Why are European attitides to Canadians so different to their attitudes to Americans?

Question

Ok I am just interested in a curious social phenomenon, whereby we Europeans all feel friendly towards that great country Canada, who fought with us in 2 world wars and shares so much of our cuture. Their people are widely regarded as open minded, well mannered and civilised.

And yet only a BORDER - a purely man made barrier- separates our friends the Canadians from another group of States (The United States) who also dearly want to be our best friends, who have consistently been our allies in World
wars and yet are perceived as being uneducated, ignorant, Christian fundamentalists whose only interest is in causing pollution, torture and gunfire.

How did things arrive at this state of affairs? I was brought up to think of the USA as our friends so how has it all come about?

Answer 1

I can't speak for everyone here but it is all down to attitude. Many Americans are aware of how much power and influence over the rest of the world. This has led to a superiority complex that runs throughout the nation. It is through this complex that they believe they are flawless, which in turn gives the society a major aversion to any kind of criticism directed towards them. They constantly talk about the "American Dream" yet a huge amount of their population is either living below the poverty line, grossly uneducated or morbidly obese. They produce a huge amount of pollution and their rate of gun crime is way beyond a joke. Yet not only is very little done about it but many average Middle Americans even deny that any of this is going on.

To make things even worse, many nations are so desperate to be like The States that they are starting to inherit some of their problems. The UK now has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in Europe and is rising. The influx of American food joints in France and Italy has caused the heart attack rate to almost double. These are nations where until recently you never saw a fat person under the age of forty.

Don't get me wrong, I love America and I know that not every American is a gun totin gangster or bible bashing redneck.

Canadians on the other hand are totally different. They accept their flaws. You don't hear about gangland drive-bys in Canada. You don't hear about their rate of obesity in children and the population's teenage pregnancy rate is actually dropping. You can never spot a Canadian tourist until you walk right past them and overhear a brief part of their conversation, unlike American tourists who are walking stereotypes that can be heard from a mile away. Canadian people are friendlier more polite and less arrogant.

Overall, Canada is the nation that The States is so desperately trying to be. Lets face it, if you really want to live the American Dream you are better off moving to Canada.

Answer 2

Isn't Canada part of the British Commonwealth? The queen is on the money. As far as the stereotypes by which Americans are apparently judged, well, how can every person in America be the same? I know you are only asking an honest question- and I am sure that we are being judged by our president. Not all of us voted for him, and most of us do not approve of anything this administration has done. I have hope that in the future, we will be thought well of again- and that our future leaders will pay attention to our people. Many changes have to be made. If they aren't- Canada might be getting kind of crowded.
And by the way, I am not a loudmouth, or uneducated- I am environmentally-minded, well mannered, and civilized- as are many other Americans. I guess there are some out there making us all look bad-just ignore them.

Answer 3

"only a border"? That border is a political line marking where the Government of Canada's rule ends, and the Government of the US begins, and much of what you ask is due to the difference in governments (and in the US's greater power).

The short answer to your question is that Canada is a civilized country, whereas the government of the US has done untold damage throughout the world, and lately is run by the worst sort of people who tell the world "we will murder and steal from whoever we want because we are powerful; eat it" (and this from the freakin' ambassador to the UN).

Also, unlike civilized countries, there are a lot of Americans who would impose an anti-science, anti-human, "religion" on the rest of Americans (who are resisting).

Finally, many Americans are ignorant of the rest of the world (look at all of the factual errors made in answers to your question, for example), yet are arrogant about their ignorance.

However, not all Americans are the same person, as some have pointed out. There are educated, tolerant, humane, civil Americans who aren't warlike, hate-mongering religious fanatics.

Me, for one.

Answer 4

Canada is a refined and cultured country and a former country of the glorious British Empire and now Commonwealth. Here in Britain we have a great fondess and affection for our Canadian brothers and sisters, its like having family abroad. There are many ties with Canada as lots of scots and irish emigrated there.
America, although officially just about able to speak English has nothing in common with Britain and regularly ignores the advise and concerns of other countries. Look at the Global Warming issue for example. Long live Canada, we also stand on guard for Thee!

Answer 5

I think it's just through stereotypes. Canadians are seen as friendly, clean civil people. The kind of people you want to know. Who if you went on holiday to their country they'd be helpful and friendly and just generally nice.

On the other hand, Americans are stereotyped as loud and brash and "hillbillys". The American tourist is seen as loud, overweight, overbearing and generally impolite. Their President paints Americans as of low intelligence. There is more, but there's no need to talk about the KKK or commercialised Humvees, McDonalds or the war on "terrorism". All these lead to a less than great portrait of Americans.

Answer 6

It came about when the boston tea party happened all those years ago - the european governments announced that they were ignorant and we believed them and nothing has changed to this day - no really could it have something to do with any of the pollitical F**** ups (putting Sodamn Innsane in power in the first place then training and funding him), growing obesitey numbers or even the fact that they are no1 contributor to greenhouse gasses because they dont know what a smart car is!

Answer 7

Because the Canadians are not obsessed with illegally invading states in central America and the Middle East to further their own political ends

Answer 8

I think it's because America has been blamed for everything that is wrong with the world today (I'm talking fast food, obesity, health problems, the election system, racism and other discrimination, lack of fair trade help, reluctance to help stop global warming). Plus it doesn't really help that most of us picture George Bush when we think of America. Canada has avoided this spotlight, and I also think that as part of Canada speaks predominantly French, it is perceived as being a more civilised and sophisticated country.

Answer 9

Americans are often considered to be arrogant, and to be honest the political climate of the country has not helped. There is a sense that Americans can do what they want when they want with no regard for other nations.
I remember speaking with an American guy once on a flight back from Miami to the UK and he became incandescent with rage about the idea that the USA is possibly the biggest polluter in the world. As far as he was concerned Americans had the absolute right to do what they wanted when they wanted to preserve the american way of life... that kind of said it all for me really...

Answer 10

Kith and kin, a strudy manchild of the British Empire!
Well, sort of kidding, there - quoting Kippling, in fact. But those Canadians that I've met and conversed with do seem to be a lot closer to the same frequency as myself than most Americans I've met. (With several exceptions, I have to say!) A cultural thing I suppose.
I well recall one Canadian contributing thus 'You think you hate Americans? Try having them for neighbours!'
Sort of endeared him to us.
I remember there was a guy used to frequent the pub in our village who always tried to pass himself off as Canadian. He was eventually caught out as being American. When asked why the deceit, he said 'well, you know G W Bush?'
Yes, we said
He just shrugged!