# What Americans know and Canadians just don't get. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 8, 2001, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681 "2001-02-08T20:31:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/41 "2001-02-09T15:57:45Z")
Check out [An Americans Guide to Canada](http://www.icomm.ca/emily/how.html). I thought it was an interesting site, and it’s kind of on the same subject. Well, there’s no Canada or US bashing, but it does point out many differences and misconceptions. ---
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/42 "2001-02-09T16:03:38Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve said it before an I’ll say it again… show me a Canadian who would not trade in his/her Canadian citizenship for an American one given a par exchange on the dollar and a promise to let him/her continue to live and work just where he/she always has but now under US rule. The entire country would be sold to the US in a matter of hours. Here’s one. You couldn’t pay me enough to live there. By the way, as much as I dislike taxes, I’m really proud of our health care system, and all of the other programs my tax dollars support. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, especially not to live in the US. I disagree with most of the things that the US stands for, and would prefer to move to Europe before being under US rule. Seriously. If the US took over Canada, I would immediately start looking into immigrating somewhere else. ---
**Author:** ![BunnyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BunnyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyGirl)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/43 "2001-02-09T16:18:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Why are Canadians funnier than Americans? Cause they know how to laugh at themselves? 😃 In reading through this, I have a sneaking suspicion that Michigan is actually a Canadian mole on the US side. I mean, check out the following: > [@](#): > > I tack “eh” onto my sentences. Yup. Pretty much everyone in MI does this. > [@](#): > > All you need in the States to shut down your roads for ten minutes or more is two inches of snow. One inch out of > season. (We call this season “winter”.) Shoot, we’re lucky if the roads close after 12" of snow! > [@](#): > > The beaver is a truly proud and noble animal. Hey, we got beavers. Even those funny little mammals with flat tales, too! > [@](#): > > 1. Hockey is not a sport. It’s demolition derby without the cars. Hockey is King in MI. Go Spartans! Hmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![dlb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@dlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dlb)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/44 "2001-02-09T16:24:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Math Geek \* > > Well, we’re also not British, or French, or Mongolian for that matter. But comparisons with those countries just don’t seem quite as relevant: they’re not the 5-ton elephant sitting on our doorstep. I do agree that we tend to flog that horse…er, elephant a bit too much, however. > > \*\* Huh. Canadians could have had French culture, American know-how, and British democracy. Instead, they **chose** to have American culture, British know-how, and French democracy. Given that this was told to me by a Canadian friend, I couldn’t resist passing it on. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/45 "2001-02-09T16:30:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Math Geek \* > > > [@](#): > > > > I’m not about to try to explain to her that she is under no obligation to recite this speach - most obvious reason is that she is not an American. > > This actually saddens me a bit. Is your daughter not aware of her Canadian heritage at all? I know what you are getting at **Math Geek** , but what do you suggest I do to distiguish these two cultures in her very bright but still 4 year old mind? Do I explain to her the difference between CFL and NFL (or XFL now)? Do I tell he about moose and beavers and Canadian geese? Do I explain to her the differences between Canadian and US political structures of gov’t? Do I instruct her on the virtues and advantages of pronouncing the last letter in the alphbet as “Zed” not “Zee”? Do I teach her the benefits of ending sentences with an “eh” and sticking a “u” in words like colour, honour and endeavour? Or how about stressing the sheer importance of the fact that Canadian Thanksgiving is in October while the American one is in November? Perhaps I should highlight the fact that Canadians don’t give a toss about Lincoln’s, Washington’s or Martin Luther King’s birthday but that Victoria day weekend is traditionally marked by purchasing a two-four case of your favourite Canadian beer. What do you consider to be the most significant cultural differences between Canadian and American way of life? You know, aspects that don’t have anything to do with the obviously important differnces in the colour of currency, concentration of alcohol in beer and the misnomer that is “Canadian Bacon”. I suppose I can lecture her on the benefits of universal medicare and subsidized university education, but I don’t know if that will have the desired impact on a 4 year old. For what it’s worth, she has a small Canadian flag sticking out of a small vase in her bedroom and she never misses in pointing out a Canadian flag if it happens to be publically dispalyed when we’re “out and about”. Is that enough? ---
**Author:** ![St.Attila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@St.Attila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Attila)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/46 "2001-02-09T16:37:21Z")
_Originally posted by **Cisco** _ > [@](#): > > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by St. Attila \* > > **Lucky to be born in the South, are you Sealemon88? I take it you’re not black.** > > By showing your extreme ignorance here you’ve pretty much negated everything else you’ve said, IMO. \*\* Jeez, Cisco, why don’t you come up here and let our fine health care system treat that humour impairment of yours. Bring Poncho, too. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/47 "2001-02-09T16:45:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lolagranola \* > You couldn’t pay me enough to live there. I bet I could. > [@](#): > > By the way, as much as I dislike taxes, I’m really proud of our health care system, and all of the other programs my tax dollars support. I don’t want this to degenerat into a my healthcare system and better than your health care system. Suffice it to say that both American and Canadian systems leave much to be desired. But from personal experience, I find that hanging on to more of my after tax income allows me to purchase a very comprehensive medical insurance policy. One that does not in any way pale in comparisson to the Canadian one. Also, in more and more states, laws are changing to forbid insurance companies from denying medical coverage to anyone able to pay for it. Furthermore, the law forbids hospitals from denying treatments to patients regardless of their ability to pay for same. > [@](#): > > I disagree with most of the things that the US stands for, and would prefer to move to Europe before being under US rule. What, you disagree with freedom and justice for all? On what grounds? What are you, some kind of commie? 😉 > [@](#): > > Seriously. If the US took over Canada, I would immediately start looking into immigrating somewhere else. You and I both know that this would be a very unlikely if not impossible event. But I doubt you would find any European country (or anywhere else for that matter) a superior place to \ the US. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Modian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Modian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Modian)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/48 "2001-02-09T16:47:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Why are Canadians funnier than Americans? What else are they going to do when they’re frozen in their igloos all winter? Kidding 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/49 "2001-02-09T16:47:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sealemon88 \* > \*\* > 7. Our crime rate might be higher than yours, but at least we don’t A)Have our citizens getting periodically molested by moose and racoons > > \*\* You’ve obviuosly never been to Maine. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/50 "2001-02-09T17:01:42Z")
**QuickSilver** , You’ve hit on something I’ve noticed. I’m an American, and it strikes me that there’s a way to _be_ American, and what’s more important, there’s a way to be _un-American_. With most nationalities that sounds ridiculous. How would a Canadian act un-Canadian? Or a German un-German? Here, though, we even have a committee in congress to watch out for un-American activities. I think this comes from a few things. 1. We bill ourselves as being a melting pot, and as being a country of immingrants. You can ‘become’ American. Not just a citizen, but as American as anyone, because there’s no American ethnicity. That’s true of Canada, too, but is still rare. 2. We get drilled into our heads that with the United States, the philosophy of government came before the country. Not _quite_ chronologically true, but as close as you’re gonna get. The country was _founded_ in order to get this new system of government going, and I believe it was the first country in history where a desire for fair government was the impetus for its creation. 3. Europe likes to poo-poo our culture. Everything is too flashy, too vapid, and too short-lived. American cuisine is improperly equated to McDonald’s. American musical forms, while the most popular on the planet, aren’t as ‘artistic’ as anyone else’s. American visual art is pop art and comic strips. Our tragic hero is Batman. So we’re a little insecure, and we’ve got some stuff to be proud of. We talk about it a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/51 "2001-02-09T17:02:55Z")
> [@](#): > > As far as funny hats go, I have one word: tooks. Could you at least have come up with a decent name for this geeky looking thing? _Sealemon88_ It’s not tooks its tuques and what would rather us call it? Though up here quite a few people do call theirs a ‘block heater’ such as most of my family. As to our money the way its coloured (note the u) lets us colour code it and be able to glance in our wallets and pull out the right bill without having to flip through and look at the numbers. Helps us make sure we get the right change back too. About the war of 1814 let us have our fun. We were calling it Canada back then and even though we were technicaly British subjects we were Canadian. _shrugs not having anything else to say and wanders off humming O Canada and snuggling down in her bunny hug to keep warm_ ---
**Author:** ![St.Attila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@St.Attila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Attila)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/52 "2001-02-09T17:03:05Z")
It is for me, **Sealemon88**. I love you, buddy. That said… > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **Sealemon88** _ > **As far as funny hats go, I have one word: tooks. Could you at least have come up with a decent name for this geeky looking thing?** WTF’s a **took**? As in, when God was handing out smarts, **Sealemon88** thought he said “farts,” then **took** his sister from the rear 'cause he couldn’t come up with a decent punchline? > [@](#): > > **America makes their money all the same color because we have numbers, and know how to count.** Which, as **Math Geek** pointed out, you’ve already demonstrated. \*\* [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![BunnyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BunnyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyGirl)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/53 "2001-02-09T17:12:41Z")
::snort!:: **Attila** , you are _too_ funny! > [@](#): > > Canadian geese Actually, luv, that’s _Canada_ geese. Correct terminology and all… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/54 "2001-02-09T17:17:39Z")
_St. Attila_ > [@](#): > > **tuque** n. > A knitted woolen cap in the form of a cylindrical bag often with tapered ends that is worn with one end tucked into the other. > > **tuque** \Tuque, n. [Canadian F. See Toque A kind of warm cap winter wear, made from a knit bag with closed tapered ends by pushing one end within the other, thus making a conical cap of double thickness. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/55 "2001-02-09T17:22:00Z")
I hope that if you use my sentence you spell better than I do. I believe the correct word is “pompatus”. Tuques do look pretty funny, I agree. Still, they are more practical than berets. It is little-known that they were invented specifically to stop gangs of youths from wearing them sideways and looking generally foolish. The best way to teach your daughter about Candian heritage is to play road hockey with her and stop the game to move the net for oncoming cars every forty-three seconds. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/56 "2001-02-09T17:27:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dr\_Paprika \* > The best way to teach your daughter about Candian heritage is to play road hockey with her and stop the game to move the net for oncoming cars every forty-three seconds. Unfortunately we live on a cul-de-sac and she and I enjoy playing soccer. Oh gosh! You don’t think I’m inadvertantly raising an english football hooligan, do you? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/57 "2001-02-09T17:35:09Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by QuickSilver \* \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lolagranola \* > You couldn’t pay me enough to live there. > [@](#): > > I bet I could. \*\* We don’t all sell out for money. Maybe this is why you are happier in the US? I think the problem is that you don’t have any national pride, so you assume that of everyone else. You could be bought for a higher wage and less taxes, so you assume that everyone else would do the same in a similar situation. Not true. There is plenty of national pride here, and I happen to have a reputation for being especially patriotic. The US happens to be on the bottom of my list of industrialized countries that I would choose to live in. Hopefully without degenerating this into an argument over these issues, I can say that there are a multitude of things I strongly dislike about the US. Health care, gun control laws, education, and the general air of smugness that wafts across the border, to name a few. **Note:** this does not pertain to all individual Americans. I’ve had many positive experiences, a great many of them on this board. However, it is the general impression of things in that country that tend to make an impression here. Again, not all Canadians share your values. We wouldn’t all be under US rule, given the chance. You should know better than to make such sweeping statements regarding over 30 million people. That is a poor debate style, and certainly one that will stimulate argument. Also implying that I would do the same as you (ie. move) in a similar situation is rather arrogant. It is unlikely that you know me better than I know myself. In my opinion, you have demonstrated both ignorance and arrogance in your statements regarding your sentiments towards my country of choice. You’ve chosen to live in the country that you are happier in, and I’ve chosen mine. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/58 "2001-02-09T17:36:40Z")
wowza. this thread got ugly over night! 😃 I thought it was going to all be in fun! I’d just like to interject a little story of going to The Georgian Bay in Ontario (where I vacation every year) and referring to myself as “an American” in a Beer Store. The man behind the counter snarled at me (yes, snarled) and said, “And what am I? We’re all American…we all live in North America. Don’t give me that American stuff. You’re from The States.” How this applies? I don’t know. [sitting on rock, looking into camera] Maybe we could all learn a little something from the Beer Store. [cue theme music and end credits] Also…hockey IS a sport. I’m from The States, and I firmly believe that. jarbaby ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/59 "2001-02-09T17:38:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bup \* > So we’re a little insecure, and we’ve got some stuff to be > proud of. We talk about it a lot. I agree with much of what you said and I’d just like to note that as Canadians we like to remind people that we are Canadian because of the CBC and nationalized healthcare and education. We forget that we’re not the only country in the world to have both a mediocre national broadcast agency and comprehensive social programs. These two items however only serve to distinguish us from Americans not the rest of the world. My point is that Canadians like to distinguish themselves by yelling “Don’t confuse us with Americans!” , while Americans seem to be in a league of their own. ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681/60 "2001-02-09T17:51:14Z")
I KNEW that wasn’t how you spelled tuques! I looked up my best guess on Yahoo, and saw ‘tooks’ used a [web site](http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/4656/lyrics/30mckenziebrothers.htm) about Bob and Doug McKenzie’s 12 Days of Christmas song. My bad. > [@](#): > > WTF’s a took? As in, when God was handing out smarts, Sealemon88 thought he said “farts,” then took his sister from the rear 'cause he couldn’t come up with a decent punchline? Wel, I would have taken _your_ sister, but I didn’t feel like freezing my ass off in Sasqwetchesicshweinzetonarghszway. > [@](#): > > Tuques do look pretty funny, I agree. Still, they are more practical than berets. It is little-known that they were invented specifically to stop gangs of youths from wearing them sideways and looking generally foolish. I’ve seen kids wear tennis headband/brims not only to the side, but with the brim turned up. apparentliy, they’re growing their own little garden up there. I could very easily see some genius using one of the ear flaps as an eyepatch and starting a trend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-americans-know-and-canadians-just-dont-get/53681.md?page=4)