# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/61 "2011-04-05T01:35:28Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Better than us. IIRC you can hop from one country to the other to work, if you are a citizen of either Aus or NZ. The USA still has the longest undefended border strongly defended against marauding Canuck consultants and artists. Well after the William Shatner and Celine Dion fiascoes the border has been tightened up a whole lot. We have a lot of talentless American hacks who need work overacting and belting out love ballads. Like Erik Estrada. Curse you TJ Hooker! ---
**Author:** ![kim\_jung\_il](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@kim\_jung\_il](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kim_jung_il)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/62 "2011-04-05T05:04:27Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > 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. Hey, we aren’t all tight you know!!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/63 "2011-04-05T08:25:30Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > 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. And my experience is that the general Scotsman is too generous for his own good. 😉 (The idea about tight Scotsmen is actually originally an internal Scottish joke told by a Glaswegian comedian about Aberdonians). ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/64 "2011-04-05T17:15:05Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > And my experience is that the general Scotsman is too generous for his own good. 😉 > > (The idea about tight Scotsmen is actually originally an internal Scottish joke told by a Glaswegian comedian about Aberdonians). Confession time, I’m an Anglo Scot .father was a Glasweigan (Blantyre) ---
**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 5, 2011, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/65 "2011-04-05T22:16:58Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Confession time, I’m an Anglo Scot .father was a Glasweigan (Blantyre) The next half-round is on Lust4lLife. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/66 "2011-04-05T22:37:12Z")
> [@Baffle](#): > > Americans can’t work in Canada the way Germans can work in France. After NAFTA, I think it is pretty easy/automatic to get a visa. ---
**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 5, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/67 "2011-04-05T22:44:12Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > After NAFTA, I think it is pretty easy/automatic to get a visa. But a German doesn’t need a visa to work in France. A German doesn’t even need a visa to **look** for work in France. ---
**Author:** ![spikebrennan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@spikebrennan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spikebrennan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/68 "2011-04-06T22:18:15Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Oh, man, don’t get me (or any other _Schweitzers_) started on those lameass Liechtenstinians… > > (You’ve heard their taunts on the street: “Ooh, look at us, we’re Doubly Landlocked: a landlocked country wholly surrounded by other landlocked countries.” and “We’re the only Alpine country totally surrounded by the Alps, dawg!” And “Hey, how 'bout us, dudes – the only German-speaking principality that doesn’t border Germany!” Big Whoop). Once more, with feeling: (to the tune of “Clementine”) There’s a castle, on a mountain High above, the river Rhine Tiny nation, since creation High elevation, Liechtenstein. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/69 "2011-04-07T18:06:35Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > The next half-round is on Lust4lLife. Just as soon as this dreadful cramp in one of my hands allows me to reach my wallet. Oh crap its in my other trousers ! Again! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/70 "2011-04-07T19:12:59Z")
> [@spikebrennan](#): > > Once more, with feeling: > (to the tune of “Clementine”) > There’s a castle, on a mountain > High above, the river Rhine > Tiny nation, since creation > High elevation, Liechtenstein. That was beautiful. I have been to Canada without a passport by air multiple times, all in the 20th century. Usually no problem. Once I had difficulty getting into Canada, but it was minor, and they seemed more worried that I’d have difficulty getting back. Once, when I was in high school and didn’t even have a passport, I had to undergo a serious grilling. I was born and raised in the US, California accent, obviously American. My mother was travelling with me, also with no passport, but she was a Canadian re-entering the US illegally. She was lectured by the American customs officials on not bringing my birth certificate, but she was not even asked for her own ID. The system works! (Coda: She is now a US citizen, in case anyone tries to round her up and deport her based on this post.) ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/71 "2011-04-08T09:46:20Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Just as soon as this dreadful cramp in one of my hands allows me to reach my wallet. > > Oh crap its in my other trousers ! > > Again! Huh? You’re Australian?! ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/72 "2011-04-08T09:48:36Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > And my experience is that the general Scotsman is too generous for his own good. 😉 > > (The idea about tight Scotsmen is actually originally an internal Scottish joke told by a Glaswegian comedian about Aberdonians). I used to sell timeshares. It was an explicit policy of the company that are telemarketing department was NOT to call and “Vans” or any other variation of Dutch names. If they did so, and the people turned up then the telemarketer would not be paid a commission on that couple. ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/73 "2011-04-08T10:07:52Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > I used to sell timeshares. It was an explicit policy of the company that are telemarketing department was NOT to call and “Vans” or any other variation of Dutch names. > > If they did so, and the people turned up then the telemarketer would not be paid a commission on that couple. I thought a Dutch name in the US meant Old Money I don’t get it? ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/74 "2011-04-08T10:57:17Z")
> [@willthekittensurvive](#): > > I thought a Dutch name in the US meant Old Money > I don’t get it? In the US it might, I dunno. In New Zealand it was often said that the dutch could have been fish (there arses were watertight) ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/75 "2011-04-08T12:59:54Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > After NAFTA, I think it is pretty easy/automatic to get a visa. If your company has a fixed job to do, yes. If you just feel like moving there for no fixed amount of time to see what life is like, find a job, etc. - not according to what I’ve heard. (Never tried myself). ---
**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 8, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/76 "2011-04-08T13:37:55Z")
After a short period of conflict, the Duchy of Grand Fenwick and the USA developed the closest of ties. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/77 "2011-04-08T20:40:12Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Huh? You’re Australian?! I fucking love you guys.]] It makes me feel better about working with Jocks who have an inabilitey to buy a rounds ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/78 "2011-04-09T16:53:29Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > After a short period of conflict, the Duchy of Grand Fenwick and the USA developed the closest of ties. Thank you! We get forgotten far too often. Signed: Professor Kokintz (High-school production in 1976 or '77.) ---
**Author:** ![kaltkalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bb73d2/32.png) [@kaltkalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaltkalt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/79 "2011-07-27T10:38:47Z")
It’s very unfortunate we do this sort of thing, but it was not done because he was Canadian. Being from Canada, and having a Canadian passport had absolutely nothing to do with it. Whether he really was a terrorist or other sort of security threat, who knows. But it was not animosity towards canadians. > [@md2000](#): > > You have it wrong. It’s Canadian citizens, going through the USA and WITH THEIR PASSPORTS, who get that treatment. > > [Maher Arar - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maher_Arar) > 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:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543/80 "2011-07-27T11:02:51Z")
Maybe we can eliminate countries that have ever fought with or invaded each other. (As their current entity or by a previous one). That would rule out ireland and England along with Scotland- I think from other threads that the USA and Canada have had a few wars. I think Germany has fought everyone apart from Tristan de Cuena so they are out. Australia and NZ are okay. Australia sent armed forces to PNG during WW 1 so that precludes them (Germany was in power there). (This post is mainly tongue in cheek btw). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-neighboring-nations-have-a-better-relationship-than-the-u-s-and-canada/576543.md?page=5)