Full Version: What do Americans think of Canadians?
Canada is our closest neighbor and one of our allies. It has come to my attention that some Canadians do not have a high opinion of Americans. How do you feel about Canadians?
They can hold a low opinion of us once they stop saying, "Eh". Seriously, too bad for the Canucks. They have something referred to as penis envy. They feel they are inferior, and fight back by insulting us at every turn. Fudge em'.
We have to feel for Canada, they live right next to the most powerful nation in the world without having any power of their own. Because I'm a walking statistic machine I'll give you some: 95% of Canadians live within 50 miles of America. 60% of Canadians come to America for health care (have to deal with their socialist medicine) and finally the average Canadian says 'eh' some 500 times a day. (just kidding)
Its not that I have anything against the neighbors to the great white north, it is just that their country things it is so good and yet is so pathetic. I don’t care if they don’t like us…the French don’t like us and look how far that has gotten them.
Although we should shut the border to Canada. Then we wouldn’t get another Celine Dion, or William Shatner.
Its not that I have anything against the neighbors to the great white north, it is just that their country things it is so good and yet is so pathetic. I don’t care if they don’t like us…the French don’t like us and look how far that has gotten them.
Although we should shut the border to Canada. Then we wouldn’t get another Celine Dion, or William Shatner.
A lot of people do not have a high opinion of Americans, including some Americans. That aside, I guess my view of Canadians has always been a mix of indifference and pity.
Indifference, because I rarely think about Canada. I guarantee I think of Mexico more frequently than Canada. That's probably because we don't have immigration issues with our northern neighbors.
I have pity for Canada for a number of reasons (here comes my haughty American opinions!). First, it's so cold. Cold sucks. There is a reason so many live in southern Canada. Second, they seem so complacent. They never seem to get mad or make international issues about anything (I mean, is there a Cananda's Debate?
). Finally, there is always that old joke/stereotype about Canadians that I can't get past: Canadians are just like Americans with less money and less guns.
I do look forward to the next wave of Canadian comedians to come down. That is one area in which they have been successful. Dan Akroyd, John Candy, Colin Mochrie, the list goes on and on!
Indifference, because I rarely think about Canada. I guarantee I think of Mexico more frequently than Canada. That's probably because we don't have immigration issues with our northern neighbors.
I have pity for Canada for a number of reasons (here comes my haughty American opinions!). First, it's so cold. Cold sucks. There is a reason so many live in southern Canada. Second, they seem so complacent. They never seem to get mad or make international issues about anything (I mean, is there a Cananda's Debate?
). Finally, there is always that old joke/stereotype about Canadians that I can't get past: Canadians are just like Americans with less money and less guns.I do look forward to the next wave of Canadian comedians to come down. That is one area in which they have been successful. Dan Akroyd, John Candy, Colin Mochrie, the list goes on and on!
DEATH TO CENSORSHIP!!!
I'm not changing it, Mike. I mean it.
You can say it and you can mean it, but you cannot use racial slurs in the process.
I don't want to edit people's posts, but I will when they are obviously meant to be offensive.
If you had given that post any thought at all, you would have realized that there were much better ways to prove your point.
Mike
I don't want to edit people's posts, but I will when they are obviously meant to be offensive.
If you had given that post any thought at all, you would have realized that there were much better ways to prove your point.
Mike
Hey Jaime, Cold is not so bad. I live where it gets very cold in the winter. Can't say that I relish minus 30, but I do enjoy the winter.
I just wandered into a Canadian forum one day and I was amazed to learn of their hostility toward Americans. No matter what they are discussing, sooner or later they start trashing the USA. It bothered me somewhat because they have a very wrong picture of us.
Like you, I seldom thought about Canada or Canadians, except that I wanted to visit there someday as I have heard that it is a very beautiful country. Anyway, I became curious about what Americans though about Canadians and went looking for a forum and found you guys. My lucky day!
Thanks to you and Mike for the nice welcome!
I just wandered into a Canadian forum one day and I was amazed to learn of their hostility toward Americans. No matter what they are discussing, sooner or later they start trashing the USA. It bothered me somewhat because they have a very wrong picture of us.
Like you, I seldom thought about Canada or Canadians, except that I wanted to visit there someday as I have heard that it is a very beautiful country. Anyway, I became curious about what Americans though about Canadians and went looking for a forum and found you guys. My lucky day!
Thanks to you and Mike for the nice welcome!
Madtown - I'll be the first to admit I'm a baby when it comes to cold weather. I moved to the Georgia coast for a reason. I won't even visit my family up in northern Illinois in the winter!
On a Canadian note, has anyone noticed how many movies are now being filmed up there? Especially in Montreal? I know there are some film majors in this forum, got any answers to that one?
On a Canadian note, has anyone noticed how many movies are now being filmed up there? Especially in Montreal? I know there are some film majors in this forum, got any answers to that one?
Well I rarely give Canada much thought either although I guess there's a similarity (on a very minor scale) between Scotland and England when it comes to rivalry.
Saying that Canada is like the US with less guns and less money is an interesting point. They're perfectly complacent, happy, multi cultural to a point, have not done anything to become a huge terrorist target, do not antagonise anyone apart from the odd jingoistic USer...
Wouldn't the world be a much more peaceful place if it was full of Canadas? Boy I bet nobody's made that statement before.
Saying that Canada is like the US with less guns and less money is an interesting point. They're perfectly complacent, happy, multi cultural to a point, have not done anything to become a huge terrorist target, do not antagonise anyone apart from the odd jingoistic USer...
Wouldn't the world be a much more peaceful place if it was full of Canadas? Boy I bet nobody's made that statement before.
James, Canada is destroying itself with socialism. It is not a terror target because it is currently the largest terror BASE. If the world were full of Canada's, I'd shoot myself.
I thought I'd get a reaction.
Seriously though I'm not a socialist Canadian and I take your point with regards to terrorism but I just see the country as bland and generally...blah. If the world was full of bland and blah countries, terrorists wouldn't exist on such a large scale.
Seriously though I'm not a socialist Canadian and I take your point with regards to terrorism but I just see the country as bland and generally...blah. If the world was full of bland and blah countries, terrorists wouldn't exist on such a large scale.
You'd prefer bland and blah to exciting and dangerous? Another dry-witted Brit. 
The problem with a "bland" country like Canada, and many other socialist leaning nations, is their lack of invention. Socialism provides no incentive to work hard or invent the next great (yes, money-making) idea.
Sure, Canada never rocks the boat, but I'd get pretty bored. I love the fact that America causes controversy. It shows we're making independant thought. Terrorists are terrified by people thinking for themselves which is why America is their number one target.
Sure, Canada never rocks the boat, but I'd get pretty bored. I love the fact that America causes controversy. It shows we're making independant thought. Terrorists are terrified by people thinking for themselves which is why America is their number one target.
On a side note, I hate Montreal. They've taken our version of PC and used it there. I can't order a pizza over the telephone because they are all cheese eating Frenchies. Just remember that when your child signs up for Spanish classes in High School.
I lived very close to the Candian border for a while. They are people like all people..some good and some bad. Parts of the country are just beautiful. I agree that it is a haven for terrorists. we need to be concerned there. They do act pretty superior or as the kids say, have an attitude. Certainly their health program is not working well. Then again they are our allies in many things. If you listen to a certain Canadian news anchor it gives you a clue to how liberal many of them are!
A Canadians opinion of the USA
With my inside point of view, let me tell you, there is plenty of violence, serial killers, ignorance, arrogance, twisted and backwards thinking that fits the stereotype. I'd like to add that this stereotype isn't just a Canadian creation, many other countries have a similar opinion as well and it can't be for no reason. Of course, Canada is not completely innocent, but I think there is significantly less than the 10-times difference in population would warrant. There are societal, cultural and bureaucratic differences, and much more closed-mindedness here. Oh, you'll find a few good apples in the rotten barrel, but I cherish my visits back home (to any part of Canada) and can't wait to be amongst Canadians for good again, where mocking Americans is (rightly so) nearly a national past-time. In fact, some of those rare nice Americans would agree and would like to go, too.
You bring to light so many of the very stereotypes and (lack of) manners we mock in Americans, as well as the poor grammar and spelling.
There is hostility between Americans and Canadians because of the similarities between the cultures and yet glaring differences. It's that big brother/little brother analogy, like Aussies and Kiwis, oh, I guess you wouldn't know about that, but, I'm getting ahead of myself, I get into that later.
Canadians hate to be mistaken for Yanks (this is a somewhat derogatory, more or less mocking term used for all Americans regardless of their geographical location, in case you didn't realize that) because they are often loud, obnoxious, boorish, pompous, and overly boastful of things and people that have nothing to do with themselves. I find many Americans love the sound of their own voices and this annoying habit is so well loved around the world (insert sarcastic tone) that I've met a few Americans who attach Canadian flags on their backpacks when traveling abroad in order to receive less harassment from the international community.
Other countries simply like Canada better than the States; you didn't get your precious buildings knocked down by accident. While I do sympathize with the human tragedies, you cannot deny that there are complex and questionable political issues and agendas involving and instigated by the U.S. The ignorance of the American public on international affairs and culture is also displayed by informal evidence I noticed while traveling to New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Brazil and across Canada: perhaps only 1% of the travelers I met were American, probably due to the increased complications of mobility for obese individuals, and most of these spent a good deal of the time complaining about how things were so much better back home.
Having said all that, I do not think every American is evil, though many obviously are.
With my inside point of view, let me tell you, there is plenty of violence, serial killers, ignorance, arrogance, twisted and backwards thinking that fits the stereotype. I'd like to add that this stereotype isn't just a Canadian creation, many other countries have a similar opinion as well and it can't be for no reason. Of course, Canada is not completely innocent, but I think there is significantly less than the 10-times difference in population would warrant. There are societal, cultural and bureaucratic differences, and much more closed-mindedness here. Oh, you'll find a few good apples in the rotten barrel, but I cherish my visits back home (to any part of Canada) and can't wait to be amongst Canadians for good again, where mocking Americans is (rightly so) nearly a national past-time. In fact, some of those rare nice Americans would agree and would like to go, too.
You bring to light so many of the very stereotypes and (lack of) manners we mock in Americans, as well as the poor grammar and spelling.
There is hostility between Americans and Canadians because of the similarities between the cultures and yet glaring differences. It's that big brother/little brother analogy, like Aussies and Kiwis, oh, I guess you wouldn't know about that, but, I'm getting ahead of myself, I get into that later.
Canadians hate to be mistaken for Yanks (this is a somewhat derogatory, more or less mocking term used for all Americans regardless of their geographical location, in case you didn't realize that) because they are often loud, obnoxious, boorish, pompous, and overly boastful of things and people that have nothing to do with themselves. I find many Americans love the sound of their own voices and this annoying habit is so well loved around the world (insert sarcastic tone) that I've met a few Americans who attach Canadian flags on their backpacks when traveling abroad in order to receive less harassment from the international community.
Other countries simply like Canada better than the States; you didn't get your precious buildings knocked down by accident. While I do sympathize with the human tragedies, you cannot deny that there are complex and questionable political issues and agendas involving and instigated by the U.S. The ignorance of the American public on international affairs and culture is also displayed by informal evidence I noticed while traveling to New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Brazil and across Canada: perhaps only 1% of the travelers I met were American, probably due to the increased complications of mobility for obese individuals, and most of these spent a good deal of the time complaining about how things were so much better back home.
Having said all that, I do not think every American is evil, though many obviously are.
Madtown - do you really believe all the stereotypes you threw around in your last post? Your attitude towards Americans is not unique; I've heard it all before. Do not forget, however, that all Americans themselves are unique.
I could be offended by your generic classification of all Americans as "obese individuals." Or I could be upset be your general verbiage of Americans being ignorant to the rest of the world's thoughts and views. I guess I could resort to telling you off for mocking my "poor grammar and spelling." But I needn't sink so low; I know what you said are just over used stereotypes and I don't fit them.
There is no doubt stereotypes exist for a reason. I guess I'm just a positive person and I prefer to keep my stereotyping humorous.
I could be offended by your generic classification of all Americans as "obese individuals." Or I could be upset be your general verbiage of Americans being ignorant to the rest of the world's thoughts and views. I guess I could resort to telling you off for mocking my "poor grammar and spelling." But I needn't sink so low; I know what you said are just over used stereotypes and I don't fit them.
There is no doubt stereotypes exist for a reason. I guess I'm just a positive person and I prefer to keep my stereotyping humorous.
Gollllly Jamie.....I didn't write that stuff. That's from a Canadian to me! I should have made that clear...sorry. That is a sample of how Canadians (at least some Canadians) talk about us. Outragious isn't it?
And then they brag about being polite
PS. I wish that we had a spell-check.
And then they brag about being polite
PS. I wish that we had a spell-check.
Post Preview
Jamie.....the biggest reason for movies and made for tv movies is money. It is cheaper to do in Canada. Not positive, but thing taxes and perhaps[B] non-union labor. Have to check on that.
Lets face it a lot of countries don't like us. Sure we have our share of ugly Americans traveling abroad, but there is also something called pure envy. We have more of everything than any other country in the world(except their long history)and they want some of it.
Canadian ancestors were either English or French for the most part. That can certainly explain a lot!!!!
Oh, I almost forgot. During some of my travels to New Zealand, Australia and most of Europe we ran into some mighty boisterous and loud CANADIANS. They were so bad on one flight from Sidney that no one got any rest.
Jamie.....the biggest reason for movies and made for tv movies is money. It is cheaper to do in Canada. Not positive, but thing taxes and perhaps[B] non-union labor. Have to check on that.
Lets face it a lot of countries don't like us. Sure we have our share of ugly Americans traveling abroad, but there is also something called pure envy. We have more of everything than any other country in the world(except their long history)and they want some of it.
Canadian ancestors were either English or French for the most part. That can certainly explain a lot!!!!
Oh, I almost forgot. During some of my travels to New Zealand, Australia and most of Europe we ran into some mighty boisterous and loud CANADIANS. They were so bad on one flight from Sidney that no one got any rest.
Well there are certainly stereotypes being thrown around at great speed.
One thing I wanted to highlight was the panicky USers pretending to be Canadian when they go abroad. IMO that only exascerbates the view that they have an inflated sense of their international importance. To be honest, most people in this country at least could care less whether visitors are American/Canadian or even Afghan. Put it down to apathy but most Brits that I know don't see nationality as quite that important.
And as for the envy thing.
There are only two things I envy about America. That a) you don't have a monarchy which is an institution supported by conservatives in this country and b ) you make better television.
One thing I wanted to highlight was the panicky USers pretending to be Canadian when they go abroad. IMO that only exascerbates the view that they have an inflated sense of their international importance. To be honest, most people in this country at least could care less whether visitors are American/Canadian or even Afghan. Put it down to apathy but most Brits that I know don't see nationality as quite that important.
And as for the envy thing.
There are only two things I envy about America. That a) you don't have a monarchy which is an institution supported by conservatives in this country and b ) you make better television.
Madtown-
Duh. Sorry. I had gotten the idea you were the Canadian when you provided a "Canadians opinion of the USA."
With that said, I think I'm fully sick of discussing Canada
Duh. Sorry. I had gotten the idea you were the Canadian when you provided a "Canadians opinion of the USA."
With that said, I think I'm fully sick of discussing Canada
Jaime said:
Maybe sometimes that's a good thing. Like Kosovo. Or Bosnia. Or Viet Nam.
Madtown Said:
Well, if someone attacked Canada, I think their attitude would change. We protect North America. They seem to forget that. Must be the cold.
James said:
As a matter of fact, they've done the exact opposite. Anyone who makes it to Canada from a crappy country is allowed to stay. Why would terrorists hit the country that gets them one step closer to us? Drmarcs said that 95% of all Canadians live within 50 miles of the US. I wonder if 95% of terrorists in Canada live within 50 miles of the US as well.
Madtown said:
Yeah yeah. It's on the way. If anyone out there has Microsoft Word, send me a private message and I'll give you a free spellchecker that fuses perfectly with the site.
James said:
Yeah, and if you can believe it, we don't have to pay a tax on it. Yet.
Mike
QUOTE
Second, they seem so complacent. They never seem to get mad or make international issues about anything
Maybe sometimes that's a good thing. Like Kosovo. Or Bosnia. Or Viet Nam.
Madtown Said:
QUOTE
I just wandered into a Canadian forum one day and I was amazed to learn of their hostility toward Americans. No matter what they are discussing, sooner or later they start trashing the USA. It bothered me somewhat because they have a very wrong picture of us.
Well, if someone attacked Canada, I think their attitude would change. We protect North America. They seem to forget that. Must be the cold.
James said:
QUOTE
(Canada has) not done anything to become a huge terrorist target
As a matter of fact, they've done the exact opposite. Anyone who makes it to Canada from a crappy country is allowed to stay. Why would terrorists hit the country that gets them one step closer to us? Drmarcs said that 95% of all Canadians live within 50 miles of the US. I wonder if 95% of terrorists in Canada live within 50 miles of the US as well.
Madtown said:
QUOTE
PS. I wish that we had a spell-check.
Yeah yeah. It's on the way. If anyone out there has Microsoft Word, send me a private message and I'll give you a free spellchecker that fuses perfectly with the site.
James said:
QUOTE
you make better television
Yeah, and if you can believe it, we don't have to pay a tax on it. Yet.
Mike
i love canada.
there iv said it, i think its great, montreal, toronto and especially vancouver are all awesome with a kickin party scene and cheap good schools. I believe that if it wasn't so damn cold up there there would be more cities (as opposed to like 4) and the country would flurish. On the other hand thanks to global warming there may yet come a day when canada is a worl power, remember, lots and lots of free land, if it ever gets as temperate as say california (and i think we may see this in our lifetimes, cali will be a scorching hell hole by this point btw) it will experience an economic boom.
btw, vancouver is hollywood #2, approx 1/3 of all movies are made there now, its cheap, like 4 hours from LA and nice weather (if you call seattle type weather, except with less rain, nice)
so yeah
im an american and proud of it, but i dont think we should knock our peace loving northern neighbors.
there iv said it, i think its great, montreal, toronto and especially vancouver are all awesome with a kickin party scene and cheap good schools. I believe that if it wasn't so damn cold up there there would be more cities (as opposed to like 4
) and the country would flurish. On the other hand thanks to global warming there may yet come a day when canada is a worl power, remember, lots and lots of free land, if it ever gets as temperate as say california (and i think we may see this in our lifetimes, cali will be a scorching hell hole by this point btw) it will experience an economic boom. btw, vancouver is hollywood #2, approx 1/3 of all movies are made there now, its cheap, like 4 hours from LA and nice weather (if you call seattle type weather, except with less rain, nice)
so yeah
im an american and proud of it, but i dont think we should knock our peace loving northern neighbors.
A'hem, Collegeboy,
Did you happen to read my earlier post of Aug. 28th. Who's knocking who?...or should it be whom?
Did you happen to read my earlier post of Aug. 28th. Who's knocking who?...or should it be whom?
I loathe Montreal. The French Mandate is repulsive. Smog levels are at an unbearable level.
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