Several posts upthread, I wrote, "The Chad Mitchell Trio also recorded it, though they took it as a song about the US and Canada, rather than about two groups within Canada."

I don't know why I ascribed that view to the Trio. There's nothing to support 2012-me in the liner notes to the album, nor do they say any such thing by way of introduction to the song on the recording. I even got their name wrong, as they were The Mitchell Trio by then.

But, yes, it could work as a song about the US and Canada....