate tourists- a young couple, both wearing matching "Canada" hats (don't ask) and only bringing back postcards and a coffee mug. When we left, I gave them a big "f-you, I"m NEVER ever coming back to this shitty country". And I swear I never will. They treated me like a crimminal for NOTHING except going over and looking at the falls from their side. I understand they pull over every so many people, blah, blah, blah, but they didn't have to be such assholes about it. I went through security in the port of Miami and they weren't that rude (and they're looking for drugs, for Gods sake).
That's my rant. Thank you for your attention. :) :)
(I do love the Barenaked Ladies, though. Thanks for that, Canada!)

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An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.

[tomndebb]

Zette, which direction were you going when you got harrassed? I've had several problems re-entering the U.S., but I've only had one rude Canadian customs inspector in over 40 years of crossing the border.

Jahender: you should simply get down on your knees and thank God every night for Canada and Gordie Howe (even if you're too young to remember him).

OTOH, I think Molson's, Labatts, and Moosehead (yes, the non-export versions) are seriously overrated skunk beers. They are obviously superior to the Miller and Budweiser froths, but there are a lot of U.S. beers with more flavor but smaller advertising budgets. I am sure that Canada produces good small-brewery beers that don't make it across the border, but the mass-produced stuff is as bad as Yank beer, just different.

------------------
Tom~

you should simply get down on your knees and thank God every night for Canada and Gordie Howe (even if you're too young to remember him).
Amen. Are you a resident of Hockeytown Tom?

Adam

[C K Dexter Haven]

I've never had a problem with Canada/US border crossings, and I've done it lots of times.

The only problem I really had (aside from Nigeria, which is a story of itself) with immigration/customs was when I went to Australia. The plane landed at about 3 AM local time, and the line I was in had a chatty official -- "Welcome to Austrahlyuh, mate, did you have a good flight? Where are you from? Don't miss the zoo. Did you get tickets for the outback?..." My god, all I wanted was to get the hotel, and he was personally welcome each arriving passenger.... Grrrrr. Him, I coulda shot.

The Canadian inspectors are on the lookout for drugs and for guns, BTW, among other things. They're more civilized in Canada about some things.

[tomndebb]

ARG220:Are you a resident of Hockeytown Tom?
I'm a misplaced Michigander, (30 years in SE Michigan, including 8 years of school in Detroit), forced out in the 1980 Depression, currently living in NorthEast Ohio.

------------------
Tom~

[Big Iron]

I love Canada, but I do resent ... Celine Dion.

[red wings]

Any country that thinks ebonics is a language, enough said!

[bj0rn]

arg: do you know from where the canadians got hockey?
you guessed it, iceland :)
according to old icelandic tales (dating as far back as before the year 1000) icelanders sometimes played a game during the winters on the icecoverd lakes of iceland. it was pretty violent. but it involved a ball and a stick used to hit the ball, you get the picture.
and if you look at the first winter olympics records, you see that canada won the hockey event, but the majority of the team had icelandic names.
the only source on the internet that i found was this one: 1919-20 World Championship Team : Walter Byron; Konrad Johanneson, Robert Benson; Chris Fridfinnson, Magnus Goodman, Frank Frederickson, Haldor Halderson.
http://www.azhockey.com/squadsCanada.html
bold being iceland originated names(scandinavian before that)

Semifinals in the first winter olympics 1924: Canada over Britain, 19–2; USA over Sweden, 20–0. Third place: Britain over Sweden, 4–3 (also decided European title). Final: Canada over USA, 6–1.

and for the topic of this thread, canada is a country where i would like to live, i think people here know my opinion of the us.

bj0rn

[kellibelli]

jesus, next he'll be taking credit for our beer!
Canada...wide open , green, clean spaces, safe schools,( our tv sucks moose wang, but some of our music is great (when you take into consideration the diff. in population, it makes sense that the U.S. has more good music.)we have the same social problems as the us, on a MUCH smaller scale...poverty, homelessness, unemployment..illiteracy...etc

The US..great music (except that rap crap), great tv, and movies....guns in the schools..the streets...the homes...drugs galore (oh BTW, thanks a bunch for sending your dope north...really appreciate it!)..your country things its ok for the president to bang everything in a skirt...and then your government will whine about "family values"...

and at the border...well, if so many rootin' tootin' gun shootin' cowboys didnt try to cross...we wouldnt need border guards.

I think the US is a great place...but I wouldnt want to trade. :)

[Globe-trotter]

Big Iron, we don't like Celine Dion either. We just think the rest of the world should suffer along with us. ;)

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I prefer rogues to imbeciles because they sometimes take a rest.
Alexandre Dumas the Younger (1824-1895)

[kellibelli]

oh god...forgot about her..I hate celine dion, and that shania twain too...what a pair of over valued, under talented, anorexic, self important , married to their managers, bimbos.
Whew...I feel better now!
I however LOVE the Barenaked Ladies...I got to meet them about 3 years ago, they were very nice, and totally cool to talk to...I talked to the lead singer about being 'chunky' and shopping for clothes in the 'husky' section as a kid...what a hoot!

[matt_mcl]

As long as the fur is flying...

The US is our trading partner, our neighbour, our ally, and our friend, and sometimes we'd like to give them such a smack.
-Rick Mercer, This Hour Has 22 Minutes

We are bigger than you. Check a map.
We don't have Jesse Helms, Pat Buchanan, Jerry Falwell, or Fred Phelps.
We have Montréal.
We don't have Baltimore.
We fought you once in 1814. We won. Yep, marched right down into Washington and burned down the White House.
We have two official languages. You guys don't even have one.
Admit it. It is so much cooler to pronounce lieutenant "leftenant".
Our national anthem actually has the name of the country in it.
Our flag is better designed. You have all those silly little stars squeezed off in one corner. We've got the big old maple leaf right in the middle.
Gays are protected by the Civil Code of all ten provinces, and the Supreme Court gave us domestic partner benefits country wide. By way of contrast, there is anti-gay legislation in place in some 38 states.
We have fewer political divisions.
We have more political parties.
We have socialized (i.e. free at point-of-sale) medicine.
If you were a socialist in the US in the fifties, you got blackballed. If you were a socialist in Canada in the fifties, you got elected to the Saskatchewan legislature.
We have gun-control legislation.
You spend far too much on the military.
Metric. Admit it. It is so much easier to multiply by 10 than it is to remember how many rods there are in a furlong.
We have never had a civil, revolutionary, or Vietnam war.
Nobody ever assassinated the prime minister.
We have Svend Robinson, not to mention an actual left-wing federal political party.
Everyone loves us, except for the US and possibly Serbia.

If aliens were to land in Québec, the US media would give it two inches in the entertainment section.
-Sparrow, in Alison Bechdel's Dykes to Watch Out For


The genius of you Americans is that you never make clear-cut stupid moves, only complicated stupid moves which make us wonder at the possibility that there may be something to them which we are missing.
- Gamal Abdel Nasser

United States: .... A nation given either to unjustified over-enthusiasms or infantile furies.
- John Ralston Saul, The Doubter's Companion

America is a large friendly dog in a small room. Every time it wags its tail it knocks over a chair.
- Arnold Toynbee

[matt_mcl]

Don't get me wrong. We don't hate you. You just need to be supervised at all times!

[Ukulele Ike]

I was getting all huffy, there, and preparing to release a broadside against Canada, and then, out of the blue, you quoted Alison Bechdel.

Anyone who reads and quotes this woman has marvelous taste, should not be trifled with, and is probably right about everything else as well.

So long, Manhattan...Manitoba, here I come.

(Have I mentioned that I like Alison Bechdel?)

------------------
Uke

[Jodi]

Right -- We love you very much, and we don't mind in the least protecting you and looking after your international interests -- hey, what's a neighbor for? ;)

[kathmandu]

Hmmm...virtually everyone I know, in Canada, the U.S., overseas, and now, I've discovered, everyone on this message board, HATES Celine Dion and Shania Twain. So, how is it that they've each sold about a bajillion albums? Could it be that there are a lot of listeners out there who have yet to "come out of the closet"? :)

P.S. - don't get me wrong, I hate them too! :)

[kellibelli]

fuck! that was FUNNY!
I agree with
Caving into Quebec all the freakin' time
Astronomical Taxes
Alcohol prices
Southern Ontario
All the young men wear a gallon of cologne
The frighteningly friendly natives
um..what are those 2 names you reffered to?

[zoony]

Funny that this thread is called
"I hate Canada. Who's with me."

'cuz if it was called
"I hate the United States. Who's with me."

the answer'd be pretty much the rest of the world.

Seriously, though, the US is kinda like your crazy uncle that no one ever wants to talk about or visit, but everyone always has a good time when he shows up uninvited.

Z

[tracer]

Just remember, Canada, we here in the U.S. have more nuclear weapons than you do....

[Kat]

Hmmm...virtually everyone I know, in Canada, the U.S., overseas, and now, I've discovered, everyone on this message board, HATES Celine Dion and Shania Twain. So, how is it that they've each sold about a bajillion albums? Could it be that there are a lot of listeners out there who have yet to "come out of the closet"?

::stands up and proclaims:: I own a Shania Twain CD.

Purchasing decision was influenced heavily by the line: "Okay, so you're Brad Pitt. That don't impress me much." Attitudes like that deserve encouragement, IMO.

[BoBettie]

tomndebb:
I was returning to the US when I got harrassed by the boarded people. The thing that really got me was, DAMN! They treated us like we were tip toeing across the boarder with huge sacks full of cocaine and weapons. We were visiting their country, spending our money, visiting NIAGRA FALLS! They treated us like they caught us doing something illegal, which really pissed me off. I had been to Canada many times- this was the first bad incident. And it wasn't just one of the customs people that was a jerk- they were all really rude and pissy to us. So I will never return there and they can go pound salt for all I care (my mother in law's phrase..I love it!)


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An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.

[tomndebb]

zette? It sounds as though you were given the third degree by the U.S. boys. Generally, (on the U.S./Canada border) the country you are departing doesn't give a flying fig. The country you are entering wants to make sure that you aren't bringing in anything illegal (guns to Canada, drugs to U.S.). I certainly can't say that the Canadian border cops couldn't stop you, but I don't even remember a booth for the cops to sit in at the departing side of the Blue Water or Ambassador bridges and I have the same sort of memories of the Peace (?) bridge at Niagara. I hope you haven't been hating the wrong guys all this time.

------------------
Tom~

[Jophiel]

I've noticed that whenever I'm playing a game of "Taunt the Canadians" on IRC, I always get the line about people in Canada knowing more about the US than people in the US knowing about Canada (or the US, in some cases). Works for me: my theory is that if Canada was worth knowing about, we'd know about it. But no one gets to ignore the US ;)

That said, I like Canada, I guess. Except when my old girlfriend got all involved with a Canadian. But I guess I can't blame the entire country for that.

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"I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn't."

[BunnyGirl]

::shaking head:: Matt, Matt, Matt....you saidWe fought you once in 1814. We won. Yep, marched right down into Washington and burned down the White House.
If I recall, you weren't really Canada yet; you were still a member of that great but no longer existant British Empire. The War of 1812 was between American and the British and their Native American allies (I believe) under Tecumseh. Here's an interesting site that I found off a
Canadien Defense site
http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/chart.1812.html .

We are bigger than you. Check a map.
Sure ya are; why does the bulk of your population live within 100-200 miles of the US border?

Personally, I like Canada.
We don't have Jesse Helms, Pat Buchanan, Jerry Falwell, or Fred Phelps.
I would definately agree that this is one advantage Canada has.

[kellibelli]

that whole royalty thing pulls at my craw though....I dont believe we should sing "god save the Queen " in the schools.its stupid.
you americans were smart to make the break.

[Eissclam]

I am a US citizen who lived for 5 years in Canada and am now breathing free air again.
Things I hate about Canada:

Astronomical Taxes
Socialized medicine
Lousy service at stores/restaraunts
Caving into Quebec all the freakin' time
Bitching about US citizens while unabashedly copying/using/buying what the US produces
The wierd political system
Hockey (I guess I hate that about Iceland, too)
Going back to see my in-laws
Alcohol prices
Southern Ontario

Things I like about Canada:

Gun control
My wife
Beer (Wellington Iron Duke rules!)
The educational system

Things that amuse me about Canada:

Almost everyone in Moncton, New Brunswick has one of 2 last names (right, Kellibelli?)
US envy
All the young men wear a gallon of cologne
The frighteningly friendly natives
They paid for my Ph.D. (and paid me to get it) without any commitment on my part to stick around after I got it.
Canadian women seem to have a real affinity for US men (judging by their behavior, not what they say).

A funny joke about Canadians that Canadians hate (if they get it):

Q: How do you get 100 loud, exuberant Canadians out of a seimming pool?

A: Quietly say "OK everyone, time to get out of the pool."

[Doobieous]

Personally i think Canada is a pretty nice country. Even though most of it is either locked in snow or a stark, permanently frozen tundra (underground mostly, at least in the three months of summer :)). What i love about Canada's complaints about the US is, they say we suck but then again it's like a much more polite version of the US. I think this quote from Pinhead of Hellraiser fame explains this: "So eager to play yet to reluctant to admit it" (or something like that :)). I also like how they are so proud of the low crime in their county, then again it's easy to have low crime when most of your population is near the US border, all in one spot, and your total population is even less than that of California's. Compare 30,675,398 million for Canada with California's 32,344,000 in 1994. Wow, one state out of fifty with more people than Canada :)). Gee and i wonder why it looks like the US is rife with crime. Oh and i absolutely love their attachment to Britain :).

[Doobieous]

Horror! This quote:

What i love about Canada's complaints about the US is, they say we suck but then again it's like a much more polite version of the US. I think this quote from Pinhead of Hellraiser fame explains this: "So eager to play yet to reluctant to admit it"

Should read:

What i love about Canada's complaints about the US is, they say we suck and how horrible we are but then they suck quite a bit of our culture into their great society. I think this quote from Pinhead of Hellraiser fame explains this phenomenon: "So eager to play yet so reluctant to admit it" (or something like that).

[bj0rn]

this is fun :)
i like this alot. this is the second thread i have read by an american who "hates" another country.
where were you guys in the thread "is there intellIgent life in iceland?"
and those who were, do you remember what you were saying? (strangely enough, when i choose "show all topics", this one doesnt come up.)

well whatever, it pleases me that americans are still doing their silly "we are the best"
act. i know lets make a movie about that. it could be about aliens trying to destroy the world, but the americans save the planet. how? plant a computer virus? get an old WWII pilot to do a kamakasi(something like that)on the main reactor(they stole that too)? play a tom jones song...or whatever it was?
or best one yet, we, as in the rest of the world, give them america.
okok. im being silly. but its also silly to hate something. you cant hate a country unless you hate every occupant of that country. and some occupants of america are quite nice, cant think of many posting on this thread though. but the fact is, there are more nice people in canada.

[whc.03grady]

Someone mentioned Canadians driving slowly in the left lane, well...
In 1992 myself and some friends drove up to Winnipeg (from Nebraska), and, with the cruise control set at 92 mph, got passed--repeatedly--by Friendly Mantitoban license plates, once by a truck towing a BOAT, for godssake.

[Rodd Hill]

matt_mcl said:

If you were a socialist in the US in the fifties, you got blackballed. If you were a socialist in Canada in the fifties, you got elected to the Saskatchewan legislature.

I had no idea we treated our Canadian socialists so harshly!

[elbow]

There is a very good book called 'why i hate canadians'by will ferguson, for everyone reading this, it's very accurate and very funny. Best story: of a woman who survived a horrible accident on a roadway in LA, she had amnesia, when the cops found her they didn't have much to go on to discover her identity, it struck them however that she was really quite polite. On a hunch they called in to see if any visiting Canadians had gone missing. You guessed it, she was indeed Canadian. The question is, how polite are you that even after a nasty bump on the head you can't remember your name, but still watch your P's & Q's?

[HeadlessCow]

[[We are bigger than you. Check a map.]]
By about 340,000 km. Less than the size of California.

[[We fought you once in 1814. We won. Yep, marched right down into Washington and burned down the White House.]]
Actually that was the British not the Canadians.

[[We have two official languages. You guys don't even have one.]]
So what?! Obviously it just shows that the US was built by people of all countries. Or we wanted to use English but wanted to snub Britain.

[[Admit it. It is so much cooler to pronounce lieutenant "leftenant".]]
No it isn't!

[[Our national anthem actually has the name of the country in it.]]
Our anthem may not mention our name, but at least it doesn't go on forever.

[[We have fewer political divisions.
We have more political parties.]]
More large political parties that is.

[[We have socialized (i.e. free at point-of-sale) medicine.
If you were a socialist in the US in the fifties, you got blackballed. If you were a socialist in Canada in the fifties, you got elected to the Saskatchewan legislature.]]
The US is very socialist. Yet it does lack many of the better aspects. And refuses to admit its socialism.

[[We have gun-control legislation.]]
So do we but it sucks!

[[You spend far too much on the military.]]
On the most advanced military in the world, the one that is there to protect us from all those other countries that hate us. Maybe we should cut back and get attacked.

[[Metric. Admit it. It is so much easier to multiply by 10 than it is to remember how many rods there are in a furlong.]]
Yes it is, but nobody uses rods and furlongs anymore. It's just as easy to learn either system when you're young. It's not like you can multiply at age 2.

[[We have never had a civil, revolutionary, or Vietnam war.]]
Britain didn't want you anymore. Is that really a plus?

[BoBettie]

tomndebb,
That's a damned good point. When I think back now, I don't remember if I KNEW they were Canadians that stopped us or if I assumed it. Interesting...Well, I take back my Canadian hatred then, just in case. But I hate the friggin' boarder patrol, then.
Thanks for the possible clarification!!
Whoops- I forgot- you're supposed to be rude in the pit..
**Mind your own friggin' business and screw you!**
:) :)

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An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.

[tomndebb]

Insult accepted! ;)

I have always felt that if more of the INS was armed, the militia-types would have a totally different bogey man to fear. A guy who grew up near me went into that line of work. By the end of his indoctrination period, he was a zealot on the issue of bad things/people entering the country. It was not that we needed to secure our borders (with which I would agree), but it was a personal insult to him that any border had ever been breached--and this was before he had his first assignment.

------------------
Tom~

[BoBettie]

That was what got me the most. These guys, looking at us like friggin cocaine smugglers...you can practically see the falls from their station, and they are actually saying "what were you doing in Canada". What the hell do you think? Um, looking at this huge, enormous natural piece of beauty? Buying crappy souveniers at a great exchange rate? Duh!! They probobly detained us because I was a smartass, anyway.

------------------
An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.

[Omniscient]

Canada is kinda quaint.

The thing i like about the US is never having to say you're sorry, and other countries spend inordinate amounts of time and energy bitching about us. They're lucky if we even know where they are.

The quote about the US being like a big dog in a small room is priceless.

[bj0rn]

the thing i hate about the us is that nobody says their sorry. the thing i like about the us is that you can bitch em around like a dog with a peg-leg, because they dont even know who you are if you arent living in the states

we have a word for it here in iceland, and im starting to belive it was made to suit america. its "heimskur", basically it can be translated to stupid or dumb, but the explanation of the word in iceland says alot more. person who is "heimsk" only knows her home, and is oblivious to everything outside it.
you might notice the "heim", that being the basis of the word. translation of it would be = home. although this involves quite a number of things i dont want to get into(grammar and stuff in iceland isnt for americans).

[Doobieous]

Pardon the cussword here :). I hope the useage of it isnt too much for the BBQ pit.

you might notice the "heim", that being the basis of the word. translation of it would be = home. although this involves quite a number of things i dont want to get into(grammar and stuff in iceland isnt for americans).

Well bjorn, we have a word here in Northern California that fits arrogant Icelanders. The word is Bitch. It can either be an adjective, or a verb. It tends to mean something like, a person who does nothing but runs his mouth and who has nothing worthwhile to say. Thus he is not worth really getting upset over, but ripe for being laughed at.

It also explains the action the person is perfoming, as in "Why does Bjorn bitch so much about the US, if i didnt know better, you would think he's a tad obsessed, since you never really see him post on any other threads." (I wonder about you sometimes bjorn, do you come here to get your US bashing rocks off or what? It's actually kind of scary in an obsessive, psycho way).Those kinds of things. There are a lot of grammar issues and subtleties of the word, but English grammar and colloquialisms are not the type of thing an annoying Icelander like you can handle. Sorry Bjorn, but you obviously aren't ready for English Colloquialisms 101 (Basic Colloquialisms). Maybe if you were less of a well, bitch, you could handle it. But, that day is far, far away.

[BunnyGirl]

My husband played in a casino in North Dakota for about a month one time and wanted to make a trip up into Seskatchewan (the one above ND-pardon me, I don't have a map here!). Anyway, being an adventure kind of guy, he likes to take the little backroads to see the country and took along his long haired drummer with him. The Canadian border guard at this one little lonely station must've been so bored cause he stopped there for about 1/2 hour while he strip-searched their car (if you can do such a thing - ;) ) looking for drugs cause they told him they were musicians. Geez!

[Gr8Kat]

Is socialized medicine something to be proud of? I thought it was the reason people in England had such ugly teeth--the government decides what kind of medical procedures are important and worth spending its money on, and dental health, since life doesn't depend on it, takes a very low priority. Socialized medicine makes me think of HMOs (again, the government or a corporation deciding what is important enough to spend its money on, and just how much they're willing to spend) which everyone complains about here.

------------------
"I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it," Jack Handy

[hansel]

To be clear about the medical system in Canada, it's not socialized medecine. That would be where the government funds and administers doctors and hospitals directly. What we have is socialized medical insurance: everyone's got it.

The government exercises a lot of control over the medical system because it does fund it directly, though not entirely. It's better than HMOs, but not as good as having a fat, private health insurance policy and a private hospital full of overpaid surgeons.

[jinky]

Is socialized medicine something to be proud of?

Yes.

Is 40 million Americans without health care something to be proud of?

I thought it was the reason people in England had such ugly teeth--the government decides what kind of medical procedures are important and worth spending its money on, and dental health, since life doesn't depend on it, takes a very low priority.

Government paying to straighten your teeth, surely that should be low priority?

Socialized medicine makes me think of HMOs (again, the government or a corporation deciding what is important enough to spend its money on, and just how much they're willing to spend) which everyone complains about here.

Maybe it's just the Americans I know but I seem to hear more complaining about not having health care, full stop. In 'socialised medicine' countries (ie the rest of the first world) the health care may not be perfect but at least it's available to everyone. Before you criticise it ask how many of us would switch our health care system for yours, almost no-one is the answer.

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Bíonn caora dhubh ar an tréad is gile (there is a black sheep even in the whitest flock).

[matt_mcl]

There's only one thing that truly bugs me about Canadians: the way you bitch about us usurping the term "American" but go into conniptions if anyone calls you one.

You have that wrong. According to my copy of The Globe and Mail Style Guide, we use Americans to refer to residents of the US, but we do not use America to refer to the entire country. Americans live in the US, not America, just like Canadians live in Canada, not Canadia.

[ruadh]

You have that wrong. According to my copy of The Globe and Mail Style Guide, we use Americans to refer to residents of the US, but we do not use America to refer to the entire country. Americans live in the US, not America, just like Canadians live in
Canada, not Canadia.

Um, OK. I've read this five times and I still don't see what part of my post it's supposed to refer to.

------------------
Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[Kat]

Americans live in the US, not America

Actually, Americans do live in America. So do Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, etc.

[Shirley Ujest]

I love Canada. I'm only about an hour from it and going over the bridge is like stepping back in time. Everyone is much friendlier in Ontario and it's like being in the 60's or seventies with really high taxes.

Sure, they have given us Celine Dion, Anne Murray and Shania Twain. Good grief, the US has tortured the world with the likes of
Barbara Streisand, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, not to forget any one hit wonder band wearing leather outfits in the 80's.

If you have ever had the chance to watch CBC, you will see some rather interesting television programming that is excellent. We often watch CBC at night to get a better and unbiased view of what is really happening in the world. (There is this really good looking indian anchorman that I catch from time to time that I could stalk, too.) Also, being in Detroit (sorta) Hockey Night in Canada is better than church with the Most High n Mighty Don Cherry officiating.

[Boris B]

I honestly can't think of any good reason why anyone would hate Canada, except out of jealousy. I can't stand Bryan Adams either, but come one, even if it's just for the post-Dark Ages health care policies, it seems obvious to me that Canada simply has a higher quality of life than the United States. And it's mostly Canada's doing. I haven't spent much time in Canada, so I'm not saying I think 98% of Canadians deserve to be canonized or anything. If I weren't a deepthinking progressive / wimpy seditious Satan-worshipping pinko (take your pick), I would probably feel differently.

I'm just annoyed that there is ANY animosity between the two countries that share the longest non-militarized frontier in the world. I guess it's inevitable or something, but I mean, some countries have REAL issues to be bitter at each other for, like mustard gas. Canada and the U.S. have "beer transparency issues". GTFU

[tomndebb]

Unless, of course, it is more in line with two college roommates or two siblings ragging on each other and there isn't any genuine hostility.

------------------
Tom~

[Doobieous]

Aww come now Boris B, i really dont hate Canada. Actually i would probably like living in Vancouver (similar in looks to a lot of areas of coastal California, superficially, so it would remind me of home). If Americans really hated Canada, we would all have anti Canada rallies and the INS stopping Canadians at the border :).

[middsy]

How old do you have to be to drink in Canada?

[Big Iron]

[[We are bigger than you. Check a map.]]


Yeah, but most of it is virtually uninhabitable.

[[We fought you once in 1814. We won. Yep, marched right down into Washington and burned down the White House.]]

Oh, you did no such thing -- you were just a Brit base.


[[We have two official languages. You guys don't even have one.]]

Sounds like it's been more trouble than it's worth -- anyway, Spanish might as well be the USA's second official language.


[[Our national anthem actually has the name of the country in it.]]

I don't care about the name, but you do have us there.

[[We have socialized (i.e. free at point-of-sale) medicine.
If you were a socialist in the US in the fifties, you got blackballed. If you were a socialist in Canada in the fifties, you got elected to the Saskatchewan legislature.]]


You really got us there, IMO.

[[You spend far too much on the military.]]


Maybe if you guys would pick up some of the slack ... ;)


[[Metric. Admit it. It is so much easier to multiply by 10 than it is to remember how many rods there are in a furlong.]]


Screw metric!


[[We have never had a civil, revolutionary, or Vietnam war.]]


Well, you had colonial wars -- meanwhile, we were doing the dirty work defending democracy, blah blah ... ;)

[bj0rn]

doob: long time no argue! ;)
acually ive been posting in the great debates(some ufo thingy, and everything/nothing thread i started), and a couple of others...
the other things you say just prove that what is said about you staters is true :)

if you read carefully you might notice that its you people in the us who are the ones that hate other countries, so much that you think they hate you. you are afraid that if you let your guard down(the army)youll be attacked. personally i like living in a country where i dont have to worry about being drafted in some stupid army! what a silly concept

bj0rn

[corvidae]

You have to be 19 to drink in Canada.

[bj0rn]

its 20 in iceland...

[According to Pliny]

Yeah, bjorn, your right. We really should think about getting rid of the draft. Thanks for the suggestion. We'll get right on it.

[matt_mcl]

How old do you have to be to drink in Canada?

Either 19 or 18, depending on the province. I'm given to understand that 18y.o. residents of Ottawa frequently troop across the bridge to Hull, Quebec, to party.

[matt_mcl]

You have that wrong. According to my copy of The Globe and Mail Style Guide, we use Americans to refer to residents of the US, but we do not use America to refer to the entire country. Americans live in the US, not America, just like Canadians live in
Canada, not Canadia.

Um, OK. I've read this five times and I still don't see what part of my post it's supposed to refer to.

The part where you natter about Canadians throwing fits when you use the word "American". We don't.

[matt_mcl]

[[Metric. Admit it. It is so much easier to multiply by 10 than it is to remember how many rods there are in a furlong.]]

Screw metric!

Jealous, furlong boy?

[tomndebb]

bjOrn:personally i like living in a country where i dont have to worry about being drafted in some stupid army! what a silly concept

You do know that the U.S. has not had military conscription for nearly 25 years. right?

------------------
Tom~

[ruadh]

The part where you natter about Canadians throwing fits when you use the word "American".

Ah, OK. You threw me with that bit about what you call the land mass between Canada and Mexico.

We don't.

Maybe you personally don't, Matt, but I've sure heard it from some of your compatriots.

------------------
Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[zoony]

Actually, 18 in Manitoba. WhooHoo!

What'd be the point in having the longest unguarded frontier if you couldn't take a jab at one another now and again?

The only question I have is if no other country in the world is as good as the United Stakes of Asparagus, how come you guys travel to other countries for vacations? As much as I love being a Canadian living in Canada (even though I hold dual Canada/US citizenship) I could spend several vacations in a row visiting different parts of the US. Especially Texas, it's so quintessentially American (oops, UnitedStaesian).

Z

------------------
abusus non tolit usus

[elbow]

Just so you can see more clearly let me just point out that Canadians are just unarmed Americans with health care.
And everyone here in Canada knows that 'Americans' live in the 'Excited States'.

[Big Iron]

[[Jealous, furlong boy?]] Matt

Ha! I gets 20 rods to the hogshead and I likes it that way!

[matt_mcl]

Just so you can see more clearly let me just point out that Canadians are just unarmed Americans with health care.

Ah, t'es con, ciboire! How many Americans speak French as their first language? Hostie d'tabernacle...

[Mr.Zambezi]

Canada is geographically beautiful. If it just weren't for their pudding headed liberal views.

But you do have to love teh votes on succession and the battles with the natives over land. Better than any US TV show.

[zoony]

you betcha Mr.Z, Guess you guys'd just shoot 'em all, huh? After all, it's in the constitution.

Mmmm, I love pudding....

Z

[zoony]

Now that I think about it, I never saw anything in the Constitution that said it was illegal.

It's all starting to come together....

Z

[Mr.Zambezi]

You mean I can just start Shooting people?

WOOO HOOO! Canada Ho! Armed American Comin' through!

[GoSensGo]

Ah, t'es con, ciboire! How many Americans speak French as their first language? Hostie d'tabernacle...

I don't care about this swearing in English in the pit, but swearing in French!?!

And to get back to the original topic, it seems Jahender doesn't have as many supporters as Contestant # 3 does.

"Proud to be Canadian"
Alex

[Kat]

Ah, t'es con, ciboire! How many Americans speak French as their first language? Hostie d'tabernacle...

All of us, of course. We're just not supposed to let the goldanged furriners find out about it. We also all speak Portugeuse, Russian and Swahili. And none of us know a word of English. Everything's dubbed.

[Mr.Zambezi]

Yes, Zoony, our constitution clearly states "...the right to bear arms as an organized militia but only for the purposes of blowing away native americans, canadians and anyone else you don't happen to like."

That is why murder is legal in the US.

[Boris B]

Okay, so I overreacted. It's just that when I was a wee lad, my mum told me that hate is a very strong word. So when I hear it I tend to get a little jumpy. So repeat after me,
"I have some unresolved issues with Canada which awaken insecurities from deep within my heart. Most of these insecurities center on my inability to pay for a vital knee operation I had in the late 1970s, and my inability to sing the chorus to "Mmm mmm mmm" by the Crash Test Dummies in the correct octave."

That wasn't so hard, was it?

[rathead99]

Short and succinct

United States

Richard Nixon-Criminal
Bill Clinton-Perverted Criminal
Agent Orange-It won't hurt honest
Jerry Falwell-Extolled Extortionist
Jerry Springer-Idolized Epitomy Embracer Of
American Ideology
Jerry Mathers-The Beaver
Charles Manson-Cult Hero
Dieppe-Let's sacrifice Canadians to keep the
Russians happy
WW2-Let's get involved now that it's simple
to win and take ALL the glory
Battle of Wounded Knee-Let's go kill some
redskin women and children to show the
world how courageous we are.
Sports-If ya can't beat em...cheat
Constitution-Supports the right to bear arms
and permit the needless slaughter of
children
Vietnam...We belonged there ..i think..but
maybe not..it was a police action..no a
drug party...no..a shooting gallery..no..
protecting the world from communism..no
oh I don't know..let's just go shoot some
geeks cuz they're different from us.
Etcetera...ad naseum


Canada
The True North Strong and Free
Sports-Wayne Gretzky
Politics-The less politcians politic..the
better the country
Economics-We have what everyone wants..simple
Constitution-We support the right to arm
bears
Music...bare naked ladies, tragically hip
Stompin Tom...ha
Ambition-Complacency..the spice of life
Etc..Etc..Etc

[Sam Stone]

If you haven't noticed, North American culture is far more divided along East-West boundaries than North-South. The residents of Vancouver have a lot in common with residents of California, and farmers in Alberta and Saskatchewan have a lot more in common with farmers in North Dakota and Montana than either of them have with New Yorkers or Torontonians.

[Alphagene]

Nice comparison job there, rathead. I notice you skipped American sports stars and music.

Personally, I have no real beef with Canada. And the mutual poking is very entertaining. I have more issues with other regions of the USofA.

Do let me say that the Barenaked Ladies are severely overrated. Yeah, I know, the lyrics are cute and pop culture references abound. Just move to the center of the pan, flash and quit my sight.

[tomndebb]

I generally don't think much of the "X vs. Y" threads because what starts out lighthearted too frequently pushes someone's hot button and the thread goes mean. That has happened here a couple of times.

Most recently, rathead99 took it nasty. In the interest of historical accuracy, it should be pointed out that the Dieppe raid was entirely a British action that was opposed (though, not very hard) by the U.S. command, so including it in a list of U.S. vs Canada is silly and irrelevant. As for Wounded Knee and its implications: Canada does not have all that much to be proud of--few countries do. Smaller size of population generally means that you have less contact and fewer massacres. It does not mean that they go away. Ask any survivors of the Metis how they feel, generally, about "friendly, courteous" Canada. Just as innocent little Iceland's first foray into North America began with a massacre of native people, an examination of any invading culture will turn up similar events.

The U.S. has precious little to be proud of and much to be ashamed of in its treatment of indigenous peoples, but it is easier to see the horrors perpetrated by the U.S. simply because of size and the fact that its history is better known.

And people throwing stones are wise to move out of their glass houses: the U.S. has Agent Orange, Love Canal, etc.--been to Mississauga ON, lately?

I suggest that we keep this sort of thread on the silly level of treating BareNaked Ladies as artists (considering how many true artists Canada has contributed to the world) and leave the venom out of it.

------------------
Tom~

[tracer]

Just remember, rathead99, we have more nuclear weapons than you do.

[Jahender]

The only real reason that I started this thread was because I work with three Canadians that live in Windsor and work in Detroit and they are always bashing the States about the crime, teenage pregancy, murder rates,...blah, blah, blah and how we have corrupted their country through our poor morals and social character and my response is "Then don't work here assholes. Put up a big friggin' wall and fuck off".

I really don't hate Canada, Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal are great cities and I have conducted a lot of business in Canada and the people are usually very nice and polite and welcoming, but the point to this story is "don't pick the fruit from your neighbors yard, eat it and then bitch about the quality of the fruit." If it bothers you that much, grow your own friggin tree.



------------------
The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by those who don't have it.
George Bernard Shaw

[CanadianSue]

Is there really anything better than going through your coat pockets and finding a handful of loonies and twonies???? your money kinda looks like its been photocopied guys lol... beer oh wonderful beer lol..theres nothing like an ice cold canadian in front of a hockey game!!!

[Sealemon88]

Hey sue.....at least our money is worth more than a photocopy. (JUST KIDDING!!!)

I don't know that much about Canada yet (I'm visiting Alberta next month wooohooo!!!), but I can make a couple of observations...

1.You Candians have to suck up to a queen that doesn't even live in your country lol To paraphrase the Devil in The Devil's Advocate....You guys have an absentee landlord!!!

2.You don't have Texas within your borders lol

on the otherhand...

1.Canada has a LOT of good music...ESP. RUSH.

2. Canada is the birthplace of Mike Myers.

Now, ummm....before I get nuked, please remember that I'm just keeping it light, OK? Buh Bye now.

[CanadianSue]

Seale.. Seale...Seale.. how many time do i have to tell ya hon... soon we are going to annex Texas... love ya neighbour!!!.. Hmmm a trip to Alberta.. the rockies, the mountain air... well now, you seem to have made the perfect choice of your first jaunt to Canader...make sure you drink plenty of canadian beer, spend plenty of your american money.. and breath copious amounts of our fine mountain air.. who knows.. maybe you'll want to stay..

[Jvanhorn]

Rathead99
Dieppe-Let's sacrifice Canadians to keep the
Russians happy


I understand the problem you Canadians would have with the Dieppe raid, but blame it on your British friends, not the U.S. Churchill was the one that pressed for the raid. The U.S. was hardly properly started in the war in 1942. (tomndebb already mentioned this.)

The rest of the complaints about U.S. I can accept. As a country, not personally.

I guess the biggest trouble I have with Canadians is that they have trouble reading a clock. We have a couple of customers in B.C., who call us at 4:00 EST wanting to get an order out yet the same day. It would seem that they would remember that we are three hours earlier than them.

Also, in my work, the Canadians seem to use inch measurements more than anybody else. Why don’t the use the Metric system, as claimed?

But you guys north of the border can take Texas if you want J

[BoBettie]

In light of all I've learned on this thread (mainly from Tomndeb, reagarding my boarder problems several years ago) I've decided to head north and help out the Canadian economy by visiting the country, gambling in the new casino and shopping till I drop. I guess I like Canada after all- it's just the idiots (American idiots) at the boarder I hate. Any of you Canadians have recommendations of other stuff to visit while I'm at Niagra Falls that's not too bad of a drive? You can e-mail me if you want, so as not to disrupt the angst of this thread.. :)


------------------
An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.

[nhaerens]

I live in Canada after having grown up in Belgium.
One thing that's nice here is how tolerant people are in general of other races. The blacks here aren't pissed off at us for some past sins and we do not feel threatened by them.
It does bug me that Canadians complain about the Americans a lot. I suppose they do it to distinguish themselves from them.
I am grateful to the Americans for having liberated Europe and without them, who knows where we would be. Even though a lot of Americans seem ignorant about anything foreign, they've actually made a hell of a lot of movies about other people's history (they are about the only ones).
Americans are more distrustful of each other than Canadians, ready to reach for a gun to defend themselves. Believe it or not, having a gun makes this attitude worse, because in itself a gun is something negative, which makes you look at the world as a dangerous place. It is sad to live in a place where you feel you need a gun to protect yourself.
As I said, when I grew up in Belgim in the sixties and seventies, life was very safe, as it is here for me now....
In English Canada, I am just one of many immigrants from Europe; in Europe, I am always from Flanders wherever I go; Europeans are not as tolerant as Canadians.
If you hate Canada as an American, who do you love more as a neighbour. Mexico?

[tomndebb]

nhaerens:in Europe, I am always from Flanders wherever I go; Europeans are not as tolerant as Canadians.
Really? I thought only the Dutch and the Walloons hated Flemings (aside from the Flemings from the next town). Do the Germans, Spanish, and Italians discriminate against Flemings, as well?

------------------
Tom~

[Polycarp]

Matt_mcl said

[quote}
We don't have Jesse Helms, Pat Buchanan, Jerry Falwell, or Fred Phelps.
[/quote]

Matt...you want 'em, you can have 'em! ;)

<--searching cable dial for "Hickey Night in Canada"-->

[Crafter_Man]

I used to think Canada sucked until I heard a Canadian punk band called the "Dayglo Abortions." Now there's something to be proud of!

------------------
------------------
Crafter
Dayton, OH

"Don't be so open-minded your brains fall out."
------------------

[Polycarp]

Oh, and by the way, everyone who has a problem with The Star-Spangled Banner:

Oh,Canada. If you know the title, you know half the lyrics already.

- an American citizen standing on guard for thee ;)

[Rodd Hill]

Zette said:
Any of you Canadians have recommendations of other stuff to visit while I'm at Niagra Falls that's not too bad of a drive?

Well, there's always Banff...can't be more than 20 minutes or so from Niagara...

Oh, and Crafter: the Dayglo's drummer, Jesus Bonehead, is a longtime acquaintance of your humble scribe...but drop everything and get your hands on anything by Victoria's other punk band NO MEANS NO. Absolutely the world's greatest all-male feminist, punk-funk power trio. Their alter egos, the Hansen Brothers are pretty good too.

[Crafter_Man]

So you're friends with Jesus Bonehead?! Wow.

I think the Dayglo's are great. I have their first two albums - absolute classics. Sick, funny stuff. I love it!

So whatever happen to those guys? I know they went through a few line-up changes. Are they still together? Where are they based out of? Are they still touring?


------------------
------------------
Crafter
Dayton, OH

"Don't be so open-minded your brains fall out."
------------------

[Kakkerlak]

We're citizens.

You're subjects.

[Donj]

Rodd Hill...omfg where are you from? Banff 20 min from Niagara? I hope that was a joke. Banff is about 4000km from Niagara. Im not sure the space shuttle could make it in 20 min. Banff is, however, one of the most beautiful areas on earth.

--Donj

[Missy2U]

We could always just sing "We are the Champions" and then go get drunk...