How is life in Canada different from life in the US?

In My Humble Opinion
41

Hey now! Don’t diss Michael J. Fox! :smiley: Responsible for the coolest time travelling teenager of all time. :slight_smile:

I don’t know if ‘bozo’ is a specific enough term for me to be exactly sure what you’re referring to, but maybe it’s the American producers who specifically like the particular kind of funny that these Canadian actors are good at? They are all sort of goofy/whacky/weird funny, at least the first ones on your list. Perhaps one could argue that since we’re a minority when it comes to the population of this continent, our actors are therefore also a minority, and so the serious ones don’t make it, just the really unusual whacked out ones do? I don’t know.

And I’ve got to disagree with the other Canadians in this thread who like ketchup chips. Well, actually, they’re not evil as such, but they sure don’t taste like ketchup (which is a good thing actually). I’ll just say that I don’t go out of my way to purchase them myself. And for the longest time I didn’t know they were a Canadian phenomenon. I wonder why they are?

Oh, and I think it’s true that high school & HS sports are not as huge of a deal up here. Sounds like it from what my brothers say.

42

The biggest difference between Canada and the US is the way Canadians’ heads flap up and down when they talk. And that Terrence and Phillip movie you sent us, Asses of Fire, was full of bad taste and toilet humor.

43

William Shatner’s NOT a Bozo?

44

Okay, here’s my little story to explain why I believe Canadian men are sooooo much more polite than American men.

Back in the '80’s, when I was still an Army wife, I would have to attend events where often there were only a few female officers and wives in the room. Invariably, I would be completely ignored by the men present, except for the most basic chit-chat. The men would either cluster around the hottest woman in the room, married or not, or just keep to themselves. Most of the rest of us “just average” wives would talk amongst ourselves or hang by our husband’s side.

However, one time, I found my self the center of an entire ring of men, and realized that it was the men who were different at this event. In fact, the entire evening I had interesting conversations with more men than I had talked to in months…in groups, and singly. They sought me out to ask questions, didn’t walk away after the initial introduction…I had the best time I’d ever had at one of these receptions. I hadn’t changed…I was still “just average” wife. But this time, the men were a Canadian regiment who had been training at Ft. Benning for a few weeks. We talked about everything…schools, kids, food, sports, movies, Army life, housing…and since that night I’m convinced that Canadian men are just friendlier and politer.

I know, it’s an isolated incident, but it really made an impression on me.

45

Right. Here’s the only real difference, everything else flows from this. Where American constitutional documents talk about “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” a phrase I’m sure every American here recognizes, Canadian documents talk about “peace, order, and good government.” The difference in attitude expressed by those two phrases is the root of the difference between us.

46

Hi! An Albertan checking in here.

Just a couple of differences I’ve noticed:

  1. I saw lots of American flags in the U.S. They were everywhere (even prior to 9/11). I don’t see private homes flying Canadian flags very often.

  2. Iced tea. In Alberta, we drink the sweet stuff, not cold regular tea.

  3. Coffee. Americans tend to say “Would you like coffee?” and here we ask, “Would you like a coffee?”

  4. You say soda and we say pop.

  5. Americans seem to care if the president has sex outside marriage. I remember when Maggie Trudeau was hanging with the Rolling Stones and we just thought it was a cool story.

47

The price of books!:smiley: If I lived in Canada I think I would be pissed every time I saw $13.95 U.S. / $21.95 Canada…

48

Pssst…Slainte…you’re forgetting the exchange rate. Or am I being “whooshed”?

Actually books are often cheaper in Canada, especially if the Canadian dollar’s been dropping and the publishers haven’t caught up yet. Unfortunately the sales tax tends to even things out. Stupid GST.

49

to reply to No Disguise’s thing with the bozo’s, canadians are just plain hilarious. we cant help it americans dont understand our humor :stuck_out_tongue: no disguise thinks im retarded as hell, aka bozo, but hes more of a “bozo” then anyone else :stuck_out_tongue:

50

Well Canada’s not much different than the magical world of Rand McNally where hamburgers eat people and folks wear shoes on their feet. Plus their money looks like technicolor toiletpaper. Oh yeah and they say “oot” instead of “out”.

51

I think you’ll find most cultures embrace the practice of wearing shoes on their feet. Well, except for screwed up Americans.

52

Okay, a few differences I’ve noticed:

  1. People who only speak one official language are disqualified for a lot of government jobs here. This means that most people born and raised on the Prairies are not likely to qualify to work for their own government, because most Prairie people only speak English.

  2. Canada is divided between East and West; America is divided between North and South. It blew my mind when I visited West Virginia and everybody there knew exactly where the Mason-Dixon Line is, and how close they were to it.

  3. Western Canadians are very bitter about having no say in who forms the government of Canada. When we have Federal Elections here, the winner is unofficially decided when the votes are counted from Ontario and Quebec. There is not enough population in the West (including BC) to offset the winner after the East has voted. The East and the West in Canada do not vote the same, so the East decides the government.

  4. Our Federal Elections are over in a day. We may not like the outcome, but it’s done and over with quickly.

  5. We have butter tarts. Yum-my.

(RickJay, I’ve heard that we have an inheritance tax of 50% here; what we don’t have is windfall taxes on things like lottery winnings. Anybody have any cites for this?)

53

And gentlemen. It’s May, and the tight t-shirts and cutoffs are starting to appear. Woo!

54

Heh, I meant hats on their feet. I screwed up the Simpsons quote.

55

Canadian Humour: First of all, we spell humour with a “u.” I think many of our best-known comedians are “bozos” because Canadians, in general, are far more self-deprecating than Americans. We’re far more willing to say and do the goofy stuff because it’s part of our national culture. Hell, one of the funniest Canadian programmes on TV is a news-parody called “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” which routinely features the show’s stars mocking our national leaders to their faces. I recall a wonderful moment when Rick Mercer interviewed Prime Minister Cretien and asked the PM to give him a career synopsis, then began rolling his eyes and yawning while Cretien yammered on and on.

Hot Canadian Women: Before I was engaged, it came to my attention that the following Canadian women are hot (or believed to be): Jill Henessey; Pam Anderson; Shania Twain; Elisha Cuthbert; Sarah MacLachlan; Mia Kirshner; Cassie Campbell; Deborah Cox; Trish Stratus; Monica Schnarr; Rae Dawn Chong… I could go on and on. But since I only have eyes for my fiancée now, I’ll just have to assume the women up here are still hot.

Violence: Canadian papers still report every murder and they’re all met with shock and disbelief. So far as I’m aware, we’ve only produced one serial killer (Cliff Olson). People don’t get shot in cases of road rage – they get a stern talking to. We prefer to have our violence to be couched in the framework of sports, most particularly hockey, but also in our official national sport – lacrosse.

Beer: Ours have two special features which are lacking in American beer – taste and alcohol. 'Nuff said.

Health Care: Knowing that no matter what happens, you’re covered is very reassuring. No HMOs to fight with, just adequate care for all. Of course, the really rich in Canada still have the option of jumping the line by jetting down to the States for quick, expensive treatment, so our system still features a second tier for the privileged upper class.

Toronto: It’s the closest thing to New York City that we have, and they’re so desperate to be as cosmopolitan as NYC that most of Canada is embarassed for them. However, since all the major media outlets are run from Toronto, our national coverage of everything, from news to entertainment to sports, is coloured by their “Toronto is the centre of the Universe” perspective. As an example, the national sports radio network has recently taken to calling the Blue Jays “Canada’s Team,” even as the Montreal Expos lead their division, not to mention the fact that the Expos have 10 years of seniority as well.
From what I’ve seen, the States don’t have a national spokes-city the way Toronto has declared itself to be in Canada. Your major centers like LA and New York seem to have their own voices and don’t act like they speak for everyone. Or am I completely out to lunch on that one?

56

:smiley: Yes - I was just poking fun. Although I don’t know the exchange rate, I figured it would even things out. Everytime I buy a book though, I imagine Canadians smuggling books in from the US & selling them for a lower rate. Maybe it’s just me… but I find it amusing.

57

PS - You can buy Cuban cigars in Canada & not in the US, that’s enough for some people to consider moving.

58

Canada has the best damn salt-n-vinegar potatochips!
Growing up, my family vacationed in Canada every year. First thing we did when we crossed the border is buy a bag of salt-n-vinegar chips. For that, I will always be thankful for our friends to the east (yeah, I live in Michigan - Canada is east).
I’m also 1/8th Canadian and proud of it.

59

Don’t forget the rum, too.

60

Keanu Reeves is a borderline bozo???