Differences I’ve noticed about America as compared to Canada:
The Christians south of the border seem to think that they have a right to have their religion imposed on everyone else.
The news media and politics can be described as “childish” at times with the behaviour they allow in interviews and such. People taunting one another, personal attacks, and whatnot. It takes what could be an informative discussion and essentially shits all over it.
Dichotomous thinking. It’s either one thing or another. No room for a gradient of multiple ideas between two extremes (ie; reality).
Racism is ALWAYS A BIG ISSUE in the states. In Canada, or at least in my multi-ethnic circle of friends, racism is a joke. We tell my buddy Charles that he wrecked his car because he’s “a damn chank” and can’t drive. Aaron’s half black and we have a running joke about him, fried chicken, and “orange drink”. My house is constantly a mess because white people lack discipline.
Americans have a hyperactive sense of self-confidence or self-importance and tend to opt for violence right away instead of taking the time to actually figure out what both parties are trying to say. You know, effective communication.
Example: We were in the states and this guy sees our license plate and asks us if it gets crowded in Canada when all the geese return in the summer. We have no idea what he’s talking about and ask him what he means.
“Well we’ve got all this big country down here and all you’s got is that little strip of land and Vancouver Island. It’s gotta get crowded with all them birds.”
So we pull out a map of North America and show him that, in fact, Canada is bigger than the United States. The guy physically GRABS OUR MAP, TEARS IT UP, accuses us of lying, and that if we continue to lie, that he was going to “beat the shit out of [us]”. I know this is an example of the least intelligent people in American society, but I’ve noticed that Canadian morons tend toward communication and away from physical assault as compared to equivalent American morons.
The “One or The Other” mindset in the states inhibits politics. You have two parties who are essentially controlled by the same people behind the scenes and who both pay lip-service to the two extremes of society: Evangelist Ultra-Right Conservatives and Hippie Pacifist Liberals. The moderate majority get left in the dust.
In Canada, we have a multiparty system meaning that the crazy christians end up in the “Christian Heritage Party” and never get elected. The commies are in the Marxist-Leninist party and never get elected.
The powerful union lobby runs the New Democratic Party and they never take more than 30% of the house.
This gets rid of the political morons and union lobby, meaning the moderate majority can choose their government between a left-of-center “Liberal” Party or a right-of-center “Conservative” Party who have to moderate their policies to win over the center-based majority. As soon as they go too far left or too far right, they are turfed for the other center-ish party.
Other notes:
No ghettos, just “low-income areas” where there’s a little more drinking and partying during the weeknights than in a middle-class neighbourhood.
You don’t go to prison for simple drug possession.
Real estate is skyrocketing in Alberta.
Few people own guns in urban areas. Handguns are so rare they’re almost mythical. People with criminal records and psychological issues are forbidden from purchasing guns at all.
Violent crime is a lot lower in Canada than in the states. Edmonton, Alberta is the most dangerous city in Canada, but it is still safer than all but two cities in the United States.
People are a lot more laid back and will agree to disagree rather than enter into heated arguments over simple disagreements.
People are a lot more aware of world issues and consider many different points of view. Canadians tend to consider themselves as Citizens of the World whereas in the states, you’re an American and to hell with everybody else.
The powerful union lobby runs the New Democratic Party and they never take more than 30% of the house.
Other notes:
No ghettos, just “low-income areas” where there’s a little more drinking and partying during the weeknights than in a middle-class neighbourhood.
[/quote]
That’s not true. I don’t know what part of Canada you’re in, but in Toronto, “low-income areas” are not where there’s a little more partying. Places like Jane + Finch, Malvern, Regent Park have a lot of crime, shootings, etc.
Again, not true. Gun crime is increasing in Toronto. There are tons of guns around. There’s shootings almost everyday. And I’m pretty sure Toronto is A LOT more dangerous than Edmonton.
[quote]ElbowStrike wrote:
Differences I’ve noticed about America as compared to Canada:
…
Racism is ALWAYS A BIG ISSUE in the states. In Canada, or at least in my multi-ethnic circle of friends, racism is a joke. We tell my buddy Charles that he wrecked his car because he’s “a damn chank” and can’t drive. Aaron’s half black and we have a running joke about him, fried chicken, and “orange drink”. My house is constantly a mess because white people lack discipline.
[/quote]
I have Chinese, Black and Puerto Rican friends. We make fun of each other all the time.
Racism is only an issue when it is real or when Al Sharpton is involved.
[quote]
Americans have a hyperactive sense of self-confidence or self-importance and tend to opt for violence right away instead of taking the time to actually figure out what both parties are trying to say. You know, effective communication.
Example: We were in the states and this guy sees our license plate and asks us if it gets crowded in Canada when all the geese return in the summer. We have no idea what he’s talking about and ask him what he means.
“Well we’ve got all this big country down here and all you’s got is that little strip of land and Vancouver Island. It’s gotta get crowded with all them birds.”
So we pull out a map of North America and show him that, in fact, Canada is bigger than the United States. The guy physically GRABS OUR MAP, TEARS IT UP, accuses us of lying, and that if we continue to lie, that he was going to “beat the shit out of [us]”. …[/quote]
[quote]t3h_Squirr3l wrote:
We all live in Igloos, we pay 99% of our sealskins to taxes and we all say ‘eh’ and drink beer. And Jimmy and Sally from Winnipeg are really nice people. And we all wear touqes.[/quote]
Again, not true. Gun crime is increasing in Toronto. There are tons of guns around. There’s shootings almost everyday. And I’m pretty sure Toronto is A LOT more dangerous than Edmonton.
[/quote]
According to statistics from 2006, Edmonton is the violent crime capital of Canada in terms of violent crimes per capita.
We get stabbings on the news almost every day. Usually multiple unrelated stabbings in the same night. You just hear about it more because there are more people in TO. Compare the number of incidents compared to population and Edmonton is more dangerous overall.
I loved Canada as a kid/ teen and young adult. But since moving out of Canada and experiencing something else…it’s a great place to visit.
Is the US perfect? Nope not what I’m saying.I miss it and love the people dearly but I can’t make myself take my family back to Canada where I would retain even less and cost of living is more. Canada Is very top heavy all over the place.
The combined top tax bracket in Canada is more like 51% and that is not including Sales and GST taxes.
The health care also does not include the fund raising hospitals do within their communities for new or upgrading equipment tax dollars don’t get allocated for (CT machines, thermometers and such).
Something not known in Canada is how much hospitals in the US write-off that people can’t afford to pay. The hospital I work at writes off millions of dollars each year and it only services an area of 40-50K people at best.
Is there anything in Canada that isn’t unionize? Canada is going to union induced raise itself out of existence.
In mainstream culture(music fashion etc) there is not that much difference, ethics and beliefs can be quite different but even this isn’t very true, 1:1 with most American’s, you wouldn’t know anything is that different, get in group event settings and the “typical American” can come out, whereas Canadians just are.
The ease and benefits of starting a small business are noticeably different between Canada and the US. A lot more difficult in Canada. Canada is overly regulated and top heavy.
Under Chretian Canada spent a lot of time reacting and responding rather than progressing(at least not as far as it could have and should have). It hasn’t really gotten any farther since then.
As you can see it is not the people or the land that I don’t like it’s the financial climate I don’t like. If it were better I could probably even put up with a lot more of the government bullshit, as it is I’ll stay until further changes take place either here or there.
You’re telling me! A couple klicks down the highway and someone piped in, “Did that actually just happen?”
And then it was, “…next stop we buy a new map. One that makes Canada look really small.”
But yeah, “bizarre” hits the nail on the head. It was near the beginning of our first road trip into the states, too, so we were paranoid for the next week that eveyrone else was going to just as nuts as crazy gas station guy.
Anyways, back on topic: if you want to try out Canada and want to feel like you’re still at home, just check out Toronto, Ontario, or Calgary, Alberta and it’s pretty much the same.
ElbowStrike- get off you Canada is better bullshit.
Racism is a problem in Canada. If you never see it it’s because of the people you hang out with and the places you go, not because of the nation. Try visiting some of the more “redneck” bars-in the west they are not hard to find. Per Capita we have more Hells Angels than anywhere in the world with B.C leading the way.
We basically do have a two party system. Conservatives and Liberals pick up a huge majority of the vote with the rest going to the NDP leaving all the other parties with nothing.
We do have ghettos and slums. I haven’t traveled much but im pretty sure Vancouvers downtown eastside qualifies as one.
I see people get into heated arguments everyday over simple things. I believe this is a phenomenon around the world…human nature does not change from country to country
[quote]
People are a lot more aware of world issues and consider many different points of view. Canadians tend to consider themselves as Citizens of the World whereas in the states, you’re an American and to hell with everybody else.[/quote]
Although I have often heard this many times I have yet to witness it. The majority of people in Canada are very ignorant and oblivious just as much so as Americans probably are.
And don’t be an idiot and judge a whole country because of ONE dumbass you ran into.
Stuff like this makes you look real insecure. At school there is pretty much a linear relation between peoples intelligence about world issues and politics and the amount of “Americans suck and are stupid” bullshit they partake in.
This whole thing reeks of a inferiority complex and i’m tired of all the bullshit.
I hear a lot that canada is so mulitcultural and shit like that. Take a drive around Toronto. All the different ethnic group have their own areas. This is not the rule, but it is pretty common. It is pretty much the same as everywhere else.
Racism exists in Canada. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn;t get out much.
[quote]ElbowStrike wrote:
Differences I’ve noticed about America as compared to Canada:
The Christians south of the border seem to think that they have a right to have their religion imposed on everyone else.
The news media and politics can be described as “childish” at times with the behaviour they allow in interviews and such. People taunting one another, personal attacks, and whatnot. It takes what could be an informative discussion and essentially shits all over it.
Dichotomous thinking. It’s either one thing or another. No room for a gradient of multiple ideas between two extremes (ie; reality).
Racism is ALWAYS A BIG ISSUE in the states. In Canada, or at least in my multi-ethnic circle of friends, racism is a joke. We tell my buddy Charles that he wrecked his car because he’s “a damn chank” and can’t drive. Aaron’s half black and we have a running joke about him, fried chicken, and “orange drink”. My house is constantly a mess because white people lack discipline.
Americans have a hyperactive sense of self-confidence or self-importance and tend to opt for violence right away instead of taking the time to actually figure out what both parties are trying to say. You know, effective communication.
Example: We were in the states and this guy sees our license plate and asks us if it gets crowded in Canada when all the geese return in the summer. We have no idea what he’s talking about and ask him what he means.
“Well we’ve got all this big country down here and all you’s got is that little strip of land and Vancouver Island. It’s gotta get crowded with all them birds.”
So we pull out a map of North America and show him that, in fact, Canada is bigger than the United States. The guy physically GRABS OUR MAP, TEARS IT UP, accuses us of lying, and that if we continue to lie, that he was going to “beat the shit out of [us]”. I know this is an example of the least intelligent people in American society, but I’ve noticed that Canadian morons tend toward communication and away from physical assault as compared to equivalent American morons.
The “One or The Other” mindset in the states inhibits politics. You have two parties who are essentially controlled by the same people behind the scenes and who both pay lip-service to the two extremes of society: Evangelist Ultra-Right Conservatives and Hippie Pacifist Liberals. The moderate majority get left in the dust.
In Canada, we have a multiparty system meaning that the crazy christians end up in the “Christian Heritage Party” and never get elected. The commies are in the Marxist-Leninist party and never get elected.
The powerful union lobby runs the New Democratic Party and they never take more than 30% of the house.
This gets rid of the political morons and union lobby, meaning the moderate majority can choose their government between a left-of-center “Liberal” Party or a right-of-center “Conservative” Party who have to moderate their policies to win over the center-based majority. As soon as they go too far left or too far right, they are turfed for the other center-ish party.
Other notes:
No ghettos, just “low-income areas” where there’s a little more drinking and partying during the weeknights than in a middle-class neighbourhood.
You don’t go to prison for simple drug possession.
Real estate is skyrocketing in Alberta.
Few people own guns in urban areas. Handguns are so rare they’re almost mythical. People with criminal records and psychological issues are forbidden from purchasing guns at all.
Violent crime is a lot lower in Canada than in the states. Edmonton, Alberta is the most dangerous city in Canada, but it is still safer than all but two cities in the United States.
People are a lot more laid back and will agree to disagree rather than enter into heated arguments over simple disagreements.
People are a lot more aware of world issues and consider many different points of view. Canadians tend to consider themselves as Citizens of the World whereas in the states, you’re an American and to hell with everybody else.
[quote]pookie wrote:
I think that’s just local residents falling on their own knives to put an end to the sheer desperate boredom that is the Edmonton night life.
[/quote]
[quote]keaster wrote:
I hear a lot that canada is so mulitcultural and shit like that. Take a drive around Toronto. All the different ethnic group have their own areas. This is not the rule, but it is pretty common. It is pretty much the same as everywhere else.
Racism exists in Canada. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn;t get out much. [/quote]
So it is here, just covered up by layers of political correctness. Doesn’t change the facts, though
About blacks in Canada: Until the immigration laws were changed in the 60’s there were few blacks in Canada, Some in Nova Scotia due to slavery, and some in Southern Ontario where the “Underground Railroad” ended. Most Canadian Blacks or are first-generation born in Canada (like myself). The vast majority either live in Southern Ontario or Southern Quebec.
I love Toronto. There is pretty much everything you can think of there. Guns, hookers, drugs and partying…oh yeah it’s all there. But there is also every kind of race, religion, polictical and social view and subculture you can think of. Plus, the wimmins are pretty and there’s a nice vartiety of tasty dishes both in the culinary and female sense.
Canadians bitch about everything (especially those damn westerners, frogs and down-easters…not our fault Ontario is the best ;)) and we’re not really a country so much as a bunch of loosely tied-together regions. We essentially dislike each other but we are paranoid enough of you Americans to hold it down up here. Besides, all that, Canada is a really beautiful place in the aesthetic sense (both from a personal and nature standpoint) and beautiful in it’s values of acceptance and tolerance.
One thing the States has hands down over Canada is pride in their Military. I was at a Bills game a few years ago and when one of my friends mentioned to the guy next to him that I had been in the infantry and was part of the Canadian contingent in the Gulf War he came down and shook my hand. My own government doesn’t consider me a veteran.
