It has ever been thus, probably because the best success stories here have been low-key due to the fact that we're a pretty small country.
I just find it odd that in this type of article there is ALWAYS a reference to how this Canadian star being praised is somehow to superior to an American one. This piece could have given Lightfoot the praise he deserves without the gratuitous "he's not like this AMERICAN star" knock. Just being good should be enough.