Posted on 03/15/2004 8:04:42 AM PST by albertabound
Mar. 14, 2004. 04:02 PM
Canadians call U.S. best pal - Yanks pick Brits: Poll
MONTREAL (CP) — The best-friend relationship that Canada and the United States once enjoyed might have become more of a one-way affair.
While 50 per cent of Canadians in a recent Leger Marketing poll said the United States was Canada's "best friend," only 20 per cent of American respondents in the same survey felt likewise about their northern neighbour.
Britain, which has forged even closer political ties with the United States in recent years, topped the best-friend list for 62 per cent of Americans.
Twenty-five per cent of Canadians chose Britain as their country's best buddy.
The poll also suggested that 68 per cent of Canadians thought the two countries were very different, while 29 per cent believed they were very much alike.
Among Americans, the numbers were reversed — 61 per cent said the countries were very much alike, compared with 31 per cent who said they were very different.
The poll of 1,501 Canadians and 1,035 Americans was conducted Feb. 17-22. The Canadian numbers are considered accurate within 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, while the margin of error for the U.S. sample is three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
One keen observer of Canadian-U.S. relations said he wasn't surprised at the findings of the two questions because Canada is not on the radar screen of the average American on a daily basis.
"The average American hears about Britain all the time," said Harold Waller, chair of McGill University's North American Studies Program.
"He hears about (British Prime Minister) Tony Blair, he's aware of the fact they fought the war together in Iraq, that they've been allies for years and years."
Waller said Canadians know a lot more about their southern neighbour than Americans do about them.
"Americans know almost nothing about Canada and Canadians," he said in an interview. "They simply assume that things are pretty much the same here.
"They don't see any Canadian TV. They don't see any programs about Canada. Canada only makes the news in the U.S. when something big happens like an election or disaster.
"Canadians on the other hand, because they know about the U.S., they're more sensitive to the differences between the two countries."
An American who follows the relationship admitted that "U.S. knowledge of Canadians is little bit limited."
But Christopher Sands, senior associate with the Canada Project for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Canadians may have been doing their patriotic duty in emphasizing the differences between the two countries.
"Scratch the surface, I think we're fundamentally quite similar but that's a very uncomfortable answer for a country that's sort of searching for definitions of itself," Sands said from Washington, D.C.
As for the friends angle, Sands said there is no surprise that Britain was way out in the lead among Americans.
"The American public has accepted that, post-Sept. 11, allies have to be looked at by what they do, not what they say.
"And suddenly, there's this sense that when we were in a crunch, when we needed people, Britain could be counted on."
Sands also had an interesting take on his compatriots' general knowledge of the world.
"If you did a Family Feud-style poll and you said `Other than the United States, name countries,' the average American could probably get to 12," he said. "Britain's definitely one of them. But if you ask them England against Scotland, you start puzzling them."
Nope,
At the border. The border you've failed to police and failed to honor.
As near cousins and former friends it's a shame to witness the slide of a country into socialism and apeasement when neither is necessary - you're outside old Europe no matter what your "separatiste" element might believe. (And why appease them in any event, was it for practice?)
As to the original article:
"Waller said Canadians know a lot more about their southern neighbour than Americans do about them." No, we CARE a lot less, we KNOW enough to make that distinction.
"Americans know almost nothing about Canada...They simply assume that things are pretty much the same here." We know damn well things aren't the same ; not anymore.
"They don't see any Canadian TV." I guess that, if you exclude singers, comedians, newscasters, and stupid talk show hosts that comment might only be wrong.
"Canada only makes the news in the U.S. when something big happens like an election or disaster." Or refusal to stand up when your neighbor and treaty partner is attacked.
Just be sure and call next time you have a disaster or the beaver get out of hand.
I remember what the Maritimes did for weary American travelers who were stranded in 9-11 after all the flights were grounded.
Average Canadians took home American travelers, shared their bedrooms with them, cooked for them, took care of the elderly and sick. I saw raw human kindness not experienced very often in this lifetime.
If that were true then Quebec ok'd the declaration of war on Germany . Which it didn't .
Mackenzie King was a Liberal PM and Quebec was and still is a Liberal stronghold . He was , for political reasons, sensitive to what the Church in Quebec said . And the Church wanted no part in supporting the war , simply because they knew they eventually would lose their control of Quebec if they did .
Conscription in both wars only became a issue as manpower was used up in all of Canada . And Quebec could not be excused . English Canada would not allow it.
A million Canadians served with the population of Canada less than 11 million. And thousands of volunteers left Quebec long before conscription was an issue .
These claims are funny as hell. I've always thought of canucks as a bunch of people with Down's Syndrome. You can see it in their faces and the way they talk. Dumb as posts.
I actually got in an argument once with a bunch of dumb canucks who tried to tell me that France was the world's oldest democracy, lol! That's the kind of francophile crap they teach in the schools up there. Canada has a bad, bad case of Down's Syndrome, believe me. George Washington made a huge mistake not taking it, but we may yet.
The accurate picture is that Canada, as an independent nation, is in puberty. Her behaviors, manners, self righteousness, and maturity all reflect exactly that.
The U.S., out of utter kindness, has treated Canada with the eternal patience, and love, as would the parent of any petulant teenager.
Now, you want to be a man; to preach to us what it is to be a man. You illustrate your new-found machismo by daily insulting us, and attacking busloads of our children.
Well, young man; you have gotten our attention....our anger. Are either of us really surprised that you suddenly find a repulsion for insult, or challenge; and whine about them like a little girl?
Shall we wait for another busload of children before you really show us? Or is one busload enough to add to your illustrious history?
Tell me more of this proud history. Share with me that wisdom, that only an adolescent can possess.
If you conservative Canadians ever regain power, all will be forgiven and I'm sure the Canada-bashing that commonly occurs at this forum will decline to a trickle.
Huh? Lol! Quit drooling and try to rephrase that in English.
Based on the number of training camps in Canada, the militant blind-eye Canada turns on it's borders, and the public stance Canada repeatedly takes against freedom; Canada is a huge contributor to the terrorism war.
Why is that?
However; these are not conservatives.
This article was posted by a Canadian - and that is what *this* thread is about -- *this* article.
"Also, you cannot convince me that all of the Canadian articles I see on this site are placed here in support of "furthering conservatism in America"."
So are you saying that regardless of the facts you can't be convinced :-). If so, that will add further evidence that Canadians do not "honor the purpose of this site". I think that Americans who post articles exposing what Canada is really about are indeed furthering conservatism in American. It is so imortant, imo, that we secure our Northern border -- since Canada is a haven for terrorists.
But you failed to answer my question. How are *you* honoring the purpose of this site?
Aren't you happy for any opportunity?!!
Impress me with your proud Canadian history.
Don't wait for a busload of children!! Do it now!
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