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You know I think the British connection, plus the French connection, plus the ongoing Native extortion, the ever-challenging U.S. proximity, the never-ending influx of immigrants which Canada of necessity requires to keep that huge land operating have all been contributors to the lack of a confident identity from which many fine Canadians suffer from.

This utter "not quite" ideation has split Canadians, not only among the French, the Native, the Anglo, the Euro, the Asian, the Muslim, and the other members of a diverse population of immigrants, nobody has that forged identity which is the original heritage of the United States.

The U.S. has no problem with expecting people join for strength, rather than politely keeping all separate. Separate traditions are celebrated and honored.
But ALL are American or they leave dissatisfied with their lives in the "land of plenty".

As "recently" as the 30s and 40s, Canadians were not identifying themselves as "Canadian", but were required to list: Scottish, Irish, Polish, British (or English in those days), French,Chinese, Pakistani, Danish, Italian, etc. NOBODY was offering that wonderful word Canadian and being accepted by official documentation.

Even today Canadians lack the identification with country.
Nobody's fault, but in bending towards ALL ancestries the politically correct have all but wiped out the nature of being "Canadian". As if it is a dirty word! How insulting.

Almost on a cyclic basis, I see lists of "You Are A Canadian if ....." extolling Timbits and Toques... I think you get my drift. I find it singularly sad they have to keep listing all their recognizable "differences". Isn't Canadian enough?

No wonder the cousins to the north dislike Americans with their symbolism and fierce pride and anthems, hands over hearts, and "arrogance", as it is put forth, seeing ugliness in what Americans enjoy as definition of themselves. I have even seen whole essays on the stupidity of the eagle, Mt. Rushmore, who originated basketball, and so on.

These are grade school arguments but they remain ingrained in the Canadian psyche. Why? No Canadian identity, safely secure in their heads and hearts.

It seems everything Canadians "do" on a national level is in competition or derision of the United States. Why?

Identity, were it "allowed" in Canada, might create a more secure feeling of worth. But no, everyone has to tiptoe around, terrified of hurting feelings, accommodating other lands, other cultures, other religions, other political beliefs, until the concept of CANADIAN IDENTITY has become fractured to the point of apology.

Don't just blame it on the Brits. The French, the Native, and all the huge more recent populations have combined to shred and separate instead of share and succeed as one.

To immigrate to a country, one should never question assimilation, but be proud of the ability to join and contribute and be welcomed on that basis alone.

Why immigrate and try to separate? Insist on Canada adopting YOUR culture, when you have just deserted that culture? Why not find a comfortable medium of connection?

Then when I watch the Canadian parliament on CSPAN if I can catch them on occasion, I have to suffer through French and translation, and wonder what that great land is trying to prove? That they believe separation is the way? Nonsense.
You have a festering French colony right in your own backyard. Do you think they are for "Canadians"? Of course not. They are extorting hard earned money funneling into Quebec from the backs of hard working people who are not French. Let 'em fill up Paris if they want France.

In response to your U.K. obligatory "membership" and honorarium to the Queen. Dump it. Empires are from an ancient time of conquest, profit, and caste systems - comprising slavery of peoples (not just the U.K. but many colonialists). Canada is an independent nation. Begin that identity now or drift trying to please all. It cannot be done unless your government realizes it serves ALL CANADIANS, not those from Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Trinidad, Jerusalem, Yugoslavia, Georgia, Venice, and so on.

There are pockets of this same problem in the United States, and I will be the first to admit that. Nobody is perfect. I detest "hypenated" identity. Either a person is American or not. The racial pride in putting their ancestry BEFORE their country is ridiculous. Many African Americans were here long before those who call themselves "American" but the obvious identification which they think is "prideful" continues with many groups. Down with splits in recognizion and thought.

I welcome your commentary - I view this from afar. I am not an expert, nor a scholar, but an observer only.