What do you think?

[StreetCypher]

Since a great majority of users of this forum are Americans, i just want to know what you Americans think of Canadians?

I, myself, have a few stereotypes about Americans, but i won't get into them, and they're just stereotypes. My sister once went to cali and she got asked "Do you live in an igloo?". I think they were just joking, but, some people are extremely ignorant and easily enlightened.

So, what do you think of your brothers to the north?

[Watcher74]

I think most of us Americans view Canadians as our close cousins that talk a little different and like to drink beer, aye.

Shoot, most of America's most beloved movie stars are Canadians.

Canada is one of our states, right?:p

[OrionGirl]

From my understanding, there is a wide variety of cultural differences within Canada, so a generalization is hard to make. I've never thought badly of Canadians as a whole--but as with all groups, there are exceptions.

I did find it amusing when I worked for a western clothing sales place that so many Canadians purchased shirts, jeans and boots from us--mostly because they would talk about buying 'cowboy' clothes, when no coyboy I've ever met would wear some of the best sellers...And certainly wouldn't tuck their jeans into their boots. :) But, I felt the same way about the callers from New Jersey and Hawaii. :D

[Sensei_the_dojo]

I'm pretty much in agreement with BroodStockGirl. ;) Both of our countries are large enough that they contain "wide varieties of cultural differences".

Small example. I was born in Massachusetts where everyone is in a big hurry for everything and the store clerks hardly bother to make eye contact with customers. Here in New Mexico life has a much more relaxed pace, and some grocers still carry the groceries out to your car for you.

[mogurnda]

Hooboy, that's a hard one. Hard to generalize about a whole country. Most days I don't even know what I think about Americans.

Some of my favorite relatives and a top-quality drinking buddy are Canadian. I guess they're OK.

[OrionGirl]

Originally posted by Sensei_the_dojo
I'm pretty much in agreement with BroodStockGirl.

:p ;)

Where is that Danged Cull button anyway?

:laugh:

[StreetCypher]

I guess they're OK. :laugh:

In grade school(Canadian) , especially in social studies, we were always taught that the U.S was a melting pot and Canada was a mosaic of cultures. Teachers usually said that in the U.S. everyone from all cultures were assimilated into being Americans. But, in Canada, we all kept our culture (religion, language, traditions, customs, sexual orientation, etc,etc). Are you guys taught that? What do you guys think?

I just want to know what you guys think and clear up my stereotypes. lol!

[Dangerdoll]

Originally posted by OrionGirl


:p ;)

Where is that Danged Cull button anyway?

:laugh:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

shoot - double post... sorry :p

[Sensei_the_dojo]

Originally posted by OrionGirl


:p ;)

Where is that Danged Cull button anyway?

:laugh:

http://www.geocities.com/sfurciniti/button2.jpg

Can't get the danged thing to load!

[Dangerdoll]

Originally posted by OrionGirl


:p ;)

Where is that Danged Cull button anyway?

:laugh:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Originally posted by spartan
:laugh:

In grade school(Canadian) , especially in social studies, we were always taught that the U.S was a melting pot and Canada was a mosaic of cultures. Teachers usually said that in the U.S. everyone from all cultures were assimilated into being Americans. But, in Canada, we all kept our culture (religion, language, traditions, customs, sexual orientation, etc,etc). Are you guys taught that? What do you guys think?

I just want to know what you guys think and clear up my stereotypes. lol!

I don't remember learning anything about the different cultures living here or there.... I always thought cultures were taught within the home no matter where you were. As far as Canada, I think the only thing I ever thought that was "Canadian" was that half the population knew how to talk French and the other half didn't.

[slipknottin]

canadians are alot like americans, but more liberal and say 'eh' alot.

[Andy16]

Wade Simmons is one of the greatest downhill/freeride mountain bikers ever. Hes canadian. Thats pretty much all I know about Canada.

[gbolton]

But isn't the real question what do Americans think about Texans. :)

[Andy16]

Lance Armstrong comes from texas.....and hes ummm....the best bike rider ever.

[Dale W.]

I really like Canada, especially if I can get someone to send me some Red River Oatmeal. (hint hint hint)

Even though "a boat" and "about" sound the same, eh.

:d Just messing with ya. Its still not as bad as Americans that say "Huh?"

Some of the most beautiful scenery resides in Canada in which I have sene quite a bit of. I especially like the Islands going up to Rivers inlet, Cambel River (sp) and all that area.

Also note that the owner of this board lives in the great white north.

[got_nailed]

I think there cool. Sometimes they get talking a bit strange but we all do. I talk to a lot of them on yahoo. And what’s better than a cool beer after work (it might help if I drank them after thinking about one all day at work).

[ChicoRaton]

Hey, you know how to get 500 canadians out of an olypic size swimming pool?



You say "Um, could everbody please get out of the pool now eh?"


:D I want to move to canada... I'm only a boat 200 miles from the border

[Dale W.]

Chico,

Where are you in Idaho? I use to be a 5B'er. Thats Blaine county for those of you that dont know. :D

[Lila]

I think ........ They're people who live in the country north of me.

Oh, and they breed some darn good hockey players.

Oh, and uh ... Well, they're from Canada.

Hmmm ...... I can't think of anything else.

Personally, I think this is a silly question and one asking for a flame or two. Someone recently posted this sort of question about Americans at a UK site. I was really surprised by the general idea many of them had about Americans, mainly brought on by their media.

Yes, insults were thrown out at people. Political debates came up, even though the thread was supposed to be about the 'people', not the 'government'.


;)

Lila

[jacblades]

when i was 13, i went to a summer camp in california. most of the people there were from california and japan and they all asked me if we ate squirrels in alabama...
gosh i dont even have a stereotype for canada. so many people i talk to on the internet are from canada and most of the time i owuldnt know they were canadian if they didnt tell me. yes-i think canada is one of the states...

[Dale W.]

So, uhhhhh, do you eat squirrels in Alabama :D

[ROLLIN]

Originally posted by jacblades

gosh i dont even have a stereotype for canada.


You know we all just play hockey and drink beer eh. :p

[Finaddictfred]

The United States of North America LoL !!

[ChicoRaton]

Reefscape, I'm a 1L'er... Latah county.

[dwayne]

"Take off, ey!"

Just kidding... I have a few friends who live in Canada, two in Toronto (which is basically a regular city like my home city of Boston), and another who lives in Saskatoon (the heart of the boonies, why don't they change their clocks with everyone else? Because of the dang farmers!!).

Besides the bags of milk, stronger beer, and complicated governmental structure, I think Canadians are (for the most part) just like Americans!

~Tara

[becky_e]

We vacationed a lot in Ontario when I was a kid, so I never thought of it as very different. I always thought Toronto and Niagra Falls were so clean compared to the U.S. cities I had been in.

Although one time I did get told off by a man in Quebec. He was screaming at me in French for feeding my fries to a seagull and pointing to a sign. The sign said do not walk your dog in French, I think he just wanted to yell at an 8 year old American!

With the exception of the angry French Quebec guy, I've always thought of Canada as a lot like America. We both come from such big countries that there's a lot of variation in people.

[jacblades]

Originally posted by Reefscape
So, uhhhhh, do you eat squirrels in Alabama :D

well im a vegetarian so i just go down the dirt road near my house and pick corn everyday since everybody grows it around here...and then i will go roll around in the mud with my dogs afterwards...:D

[jacblades]

Originally posted by becky_e
one time I did get told off by a man in Quebec. He was screaming at me in French for feeding my fries to a seagull and pointing to a sign. The sign said do not walk your dog in French,

:laugh: :p

[Dale W.]

So you must have one of them corn hunting guns huh? :D

I can tell you stories about getting herassed by Canadians years back. We use to hear "Yank, go home" a lot. That was back in the day though and I never did pay much attention to it. BTW, I am not saying that Americans didnt/dont do the same thing. It was just a "whatever" thing.

Oh, and yah, "Take off hosers"

Love those guys :D

[fishlvr]

ah yes...Bob and Doug McKenzie, lots of laughs with those 2 :p

[happychem]

I actually think that this is a pretty good thread. There is the danger of flaming, but the wording was very careful.

It's good to put stereotypes to rest. I think that the best point that was made is how do you generalize about such a large and culturally diverse country.

Becky, I grew up in Quebec, depending on when you were there, there may have been no shortage of angry frenchmen. I hate to say it, but the calm reflection of age has allowed me to see that to an extent, their anger was, at one point, justified.

The only thing I wish they'd change about this great country of ours is the beer.

Yup, it's so much a part of our culture, it should be declared an essential service, then they should stop taxing it!:D

[Lila]

Originally posted by happychem
I actually think that this is a pretty good thread. There is the danger of flaming, but the wording was very careful.

I will admit, maybe it's because it's a site based in the US, that there hasn't been any flames.

It's just, after what I saw at my other site, I was afraid of seeing it here. I'm glad to see the members here have stuck to the topic, and not gone off to flaming about government.

People here are just nicer, I guess.

Please forgive me for saying it's a silly question. Pleeeaaaasssseeee????

;)

Lila

[happychem]

I understood what you meant, and yes, you're right that it's likely because the forum is based in the states. Which was part of my believing that the wording was well done:
Since a great majority of users of this forum are Americans...

It's also easy for Canadians and Americans to have more realistic views of each other since we live in close proximity to each other. It's easy for people from either country to meet each other, which helps to quell any stereotypes. That doesn't mean that they don't exist, just that it's easier to understand that not all Americans are ... or not all Canadians are ...

For people from more distant continents (whether it be geographically, culturally or economically) they don't see the people as much as they see the government's foreign policy.

Also, it's easier for one person to visit and do something stupid or stereotypical which reinforces the belief in that stereotype.:rolleyes:

If I had to base my perception of Americans on your current foreign policy, it would be far less rosy than understanding that it's an issue of the current administration and that it by no means reflects "what Americans are like".

I hope that makes sense...

So no, I don't forgive you. There's nothing to forgive.:)

[Dale W.]

Well put Happy. I think you should run for office :)

I also wanted to mention that my earlier post was not intended as kind of flame or generalization but more of past experiance. I grew up outside of Seattle and went to Canada a lot and love the country and the people. No matter where you go you find those that are just not happy and have to take out there fustrations somehow.

On an interesting note here in the Islands. I see quite a bit of the attitude towards Americans (mostly white) and I totally understand why. I myself prefer to work for locals than I do Hauli (white) mainlanders for the most part. Every time I have gotten screwed in getting paid, it has been from a mainlander. Not generalize again but I would say the chances are better at not getting paid from a mainlander than local. BTW, I am Hauli.

OK, that was a hijack kind of but thought it would be an interesting point about Americans from an American.

[Dangerdoll]

I quote .... "Oh D-doll, you are such uh........uhhhhhhh Hijacker " :thud:
hehehe Reef, how could you hi-jack so close this comment? ;) :D ;)

[geoffgarcia]

Originally posted by Sensei_the_dojo
I was born in Massachusetts where everyone is in a big hurry for everything and the store clerks hardly bother to make eye contact with customers. Here in New Mexico life has a much more relaxed pace, and some grocers still carry the groceries out to your car for you.
I'd imagine this is a result of a particular store and sales staff than any regional phenom...I can have both the experiences you described in the same shopping complex here...

[Sensei_the_dojo]

I lived 26 years in Massachusetts and I've now been 14 years in New Mexico with occasional trips back to Mass. I'll agree that there are certainly exceptions to the rule in both places. But in general, I find most southwesterners a lot friendlier and easier going than yankees.

My current wife is New Mexico born and bred. We honeymooned in Massachusetts in September of '02, and she was shocked at the way most (not all) store employees treated customers.

[StreetCypher]

Well, i'm glad to see that the american users are quite worldy people. Canada is a large country. I have never been to any other province in Canada except mine, but have been down the west coast of the U.S. The east coast of Canada is just as mysterious to me as the east coast of the U.S.

Its amazing how similar Seattle is to Vancouver. I felt as if i was at home, especially because its the same time zone. Seattles a beautiful city!

[happychem]

Originally posted by Reefscape
Well put Happy. I think you should run for office :)


Thanks, skip.

Could do the politic thing though, I think I'd offend too many people. I'm not very politically correct, or at least, not to the obsurd extreme that seems to be predominating these days. You can't even tell the straight truth anymore without sugar coating and twisting words very carefully to make sure that noone gets offended.

Not that I wouldn't make a great enlightened despot!:D

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

I think that because Canada is so close to the US we are pretty similar. The people are similar- except for the small-towners.... in my experience both in US and Canada its the small town people that tend to reflect/give the sterotypes. Not nessecarily uneducated, but less so than big city people i think.

There are definately cultural differences between Canada and the US.... but i think we are both pretty much 'melting pots' as it were. Each immigrant keeping thier culture yet being assimilated into a 'canadian' at the same time. However here in Vancouver it always surprises me how some people can live here for over 20 years and still know very little English.

Even when i'm in the states i cant tell where i am just by looking at the people.