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13 Apr 00 - 03:23 AM (#211045) Subject: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Gary T 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? |
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13 Apr 00 - 03:32 AM (#211047) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin we all wear touques. |
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13 Apr 00 - 03:38 AM (#211048) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin 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?) |
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13 Apr 00 - 06:45 AM (#211069) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Sian in Wales 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? |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:28 AM (#211093) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: kendall 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:32 AM (#211094) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Peter T. 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:35 AM (#211096) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Midchuck 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:45 AM (#211099) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Celtic.Relics.com 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:46 AM (#211100) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Celtic.Relics.com The great Canadian songwriter, Stan Rogers, once said "We Canadians have one problem, we're too nice!" |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:47 AM (#211101) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Mbo Leahy said "Canada is an island off the coast of Cape Breton." --Mbo |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:53 AM (#211102) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: black walnut 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?) |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:56 AM (#211103) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: MMario Not true, North America is an island off Cape Cod. Truth, I was taught it in school. |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:58 AM (#211105) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Celtic.Relics.com Is that Coffee of the Tim Hortons kind..... "Rrrolll Up the rim to Win" |
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13 Apr 00 - 09:02 AM (#211108) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Neil Lowe 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 |
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13 Apr 00 - 09:18 AM (#211112) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Little Neophyte 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 |
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13 Apr 00 - 09:24 AM (#211114) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: sophocleese 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 09:29 AM (#211115) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: black walnut 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.....
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13 Apr 00 - 09:33 AM (#211116) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Neil Lowe (sigh)...Should've known it was too good to be true. Neil (who's fond of the bipedal mode of transportation) |
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13 Apr 00 - 09:34 AM (#211118) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: MMario 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 09:38 AM (#211120) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Neil Lowe Okay, so I'll only cross the street when black walnut is driving. Anybody got a helmet I can borrow? |
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13 Apr 00 - 09:45 AM (#211122) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: sophocleese 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 09:54 AM (#211128) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,James 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! |
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13 Apr 00 - 10:03 AM (#211132) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Peter T. 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 10:43 AM (#211153) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Little Neophyte 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 |
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13 Apr 00 - 10:48 AM (#211159) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Bert 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! |
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13 Apr 00 - 11:38 AM (#211188) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Rana Or watching Due South! |
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13 Apr 00 - 11:47 AM (#211192) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin 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).
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.
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13 Apr 00 - 11:50 AM (#211194) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Rick Fielding 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") |
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13 Apr 00 - 11:57 AM (#211198) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Peter T. 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 12:02 PM (#211201) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin "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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 12:09 PM (#211203) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: black walnut 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 |
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13 Apr 00 - 12:13 PM (#211204) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Peter T. That is not what I said -- I said "not yet totally succumbed": big difference. Mostly succumbed, sure: here, now, and always. yours, Peter T. |
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13 Apr 00 - 12:19 PM (#211205) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Jim Dixon 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 12:37 PM (#211216) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,James 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.
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13 Apr 00 - 12:53 PM (#211221) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin 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? |
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13 Apr 00 - 01:00 PM (#211225) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: black walnut we post because we care. ~'nut |
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13 Apr 00 - 01:08 PM (#211229) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: black walnut 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 |
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13 Apr 00 - 01:15 PM (#211233) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Steve Latimer 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. |
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13 Apr 00 - 01:17 PM (#211234) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,aldus 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 |
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13 Apr 00 - 01:17 PM (#211235) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin yeah, Canadians listen to the radio still and "real Canadians" listen to the CBC. |
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13 Apr 00 - 01:19 PM (#211236) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: black walnut thanks aldus.
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13 Apr 00 - 01:30 PM (#211241) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: catspaw49 Uh huh......................
Neil Young Spaw |
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13 Apr 00 - 02:25 PM (#211266) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Wavestar 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 |
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13 Apr 00 - 02:28 PM (#211269) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: katlaughing 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 |
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13 Apr 00 - 02:30 PM (#211271) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Clinton Hammond2 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?
{~`
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13 Apr 00 - 02:50 PM (#211277) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Gary T 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! |
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13 Apr 00 - 03:03 PM (#211282) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: ceitagh 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...
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13 Apr 00 - 03:11 PM (#211284) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Wavestar 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 |
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13 Apr 00 - 03:33 PM (#211290) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Little Neophyte 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 |
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13 Apr 00 - 03:41 PM (#211296) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,james there must be something about that name......Clinton......on both sides of the border...... |
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13 Apr 00 - 03:44 PM (#211297) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: black walnut that's hilarious....i was just over at S.C., buying more beans! ~'nut
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13 Apr 00 - 03:47 PM (#211298) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin Gary T, when I read your question, "What else got you?" it sounded as if it was directed to the Americans. My apology for the misunderstanding. ( an aside: collective nouns: a parliament of owls, an apology of Canadians, a disdain of Frenchmen, a brag of Americans etc.)
Canadians are cynics born and bred, too bad. Americans, on the other hand, have a wonderful naiveté about their ontological position in the world and seem to lack self doubt about their values and what they can accomplish with them. From my limited Canaian perspective, this was best exemplified, a number of years ago by Bruce Durn, in the movie "Silent Running". The world would be in a far sorrier state, if Americans ever lost these endearing qualities, IMHO. We may get frustrated by it on occasion, but by God, it is needed. |
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13 Apr 00 - 03:56 PM (#211301) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Caitrin Very interesting. On the traffic issue...My little brother was hit by a car in Toronto. She drove away as quickly as possible without even checking to see if he was alright. (He was, luckily.) So I wouldn't say Canadian city traffic is any nicer than American city traffic. I've never heard a polite clerk in the south say "Uh-huh" in response to "Thank you." At least around here, polite people say "please" and "thank you" and "Yes please" and "no ma'am." Anyone who does otherwise is thought at least somewhat rude. I've heard it's different up north, but that's the way we do things here. From the posts so far, I really don't see anything all that different about Canadian and American culture. I honestly don't think Americans are so god-awful rude and agressive as some people seem to think we are. |
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13 Apr 00 - 04:10 PM (#211305) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,james I don"t think Americans are rude ,or any ruder than the rest of the world. However I really do think there is a great difference in the cultures. I don"t mean to imply that one is better than the other..just different. I guess the Canadian point is that the neighbours don't take the time to notice... Countries are a lot like people, they all have good and bad aspects, they all have traits which are unique to them. This is not stereotyping..this is recognizing the things that shape us. Canadians have had different historical experiences that separates us from the American experience...our culture may not be all on the surface..but it is there none the less..we just don't like anyone, the neighbours included to tell us we have none..we do and it is worth investigating. |
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13 Apr 00 - 04:30 PM (#211316) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin Canadians have a larger spatial comfort zone and if you intrude into it, before they feel they know you well enough, you may make them feel uncomfortable and they will consider you rude. Americans generally seem less reserved and their "zones" are smaller, so they may not be aware they are intruding in to a Canadian comfort zone and subsequently Canadians will feel American's are "in their face" quite literally. |
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13 Apr 00 - 04:47 PM (#211321) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: kendall I find this a very interesting thread, Except for the dwelling on coffee !! I have asked a few of the dozens of Canadians I know, "What is a Canadian?" and they are hard pressed to answer. Another point, I'll match my knowledge of geography with anyones, and, that goes for politics and history. There the gauntlet is down!! By the way, Rick, that was really subtle, and, I agree 100% |
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13 Apr 00 - 05:17 PM (#211336) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Doug I grew up in Winnipeg, MB Canada. I lived in the north east of England near Newcastle and now live near New York City and have done for about 15 years. So, as the Brits would say (and some Canucks too) I am an ex-patriot Canadian - a Canuck without a country. I think it is always dangerous to make generalizations, but I believe that there might be a few points one might make regarding the differences between Canadians and Americans. First - I believe Candians have a more socialistic view of their world. I am not saying this is better, but a fact dictated by the different political systems. In America, there is much more focus on the individual - for example individual rights be paramount and superceeding almost all else, whereas Canadians seem more willing to sacfrifice some of there personal freedoms for what they believe to be the better good of all. This I think leads to personallity differences, whereas Americans will be more outward and self-assured, Candians tend to be more willing to conform. Of course, there are exceptions, and I find myself being one, perhaps due to living close to New York City for quite some time! But mostly I believe that because Canadians find it difficult to describe themselves in some way that is distinct from Americans there exists a certain level of the feeling of inferiority. The USA has about 10 times the economy and people that Canada does and a lot of what goes on in Cnada is deictated by the pressures of the American economy. This for the most part is fine, but is akin to a mouse sleeping with an elephant. All is fine until the elephant rolls over in its sleep, (whether it actually planned to or not). I believe that this is the reason that Canadians find it diffcult to make a distinction. I would, however point out that one, naturally perhaps, assumes that eveything "North American" is American first. I would therefore turn the question around and ask the Americans to describe something that is American that is not also Canadian ! Such a few thoughts from an ex-pat Canuck ! |
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13 Apr 00 - 05:51 PM (#211352) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca I finally let my curiosity get the better of me, and came for a look. Yes, we are a culturally diverse country, BUT we, due the close proximity, DO understand the "American" state of things very well. For the most part, we seem indistinquisable, to those off-continent, but there are some ingrained elements. Neil, WE DO still cross (jay-walk) and most places, except in the most Americanized cities (ie Toronto) or in Quebec, will find the traffic stopping to let people cross. Even in the worst places (outside of the aforementioned) people will let some one else INTO traffic too. I also am a pedestrian, and have enjoyed it that way all of my life. Tim Hortons we HAVE but, have you noticed? They aren't ALL open 24 hours any longer, not since Wendy's bought them out. Coming from Cape Breton, and now on the mainland (Eeek! shudder! Lord, I'm NOT a mainlander, really truly!!!), we are "different" than the rest. I like to think we do maintain a, perhaps idealized, image of life, in specific, the "Golden Rule". I constantly get surprised comments when I give MY customers information on where they might be able to source something, when I am unable to supply it in the time frame or the specific item. Usually, I give them the details like phone and/or fax numbers in addition to the company name. I don't consider time much in life, even after nearly 46 years, time is just a little blip on the horizon. I go out of my way to enjoy myself in life, yet trying not to MAKE someone else embrace it. I do try to show them how much fun our way of life here is. Many people have fallen in with the structure of life, as it exists, in the Maritimes, and quite often move here, or spend years coming up on vacations until their retirement, upon which time they pack up and come permanently. I know we have imported many of your cultural icons, Starbucks, Chapters, and Wal-Marts are part of every day life in many parts of the country, but for the most part, it is STILL a place I am proud to say is my home. As I said in my youth, I reiterate, I am a Cape Bretoner, then a Nova Scotian, and finally an Canadian. Race isn't important, though there is some racism, for the most part it's buried. I haven't encountered it in any great amounts over my life.
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13 Apr 00 - 05:55 PM (#211356) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Peter T. To reply to an earlier thread, there was a substantial effort to bring Canadians into the American effort against Britain, including substantial military action. This fell totally flat for a number of reasons, most of which are never mentioned in American schools (I was educated in one). For a start, the French had no interest in joining another bunch of English speakers. They had also lots of experience of Americans in the French and Indian War, and were even more unsympathetic to them than they were to the British. Third, the Revolutionary propaganda that was supposed to convince them to join was full of anti-priest, and anti-Catholic diatribes -- overthrow your priest ridden culture and join us -- which did not go down very well. It was probably the widespread anti-Catholic campaign that hurt the most. If it wasn't for the incompetence of the generation of British generals after Wolfe, and the assistance of the French, the upstart rebellion would likely have been crushed. (It was a paraphrase of this argument that got me into trouble in my American History grade 9 Presentation in Belton Junior High School, Belton, Missouri in 1966, and resulted in an extraordinary number of parking lot brawls for weeks thereafter, all of which I lost). yours, Peter T. |
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13 Apr 00 - 05:57 PM (#211357) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Rick Fielding Wow! Amazing life to this thread. And a variety of people as well. Yup, this is when I LOVE Mudcat (and it isn't even about music), good writing, interesting thoughts, bits of irony, and a minimum of silly "tit for tat". Thanks Kendall, glad ya noticed. I don't want to get in trouble here 'cause if I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO live in a country, I'd pick Canada (with the States 2nd...oh..Scotland first, if I had a castle and didn't have to earn a living) but,...but... I LOVE AMERICAN FOOD!! It truly puts Canadian cuisine (especially in restaurants) to shame. Even the chain restaurants (and no, I don't mean MacDonald's) are wonderful. If I lived in the South, I'd weigh 400 pounds. Believe me, I'd put up with Falwell, Robertson, Rush, "Dubya" and "Bubba" just to have those "Bob's Big Boy" restaurant breakfast buffets. Rick |
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13 Apr 00 - 06:18 PM (#211366) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin Aw come on kendall, life wouldn't be life without Coffee! It's the drink of insurrectionists. Plots, plans and great ideas of the western world have been formulated over coffee. Coffee houses at one time, I believe, were deemed illegal in Britain, for this very reason. It's the reason I didn't post on the Tea thread. |
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13 Apr 00 - 06:39 PM (#211377) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: katlaughing "Cool, clear water" for me; still don't liek the taste of coffee and drink herbal tea about twice a year.*BG* |
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13 Apr 00 - 06:53 PM (#211389) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Gary T Well, Doug, the request for Americans to mention things they have that Canada doesn't may not get much response if indeed most Americans aren't familiar enough with Canada to know what's lacking there (G). But I'll try, anyway (this relates to Rick's mention of food). On our honeymoon (15 years ago) my wife and I looped the north shore of Lake Superior, camping in provincial parks (gorgeous). [Side note--we loved the pictorial "moose crossing" signs--hey! I'll bet you don't have "armadillo crossing signs!] We notice many restaurant signs seemed to very proudly and prominently advertise salad bars. Now, in the U.S., a typical salad bar has dozens of individual ingredients for making salad, generally of the "tossed" or "garden" type--lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, croutons, bacon bits, hard-boiled egg slices, etc. You build your own salad just the way you want it. We were rather taken aback to find that at these Canadian restaurants, the salad bars had 5 or 6 different prepared salads, such as potato salad, three-bean salad, etc. Naturally our (typically American) thoughts were, "Don't these folks know what 'salad bar' means?", a rhetorical question since they obviously didn't. It was an interesting comparison. It was also a great trip, and yes the beer was better. |
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13 Apr 00 - 07:20 PM (#211407) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Ebbie Here in southeast Alaska, Canada is a close neighbor. We readily accept Canadian money and checks and have phone plans that offer special Canada rates. We get many Canadian visitors and conversely many Southeasterners have cabins in Canada and visit Whitehorse for the music and the hot springs to get warm. I don't think we have many differences dividing us as far as lifestyle and expectations go. But maybe that's because in Southeast we too seem out of step with 'outside'- for instance, we still go for midnight walks on our trails and many people still live an unlocked existence. I remember how shocked William Coffin Sloane (Sloane Coffin?) was when he discovered his briefcase had been in his host's unlocked car all afternoon. We do have one source of frustration and anger: From here we have to cross the Canadian border to get to the interior of Alaska, and there are some reports of some border officials not being polite or helpful, of going too much by the book. Locally we wish the US/Canada line would be redrawn. On the other hand, one local songwriter wrote 'Canadians are just like us- without the guns'. And some say that of course Canadians say 'eh' a lot- after all: Cehnehdeh. :) |
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13 Apr 00 - 07:33 PM (#211416) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Hoser Well, when you arrive at Canada Customs, its like ''Welcome to Canada eh? Here's a hockey stick and a beer.'' When you arrive at U.S. Customs it's ''Welcome to the States. Here's some crack and a hand gun.'' Another typically Canadian thing is that we don't acknowledge our own homegrown talent until it has been ''recognized'' south of the border. Only then, do we really take notice. Jim Carrey (and many others) were vitually unknown here, until they migrated to L.A. and ''made it'', even they'd been slogging it out in the trenches for years! In this country Canadian celebrities have to wear name tags at events, so people will know who they are. |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:13 PM (#211435) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Micca My in-laws are Torontovians, and therefore my SO , and she told me this simple test to distinguish Canadians from Americans, Step on their foot, if they say sorry, they are Canadian. On the coffee question, I just love that Bavarian Chocolate flavour. I notice that the Canadians are politly not mentioning that the Army from Upper Canada in 1812 burned the White House and the marks on the building could not be removed, It had to be whitewashed to cover them, hence the name. |
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13 Apr 00 - 08:34 PM (#211441) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Little Neophyte Well, Ebbie, maybe it all started way back when in the Gold Rush time, when many Americans came up to Canada from Seattle and other US cities adventuring onto the Chilkoote trail that took them from Alaska to the Yukon seeking their fortunes in gold at Dawson City. The Mounties seemed to manage enforcing the law in Dawson City with no guns. I think that is pretty impressive. < Little Neo |
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13 Apr 00 - 09:59 PM (#211471) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,John of the Hill I noted Peter T's comment about midwestern Americans being closest to Canadian in outlook. I live close to the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers in southern Illinois, an area that had early outposts of both French and British settlement. I like to think I am close to the southern extremity of Baja Canada. When my son was in the third grade, he caused a minor uproar in his class when the teacher asked her students what state they would like to live in when they grew up, and he said he might want to live in Nova Scotia, Canada instead. John |
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13 Apr 00 - 10:12 PM (#211473) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: kendall In Maine, we also accept Canadian money, and vise versa. |
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13 Apr 00 - 10:15 PM (#211475) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin another cultural difference, Canada is a very unmilatarized society compared to the U.S., which seems to start at a very early age.
We've never had to pledge allegiance to a flag in school and what few school bands we have, seem to lack the spit and polish of the American bands (some really good musicians though, if somewhat a little out of step).
Ebbie, the Canadian mouse has not been particularly helpful regarding border crossings in western Canada due to a long somewhat tense history and memories of 54 40 or fight.
Upon the start of the Fraser River Goldrush in 1858, when Victoria's population swelled from 500 to 10,000 in the span of a couple of months, with boatloads of American prospectors and miners, the following is quoted from the San Fransico Bulletin of July 21, 1858 "Americans and Englishmen cannot mix, and but little will be needed there on Frazer River to provoke a crisis--a sort of independent California fight which will involve the two nations...It is not altogether an idle dream...to look forward to the day when the 10,000 Americans now on their way to Frazer River might become the conquerers of Vancouver Island, and another bright star thereby be added to the American constellation. Would not Americans throughout the length and breadth of our continent thunder a welcome to the new state of Vancouver?"
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13 Apr 00 - 10:36 PM (#211483) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Neil Lowe I have heard that land (what little there is left for sale) is cheap in Nova Scotia, but everything else is expensive. As someone who dreams of someday having more walkaround room than a yard the size of a postage stamp, this intrigues me. Ideally, I would want enough space so that if my neighbor built a fire, I would not see the smoke, but I'll settle for not being able to hear his rooster crow in the morning. Probably never be able to swing anything like that on the measly pension I hope I live long enough to draw. Maybe I'll retire to Mexico, where the exchange rate helps stretch the Social Security a little further, and spend my golden years drinking cheap tequila in some Tex-Mex border town. I'm a little ways away from being able to call every minute of every day my own, but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead. Regards, Neil |
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13 Apr 00 - 10:49 PM (#211489) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Little Neophyte Neil, would you be singing that song Wasting Away in Margarita's Bay? Little Neo |
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14 Apr 00 - 01:45 AM (#211547) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Rick Fielding Regarding the folks at Customs' booths. You bet they've got attitude. (most of them) I read an interesting article a couple of years ago that implied that a lot of those folks first tried to get into various police forces (and couldn't make it). Sometimes they act like the staffs in music stores...except with uniforms. They can be quite surly. Love American jam sessions! Course they play a lot of old-time and bluegrass, which I love...and often they play it well, which I love even more. Rick |
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14 Apr 00 - 02:30 AM (#211552) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Sourdough Definition of a Canadian: An unarmed North American with adequate health care. |
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14 Apr 00 - 07:56 AM (#211590) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,James Why did the Canadian cross the road......to get to the middle.
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14 Apr 00 - 08:09 AM (#211591) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: kendall I've crossed the border at Calais Maine to St. Steven N.B. too many times to count, and, I have NEVER encountered a surly or impolite customs agent. The last time, August of '99, the agent asked me if I had anything to declare, I said, "Yes, I declare that is the longest line I ever saw at this crossing." she chuckled and said "Go, and enjoy your stay." Now, thats how it should be. |
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14 Apr 00 - 09:04 AM (#211606) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Doug Micca, Little historical note about the war of 1812. You are absolutely correct that the Canadians (i.e. British) did burn down the "White House" (which by the way was actually pink at the time and the Americans should be grateful that we did otherwise they would have a "pink house" instead of a white house). It should also be noted that the Americans did retaliate and razed Toronto to the ground - so I think one might call that a draw ! Doug |
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14 Apr 00 - 09:10 AM (#211609) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Doug Gary T - A very interesting comment, but again you have made the assumption that the "American" definition of what is a salad bar is what you are used to i.e. ... a grouping of vegatables which are mixed together. The other "type" of salad bar i.e. a grouping of different types of salads is an equally valid definition for a "salid bar" - It is just not your definition. What is it that makes your definition corrent and the other wrong ? Answer - because it is the American defintion and therefore it must have been first and therefore correct - making all others wrong ? (I hope you see the saracasm - sorry another Canadian custom!) Doug |
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14 Apr 00 - 09:23 AM (#211618) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Peter T. A friend of mine says that the only successfully surviving legacy of the 1960's is the salad bar. yours, Peter T. |
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14 Apr 00 - 09:24 AM (#211619) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Doug Pete T - which "type" of salad bar is that ? ! |
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14 Apr 00 - 10:29 AM (#211656) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Steve Latimer James, I love that one. Probably the best definition of us that I've heard yet. I visit the U.S. four or five times a year and have never had a problem. My favourite was two summers ago when the customs agent asked why we were going to Boston. I told him to sightsee and see the Blue Jays at Fenway. He must have talked to us for 2-3 minutes about Fenway, telling us to get there early, mention that we were from out of town to get the best seats, what concession stands to buy food from, how much he liked our Skydome etc. I guess he finally realized that cars were lining up behind us and quickly sent us on our way. By the way if you're a ball fan and haven't seen a game at Fenway, do everything you can to go, it's magical. |
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14 Apr 00 - 10:40 AM (#211659) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Mbo Alan Reid of Battlefield Band said the greatest thing about touring in America was getting to eat at Denny's every morning! When it poured down rain at Wolftrap in '96 (I think) Andy M. Stewart said "Look at this weather! It's pouring and windy...how do you people live in a country like this?" Ah...love that guy! --Mbo |
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14 Apr 00 - 11:14 AM (#211674) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Javelin I thought Confederation happened because a way had to be found to build a railroad to compete with the American railroads. so that British business could have a fair chance against American business.
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14 Apr 00 - 11:21 AM (#211682) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Javelin I thought Confederation happened because a way had to be found to build a railroad to compete with the American railroads. so that British business could have a fair chance against American business.
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14 Apr 00 - 12:34 PM (#211714) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Rick Fielding Kendall and Steve. Can I hire you two obviously trustworthy looking guys as "border crossing" companions. Duckboots would be perfect except she always has to tell them that she's still a citizen of Great Britain...and then hand over her passport. Don't they know that Scots aren't likely to want to overthrow the Government? Oops, another cultural difference! Bluejay fans don't know beans about baseball strategy....and I do! Rick |
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14 Apr 00 - 12:46 PM (#211726) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Gary T Hi, Doug--you got it exactly right--the American definition is the first one and the correct one, all others are wrong. I believe this principle applies to, well, everything. Okay, joke! joke! it was just a joke! Seriously, it was a true case of culture shock. We did see that the "Canadian" style salad bar was as deserving of the term as the "American" style. It was just so unexpected. Our initial reaction was pretty much what I shared in my previous post, to wit: Naturally our (typically American) thoughts were, "Don't these folks know what 'salad bar' means?", a rhetorical question since they obviously didn't. But actually, we found the lesson amusing from two angles--that someone would have a different type of salad bar, and that we would be so surprised by it. The experience taught us more about our assumptions than anything else. (P.S.--I don't even eat salads, though my wife does.)
Some other points that stick in the memory from that trip: |
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14 Apr 00 - 12:49 PM (#211730) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: ceitagh Javelin...who wants to compete? Confederation was a sort of mutual defense strategy that Upper Canada (who had the army) offered Eastern canada...and they took the deal 'cause of those pesky fenians from across the border who kept trying to get back at the British by attacking us. If it weren't for that bunch of expat Irish with guns leftover from the revolutionary war, Canada would extend from Quebec westwards, and who knows what the maritimes would be doing? But the railroad played a big part later on, when we started offering huge chunks of practically free prairie to immigrants. Ceit |
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14 Apr 00 - 01:41 PM (#211751) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Steve Latimer Rick, Something tells me that Duckboots could never fool the guards into thinking that she was a native Canuck, it's best that she admits she's from that strange wee land that she hails from. You're right about baseball strategy,(although Susan may be able to give you a run for your money). I was at the Skydome the night that Dave Stieb took a perfect game into the ninth against the Yankees. I was sitting behind four guys from Cleveland. They couldn't believe that people were getting up to leave before the start of the ninth, (second batter singled or doubled). But I've also been amazed at the lack of hockey knowledge Sabers fans exhibited at the Marine Midland Centre. Speaking of Hockey, I don't know if I'm happier that the Leafs ended up in first place in the division or that those guys from your home town missed the playoffs.
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14 Apr 00 - 02:24 PM (#211781) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Clinton Hammond2 There's another difference... Canadians can laught at themselves and others.... Americans can't.. my above comments were in jest for the most part... the sweeping generalisations about American Kids coming to Canadian bordertowns to drink and be arses is just that.. but generalisations are true for a reason... You may not do it, but a hell of a lot of yer fellow countrymen (and women, sometimes they are the worst of the bunch!) are making up fer yer lack, pal! LOL!! And don't get me started about how Yanks and Canucks interpret the War Of 1812!! Spent an afternoon at Put-In-Bay last summer with some good friends...All hosers... all university educated, 3 of us in history... The things they have the tour guides saying is in some cases a matter of interpretation... and in some cases is flat out fantasy!! LOL!! We were howling with laughter!! That and we were taking the video camera around and sorta doing out own "Talking To Americans" thing.... Entertainment like that, people should have to pay for!! But it's all in fun eh!! If we can't laugh at ourselves (the human race) then who can we laugh at?!?! LOL!! To chime in on the coffee sub-thread... I'm with Dennis Leary and Garnet Rogers... Strip Malls, StarBUCKS, Hortons ect ect are a blight on the landscape... Do we need one ever 27 feet across this continent of ours??? And you can keep yer maple-nut-crunch, flavour of the month and give me coffee flavoured coffee!! And if ya don't like that I'm smoking, go the hell outside!!! LOL!! And pull up yer pants!!! {~` (public service announcment for the hopelessly uptight... the above is in jest!!! Do what ya want, I couldn't care less!! LOL!!!!!) |
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14 Apr 00 - 02:31 PM (#211787) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Caitrin We're not all Yanks. Yankees are North of the Mason-Dixon. : ) |
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14 Apr 00 - 02:38 PM (#211791) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: MMario Unless you are south of the Rio Grande, then "Yank" is anyone from north of the Rio (or so I'm told) |
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14 Apr 00 - 02:57 PM (#211798) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Steve Latimer Clinton, Thank god there's someone here who understands coffee. Just the way it comes out of the bean, thank you. If I wanted nut and chocolate flavour I'd buy a Snickers bar. You can even keep your cream and sugar. Tim Horton's is the place. The last stop I make before entering the U.S. is at Tims because I know I won't be able to get a real coffee while I'm out of the country. |
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14 Apr 00 - 02:59 PM (#211800) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin Clinton, I'm with you on the coffee. Nothin worse than paying a premium to grind your own beans and find them permeated with vanilla or some other crap, from the person who used the grinder prior to you. Argh! at least now they are putting in grinders exclusively for folks to use only for their perverse "flavoured beans" that they have the gall to call coffee.
But if you want a smoke with your coffee or beer on the Wetcoast here, I'm afraid you are the one who has to go outside, by law, not the non-smoker. We had a friend visiting from Australia who commented we sure had a beautiful city, but he couldn't get over the number of hookers standing on the sidewalk, especially during the day. We had to point out to him, they weren't hookers, just government workers stepping out on the street for their cigarette during their coffee break. |
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14 Apr 00 - 03:51 PM (#211833) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Uncle_DaveO I learned the following some years ago:
All the world knows that a yankee is someone from the United States.
Everyone in the United States knows that a yankee is from New England.
Everyone in New England knows that a yankee is someone from New Hampshire.
Everyone from New Hampshire knows that a yankee is someone who eats pie for breakfast! Dave Oesterreich |
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14 Apr 00 - 04:13 PM (#211841) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Lonesome EJ I think that the reason Canadians didn't rebel against Britain was primarily an economic one. The American colonies were less reliant on England for support, and more self-sufficient. In fact, the American Colonial economy was a cash cow for Great Britain, and it was not long before interference by the Crown in terms of taxation, tariffs and legal interference instilled the first concept of nationhood in New England. Someone mentioned the American teenagers who carouse in Canadian border towns. What about the hordes of Wild Canadians from places like Calgary who drive across the border to places like Great Falls, Montana, packing the strip joints, Malls, and causing 30 minute waits for a table at Denny's? And another question...what makes Canadians so damn funny? John Candy, Jim Carey, The Kids in the Hall, Second City, the list goes on and on. Is it the long winters in those windowless cabins with wolves snarling at the door that make you hone your skills at levity? And if so, why is Gordon Lightfoot so depressing? All part of the Canadian Mystique, I suppose. But isn't that an oxymoron? Canadian Mystique? Like American Subtlety? |
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14 Apr 00 - 04:20 PM (#211846) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: black walnut we're different, but there are bridges. bless you americans for some of the best music (kelly joe phelps), some of the best teachers (lorraine lee hammond), and some of the best beauty (oregon)....bless you canada for some of the best music (bruce cockburn), some of the best teachers (sharlene wallace), and some of the best beauty (the gaspe penninsula). we have much to give to one another. see? i didn't even mention coffee this time. ~black walnut (which is not a coffee flavour) |
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14 Apr 00 - 04:23 PM (#211849) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: MMario uhm - you can get black walnut coffee at this little store I know in upstate NY. |
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14 Apr 00 - 04:33 PM (#211851) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: black walnut okay, that does it. i'm moving! ~black walnut |
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14 Apr 00 - 04:50 PM (#211859) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: katlaughing LeeJ, LOL, at the Canadian Mystique. We have a big new billboard which just went up in several places in town, this week. Featured on a white background is a huge bottle of Candian Mist (whiskey?). It looks like a clear liquid laundry detergent bottle with built in handle. The words on the billboard are something about "Smooth to taste....and, now, easy to carry!" THIS in the state which just passed a mandatory seatbelt law, yet maintained the right to have open containers of booze in your car, while driving! That jug of Canadian Mist will go down real easy now; using that handle ya only hafta have one hand on the wheel! As for smoking: our town council just passed an ordinance banning smoking in restaurants, then the smokers had a petition drive, got enough signatures to bring it to a referendum vote in May. This was all going on whilst we went out for our 20th to a restuarant which quickly filled up with a terrible pall of smoke. As a result I have just been sicker, in more dire circumstances than I ever care to repeat in this lifetime, directly related to the smoke. I will be glad to see smoking restricted. If ya wanna pollute your own lungs, go ahead, but leave mine and the employees who work in eateries etc., alone! Sorry for the rant, it's just really fresh in my mind right now! kat |
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14 Apr 00 - 05:49 PM (#211889) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: sophocleese Why are Canadians so funny? Because we ain't the powerful ones. The outsider's few tends to be a little sharper, perhaps less blinded, perhaps not, than the insider's. With any hierarchy there will always be more people who aren't in power than there are in power. So the twisted sense of humour that the perennial outsider has will be understood and appreciated by more. Gary Larson always cracks me up. |
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14 Apr 00 - 05:49 PM (#211890) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Clinton Hammond2 Re: the smoking thing I inadvertanly started...And was not my intention... Sorry! LOL!!
Here in Windsor, Ontario there's a push to overturn the decision to ban smoking... We, the addicted are hoping for a return to our sences and let it be a freedom of choice issue... If a pub or restaurant want's to cater to the non-smoking crowd, let them go right ahead... If yer an adamant non smoker, don't go places that allow smoking... Is that such a diffucult leap of logic for people to make??? Apparently it is... There are some people out there that aren't gonna be happy until they have their say on ever aspect of everybody's life... what we can eat, what we can drive, how we sit, how we stand... To them I say, "Get Bent" and leave my life the hell alone... Do what you want with yours, you are even welcome to make suggestions for what I should maybe do with mine... But don't you DARE tell me I HAVE to do something, just because YOU think I should... I'm of age to make my own decisions, be they healthy or not! We'll have to see what happens... {~` |
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14 Apr 00 - 06:20 PM (#211907) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin Jeez LEJ, them kids are exceptions. They're stubble jumpers from Alberta (sort of like Texans) and suffering from prairie brain damage to boot.*BG* |
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14 Apr 00 - 07:12 PM (#211951) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: GUEST,Steve Latimer What makes Canadians so funny? I think it's the fact that we don't take ourselves too seriously. I can't think of many Canadians who wouldn't snicker through the equivalent of a daily Pledge of Allegiance. |
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14 Apr 00 - 07:44 PM (#211981) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: kendall Your right to swing a bat stops where my nose starts. Your right to create toxic fumes stops where my nose begins. Sure, I can avoid smelly people making filthy smoke in restaurants. However, downwind on the street is bad news for people with asthma ( one of the side effects you may aquire some day from your filthy smelly habit.) I say, you have a God given right to smoke as long as you dont force it down MY throat, and, when you do, be prepared to defend your "smokers rights" (another oxymoron) |
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14 Apr 00 - 08:07 PM (#211987) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: catspaw49 Hey Clinton, You would love this little sigh I had made up ...... Red plastic with white lettering, a little smaller than 3x5 so it fit easily in my inner coat pocket. Had a little jobbie that flipped out so it would sit upright on a table. I used to hate those signs that said. "Thank You For Not Smoking" and then I saw this one in a cartoon so I had it made. It said, "Thank You For Minding Your Own Business." I dunno' what happened to it.....Probably went out in a yard sale or garage sale or something where we raised a few bucks to help us pay for the quad by-pass, atrial ablation, CPOD treatments, or the aortic aneurism....only ran about a quarter of a million all together. 'Course it would have been a lot better if we lived in Canada, socialized medicine and all.............. Spaw |
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14 Apr 00 - 08:45 PM (#211998) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: katlaughing Ah, Spaw, classic, to say the least. I am sorry, phoaks, I didn't mean for this to get into a debate about smoking, either. We had a thread earlier this year on that if anyone would care to look it up. This was just the first time smoking has ever directly effected my health. It was scary and potentially lethal, so, there ya go. Oh, and I did have an ex-bother-in-law who left three kids behind to my sister to raise alone, due to his death from smoking-related emphysema in his mid-50's. And, my husband smokes, but not around me. Thanks for your understanding, kat
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15 Apr 00 - 01:50 AM (#212122) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin kendall, is that pipe in your mouth at bbc's Photo Page just a prop then? |
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15 Apr 00 - 10:38 AM (#212204) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Metchosin Perhaps there also is also a cultural difference between Canada and the U.S. because Canada, apart from Quebec, was virtually built from the ground up by Scots. |
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15 Apr 00 - 12:08 PM (#212238) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Clinton Hammond2 Kendal... Downwind on the street?? Yer asthma that bad?? You probably should BE outside in the toxic sludge most places call air! LOL!! {~` Canada has yet to be dumb enough to try to tell people that there are places outside where they can't smoke... and if they ever did, I'd be very surprised... Talk about an unenforcable law eh?!?!?!?! |
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15 Apr 00 - 10:58 PM (#212492) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: wildwoodflower Metchosin- I was just thinking, reading the posts that the Scottish heritage is one thing in particular that we have in common with many Canadians, especially those of us in the southern United States. Our folk music, expressions, right down to our accent have their origins in Scottish culture (according to linguists) and from our Scottish descendants. I know that Canadians of Scottish origin are proud of their heritage and Americans of Scottish heritage are no less proud. Check out the folk song data base for Scottish tunes and you'll find many of them were in turn played as bluegrass tunes and many bluegrass songs are about Scotland, no doubt many of them were handed down. When I began researching my genealogy, my dad, who was never very interested in genealogy and hardly knew the names of his great grandparents said that at one time he had our family crest which had been handed down to him but it had been destroyed in a house fire. I was amazed that such a thing existed and that he was familiar with HOW it came to be that the heraldic symbol for the Baird clan was a boar. My ancestors came to America in around 1640. My paternal grandmother, whose heritage was also Scottish was a champion "clogger" (that is what she called it, NOT buckdancing), "clog" being a Gaelic word meaning to step in time. If you've ever seen a clogger (not the square dancers, but rather a single clogger) you would see the resemblance. Even with French Canadians, while they certainly have their own distinct culture in many regards, I would think they would have many similarities with French Americans and Cajuns in New Orleans, Louisiana. Do Canadians have Zydeco music? (o; |
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16 Apr 00 - 11:13 AM (#212635) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Caitrin I've been away from the house for a couple of days, so I've had a chance to think about this a bit. Somewhere on I-40, it occurred to me that the stuff Canadians say about Americans is nearly identical to what Southerners say about Yankees (who exist north of Maryland. There ain't a single Yankee living anywhere in my house.) |
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16 Apr 00 - 01:19 PM (#212685) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Wavestar Gee - I always find, actually, that whenever I see one of those REALLY annoying loud obnoxious American touristy types that give us such a bad name, he / she has a Southern accent.. I'm sure it's all in how you look at it... And thank you, Daved Oesterreich, for that definition of Yankee... I may not be from New Hanpshire, thank God, but I fit every other definition in there. I've eaten pie for breakfast all of my young life. Jessica, apparently a Yankee, and proud of it. Oh... but I still can't say Ayup or wicked quite right. |
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16 Apr 00 - 02:35 PM (#212723) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Pixie For the truth about cultural differences, watch "This Hour has 22 Minutes" (CBC Mondays at 8:00 p.m. EST). Would any "American" politician (ie: President?)allow themselves to become a living parody of themselves on National television? I watch the show faithfully and am always amazed at what those 4 Newfoundlanders get away with and I can't help but think "it would never happen in the States". Check out "Talking To Americans" on the same show when Rick Mercer does the segment......gives the impression that the world stops at the 49th parallel for the citizens of the U.S. (even though we KNOW this isn't true!) ....and its how us Canucks currently keep up with the political news in this country....through a "comedy" show....pretty scary! |
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16 Apr 00 - 02:50 PM (#212727) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Caitrin Wavestar...I wouldn't know about American tourists. I've only been to Canada once, so I haven't had the opportunity to see how many Americans behave in other countries. I was just pointing out that around here, people say that Yankees are rude, pushy, and loud. That doesn't mean it's true. However, it is true that there's more than one kind of American culture. My culture, having been raised mostly in North Carolina, is very different from that of someone who's grown up in L.A., or NYC, or Texas cattle country, or Kansas. What's considered passable politeness in Chicago or Philadelphia is different from passable politeness in Boone. Different regions of the US have different cultures, at least to some extent. |
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16 Apr 00 - 03:49 PM (#212742) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Wavestar Caitrin - You're certainly right there! Once again I seem to have put my foot in my mouth - in turn, I did not mean to imply that Southerners were all loud, arrogant or difficult! I think it is just an amusing phenomenon. And you're very right about the cultures within the US... It's a huge country, full of different people and different ways that never ceases to surprise me. I have a friend from your area of NC (I think) near Bryson City, and I've seen him react interestingly to our Northern ways... I tease him about his southern drawl, which comes out when he's tired, drunk, or reading Shakespeare (!), and he teases me that my skin's so pale! (He's Choctaw.) Someday I'd love to see his home... -J |
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17 Apr 00 - 03:18 PM (#213240) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: kendall Thats a good question about the pipe. No it is not a prop. When that photo was taken, I did smoke, but, I've wised up since then, and have become one of those converted pain in the ass ex smokers!! By the way, I dont have asthma, but, I know people who do, including my youngest daughter. A non smoking friend of mine has a cap that says IF YOU WONT SMOKE I WONT FART. 'nuff said. |
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17 Apr 00 - 03:32 PM (#213246) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Gary T The problem there, Kendall, is that wouldn't keep me from smoking. It would probably just encourage me to start farting along with it. (BG, but still true!) |
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17 Apr 00 - 04:19 PM (#213265) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Wavestar Relating this to music a little... (Just for a change) what is that wonderful Peggy Seeger (I think it's Peggy Seeger!) song about the woman in the restaurant who gets the cigar smoker to stop by eating nothing but beans and cabbage for a week? I heard it on public radio and thought it was hysterical... Anyone else familiar with it? -J |
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17 Apr 00 - 07:23 PM (#213367) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: kendall Rave on smokers..I know your little secret. You convince yourself that you "enjoy" smoking..right? BOLLOX. You smoke to avoid the discomfort of NOT smoking. You are addicted, and, you dont have what it takes to quit, so, you defend your addiction by being difficult. How do I know? 48 years of smoking, thats how. |
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17 Apr 00 - 09:20 PM (#213393) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Gary T You're quite right there, Kendall, though I'd like to think that I'm not difficult about it. I hope it was clear that my previous response was essentially playing with the clever and funny slogan on your friend's hat. |
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17 Apr 00 - 09:27 PM (#213399) Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S. From: Caitrin Quite alright, Wavestar. The misunderstanding was just as much my fault...in rereading the post, I see that I didn't quite make clear what I was saying. |