Posted on 11/24/2017 6:05:47 PM PST by mkleesma
It's been over a year since the American election and what we hear in Canada coming from our old neighbour to the South is a thrum of discontent, not really about any single issue (they change so fast), more like baleful glaring across a great divide on everything.
Some days, we read news from the United States and congratulate ourselves on our tolerance and inclusiveness, on our Prime Minister's socks, on our acting in a way that the States doesn't seem to know how to do.
But mostly, it feels as if we've lost something that we didn't know we liked. We miss the American patriotism that seemed to rise above whatever Americans argued about. We miss the stature the U.S. President had around the world, an ability that crossed party lines to respond with dignity when bad things happened. Now, disagreements in the United States seem intractable, personal and political in the worst ways, it's not just politicians hurling rhetoric, even late-night comedians have lost their sense of humour.
Recently, my husband, Andrew, and I were in Florida. We noticed during friendly idle chats in line at Starbucks or in hotel elevators that mentioning we were Canadian prompted a sheepish grin and a comment such as, "Canada, yeah, it's a good place especially now." The last two words were often a sigh. We'd feel awkward, wanting to say the right thing, to make them feel better.
But in division there are two sides. We knew that other Americans we bumped into thought differently about our nationality, maybe even pitying us for our health-care system with our hospital patients apparently lined up out the door.
(Excerpt) Read more at theglobeandmail.com ...
I am fed up with people who vote for socialists and then complain when they get what they voted for. I don't think democracy works in the long run.
I find Canada’s voters extraordinarily fickle. They elected an Obama clone asd PM, largely because he was cute and seemed to be kinder and gentler to the 1st nations people and veterans, who now hate him. JT is simply a bend over boy for the Saudis.No way the Saudis want the Canadian transnational pipeline built.Now Justin is hauling Arab water and humping camels in their Caribbean hideaway, making sure that the pipeline does not get through Quebec.
NOW Canadians see their mistake? Whew. One big mistake.
I would love to see Harper back.
Candor7,
I got busy and didn’t get to share how much in appreciated your post at 51 the other day. It is very informative to those of us that know little or nothing of the ins and outs of Canadian politics the last 150 years.
I have always enjoyed my visits to Canada. In 2015 I drove from Michigan through Toronto to Ottawa. After visiting there drove to Quebec City, Mont Morancy Falls, St Lawrence seaway, New Brunswick, Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia for two weeks, Cape Breton Island, Prince Edward Island, Upper New Brunswick, Saint Jean Sur Richeleau, Montreal and then to Ottawa and the Canadian Parliament on a family heritage tour (wife is part Acadian.) It was quite a drive as I started and ended in Phoenix.
Conservatism is varied in components between Britain, US and Canada. We each have our patrimony worth preserving that is only partially understood by the other cousins. I certainly always enjoy the other North American participation that you all bring to this forum.
Thanks.
You should try the west on your next trip. Not as much history but much better scenery. Better folks, too, in the opinion of this former Ottawa boy who left Ontario in 1973 and has no urge to go back other than to visit family (and less of that all the time!).
Canada is a wonderful place. The people are largely great people to be around. But the politicians of Canada? I detest them. They have held Canada back for over 40 years, ever since the era of Lester Pearson and that psychopomp Pierre Trudeau.
LOL! Amen to that!
Canada has the best of both worlds. They have “free” health care which they can supplement with “paid” American health care if they need it. They don’t need to pay for an expensive Navy. Their income taxes are a bit lower than our rate but they have less deductions. Also, sales taxes can be brutal in some provinces.
But they tightly control immigration so they don’t have tons of freeloaders.
There are tons of freeloaders in Canada. So many in fact it keeps Canadas from having a larger military ( only 100,000 standing force in a country of 21 million.)
So many entitlement programs.
Family Allowance Canada , google it.
I also wonder if this story is made up. It is not legal to drive a excessively noisy motor vehicle in Florida. Monster trucks are not exempt.
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