Posted on 03/07/2003 10:35:54 AM PST by quidnunc
We Canadians have always had a love-hate relationship with the Americans.
Every once in a while the dark side of this peeks out, like MP Carolyn Parrish shooting off her mouth within microphone range, or when a senior aide to the prime minister referred to George Bush as a moron.
We love sharing the North American continent with the U.S.
There is a real estate saying that the ideal position is buying an inexpensive house on the best street, and there's no doubt North America is the world's best address.
Sure, there's a lot of talk about Canada not pulling its weight, especially in the defence of North America. I'm not exactly sure who Canada needs defending from, though if Tonga really wanted to give us a run for the money, it probably could. But come to think of it, the last country that invaded Canada was the U.S.
We love doing business with America, but hate the fact that when dealing with the U.S., Canada usually ends up on the very short end of a very long stick.
Our NAFTA negotiators are sometimes lucky to come home with bus fare in their pockets. That's because Canada thinks it's important to be fair in negotiations, and the U.S. thinks it's important to win.
We hate that Americans are always so sure they're right. Canadians are suspicious of people who don't have the teeniest bit of self-doubt.
Of course, at the other extreme, Canadians can be guilty of a high degree of wishy-washiness. Our governments feel they have to take into consideration every tiny, whiny interest group before they can make a decision.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at canoe.ca ...
We love to point out that Americans get to keep far more of their hard-earned cash than we do as Canadians. Those who complain the loudest here hate to be reminded that a lot of this extra cash gets spent right back out in things like home security, private school, gated communities and health care.
Yeah, it's called getting to keep your hard-earned money and spending it as you see fit.
We love their devotion to free enterprise and rewarding individuals. We hate that there are still American states that have no minimum wage and poverty is still largely looked on as a divine judgment of a person's worth.
Bullbleep! There is a federal minimum wage plus other benefits for low-income wage earners.
We love American generosity. They would literally give you the shirt off their backs. We hate that they sometimes don't understand that not everyone wants the same things they want.
Nobody's forcing you to take anything.
Are they really so naive to believe that they can forcibly plant the seeds of democracy and have them flourish in the harsh soil of Iraq?
And are Canadians so feckless that they are not willing to even try or so doltish that they would begrudge others the attempt?
What will come out of the war may not immediately become Iceland or Denmark but it is certain to be much better for everyone than Saddam Hussein &c.
One last thing we hate — that sometimes they don't understand that you can love and respect a neighbour and friend without necessarily always seeing eye to eye.
You mean like basing your whole national identity upon being not-American?
Pathetic!
The converse is to be so cynical that you write off 'the wogs' as being undesirous/incapable of living with personal liberties. The U.S. and other Western countries are filling up with people fleeing from those areas who give the lie to that contention.
Perhaps because there is a Federal minimum wage?
That's because Canada thinks it's important to be fair in negotiations, and the U.S. thinks it's important to win.
Business canuckleheads, playing for a tie.
I assume the author is referring to actions during the War of 1823, but since Cananda became a nation in 1867, this is a lie. The last country to invade Canada was most likely German spies on the way to America during WWII, althoug hundreds of terrorists have followed a similiar rout recently.
Ask Germany, Italy & Japan
Force is only applied to the dictators and madman that in-slave - all men long to be free.
We (Americans) don't care one way or the other how you (Canadians) feel.
- Take back your health care system and govt. from Socialists
- Cut your taxes...at least in half
I've been saying the something but apparently some writer, generalizing , being paid presumably to be controversial , is more credible. I, personally don't know anyone who bases his being Canadian on being "not American" . I'm Canadian because of my country Canada , not in spite of the USA.
Whatever, eh.
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