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.
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.
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~
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
Just remember, rathead99, we have more nuclear weapons than you do.
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!!!
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.
- 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.
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…
Rathead99
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
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.
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?
nhaerens:
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~
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”–>
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.”
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
Zette said:
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.
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.”
We’re citizens.
You’re subjects.
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
We could always just sing “We are the Champions” and then go get drunk…