"How Canada Stole the American Dream"

[Krikit 1,164]

We are going to be one big country in the future anyway with the North American Union. http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=nort...1&FORM=PORE

Dammit! Immigrated way too soon.

[Eric_and_Corinna 0]

krikit, you are the best. Seriously. That was a great response.

I, too, thought your last comment eric wasn't 100% fair. I don't think I'm ever trying to prove Canadians are better. I just miss home desperately and find it hard to adjust in a place that is so different from what I am used to. No one people is better. That is completely subjective and down to personal preference. My opinion is only based on the experiences Im having.

Krikit and Treble...

You're right, I did kind of push back there. And I apologize. It's probably stemmed from me spending 6 months of the last year in Canada having to explain countless times that there's more to the US then murders, skyrocketing health care, and George Bush. It's the Michael Moore effect. Add that to explaining that Alaska isn't dark 24 hours a day, we don't have dogsleds or live in igloos, and no, I'm happy being an American and I don't think Alaska should "just be part of Canada." (I'm all for our own country, but again, I digress)

This thread touched a nerve with me because it took me back to my university days living with two British Columbians who were constantly bashing Americans...this is much more civil then those conversations.

Sorry if you thought I was adding a kick with the Canada Day comment. It was being sincere since I wasn't around on the actual holiday.

[thetreble 19]

Eric, I totally get what you are saying. Once I began dating my now husband, the comments about Americans from my own family and friends were RELENTLESS! I was always defending my move to the US and trying to explain that there are positives to living here and that it is one thing to hate the US government, but another to be ignorant enough to believe every one follows it. There are many Canadians who think Americans are absolute morons, but then I just remind them of Canadian morons we have met through all the years we have known each other.

I took American history at university so I could better understand Americans and where I would be moving to. One day very early on in the course I realized a HUGE difference between our peoples. America was built on a difference set of ideals than Canada was. America was built on the rights of the individual to prosper. It was built upon the notion that no matter your situation, an individual has the right to own property and to walk up the social and economic ladder if they so wished to do without any hand outs.

Canada, as a society, has built itself on ideals of social programs and lending hands where ever you can. That is why people always say we are a little too liberal, too left, border line socialists!

It was just interesting to note the differences between how the countries were founded, and how that led to the thinking patterns of how we as two nations act today.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

Canadians:

We can ply them with timbits and tire money

don't tease me like that.

[bowflex 0]

Interesting article for sure

I have often thought that those people who are going for visas and that plan to file for citizenship should be placed in front of those who aren't. That's a very debatablepoint point and I'm not trying to stir up more drama, but I think that moving for love is a great thing, as that's what my wife did for me. I think that being given the chance to move to a countryand live there should also carry with it a responsibility to commit to it and make it better.

With so many people trying to get into the US for a better life, I don't really agree that someone who is moving to the US for a few years to be with their significant other before moving back after retirement or when it's a better idea is a good thing. There should be an expedited list, in my opinion, for those who plan on living the rest of their days in the USA, and then another for those who are kind of "renting" time over here.

Please don't take offense, I've just been thinking about this a lot after reading countless posts about folks who are already planning on moving back after they arrived

Happy Canada Day and 4th of July to all!

[Emancipation 2]

Canada, as a society, has built itself on ideals of social programs and lending hands where ever you can. That is why people always say we are a little too liberal, too left, border line socialists!

Border line?? holy.. that's not what hubby says.. i'm a full blown socialist, communist hippie freak!!!

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

Canada, as a society, has built itself on ideals of social programs and lending hands where ever you can. That is why people always say we are a little too liberal, too left, border line socialists!

Border line?? holy.. that's not what hubby says.. i'm a full blown socialist, communist hippie freak!!!

you left out tree hugging and poutine eating......

[KarenCee 3]

Canada, as a society, has built itself on ideals of social programs and lending hands where ever you can. That is why people always say we are a little too liberal, too left, border line socialists!

Border line?? holy.. that's not what hubby says.. i'm a full blown socialist, communist hippie freak!!!

you left out tree hugging and poutine eating......

...liberal thinking and birkenstock wearing...

[Emancipation 2]

...liberal thinking and birkenstock wearing...

How did i manage to forget the birkenstocks!!

[KarenCee 3]

[Sprailenes 47]

I don't know any Canadians besides my husband's friend Jess. In all honesty, I never took the time to get to know her. She immediately separated herself from myself and my American friends when she snottily announced at Universal Studios "Americans love their theme parks." She spent the day bashing Americans and complaining about how fat and uncultured we were. Funny how she was at Universal Studios, along with huge amounts of British and other foreign tourists. How hypocritical.

I'm not going to bother defending American culture, because I'm not going to change anyone's views. But it's very rude and unfair to generalize Americans into stereotypes.

you okay?

[milwaukeegirl 0]

I was reading the "strange things you're not used to" thread yesterday, where I started to feel the Canada vs. America sentiments. After that I read this article where I got really annoyed and posted my comment. It was just too much for me. While at work I just read the new posts, I don't pick and choose from the forums. That's why I read some posts on Canadian forums. I guess I didn't see anything wrong with that. Anyway, I mentioned my perception of the one Canadian that I've met in my lifetime to illustrate how stereotyping a country based on a few people is unfair. From the other posts that I've read today, I'm starting to understand why my husband's Canadian friend might have been acting so defensive towards Americans. I didn't realize our culture was forced down your throats.

While living in England, alot of British people thought that I was Canadian because my accent is from Wisconsin. They would ask me if I was Canadian, and when I said no, I'm American, they would say "sorry for offending you," and laugh. I was always puzzled by that response. I always said that I wasn't offended for being mistaken for a Canadian. Why would I be? It still puzzles me now.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Ok - I hope no Americans take offense at this because it is not meant that way, but today I was thinking about this thread and thought this would be a perfect post to add - so enjoy!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

... and of course, this one!

[PlatyPius 5]

How could anyone be offended by Canadians? They're soooo cute when they say "aboot" and "eh". ROFL!

Seriously, though....

Canada has a fascinating history, and has some breathtakingly beautiful areas. Things are also still different enough that an American visiting Canada KNOWS they're in a different country. But it's not so different as to be totally foreign, if you know what I mean. Kinda like US - UK. Common language (unless in the french-speaking part of Canada, of course), generally common understanding of things, and a somewhat shared history.