# Canadian, English, French, American - what's the qoute? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2001, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905 "2001-11-17T06:20:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/1 "2001-11-17T06:20:20Z")
I’m in the Pit and trying to get a rise out of a Canadian (for fun). There’s a quote about Canada that goes better than the following mangled text: “The poor Canadians, they could have had American \_\_\_, French food and English \_\_\_, but instead they ended up with French \_\_\_, American \_\_\_ and English food.” As I remember, two items were politics and cooking. But I can’t remember the third or which goes where. Does anyone else know the qoute? ---
**Author:** ![VeraGemini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e9bcb4/32.png) [@VeraGemini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VeraGemini)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/2 "2001-11-17T06:48:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by whistlepig \* > \*\*I’m in the Pit and trying to get a rise out of a Canadian (for fun). > > There’s a quote about Canada that goes better than the following mangled text: > > “The poor Canadians, they could have had American \_\_\_, French food and English \_\_\_, but instead they ended up with French \_\_\_, American \_\_\_ and English food.” > > As I remember, two items were politics and cooking. But I can’t remember the third or which goes where. > > Does anyone else know the qoute? \*\* “Canadians could have had American know-how, French culture, and English diplomacy, instead they got American culture, French diplomacy, and English know-how” Or somesuch. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/3 "2001-11-17T06:59:31Z")
The correct quote: “Canada could have enjoyed: English government, French culture, and American know-how. Instead it ended up with: English know-how, French government, and American culture.” – John R. Columbo, “Oh Canada”, 1965 ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/4 "2001-11-18T01:16:55Z")
This thread can be closed. I remembered it about 6 am this morning. “Canadians could have had French food, English culture and American government. Instead, they ended up with French politics, English food and American culture.” ---
**Author:** ![Eosine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/67e7ee/32.png) [@Eosine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eosine)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/5 "2001-11-18T03:50:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by whistlepig \* > \*\* > “Canadians could have had French food, English culture and American government. Instead, they ended up with French politics, English food and American culture.” \*\* Eh? 🙂 [smile] ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/6 "2001-11-18T06:36:52Z")
I’d always heard it as “American technology, French cooking, English culture --\> French technology, English cooking, American culture”. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/7 "2001-11-18T06:38:54Z")
The common theme seems to be that American Culture is a bad thing 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/10 "2010-08-25T11:53:50Z")
I’m going to go with “what.” on this one. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/11 "2010-08-25T19:07:39Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > The correct quote: > > “Canada could have enjoyed: English government, French culture, and American know-how. Instead it ended up with: English know-how, French government, and American culture.” > > – John R. Columbo, “Oh Canada”, 1965 Columbo stole this joke, though; it’s been told a million times about a dozen or more nationalities/people using thousands of different combinations. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/12 "2010-08-25T19:44:26Z")
> [@Sigmund\_Ivarsson](#): > > message:%3CE0C2CD5D-60B6-450E-AD4E-B0DEBDD19A75@gmail.com%3E Now that’s a cite I can’t argue with. > [@RickJay](#): > > Columbo stole this joke, though; it’s been told a million times about a dozen or more nationalities/people using thousands of different combinations. There’s one about heaven and hell, where the different jobs are held by the French, English, Italians, Germans and Swiss, but I don’t exactly remember it right now. It should be easy to find in a few seconds with Google, though. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/13 "2010-08-25T23:10:34Z")
I could tell him how to get a rise out of Canadians, but that wouldn’t be sporting. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/14 "2010-08-25T23:51:10Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I could tell him how to get a rise out of Canadians, but that wouldn’t be sporting. Would be 9 years too late, too. This thread is searching for brains. In heaven, the police are British, the chefs are French, the cars are German, and the women are Italian. In hell, the police are German, the chefs are British, the cars are French, and the women are Italian. I’m sure there are other versions of that. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/15 "2010-08-26T00:46:41Z")
> [@Sigmund\_Ivarsson](#): > > message:%3CE0C2CD5D-60B6-450E-AD4E-B0DEBDD19A75@gmail.com%3E Poor old Sigmund was banned. I wonder why the PTB here are so willing to silence somebody about Sarkozy… ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/16 "2010-08-26T03:59:04Z")
In the D.C. area we quote JFK and say that Washington has Southern efficiency and Northern charm. > [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > > [@Sigmund\_Ivarsson](#): > > > > message:%3CE0C2CD5D-60B6-450E-AD4E-B0DEBDD19A75@gmail.com%3E > > Poor old Sigmund was banned. I wonder why the PTB here are so willing to silence somebody about Sarkozy… He was banned on his third post, and his post history only lists two of them, so I’ll bet that third one was a doozy. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/17 "2010-08-26T04:14:31Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > I’m sure there are other versions of that. I’ve also heard your version, but the one I had in mind was something like this: In heaven, the government is run by the Swiss, the cooks are French, the mechanics are German, the police are English, and the lovers are Italian. In hell, the government is run by the Italians, the cooks are English, the mechanics are French, the police are German, and the lovers are Swiss. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/18 "2010-08-26T05:12:20Z")
> [@Sigmund\_Ivarsson](#): > > well you have as Americans the blessings of God as french a bit of history older than two hundred years and as Canadiens a Queen that I am about to quick out of office. She will run away from me and pick up the pope on her yacht on the way to live with her cousin in Greece. Je suis le bon roi Dagober revenu d’Angletere avec sa culote a l’endroit. Vive le roi. [Mark V. Shaney](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_V_Shaney) is [off the MTA!](http://home.pipeline.com/~hbaker1/CheneyMTA.html) ---
**Author:** ![sruli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@sruli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sruli)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/19 "2019-04-05T03:49:39Z")
I remember this version: “Canada had an excellent opportunity: They could have had British manners, French cuisine, and American technology. Instead, they wound up with American manners, British cuisine, and French technology.” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/20 "2019-04-05T07:00:56Z")
Doesn’t it start, " Canada had an excellent opportunity, they could have had British manners…with a whore…in the kitchen…" errr, no, hang on. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/21 "2019-04-05T08:21:42Z")
I think adequate time has been allotted to answer OP’s question so, under the rules, I am permitted a mild hijack. OP’s question reminds me of Winston Churchill’s observation: _Dinner would have been splendid — if the wine had been as cold as the soup, the beef as rare as the service, the brandy as old as the fish, and the maid as willing as the Duchess._ ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905/22 "2019-04-05T13:05:14Z")
Reading way back to **GIGObuster** s’ quote and looking at the world today, maybe it is for the best that Canada didn’t get _English Government_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-english-french-american-whats-the-qoute/93905.md?page=2)