# Why wasn't Canada Mentioned? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 21, 2001, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950 "2001-09-21T03:04:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/1 "2001-09-21T03:04:04Z")
There were two or three times that Bush mentioned America’s allies and Nations that helped or sent sympathies to the US and yet in all the countries named he left out Canada. Is this an oversite or a message? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/2 "2001-09-21T03:10:17Z")
Would you want bin Laden targeting Canada, too? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/3 "2001-09-21T03:27:41Z")
Neither. You have to remember that the speech had a purpose, which is to build a coalition. No doubt every country mentioned was a country that Bush is trying to build support in. Canada is already fully on board. Today I heard one of our government officials say, “George Bush needs to build a coalition of countries around the world to help us win this battle.” US. Our Canadian rhetoric isn’t even distinguishing us from America. It’s US, and the rest of the world. George Bush probably felt no more need to mention Canada as he would to mention Montana. Still, speaking as a Canadian, it would have been nice… ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/4 "2001-09-21T03:30:59Z")
Actually, I don’t think he’s terribly fond of Canada or perhaps the government of Canada. I think it may have something to do with our prime minister being a former cabinet minister of Trudeau. ---
**Author:** ![Ned](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/848f3c/32.png) [@Ned](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ned)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/5 "2001-09-21T03:34:37Z")
As a Canadian I would like to reassure the board that we are not a nation of whiners who feel snubbed every time we aren’t mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/6 "2001-09-21T03:37:34Z")
I leave it as an exercise for the reader to correct the grammar of my previous post. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/7 "2001-09-21T03:58:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ned \* > \*\*As a Canadian I would like to reassure the board that we are not a nation of whiners who feel snubbed every time we aren’t mentioned. \*\* Oh God! I remember that routine! Who did it? ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/8 "2001-09-21T04:01:32Z")
Why would Bush mention our northern-most state? 😃 d&r ---
**Author:** ![GKW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@GKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GKW)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/9 "2001-09-21T04:02:55Z")
Bush probably didn’t mention Canada in his speech because he takes them for granted. Most Americans think of Canada as belonging to the United States. They’re family - you don’t have to be polite to them. ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/10 "2001-09-21T04:05:56Z")
Hey look, **xeno’s** theory is holding true! ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/11 "2001-09-21T04:10:20Z")
Bush is probably still ticked at the [“Prime Minister Poutine”](http://www.canoe.ca/TelevisionShowsT/talkingtoamericans.html) gag 🙂 > [@](#): > > Bush, for example, didn’t even blink last fall on the presidential campaign trail when Mercer brought him greetings from “Prime Minister Poutine.” ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/12 "2001-09-21T04:37:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Ned > As a Canadian I would like to reassure the board that we are not a nation of whiners who feel snubbed every time we aren’t mentioned. Hold on a minute there. The only reason I mentioned this is because many nations were mentioned including those we know are on board (The UK for example) With all of this talk of Canada’s immigration policy lately I was just wondering if we were being left in the cold for a reason. I’m glad you are out there to defend our image but as a fellow Canadian I do get curious when our country is left out of a list of U.S. supporters I believe we should be included on. ---
**Author:** ![Philosophocles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Philosophocles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philosophocles)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/13 "2001-09-21T04:40:16Z")
No one can stop the Can-Am Connection. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/14 "2001-09-21T04:48:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balduran \* > \*\*Actually, I don’t think he’s terribly fond of Canada or perhaps the government of Canada. I think it may have something to do with our prime minister being a former cabinet minister of Trudeau. \*\* As if George Bush cares - or is even AWARE - that Jean Chretien used to be a cabinet minister under Pierre Trudeau. Hell, I’d bet a lot of Canadians don’t know that. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/15 "2001-09-21T06:45:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kingpengvin \* > \*\*There were two or three times that Bush mentioned America’s allies and Nations that helped or sent sympathies to the US and yet in all the countries named he left out Canada. Is this an oversite or a message? \*\* Neither. I suspect he may have concentrated on England more because they’re the ones we’ve gone to war with this past century. England is also our closest ally that has the ability to project military power around the world. I realize that Canadians fight but I don’t think you guys have the ability to project military power in the same manner. In some ways I think Canada is closer to England then the United States when it comes to their culture. Economically speaking the United States and Canada are vital to one anothers interest. Marc ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/16 "2001-09-21T06:57:28Z")
I think it was a _simple_ oversight. No direct message. Remember, Bush isn’t exactly known for his international experience and views. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/17 "2001-09-21T07:11:32Z")
Y’know, as soon as I heard W say that, I knew I’d see this thread. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/18 "2001-09-21T07:37:19Z")
Y’know, as soon as I heard W say that, I knew I’d see this thread. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/19 "2001-09-21T07:55:58Z")
Because our military sucks. Here’s what we have guarding the second largest nation on the planet. PERSONNEL Total: About 58,000 Army: About 22,000 Navy: About 9,000 Air Force: About 14,000 Other: Staff, administration, support, etc., about 13,000. ``` KEY WEAPONS SYSTEMS ``` Army: – Leopard I tanks: recently refurbished with new turrets and sights. Main armament is one 105-mm rifled cannon. – LAV (Light armoured vehicles): armoured personnel carrier-armoured fighting vehicles. Main armament is one 25-mm chain gun. – Coyote armoured reconnaissance vehicle: equipped with long range TV, infra-red and radar sensors. – M109 self-propelled howitzers, 155-mm gun. – C7 rifles, machine guns. Air Force: – 80 CF-18 fighter-bombers. Some equipped to drop laser-guided bombs and fire TV-guided Maverick missiles. – 32 C-130 Hercules tactical transports. Navy: – 12 patrol frigates armed with a 100-mm gun, various anti-ship and anti-air missiles. – Four Tribal-class destroyers equipped for air defence with standard missile launch cells. – One Victoria-class attack submarine; three more on order from Britain. Note that’s one submarine for three oceans :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Venoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@Venoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venoma)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950/20 "2001-09-21T10:12:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MGibson \* > \*\* > In some ways I think Canada is closer to England then the United States when it comes to their culture. Economically speaking the United States and Canada are vital to one anothers interest. > > Marc \*\* Here, I have to say to the first statement, nope. My family and fiance in the US fit very well with my Canadian family (where I reside). No culture shock, no real differences. Except borders. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-canada-mentioned/82950.md?page=2)