Canadians: Please explain this?

Question

Why is it that I loudly hear two points of view in Canada:

- one is that Canada basically sucks and can do no right, and that the USA is Number One in everything. American things are the best; Canadian things suck.

- the other is that the US sucks, and no matter what American things are to be avoided at all costs. If American things cannot be avoided, then no problem - you can still enjoy those things and even use them to b**** at the USA.

I can't tolerate either extreme, yet the vast majority of folks I talk to seem to take one of these two stances. Sometimes I have heard a bit of both from the same person, depending on what is being discussed!!

What's wrong with this country?

Examples -

Some of my friends deplore "US-style health care". That's what they call any semblance of private health care. Any discussion of a public system with access to private health care if necessary is all thrown out as "US-style health care." But, nobody seems to mind existing private health clinics. In fact, some politicians (notably Liberals) who most hate "US-style health care" are the first in line to get their own private health care when they need it.

We all love American TV/movies. When I say how much I liked a Canadian TV show or movie I saw, the reaction I often get is, "I don't watch Canadian shows - they all suck. Everyone just knows a Canadian show when they see it, and you turn have to turn the channel after a minute at most."

More examples:

We love hockey. When the lack of popularity of hockey in the USA is noticed up here, the reaction is that Americans are just ignorant. But when I ask for a preference of the CFL or NFL, the vast majority say, "The CFL sucks. The NFL is the only football there is." From what I see, the Super Bowl gets more attention up here than the Grey Cup, I think. Major stores hold sales of TV's and snack foods for the Super Bowl, but mostly ignore the Grey Cup.

Answer 1

I don't think any thing is wrong with either Canada or the U.S. and in my experience, it's we Americans that use this extreme. Canadians tend to be a little more logical in their answers!!

So the problem is not the country, it's the thought process where people generalize and lump everyone into a nice neat little box. There are good and bad points about either country.

If it weren't for the longer winters, I'd move to Canada!!

Answer 2

What you're demonstrating by your question is utter ignorance.

You see, most of the American public is ignorant. I am not insulting anyone by any means, but after many years of campaigns of misinformation from the media have led the American public to believe anything they see on the TV. Most americans don't even read anymore. Their command of the English language is deplorable.

Anyway, the point is, that since the US and Canada have the same mother, they figure they might as well be brothers, but the problem with the US is that they think no one is better than them. They even make fun of the British, and they're the ones who started the US in the first place.

So my friend, if you hear people saying that Canada sucks, that's fine, they're entitled to their opinion. But the next time you hear this, ask them a few simple questions, like, what's the capital of Canada? or, Name 3 places in Canada. They won't get it right.

They're so ignorant they'll go to Toronto asking for the CNN Tower. NEWSFLASH, they isn't any CNN Tower in Toronto it's called the CN Tower, which stands for Canadian National. Now, how many American tourists ask the same question every time they're in Toronto. See my point?

Answer 3

It sometimes depends on what part of the country that individual is from, For example, Citizens in Western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan,,Alberta And B.C) are more tolerant and accepting of Americans and what they do, there is a feeling of segragation from the east (which is where the federal government resides.) The west has a lot more american views than the west, which is why you find so manydifferent viewpoints. In Eastern Canada (Ontario, the Maritimes, Quebec, doesnt really count, thats a whole other box of issues), The View is simply more agnostic towards american views, they feel that americans try to impose there ways and views, and they dont like that. (im in the west, so im really speculating on the East). By the way this opinion, not fact. I like Americans , i like the US, there are of course some things i dont agree with, but that goes with anything. Canada is a mixed up country, Im a proud Canadian, Loe my Country, But man is it mixed up.

Answer 4

Don't know. In college, I had a Canadian roommate. We got along good. I have been to Canadian rock fests. You haven't partied until you have hung out with 20,000 drunk Canadians! Canada Rocks!

Answer 5

those with simple opinions are ill informed. all countries have there good and bad traits....theres things i like about canada and things i don't.same with the u.s.
i wonder why the two points of view in canada are the only two you hear...please explain this.

Answer 6

The only logical conclusion is that they both suck.