# Do Any Neighboring Nations Have a Better Relationship Than The U.S. and Canada? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 30, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543 "2011-03-30T19:11:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/41 "2011-04-01T16:54:10Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > If you want a strange border town I can give you [Baarle-Nassau (Netherlands)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baarle-Nassau) and [Baarle-Hertog (Belgium)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baarle-Hertog). Yikes! So everything inside those boxes are in Belgium? Some of those look to cut through buildings … diagonally! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/42 "2011-04-01T16:56:29Z")
> [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](#): > > The land border between the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) and (the Republic of) Ireland was formerly very obvious because of security concerns. However, since the IRA stopped murdering people, the border is almost invisible today. > > You barely notice the crossing until you see small differences in road markings. Direction signs have English and Irish names in the Republic and use kilometer distances, not miles. Otherwise the main difference is in the currencies used - sterling and euro. > > After nearly a century of separation, there is a cultural difference between the two parts of the island. However a free-flowing exchange of real people on the ground is creating more links between people than decades of murder by the IRA Have you noticed though, how many people from the Republic won’t venture up North even still? Because of family connections I’m in Norn Iron about once a month but I have friends who’ve lived in Ireland 30 years and never set foot north of the border. ---
**Author:** ![A.Gwilliam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@A.Gwilliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Gwilliam)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/43 "2011-04-01T17:01:47Z")
> [@willthekittensurvive](#): > > Belgium used to be part of the Thrid Reich No, it wasn’t. There are houses (and shops?) that straddle the Netherlands/Belgium border. What country’s taxes you pay is determined by which side of the border your front door is! 😃 A handful of European countries also have small enclaves located entirely within a neighbouring country’s territory. If I remember rightly, this also occurs along the India/Bangladesh border. I doubt any of these places have any sort of border controls. ---
**Author:** ![Terra1041](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Terra1041](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terra1041)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/44 "2011-04-01T17:51:28Z")
So, what happens if a US citizen goes to Canada, forgets their passport, and is allowed to enter Canada? Are they just stuck in Canada forever since they have no passport? ---
**Author:** ![BDoors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BDoors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BDoors)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/45 "2011-04-01T17:57:06Z")
> [@A.Gwilliam](#): > > A handful of European countries also have small enclaves located entirely within a neighbouring country’s territory. If I remember rightly, this also occurs along the India/Bangladesh border. Indeed, there is an Indian exclave called Dahala Khagrabari which is inside a Bangladeshi exclave which is itself inside another Indian exclave inside Bangladesh. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/46 "2011-04-01T18:05:00Z")
> [@Terra1041](#): > > So, what happens if a US citizen goes to Canada, forgets their passport, and is allowed to enter Canada? Are they just stuck in Canada forever since they have no passport? They’re ours! We put them to work in the snow mines! ---
**Author:** ![put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/put_down_the_sabre)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/47 "2011-04-01T19:15:27Z")
I’m gonna say the UK and Ireland: most of the laws in those countries don’t regard people from the other as ‘foreigners’ or ‘aliens’. And UK/Irish citizens can vote in each other’s general (national) elections. Canada and the US have nothing so tight. ---
**Author:** ![BDoors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BDoors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BDoors)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/48 "2011-04-01T20:05:42Z")
> [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](#): > > I’m gonna say the UK and Ireland: most of the laws in those countries don’t regard people from the other as ‘foreigners’ or ‘aliens’. > > And UK/Irish citizens can vote in each other’s general (national) elections. > > Canada and the US have nothing so tight. Wuh? I am British and I most definitely cannot vote in an Irish election, what with it being a foreign country and all. I think there might be people who are citizens of both countries and therefore maybe can vote in both places, not sure. But the laws of each country do not apply to the citizens of the other (again with some possible exceptions relating to Northern Ireland). The two countries do have a lot in common culturally, true, and a generally warm relationship with each other these days. I do vaguely remember there being some kind of tension between us in times past, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/put_down_the_sabre)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/49 "2011-04-01T20:25:27Z")
> [@BDoors](#): > > Wuh? I am British and I most definitely cannot vote in an Irish election, what with it being a foreign country and all. False. If you moved to Ireland tomorrow you could register to vote in the next parliamentary elections. Similarly for Irish citizens resident in the UK. [Cite.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninth_Amendment_of_the_Constitution_of_Ireland) The same is not true of other EU countries. pdts ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/50 "2011-04-01T20:48:28Z")
> [@Terra1041](#): > > So, what happens if a US citizen goes to Canada, forgets their passport, and is allowed to enter Canada? Are they just stuck in Canada forever since they have no passport? At best, cautioned to not do it again, and let in the country. Usually, turned back at the border or not let on the plane in the first place until they have their passport sent to them by family or friends, or order up a new one via a consulate. At worst, rendited and tortured. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/51 "2011-04-01T20:59:22Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Most people don’t know it, but the US imports more oil from Canada than any other country. Also we get a lot of oil from Mexico too. People think the Middle East is where almost all our foreign oil comes from. There was a news story this week about President Obama saying something about wanting the US to import most of its oil from Canada and Mexico, instead of the Middle East, and my response was, "Huh? I thought you were already doing that, since [Canada is the number one oil supplier to the US."](http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html) Enjoy all that dirty Tar Sand Oil, US Americans! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BDoors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BDoors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BDoors)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/52 "2011-04-01T21:21:38Z")
> [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](#): > > False. If you moved to Ireland tomorrow you could register to vote in the next parliamentary elections. Similarly for Irish citizens resident in the UK. [Cite.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninth_Amendment_of_the_Constitution_of_Ireland) The same is not true of other EU countries. > > pdts Well well, I did not know that. I did think there was maybe some kind of provision for people in NI voting in Ireland and/or vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![Pantani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/87869e/32.png) [@Pantani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantani)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/53 "2011-04-01T22:01:22Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > England and Wales, maybe. Probably Scotland too. Try spending Scottish ounds in London though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/54 "2011-04-02T03:41:50Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > At worst, rendited and tortured. You have it wrong. It’s Canadian citizens, going through the USA and WITH THEIR PASSPORTS, who get that treatment. > **[Maher Arar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maher_Arar)** > > Council of Canadians Human Rights Award, 2005. > Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award, 2006. > Nation Builder, The Globe and Mail, 2006. > British Columbia Civil Liberties Association Reg Robson Award, 2007. > Honorary Doctorate of Letters, Nipissing University, 2007. > Maher Arar (Arabic: ماهر عرار) (born 1970) is a telecommunications engineer with dual Syrian and Canadian citizenship who has resided in Canada since 1987. > Arar was detained during a layover at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Se... The Canadian government settled with him, and paid him a substantial sum - ten million. The US government, last I heard, was using “it’s top secret” to try to keep the case out of the courts and still insists he’s a terrorist and he’s on their no-fly list. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2011, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/55 "2011-04-03T07:05:37Z")
> [@BDoors](#): > > Well well, I did not know that. I did think there was maybe some kind of provision for people in NI voting in Ireland and/or vice versa. I believe its also pretty simple for citizens of the Republic of Ireland to join the UK armed forces, not sure if this arrangement is reciprocal though. I would describe the relationship between Ireland _(North and South)_ and that of the rest of the UK as that of close cousins, said closeness being the reason why any disputes there are tend to be so intense and personal. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/56 "2011-04-03T13:33:43Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > I believe its also pretty simple for citizens of the Republic of Ireland to join the UK armed forces, not sure if this arrangement is reciprocal though. > > I would describe the relationship between Ireland _(North and South)_ and that of the rest of the UK as that of close cousins, said closeness being the reason why any disputes there are tend to be so intense and personal. I knew of Irish citizens serving in some of the most hated (by republicans) units of the British Army in N.I. during the troubles. I think that its unlikely that a Brit could join the Irish forces because they’re so small. (Though I don’t think that it is legally prohibited in Irish law) That said the British Army has trained some elements of the Irish Army in recent years. The Rangers for one. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_of_Lucan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/57 "2011-04-04T12:44:18Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Have you noticed though, how many people from the Republic won’t venture up North even still? Because of family connections I’m in Norn Iron about once a month but I have friends who’ve lived in Ireland 30 years and never set foot north of the border. Yes, I never crossed the border into Norn Iron until I was in my 30’s. I always saw it as a foreign place, whose people had grown away from us over nearly a century. I hated the rampant sectarianism in NI, which poisoned foreigners’ view of my own country - the Republic of ireland. Sectarianism exists in every country - poke a lot USAians with a bit of Islam, and watch the reaction. However, sectarianism was not a major factor in daily life in the Republic. It was not just the unionists. I was more scared of the people who purported to be nationalist Irish, and flaunted my country’s flag as a sectarian, divisive symbol. They still do it at elections, to my disgust. Now that the IRA has stopped stirring up hatred and dividing people, we have a chance to meet people on normal terms. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/58 "2011-04-04T17:36:04Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > You wouldn’t know it from all the derogatory jokes they tell about each other. Think of it as siblings. Siblings in the back seat on a long car trip. Of COURSE you have to pick at each other, but that doesn’t mean you hate one another, really, right? Norway and Sweden love each other so much that Swedes generally tell the very same jokes about Norwegians as Norwegians tell about Swedes 😛 Actually all the Nordic countries have a love/rivalry relationship with one another, just some pairs more than others. (See the webcomic [Scandinavia and the World](http://satwcomic.com/) for more information.) ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/59 "2011-04-04T18:23:29Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > Think of it as siblings. Siblings in the back seat on a long car trip. Of COURSE you have to pick at each other, but that doesn’t mean you hate one another, really, right? > > Norway and Sweden love each other so much that Swedes generally tell the very same jokes about Norwegians as Norwegians tell about Swedes 😛 Actually all the Nordic countries have a love/rivalry relationship with one another, just some pairs more than others. (See the webcomic [Scandinavia and the World](http://satwcomic.com/) for more information.) When I was in Denmark they commented on their closeness with Swedes,but couldn’t help mentioning how “carefull, if you know what I meanl” the Swedes were with their money . I mentioned this in Sweden and they said that was actually how mean the Danes were. But to be quite honest neither can be as miserly as the Scots who,when it comes to paying out money,are tighter then a ducks arse. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/60 "2011-04-05T00:47:57Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > The U.S.-Canadian border has more customs security now, entry requirements are a little bit more of a hassle now than pre-9/11 (obviously now you need a passport, for example.) I’m surprised to hear this. I’m and American from the Detroit area and I and my wife have driven over to Canada at least 7-10 times(once per year or so) since 9/11 and have never had to give our passport. In fact, for us, it’s the same as it used to be. > [@](#): > > Canadian official: Citizenship of everybody? > > Us: Both American > > Canadian official: May I see your driver’s license? > > :we give him/her the license: > > Canadian official: Where you two going, eh?\* > > Us: Windsor. > > Canadian official: Purpose of your visit to Canada today? > > Us: Just looking around. Going to the mall. Tourism. > > Candian official: How long will you be staying? > > Us: Just the day(or two days if we are going to Niagara). > > Canadian official: Have a nice day and welcome to Canada. Here is our experience re-entering America. We are not Canadians, mind you. > [@](#): > > US Official: Citizenship of everyone? > > Us: American > > US Official: ID’s? > > :we give him/her licenses: > > US Official: Why were you in Canada and for how long? > > Us: One day and just for tourism. > > US Official: Did you buy anything there? Any prescription medication or anything illegal in America? Any plants/animals?(I paraphrased this part for brevity) > > Us: No. Just clothes and so forth. Souvenirs. > > US Official: OK. Welcome back to America. > > :we drive on in and go home: Now in 1995, we went with my Uncle from England. We pulled over and he showed his passport. Took about 15 minutes or so. I guess maybe today it might be harder to get a English guy into Canada, but not by much, I should think. \*OK, they didn’t say “eh”, but I need at least one joke. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543.md?page=4)