Posted on 05/29/2004 5:09:02 PM PDT by quidnunc
According to British journalist and author Adam Nicholson, Canada is the cramped attic of the continent, a "sliver of land" laid across the top of the U.S. — like "America's toupee."
Cute. Nicholson was on a recent book tour and had just arrived from the States. "It is a little odd," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph, "after spending 10 days in the wide open spaces of the United States, to look down on them from Canada. I am in Toronto and I feel as if I am listening to the goings-on in the great rooms of the house below, from the slightly cramped spaces of the attic. Canada feels strangely shut in."
Well, we all feel that way sometimes, Adam. But if you really want to experience cabin fever you ought to spend a whole winter here
I've often found it instructive to look at how others see us, particularly our attitudes to the U.S., which inevitably loom large in the Canadian experience. I found Nicholson's observations interesting but apparently they were not intended for Canadian consumption.
"Not that you can say that here," he said of the attic jibe. "In Toronto, the contempt for everything America is and does is palpable…. As one small example, all the elements of the Canadian book trade feel resentful of their role as adjuncts to the great market to the south. Canadian phone calls to American publishers, distributors and wholesalers tend to be ignored."
Well, since laying down the frustrations of editing a daily newspaper three years ago, I have been involved a little in the book trade, and from what I've seen, Nicholson is right. The only people who exceed American publishers in arrogance would be British publishers and — top of the list if you don't live in Toronto or Vancouver — Canadian publishers.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at canoe.ca ...
Isn't Canada an inconsequential fishing/skiing retreat bordering Alaska? If so, why should we pay any attention to what some guy from there says any more than we would to someone from Madagascar?
Or, as Robin Williams said, "Canada is like a loft apartment above a really great party."
Geography probably has a lot to do with it. Oz never grew up in the "shadow" of the USA. To a certain extent, Oz exerts the same distorting influence on its Canadian analogue, New Zealand. Oz is the "real" counterpart to the a country which is defensive about being a "copy".
The sad thing is that Canada is, or could be, one of the ten most powerful countries in the world, objectively speaking. But it will not rise to its potential because that would be "too American".
I always thought of them as America's really bad combover.
Eh?
Also, the people who went to Australia were the hardiest bunch of a hardy bunch (with some 'hardcore elements' - hint hint - too).
Canadians? Well, many have some similarities with the French.
Remember that Robin Williams proposed that the conflict regarding the Pledge of Allegiance could be resolved by rewording it as
"one Nation, under Canada . . . ."
Terrific. LOL
Or they could be an object lesson, "See, that's what you get by voting for liberals."
Could be worse. Could be Mexico. America's bunion.
We should quickly get a high speed rail system in place!
If it was non-stop from Juarez to Toronto, I know people who would volunteer to build it!
Canada has survived so far in the post WWII, post British Empire era because we needed a stable and amiable neighbor who could help us resist Soviet aggression in the Arctic region. That's what NORAD was for. Now that the USSR has gone the way of the Dodo, and with so many Canadians expressing open disgust for anything that has to do with America (good or bad), things are different.
Canada has no economic, cultural or strategic value to the United States. Without our support, it'll be only a matter of time until the Canadian Confederation (yes, it's actually a confederation) collapses. Quebec would become independent, the Maritimes could join the EU as "Canada" and the western provinces would have no choice but to join the United States. James Knox Polk's dream of owning all of the Oregon Territory ("54-40 or fight!") could finally come true.
At least he didn't say 'merkin.'
LOL! We could all volunteer to drive a few spikes! Non-stop being the KEY words!
If American was standing on her head I don't think you would call "it" a toupee.
Actually, Kanukistan is more like a bad comb over..
- Uncle Sam
I've come to think of Canada, more as America's high hat.
Mexico is the pimple on our ass
The univeristy that I attend has some students from eastern, central, and western Canada. The differences between the groups are plain. The folks from eastern Canada may as well be euros: their disdain for the US is on par with the attitudes of France or Germany. Central Canadians remind me of people from the upper midwest of our own country. Western Canadians are more like folks from Idaho, Montana, Nevada, etc. Most Canadians who I have met seem to regard the US as garrison that will protect Canada. That may explain the attitude; it reminds of Kipling's poem "Tommy Atkins."
America's bunion is much farther south- Mexico is more like America's social disease.
That might be the real problem, a lack of attention. Let's face it, America doesn't pay attention to Canada, even though that country occupies the northern half of North America. Most Americans couldn't local Montreal on a map or even care. It's not like we have a border war with them as we should with Mexico.
Until you go too far west. Once you get past the Cascades western canadians are even more liberal then our own left coast. Vancouver makes Frisco and Seattle look down right moderate.
By George, you may be right. :) But the eastern Canucks that I've met have had a superior attitude that their country spends so little on defense and so much on social programs. It's useless to remind them that the U.S. pays for their defense by jsut being their neighbor.
At least he didn't say 'merkin.'
That's South of the Border
Chris Isaak
Title: South Of The Border (Down Mexico Way)
Album: Baja Sessions
[SPONSOR]
Written by: Kennedy/Carr
South of the border, down Mexico way.
That's where I fell in love where stars above, came out to play.
And now as I wonder, my thoughts ever stray.
South of the border, down Mexico way.
She was a picture, in old spanish ways.
Just for a tender while I kissed the smile, upon her face.
For it was fiesta, and love had its day.
South of the border, down Mexico way.
Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay (Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay)
Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay (Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay)
Then she sighed as she whispered manana, never dreaming that we were parting.
And I lied as I whispered manana, for our tomorrow never came.
South of the border, I rode back one day.
There in a veil of white by candlelight, she kneeled to pray.
The mission bells told me, that I shouldn't stay.
South of the border, down Mexico way.
Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay (Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay)
Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay (Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay)
Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay (Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay)
Good bye good bye.
We are from Detroit area originally - we often went to Canada...
but there is definitely a superiority complex on their part -
they seem so brainwashed on social issues - they do not get the 'American Spirit' -
high taxes and sick people are coming to America for care.
So much for their inadequate socialized medicine.
One thing that always amused me...whenever a canadian wants to hit it big they always come to America. Why?
Canada may be a lot of things to the U.S., but "worthless" in an economic sense is not one of them. If you were to look at the most recent U.S. Department of Energy statistics, you'd probably be shocked at how much oil and natural gas the U.S. imports from Canada -- within 5-10 years, oil imports from Canada may exceed oil imports from Saudi Arabia.
As far as strategic value is concerned, we must realize that Alaska isn't even connected to the rest of the U.S. -- you have to travel through Canada to get their via a land route.
In fact, Mexico is America's protruding and painful hemorrhoid. It just keeps on hurting and bleeding illegals on us.
I prove the following in case there are some folks who are not familiar with the poem "Tommy Atkins."
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
-- Rudyard Kipling
Sorry. prove=provide.
Let us not forget that canada is currently providing sanctuary to two U.S. military deserters...they're contribution to the War on Terror.
I know. It is sad. Sixty years ago, Canadians were staunch allies in another war against brutality and tyranny. The RCAF was in the skies over Britain fighting the Luftwaffe and helping the USAAF and RAF bring the war to Germany and Italy. Canadian troops were in Africa, Europe, and Asia. The RCN was doing its fair share against the U-boat meanace. Today, many (not all) Canadians feel more sympathy for the global murderers rather than those who struggle to stop them.
I found I had relatives in Oz. They were deported from Ireland. One of the people deported had my exact name.
Canadian food = poutine, ie. french fries and cottage cheese curds with gravy on top.
"America's bunion?" LOL I was thinking of a pimple on another part of the anatomy. ;)
"Well has anyone on this board ever said on a Saturday night "I feel like going out and eating Canadian food tonight?"
Opps - well those of us in/near Detroit would often say "Let's go to Canada for dinner and then to the Italian section in Windsor for a good espresso..."
But no more - they built a casino and the tunnel and bridge had way tooooooo much traffic --
And now we will not give any of our American $$ to them --! with their anti-American stance.!
When/if they are attacked by their muslim terrorists in Canada - they will come crying to the United States for help - and of course we will be there...
"...whenever a Canadian wants to hit it big they always come to America..."
So do the Europeans!!!
I agree wholeheartedly wretchard.
Given that Sydney is somewhere to the right of Toronto, Australia has no Quebec (well, NZ didn't become French in 1840 and didn't join Australia in its confederation in 1901), and its third, fourth, and fifth largest states (queensland, WA, South Australia) were like Alberta rather than BC, it's not surprising Australia is far more pro-US and conservative than Canada.
Canada, Australia, and NZ comparison ping! (Read post 4)
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