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[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

My first memory of Canada is their fucking strict border policy. When I was a kid, we packed all 11 of us into a VW van and hauled our ass to the border. It took almost 13 hrs to drive 55 miles but that's because our van could only go that fast. When we got to the border late at night, some big beer-bellied Canadian border guard stopped us and made us all get out. It takes a long time to find your pants in a sardine box like that. Anyway, we visited Toronto and some 1000 island thing ferry and then Niagra Falls. Passing back into the U.S. was the best moment of my life. They just waved us in like we belonged.

 

[StoopKid]

Probably because we are a superpower with the best military in the world.

Also hollywood.

 

[Zen]

Probably because we are a superpower with the best military in the world.

Also hollywood.

If you meant the above as a positive that Canadians are jealous of you might want to sit down.

 

[QuiteWhittle]

This is not relevant to your comment about political diversity.

But my mind was blowded away when someone told me the reason there are only 2 parties in Amuurika is because they legislated that it's illegal for any other party to advertise during their campaign.

Holy shiznizzles.

Are...you sure that's true? Maybe I'm mistaken, but I don't think there are any laws explicitly banning other parties from advertising. Third parties are usually barred from political debates because those are handled by private entities with obscure prerequisites. That's a terrible barrier to success but, other than that, the largest issue to wide-reaching appeal is the lack of third-party campaign funds.

 

[Heshinsi]

Is this ethnic diversity or cultural diversity? There's no way Russia, with its myriad of ethnic groups and cultures, is less diverse than Spain.

Maybe it's by percentage of population.

 

[BocoDragon]

My first memory of Canada is their fucking strict border policy. When I was a kid, we packed all 11 of us into a VW van and hauled our ass to the border. It took almost 13 hrs to drive 55 miles but that's because our van could only go that fast. When we got to the border late at night, some big beer-bellied Canadian border guard stopped us and made us all get out. It takes a long time to find your pants in a sardine box like that. Anyway, we visited Toronto and some 1000 island thing ferry and then Niagra Falls. Passing back into the U.S. was the best moment of my life. They just waved us in like we belonged.

It works the exact same way as a Canadian going into the US and returning home.

The job of border control is to be a dick. In any nation.

 

[Zen]

To be fair to our US cousins, I would point out that some posters have been citing the US repression of homosexual rights; they have been making big strides in that department as of late.

 

[jstripes]

It works the exact same way as a Canadian going into the US and returning home.

Well, aside from "Anything to declare?"

 

[Parch]

Yet people have no problem absorbing and watching american media. Movies, tv, books etc. I just find it funny that people look down on a country where their favorite shows come from.

And GAF posts. There's nothing like real life. Day after day after day there are countless examples of wonderful American hijinx. Politics, religion, gun culture. It's all great. Just the daily contributions from Florida provide massive amounts of entertainment. Canadians love laughing at Americans.

 

[YoungHav]

Canada is superior to the U.S. and I wish Canada had invaded us in the past as they had planned. The U.S. is the most backwards western nation and a disgrace.

 

[plasmawave]

Yet people have no problem absorbing and watching american media. Movies, tv, books etc. I just find it funny that people look down on a country where their favorite shows come from.

And you guys like to pretend as Canadians when you travel the world.
What is up with that?

 

[Angelus Errare]

Yet people have no problem absorbing and watching american media. Movies, tv, books etc. I just find it funny that people look down on a country where their favorite shows come from.

Shit Americans do that to OTHER Americans, how can you really be shocked when others do it?

 

[ISOM]

And GAF posts. There's nothing like real life. Day after day after day there are countless examples of wonderful American hijinx. Politics, religion, gun culture. It's all great. Just the daily contributions from Florida provide massive amounts of entertainment. Canadians love laughing at Americans.

I guess I wouldn't know. No one has much interest for canada.

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

That... is not how judging ethnic diversity works per say, at least not scientifically. I am not disagreeing with you, just pointing out that Canada tops diversity, and while it is no US, it is not at the forefront of most homogeneous countries. With that in mind, I do not think it is fair to offhandedly remark that Canada is racially homogeneous. In the sense that it does not paint the full picture as tribalism is a thing that exists, which separates ~races~ through cultural constructs that can range from insignificant to very much the other end of the spectrum.



Apples to oranges. Canada has very open immigration policies and foreign born citizens as a percentage of the total population is the highest of any G8 country.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_foreign-born_population

I understand what you are saying but it's important in the context I am using it in. There are lots of conflicts that arise between minority groups due to culture clashes and racism. Because a much smaller percentage of the population is actually a minority there is logically a much smaller challenge in dealing with the logically smaller amount of conflict. I was not speaking so much about the diversity itself so much as the inherent conflicts of minority populations.

 

[daviyoung]

I guess I wouldn't know. No one has much interest for canada.

I've never met a Canadian I didn't like

 

[Konka]

Not really by a lot. We share some things, but culturally Canadians are very different from Americans. It's not even close.

Yep, brought the world Degrassi.

 

[Heshinsi]

And yet the worlds best Universities and hospitals are in America.

Yeah they sure are nice, for those who could afford them. Plus why brag about your universities when your K-12 program is amongst the worst in the developed world?

But Canadians are Americans seeing as they are part of the American continents. That's why smart folk call the citizens of the United States Yanks to avoid this confusion.

We're not Americans. If the South Americans and the rest of North America want to demand they too be called 'Americans', then that's their prerogative. We're not party to that nonsense.

It's really hard to compare Canada to the US. The US has ten times the population and much more political diversity.

What political diversity? A two party system that are mostly identical, save for a few social issues, is not diversity.

Canadians are mostly a literal joke to Americans. Not out of ill-will or anything, but just because Canadians are basically like slightly strange Americans. Otherwise they're almost culturally the same except for that weird French part which is pretty much a different country.

We are not culturally similar. Why is it that people think culture is simply the media you consume, and the food you eat? Make a list of what defines American culture and you'll find most of it runs counter to what defines a Canadian. Here I'll give you a freebie you can start you list on: 2nd Amendment. Now keep going.

 

[lmpaler]

What do we have to be jealous of Americans with?

We do everything better than you. I mean you don't even have real money.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAwhYbik3bg

 

[Hours Left]

Canadians are mostly a literal joke to Americans. Not out of ill-will or anything, but just because Canadians are basically like slightly strange Americans. Otherwise they're almost culturally the same except for that weird French part which is pretty much a different country.

If you think this, then you have very little knowledge of what Canada is.

 

[Konka]

We do everything better than you. I mean you don't even have real money.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAwhYbik3bg

 

[frontovik]

As a Canadian, I have visited the US and am friends with several Americans. Everyone I met have been quite friendly and hospitable! At the end of the day, I'd prefer to live in Canada though.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Canada is America's hat..they have no other choice BUT to look down on us. Here's a picture of some Canadians looking down..

It's nature's way!

 

[Pedrito]

Please Canadians, stop saying we are nicer than Americans. That's not nice.

Spoiler

And that's BS. There are assholes in every country, including a whole bunch of them in Canada

.

 

[HI. BILLY MAYS HERE]

Canada is probably just mad they have no identity as a country other than hockey and haven't been able to shake French or British influence for over 200 years.

 

[Minus_Me]

The myth that all Canadians are polite, friendly and say sorry all the time is such an annoying thing to me. What a crock.

 

[Big-E]

Canada is probably just mad they have no identity as a country other than hockey and haven't been able to shake French or British influence for over 200 years.

Says the country who still uses the Crown's measurement system.

 

[Gustav]

Says the country who still uses the Crown's measurement system.

Zingers!

 

[Novocaine]

The whole bagged milk thing is not true fyi.

When I went to Toronto there were milk bags in the supermarket. I even took a photo because I thought it was funny.

 

[bigmf]

Canada's better because we kill each other much less, on a per capita basis.

 

[Angelus Errare]

Says the country who still uses the Crown's measurement system.

 

[BeerSnob]

Tribalism. One element of community is the belief that your "people" as designated by your constructed identity, is better than others. Note that this can break down further into racial or anti-nationalist groups that actually oppose the government of the host nation but everyone has a "people" to which they think they belong and a internal narrative that feeds their cognitive bias. Canadians at home look down on Americans because they don't identify with them, whereas Canadians in ISAF are more likely to identify with the American Forces because of their united front.

It depends on how the individual identifies his or herself as to what their opinion is.

 

[Nesotenso]

To be fair to our US cousins, I would point out that some posters have been citing the US repression of homosexual rights; they have been making big strides in that department as of late.

When court decisions were legalizing gay marriage in the provinces before 2005, what was the split in public opinion?

And you guys like to pretend as Canadians when you travel the world.
What is up with that?

you make it sound as if that is universal to all Americans.

 

[BocoDragon]

I understand what you are saying but it's important in the context I am using it in. There are lots of conflicts that arise between minority groups due to culture clashes and racism. Because a much smaller percentage of the population is actually a minority there is logically a much smaller challenge in dealing with the logically smaller amount of conflict. I was not speaking so much about the diversity itself so much as the inherent conflicts of minority populations.

Blaming America's conflicts on diversity is a false correlation.

I'd say it's more the effects of immigrants moving into a nation with existing tensions and inequalities.

 

[HI. BILLY MAYS HERE]

Says the country who still uses the Crown's measurement system.

Using the imperial system as insult
Haha damn you're reaching on that one

sick ass burn tho bro

 

[Komo]

Because it's cool to hate America, and nationalism is a plague

 

[Tabris]

Racial diversity is very different than Cultural diversity. America has greater racial diversity but it tends as a society to homogeneous cultures into "American", while Canada retains individual cultures to make up the tapestry that is "Canadian".

Best analogy is, America is a melting pot of crayons. Canada is a crayon box.

 

[LNBL]

I fucking love all you Americans and Canadians.

Edit: I should probably log off GAF while i'm drinking --'

 

[Gordon Shumway]

I fucking love all you Americans and Canadians.

Edit: I should probably log off GAF while i'm drinking --'

 

[Tabris]

I think a lot of Americans are ignorant to how good Canadians have it. We make more money in the middle and lower income brackets (post tax + insurance as well), universal healthcare for all peoples, better education system for all peoples, cultural diversity (especially when in Vancouver or Toronto), more tolerant society, and our overall quality of life index is much higher.

Unless you are in the 10% income bracket or your family is, in America, you don't have it better than Canadians, on the things that measure ones quality of life.

 

[Sun Bather]

Isn't that the case with most neighbor countries?

 

[gutter_trash]

don't worry, Stephen Harper is hard at work trying to turn Canada into the 51st State

 

[QuiteWhittle]

Isn't that the case with most neighbor countries?

How do New Zealanders feel about Australians?

 

[YoungHav]

Is Canada an oligarchy yet?

 

[plasmawave]

you make it sound as if that is universal to all Americans.

It's not?

 

[CyclopsRock]

I think everyone looks down on America. It's one of those places where, being a very rich country, you can basically afford to be a glutinous idiot and still like a comparatively comfortable life, and some opt to. On the other hand, they also produce many of the smartest people, best researchers, greatest writers and best atheletes in the world. But, of course, it's easier to see great people as individuals and the glutinous idiots as part of a greater "America".

 

[Valhelm]

It's not?

Americans who claim to be Canadian while abroad probably do so in hopes of sucking up to Europeans. They feel that being from Canada, and not the US, would make them seem more cultivated and "less of a hick". I don't think any Americans would do this in countries where being American comes with some prestige.

 

[Konka]

I think a lot of Americans are ignorant to how good Canadians have it. We make more money in the middle and lower income brackets (post tax + insurance as well), universal healthcare for all peoples, better education system for all peoples, cultural diversity (especially when in Vancouver or Toronto), more tolerant society, and our overall quality of life index is much higher.

Unless you are in the 10% income bracket or your family is, in America, you don't have it better than Canadians, on the things that measure ones quality of life.

I think Eli and Peyton would disagree with you.

 

[cdyhybrid]

Canada can't even win the Stanley Cup. They don't have much going for them.

 

[Nakho]

Well, as a Canadian by heart, I must say I love the US, had a great time when I went there and only met nice people. Been thinking of doing my Masters there, actually.

As a Brazilian by birth, I must also say that the US bullshit belligerant stance on our agency and independence since our inception was and is truly shitty. So, yeah, I can see why some countries would hate the US because of its foreign policy, especially since WWII.

 

[Zabka]

Racial diversity is very different than Cultural diversity. America has greater racial diversity but it tends as a society to homogeneous cultures into "American", while Canada retains individual cultures to make up the tapestry that is "Canadian".

Best analogy is, America is a melting pot of crayons. Canada is a crayon box.

I keep seeing this line from Canadians and I can't tell if it's some kind of running joke or not. If you think this is true you must have never step foot in a US city.