Thanks. Canada IS a beautiful country, with great winter sports such as skiing and snowmobiling, canoeing/boating, hunting and fishing. And the people are mostly very warm (except Quebec, they're just as arrogant and snooty as their French cousins), and our cities offer great dining and entertainment. But I think many Canadians are intimidated by the US, and feel they have to be contrarian in order to maintain our identity.
Most of the immigrants vote Liberal, so it's at the point now where it's self-sustaining. Our only hope is to elect a truly conservative government with the courage to make the changes necessary, and some fundamental political reform.
You know, I just don't understand this thing of people being intimidated by the United States. We are just people like you. Sure, our country has a lot of assets, a large military, etc. etc. But we are not going to hurt anyone.
Now someone may point to Iraq and say we went to war with them. Well, they are a hostile country full of terrorists who attacked us. Plus, look at what Saddam was doing to his own people! We freed them from unimaginable horrors.
We are a peace loving nation. We love children and animals and the land. We welcome others with open arms as you do. I am shy, but if someone smiles and says something to me I will talk to them for hours, no matter where they are from. Most everyone I know is like that. So what is there to be intimidated about. You all just need to come down here and get to know us.