BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.

Subject: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Gary T
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 03:23 AM

In the "Do Americans Know" thread it was mentioned that there are cultural differences between Americans and Canadians, of which most Americans are generally unaware. So now I'm curious--what are they? I would like to think that most Americans are aware of French Canada/Quebec and the U.S.'s atypical firearms policies. What else ya got?

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Metchosin
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 03:32 AM

we all wear touques.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Metchosin
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 03:38 AM

and according to a U.S. T.V. programme, I watched the night before last, on the Top Ten Ecological Holiday spots in the world, spot number 5 goes to grizzley bear watching in Vancouver. (don't think they were referring to a sports team, do you?)

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Sian in Wales
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 06:45 AM

We Candians(even in exile in Wales) say "eh?", eh?, where Americans say "huh?"

We have the Canadian Cultural Mosaic, Americans have the Melting Pot.

We can listen to an American saying "Round and about the house" without breaking into hysterical laughter. Americans have a problem with the reversed scenario.

We make tea with boiling water. Americans ... well, the Boston Tea Party tells us everything we need to know on that one.

Sian, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: kendall
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:28 AM

Just for the record, we are not ALL dummies when it comes to knowledge of Canadian customs. I have many Canadian friends, and, this leads to finding out about such things.I remember one in particular being quite surprised when I asked him about the Meech Lake Accords.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Peter T.
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:32 AM

Canadians are very odd people. It takes a long time to figure out how profound the differences really are. I was brought up in England, the U.S., and Canada, so speak from personal experience. They have a complex history that has made it impossible to settle on a national mythology, and so their relationship to their past is very fragile -- quite unlike the U.S. Their relationship to the natural world is not one of a conquering people -- more like a series of temporary dwellings in a vast terrain that is indifferent to them and that is prepared to kill them if they do anything really stupid. The huge size of the country is always there, even if it is muffled under the city lights, and people forget about it in their consciousness. The dying older Anglo generation was very British; the under 50's are more Americanized, but still retain some of that rule-based culture. This rule-based culture makes it very hard to get people worked up over basic infringements of rights that wouldn't be tolerated in America; but, on the other hand, it has provided a strangely sympathetic space for ethnic immigrants to retain their own culture at home and among their own communities, as long as they conform at the most generic level. The closest people to English Canadians in American culture, not surprisingly, are people in Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc.; and French Canadians are a world unto themselves. Cape Bretonners are from Mars.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Midchuck
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:35 AM

Americans (I know that's wrong, America is the continent, the country south of Canada is the United States, but what else do you say? United Statesers? Ye gods!) believe that a the word for the little tiny animal that lives under your kitchen counters and your cat is always hunting and failing to catch, and the word for the huge animal with antlers that lives in swamps and eats moss and such, have different vowel sounds; and that the word for the building you live in, if you don't live in a multi-family apartment or on the street, rhymes with the little animal.

Canadians appear to believe in the government as their master, rather than their servant. Americans (except the liberals, who should all move to Canada forthwith, they'd be much happier) believe in government as their servant. Unfortunately, a lot of Americans have lost track of the fact that you can't have a free society without all or most of the people accepting that they have obligations as well as rights. We are all the government, ergo, we are all each others' servants.

There's gotta be a way to make it work. If I figure out what it is, I'll let you know. I've wondered if I shouldn't emigrate to Canada myself. In some ways, they seem to make it work better. But:

1) It's cold enough here in Vermont, and

2) They wouldn't let me bring my .44 magnum, and I'd be nervous without it.

Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Celtic.Relics.com
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:45 AM

Cape Bretoner's from Mars? Guess Newfoundlanders are from Pluto?? So Americans are from Earth?? Here in the Eastern Atlantic Provinces, we don't forget much about our past and retain much of the music and culture. Difference from Americans to Canadians? Any traveler will tell you, you can spot an American out in a crowd in downtown Berlin. American's have become labeled loud and aggressive especially in differnect cultural settlings from their own. I over heard an Irish lad once describing an American tourist he just met.. "If it ain't the American way, it ain't good." Canadians for the most part sit back and quietly stay out of the way and tend to say "Sorry" or "Pardon me" alot. But each side has exceptions. Thankfully we are both different, it would be a boring world if we were all the same.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Celtic.Relics.com
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:46 AM

The great Canadian songwriter, Stan Rogers, once said "We Canadians have one problem, we're too nice!"

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Mbo
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:47 AM

Leahy said "Canada is an island off the coast of Cape Breton."

--Mbo

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: black walnut
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:53 AM

perhaps it's awfully canadian of me to want to explode with pride and joy in having this place to talk about canadian culture, but to come up mum when i try to find the words to express it. you'll have wait until i finish another cup of coffee, while looking out the window at a remnant patch of snow....

~black walnut in toronto

("canadians are very odd people", eh?)

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: MMario
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:56 AM

Not true, North America is an island off Cape Cod. Truth, I was taught it in school.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Celtic.Relics.com
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 08:58 AM

Is that Coffee of the Tim Hortons kind..... "Rrrolll Up the rim to Win"

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Neil Lowe
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:02 AM

I've never been to Canada, but from a single piece of second-hand information I received from my uncle who went to grad school in Toronto, I would like to visit someday. He said when a pedestrian steps off the curb to cross the street, traffic comes to a halt.

Step off the curb anywhere in the U.S., you test fate and the odds are against you.

It's been a few years since he told me that. I wonder if things have changed.

Regards, Neil

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:18 AM

Neil from my experience that seems to be true only in Victoria, British Columbia or in small rural towns.
But you do that kind of thing in Toronto and you are playing Russian Roulette with your life.
When you come visit Toronto, I will teach you how to use the Cross Walk. Even then it is wise to wear a helmet.

Little Neo

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: sophocleese
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:24 AM

Yes, Neil they have.

Okay lets go back to the mid-eighties. Famine in Africa. Musicians all over wish to help raise money for famine relief. After the Brits kick off with Bob Geldorf and "Do They Know its Christmas" The Americans and the Canadians also come up with a record each. The American one is called "We Are the World" and the Canadian one is "Tears are not Enough". I think those titles speak to a cultural difference.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: black walnut
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:29 AM

no, no, no! Second Cup! ALLways Second Cup in my cup. that's part of being canadian, too. loyalties. some are loyal to Tim, others are loyal to Second Cup. i will go WAY out of my way to get a Second Cup coffee over a Tim Horton's coffee. and then some of us are just loyal to caffeine, no matter how we can get it.

i drive regularly in toronto traffic. it gets worse and scarier every day. stop light and signal change violations top the list. but even the vilest offender will screech to a blessed halt for a pedestrian, or at least feel guilty about it if they don't.

peter t. has a lot of good comments. our culture is one with the land, the land, the land. and one can't take the weather out of the land. we are a handful of people in a huge cold land.

there are many different kinds of us. we have a variety of accents, a variety of skin~colours, a variety of educational systems, a variety of stepdances, a variety of coffees. but we are together at the mercy of the rock, the trees, the plains, the mountains, the lakes, the oceans, the snow, the ice ... the vastness and strength of this huge gorgeous land. a lot of us pocket ourselves down near the border, for a variety of reasons, but mainly to keep warm*.

~black walnut *who would say something quite different if this were a typical hot humid August day, but it's not, and the crocuses are covered in snow this morning, and i may even head back to the woodpile this morning.....

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Neil Lowe
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:33 AM

(sigh)...Should've known it was too good to be true.

Neil (who's fond of the bipedal mode of transportation)

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: MMario
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:34 AM

Black Walnut and Little Neo - I had the pleasure to visit Toronto last summer, and I found the traffic to be EXTEMELY polite and responsive to pedestrians. Much better then I normally see in small town USA, let alone the cities. And driving to and through Toronto found the other drivers likewise to be very courteous compared to what I am used to contending with. and bless whoever decided to sell frozen cappacino's in the BART terminal.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Neil Lowe
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:38 AM

Okay, so I'll only cross the street when black walnut is driving. Anybody got a helmet I can borrow?

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: sophocleese
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:45 AM

Don't worry too much if you do get hit, Neil, while crossing the road though. We have socialized medicare. That's one big difference between Canada and the United States. Its one difference I like, although I would not argue if the U.S. decided to start it too.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,James
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 09:54 AM

This is an interesting thread....As a Canadian who has spent much time in other countries I am acutely aware of how subtle the differences are between cultures. These differences are often hard to express but I do know that every time I come "home" I am aware of them and am glad to be here. One of the things I appreciate about Canada is how many of our beliefs as a nation are carried out in our national policies such as Medicare...free and for all...no capital punishment....relatively cheap secondary education....National unemployment insurance and so on. We have never invaded another country but have sent peace keepers around the world. And, in spite of our years of french/english conflict... we have never hesitated to elect French Canadian Prime Ministers. We do not care what religion our politicians are....or are we much interested in the private lives of our leaders...all of these things speak volumes about our national beliefs. We may not be the most interesting , most powerful or most aggressive place on earth....but it is always a joy to be among people who embrace the above mentioned concepts. Canada is just great in less obvious ways than other places and that too is part of our cultural identity. I don't think we are perfect or better that anyone else but I do love the differences....these are the things that others often do not see on a brief visit. Then there is Sharp Angus......the best beer in the world .....eh!

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Peter T.
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 10:03 AM

Just to be clear, I love Cape Breton and all who sail in her. If I could find a way to make a living, I would move there tomorrow.

Actually, I don't think Canadians see government as their master. Much of the time they see it as like the land -- vast, uncaring, and elsewhere. But they also see it as a force for common action when pushed. Something else about Canada which is weird is that, although there are 30 million people, it is still very local in many ways. You can talk to Cabinet Ministers in the supermarket (I have done so) -- this is partly because we have not yet totally succumbed to money politics, so there are lots of ordinary (and some sub-ordinary) people in government. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 10:43 AM

That's true Peter T.
I often see Mel Lastman, our Mayor of Toronto on a regular basis at the local Second Cup I go to.
Why I could be in line with him and pass on any requests from the local Mudcatters.
Just let me know.
To be honest, I much prefer Starbucks.

Neil, you can borrow my helmet & wrist guards. Got to protect those hands so you can play your guitar.

Little Neo

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Bert
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 10:48 AM

Some one once said "There is very little difference between Americans and Canadians" And those differences you can quickly find out by making the above remark to a Canadian!

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Rana
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 11:38 AM

Or watching Due South!

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Metchosin
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 11:47 AM

Jeez Little Neo, I don't know what curb you stepped off in Victoria but you obviously were very lucky, the only difference was that you would have been hit by a retiree from Ontario or some other part of Canada (or the States).

Sorry, (very Canadian) for the dig about grizzlies in Vancouver (it was late and I was in a very giggly mood) and it was the second time that particular error in geography had come to my attention. (I once read an article regarding an American children's school text book which had stated that Vancouver was bigger than Texas and that the Gang Ranch, in Vancouver, took three days to ride across by horseback).

Errors in printed and visual media are not necessarily the perrogative of Americans, it's just that they are the primary producers of the media in the English language here.

When you purchase an article in a Canadian store, a very unhelpful clerk will say "You're welcome," when you thank them for ringing it up, in the States when you say "Thank you" to a very helpful clerk, they often reply "Uh huh", which would be considered rude here.

I say "x y zed" and my daughter says "x y zee", thanks to Sesame Street, but as Peter T. pointed out, Americanization is generational, and I am of the last Canadian generation that was British influenced in language and education.

As for less trivial differences, that will take more time for me to think about and write up, but they definitely are there.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 11:50 AM

Hmmmm, couple of observations: The person who said "We're too nice!" was Stan Rogers? Interesting source for such a comment.

Midchuck: No we probably wouldn't let you bring in your 44. magnum....but once here, who the hell would you shoot, anyway?

"Canadians appear to think of their Government as their 'Master'"? Couldn't be more wrong about that one 'Chuck'. I couldn't imagine a country that held their leaders in more utter disdain, and most appear to show almost complete lack of interest.

Biggest difference I notice (since I cross the border a lot) is the big deal most Americans place on religion. Certainly in the Eastern part of Canada, it just never seems to be an issue, one way or another.

"Canada is the country, where Rush Limbaugh and Bill Clinton buy their Cuban cigars!" C'mon you didn't really think the super-rich actually smoke Puerto Rican ones do you?

Rick (attempting to not be a "Hoser")

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Peter T.
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 11:57 AM

Little Neo, tell Mel next time you see him that it's time he put his money where his mouth is and supported Toronto as the 11th province. It is time we were going: goodbye Mike, and we are taking our money with us, we know when we are not wanted.... (sorry about the local thread creep). yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Metchosin
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:02 PM

"money politics" not a part of the Canadian political experience? Oooh I think not now or ever Peter T., it's just less blatant. The "Family Compact" is still alive and well in Canada, it's just that they remain behind the scenes and their political minions and wannabes, mingle with the hoi polloi.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: black walnut
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:09 PM

so, the mayor prefers Second Cup! hey, i like the Cup not just for the coffee (especially those mocha mandarinos!), but possibly even moreso for the neighbourhood community feeling i sense at Second Cups. all ages, all styles...a great place to people-watch or read a book. i usually see someone i know, and if not, chatting with the owners or the staff is always an option. and i like the big community bulletin board at the Second Cup on Bayview south of Eglinton.

notice how i hadn't even mention Starbucks, neo? i walk right by a Starbucks without so much as a glimpse or a sniff on my way to the Cup. haven't gotten over the territory war Starbucks inflicted on toronto, nor their bitter brew. Tim Horton's is very popular in small town ontario...i wonder if anybody else was at the Natalie McMaster concert at Sudbury's Northern Lights Festival last summer. in between songs, she tossed Tim Horton mugs and t-shirts into the audience. it was quite embarrassing.

sorry to dwell on coffee. now to weather.

oh, neo, you can tell the mayor-who-likes-Second-Cup that i liked the snow removal better this year. (non~torontonians: this year we had a pretty tame winter with not very not much snow. last year mel had to called in the army to dig us out.)

bert, i think the difference is that there is a BIG difference.

james, you made some excellent points! i hope you can see that below the surface of my hazelnut-cream coffee, i am metaphorizing about the aspect of variety which enriches our canadian culture by offering accessibility, but at the same time respects and supports regional peculiar strengths and flavours.

~black walnut

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Peter T.
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:13 PM

That is not what I said -- I said "not yet totally succumbed": big difference. Mostly succumbed, sure: here, now, and always. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:19 PM

I must confess to a lot of ignorance about Canada, and especially Canadian politics and history. I live in Minnesota, but it seems that most Minnesotans think of Canada as a place to go for really good fishing. (Everybody wants to go farther north to fish. Iowans come to Minnesota. People from the Twin Cities go to northern Minnesota. I suppose people from northern Minnesota go to Ontario or Manitoba, and Canadians go up to the Arctic Circle.) We are reminded that Canada exists whenever we find an occasional Canadian dime or quarter among our change. (Our machines won't accept them.)

I have a few questions. During the American Revolution, what was the status of Canada? (I know a lot of loyalists emigrated to Canada then, mostly under threat of persecution.) Was there any inclination on the part of Canadians to join the Americans in seeking independence? Were they given the opportunity? If not, why not? (Odd that Washington and his pals called themselves the Continental Congress, Continental Army, and so on, when they didn't represent the whole continent - and odder still to contemplate how history might have been different if there had been more than 13 colonies.) Or did the Canadians fight the Brits, too, and lose? These things are never mentioned in American history classes.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,James
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:37 PM

No we did not fight the Brits and Lose. Canada had a very different relationship with the Crown than America did. On the whole there was not a great movement for "independence". Our evoloution as a Nation was very different...two great cultures came together here and to a great extent the task of nation building was one of compromise and accomodation. Many loyalists came to Canada to avoid persecution and to remain loyal to the Crown. The Confederation of Canada in 1867 was the result of compromise rather than of revoloution. The view that some people had in Canada was that America did not want a true revoloution, they simply wanted to exchange one ruling class for another, which is essentially what they did. Politicall this was seen not to be an advantage in British North America. Your questions are good ones, but impossible to answer briefly. I hope this sheds some light and I am sure you will get a lot of replies.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Metchosin
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 12:53 PM

Big cultural differences? Very few American's are posting to this thread and could care less. Considering that Canadians are a minority here at Mudcat, Canadians are obsessed with this thread. Why?

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: black walnut
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 01:00 PM

we post because we care.

~'nut

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: black walnut
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 01:08 PM

actually, that was a good question. i wonder what the others will say? for me, i felt quite compelled to share my thoughts. i'm not sure why. i'll think about it....

(not being one who watches much t.v., i can't say that i was influenced by the patriotic molson canadian ad i haven't seen yet but i heard talked about yesterday on cbc.)

oh, THAT's a difference. the radio. cbc. yes, that's a difference.

~black walnut

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 01:15 PM

Metchosin,

"Uh Huh" drives me crazy every time I hear it uttered in the southern U.S.

What drives me more crazy is American culture quickly creeping into Canada. I suppose that this is inevitable as T.V. is mostly American, but when I hear Canadians referring to sneakers as opposed to running shoes, Hockey jerseys as opposed to sweaters, soda as opposed to pop etc.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,aldus
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 01:17 PM

Hi Metochism;

You are certainly proof of what that other thread has been suggesting...Do Americans know....Perhaps the fact that Americans could care less says a great deal about the cultural differences...Another aspect of American culture crept into your response...those in the minority don't count. I'm with the Canadians.....the differences are huge and not always subtle

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Metchosin
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 01:17 PM

yeah, Canadians listen to the radio still and "real Canadians" listen to the CBC.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: black walnut
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 01:19 PM

thanks aldus.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 01:30 PM

Uh huh......................

Neil Young
Jerry Falwell

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Wavestar
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 02:25 PM

Well, I'm an American, for anyone who hadn't figured that out yet.. and I care enough about the thread to read all the way through it, certainly... I'm getting more and more Canadian friends, which is ironic only because I meet them in Scotland, and not so much in Vermont. The more I talk to them, the more I learn about the subtle differences in culture... I think there are certainly major differences in how the country is run, and smaller ones in how the people act. Well, most people. In rural areas or Vermont and equally rural areas of Canada, I think the largest difference you would find is we don't have Hortons and you don't have guns. Probably a wise trade.

I know the popular conception of my generation, at least in VT / NH is that Canada is a great place to go for break, everything is cheaper, many more things are allowed, and you can make fun of the silly Canucks when you get bored. I admit that I find Montreal a wonderful place to go for several of those reasons, although I'm not interested in the illegal substances, it is a fascinating town, with lots of funs shops to go and buy thigns for much less than I can in the States... and besides teh fact that over half of them speak a language I don't understand, it's got a great nightlife!

I know Quebec is a land unto itself... but seriously, I've talked about this at least briefly with all my Canadian friends, and I find not too much to be different between the ways we look at the world.

And I'll certainly say this for Canada... It's a country that produces a lot of damn fine musicians. We'll even forgive you Bryan Adams and Celine Dion.

-J

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 02:28 PM

Don't assume that American Mudcatters are not interested just through lack of posting, please. I find this very interesting.

I had ancestors who went to Nova Scotia to remain loyal to the crown; I married into a first generation French-Canadian-American family, which still has lots of family living in Quebec, including in the Gaspe Bay area and on Isle Verte in the St. Laurent River; and, I remember being inordinately proud of the fact that I was born just 60 miles from the Candian border; I made my dad promise to move to Canada if Nixon got elected; I grew up with my brother, "the Anglophile", telling me about listening to CBC's live broadcast of Queen Elizabeth's coronation, when we lived across the border in North Dakota, the year I was born, 1953.

There's more of what I have learned and love about my friends and family who are Canadian, but I'll have to psot it later. Maybe Midchuck is right....as a liberal, maybe I should go back to some of my family roots, eh?

katlaughing

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 02:30 PM

The average Canadian can find his hometown on an unmarked map of the world... The average Yank can't find his hometown on a marked map of their homestate!

Canadians can eat more than 2 maple sugar candies without feeling nausious!! LOL!!!!

Or as Rick Mercer once put it, "We're bigger and we're on top! If we were in prison, they'd be our bitch!" LOL!!!!

We Canadians don't send our 19, and 20 year olds to another country to get drunk and act like stupid punks every Friday and Saturday night... any Canadina who lives in a bordertown knows exactily what I mean... the really sad thing is, the American kids who come from further away from the border tend to be much more polite, less stupid when they've had a few... and more receptive to good folk music!! LOL!!!!! I may have to study this Borderdwelling to A$$hole ratio further....

The above are 'sweeping generalisations' of course, but they are generalisations for a reason eh?

{~`

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Gary T
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 02:50 PM

Metchosin: Since the original post in this thread presumed most Americans somewhat unaware of these cultural differences, and asked a question essentially directed to Canadians, I rather expected that the majority of posts to be from Canadians. Unless you have a log of those who READ the thread, I would think it impossible to gauge interest in the topic by nationality.

My guess as to why Canadians show a strong interest in this thread, beyond the natural inclination of most people to talk about themselves and what they know, is that they're seldom offered an opportunity to be on the "talking", rather than "listening", side of such a discussion. In other words, I think it's (sadly) true that more often than not, Americans don't want to hear about Canada, they want to talk about America. Now the shoe's on the other foot--go for it!

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: ceitagh
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 03:03 PM

Canadians care about (sometimes obsess about) national identity. Americans (as far as I can see) just have one, whether they like it or not.

Historically...
The part of Canada I live in (Ontario, on the border) was settled mainly by United Empire Loyalists during and after the American revolution. The rest of ontario was owned pretty outright by the Hudsons Bay Company and the Northwest Company. Quebec was a french colony that had been lost to Britain in the French-English hostilities and had reached a pretty good understanding with the governer of Upper Canada (got to keep their language, religion, etc.) I don't really know what was going on Eastwards, but no one seemed exactly motivated to throw off British rule. Especially after the War of 1812. Ocassionally a 'patriot' would pop up, like the local character Pirate Bill Johnston, and try to 'liberate' Canada, but it's hard to force independance on people who are happy without it.
:-)

So you fought for your country, and we negotiated for ours...but all in all, we're good neighbors. Hey, if it wasn't for your big scary army, we woulda never got together and formed a country. The fathers of our country found it a very persuasive argument when trying to convince those independant minded maritimers to join Confederation. So here we are!

History lesson over. :-)

Ceitagh

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Wavestar
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 03:11 PM

Erm... Thanks, Clinton Hammond. I'm going to hope a lot of that was joking, but I still resent those generalisations, just after I THOUGHT I had pointed out that they were untrue- I am 20, when I'm home, live close to the border, and I think I am the living proof that the stereotype is unfair. I don't drink, and like Canada as much for it's history and lifestyle as much as for cheap CDs. I realise it's unlikely that they were directed towards me, but given the audience, perhaps you could be a little more charitable?

Just a point... I can locate all three of my hometowns on an unmarked map... and most other things as well. But then, I've obviously had an unfair advantage.. I studied geography under a Canadian as a child, and worked in a cartography office. I can't possibly be average.

-J

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 03:33 PM

Well Black Walnut, next time I am at the Bayview South of Eglinton Starbucks, I'll order my Kenya coffee take-out, walk over to the Second Cup and yell "Yo, Black Walnut" and see if anyone responds.

Little Neo

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,james
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 03:41 PM

there must be something about that name......Clinton......on both sides of the border......