is there really any difference between canada and the us?

Question

canadian TV and media is basically dominated by US culture. i don't even hear a difference between us and canadian accents. is canada just a more boring version of the US?
by the way, im canadian and i love being in canada, but i dont feel like we have our own recognizable identity going for us.

Answer 1

The only difference in these two countries is in the climate. Canada is certainly cooler than US.Otherwise they are same.

Answer 2

Canada has a very significant difference to the U.S. we have provinces (sorry don't know if it is all of them for sure) that have health insurance. That is a big huge social benefit that the states do not have. Ever get sick in the states without insurance and then the difference will be crystal clear. Movie maker Michael Moore talks about it in his movie Sicko, I found it not as profound as his movie about the shooting at Columbine. In that movie you will find Americans speaking and Canadians too about the significant differences between the two countries.

However, I think Toronto has changed in terms of violence and that has been in the last 6 or so years. Changed for the worse, perhaps other major cities in Can. also but can't comfirm. The gun violence is the big problem and if Canada is going to do anything to stop it with laws, punishment, the U.S. boarder crossing than maybe we might get back to a more peaceful safe city that we once were.

Canada gets good and bad from the TV and media that does dominate the canadian culture to some extent. The problem is that you can't tune out the American content if you want to. That is the price you pay for being a neighbor. The channel like CNN are the hardest to take they go one about violence like it is one big party to celebrate, it's sickening. Some Canadian news channel also are starting to go towards that type of news. For the most part though the news is done well in Canada still no sensationalized.

Sorry for the long rant. I love to travel in the U.S. it isn't so different from Canada but it is different enough with it's tolls etc....Canada has a different feel we learn French and are easy going about it even when it's too please the smallest percent of the Canadian population, you know what I mean, we are easy going peace loving, tolerant. Not to say the states isn't just they are quite different with a hugely different history to Canada too.

Canadians are welcomed for the most part anywhere in the world, our identity is multiculturalism. Stick a Canadian sticker on your luggage proudly.