does it bother Canadians that Americans basically know nothing about them? (high school, live)
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Those shows are disturbing. People that ignorant exist in every country though.
We have an election coming up and someone told me of a relative that thought if you didn't like any of the candidates on the ballot, you can put an X beside
" none of the above "
It would be funnier if it weren't so sad.
LOL. If that were an option then it would be the same as not voting at all, so why bother to go to the polling place to check a box that = not going to the polling place at all?
LOL. If that were an option then it would be the same as not voting at all, so why bother to go to the polling place to check a box that = not going to the polling place at all?
...and that was my response when I heard this. Shows you how stupid some people are...and they get to vote!!
Not sure if its really been brought up but aside from American fast food and chain stores, TV shows etc there isn't really a lot that Canadians typically know about Americans.. How many Canadians could locate Kansas on a Map or know that someone was reading them the Gettysburg Address.. Would the avg Canadian be able to explain the importance of the Boston Tea Party and while they've probably heard of George Washington, have they heard of John Adams and a host of other Americans integral to the forming of that nation etc.. Unless of course, eating a Big Mac, shopping at Walmart Canada a store that sells more goods made in China and probably Canada than the U.S or watching reruns of Seinfeld or Friends in syndication is 'knowing' Americans.
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Originally Posted by fusion2
Not sure if its really been brought up but aside from American fast food and chain stores, TV shows etc there isn't really a lot that Canadians typically know about Americans.. How many Canadians could locate Kansas on a Map or know that someone was reading them the Gettysburg Address.. Would the avg Canadian be able to explain the importance of the Boston Tea Party and while they've probably heard of George Washington, have they heard of John Adams and a host of other Americans integral to the forming of that nation etc.. Unless of course, eating a Big Mac, shopping at Walmart Canada a store that sells more goods made in China and probably Canada than the U.S or watching reruns of Seinfeld or Friends in syndication is 'knowing' Americans.
I may be a two-day drive south of the border, but I'll risk claiming that Canadians probably do know more about the US than vice versa. My high school world history course at least barely, if at all, touched on Canada. The social studies classes in elementary school (in the 70s, at least) also did (or not) do likewise. Hell, I only learned that Canada has a large French speaking population later in elementary school, and only then because I read encyclopedias for fun! I recall in Sunday School when I was about 11 or 12, mentioning a trip to Canada I recently took, and mentioned I learned a few French words while up there. One guy my age expressed surprise at that, and the sunday school teacher told him that in some parts of Canada they speak French instead.
At least well away from the border, Canada is seen as a cold snowy country with people "pretty much like us" - barely qualifying for the term "foreign". Well, there are the "ice hockey", "Mounties", and "better beer" things we learn about English-speaking Canada as we get older -- and Francophone Quebec. But for the most part, seen as a country more or less like the US.
By contrast, the majority (IIRC) of Canadians live close enough to the border to pick up US TV stations (I recall in a chat room years ago somebody in Toronto saying they can easily pick up Buffalo's PBS station). By contrast, Detroit (and maybe Seattle) are the only major US cities close enough to get the CBC, etc. IMO, if Canada had the global media / entertainment clout the US did, I assure you we'd know more about Canadian history (same basic reason the world knows more about British history and culture than they do, say, Ethiopian or Vietnamese -- global media clout).
I'm American but I live in a Canadian dominated Mobile Home Park in Florida. The Canadians are snowbirds, so they are only here 6 months a year. From what I have noticed with the Canadians here. It's hard to say what they think, since I see them primarily only socializing with their own. I hate to say that, but it does seem that way. Many are long time part time residents here, and I guess that is how life has been for them here in Florida. I have a Canadian couple that live in the house behind me. She is from Nova Scotia and the husband is from Quebec. She is friendly and he is not. That's how life is I guess.
I do know the Canadians do feel the Americans know two things about Canada. That is that the Canadians can only stay 6 months in the USA each year, and have Health Care coverage thru their Province.
As far as Americans not knowing much else about Canada. I have to say that is probably true with many. Though many Americans don't know much about the world, or even our own country. I think that is very sad. I have been to Canada several times. I have friends in Nova Scotia and Quebec. I have been to the maritime provinces, Quebec, Ontario and BC. I enjoy the country. I also know that Justin Trudeau will be the next PM of Canada. When I heard his name on the news, I wondered if he was related to Pierre Trudeau, which he is.
It doesn't take much to learn about Canada, or the world for that matter. More people should do it, perhaps then the world's population would get along better.
It would be incorrect to claim that there isn't a decent chunk of the Canadian population that is at least irked by the fact that Americans ignore Canada.
I mean, isn't one of the biggest "memes" out there in Canada related to how Americans are so dumb about Canadian stuff, generally peppered with anecdotes about skis on car roof racks in July, or fears of not being able to get by in English (and being faced with French) as soon as you cross the Idaho-Alberta border?
Looks like it goes both ways. There is no Idaho/Alberta border.
I live in northern Idaho and northern Washington and I was dismayed the first time I crossed the border. It was like discovering this incredible place that is so close and yet, we don't hear anything news wise about the areas so close to us. If something big happens in Canada, sure. But nothing local. Which is ridiculous. I love going up into interior BC and Vancouver is my favorite city. Familiar in many ways and foreign in many too. Even got a Nexus card to facilitate things.
It would be nice to hear Canadian news covered more thoroughly on our local and national news. We're pretty close neighbors to not know what is going on to the north of us.
Last edited by mistyriver; 10-20-2015 at 12:16 PM..
Looks like it goes both ways. There is no Idaho/Alberta border.
I live in northern Idaho and northern Washington and I was dismayed the first time I crossed the border. It was like discovering this incredible place that is so close and yet, we don't hear anything news wise about the areas so close to us. If something big happens in Canada, sure. But nothing local. Which is ridiculous. I love going up into interior BC and Vancouver is my favorite city. Familiar in many ways and foreign in many too. Even got a Nexus card to facilitate things.
It would be nice to hear Canadian news covered more thoroughly on our local and national news. We're pretty close neighbors to not know what is going on to the north of us.
Exactly! I live an hour from the busiest border crossing between the U.S. and Canada and we never get news about Canada here. Some of Detroit's suburbs are many miles from the city while Windsor is a brisk swim across a not so wide river or a 10 second ride over a bridge and yet...nothing. It's so frustrating! I love Canada and would love to know more of what's going on there.
I may be a two-day drive south of the border, but I'll risk claiming that Canadians probably do know more about the US than vice versa.
{......snip......}
At least well away from the border, Canada is seen as a cold snowy country with people "pretty much like us" - barely qualifying for the term "foreign". Well, there are the "ice hockey", "Mounties", and "better beer" things we learn about English-speaking Canada as we get older -- and Francophone Quebec. But for the most part, seen as a country more or less like the US.
I had to laugh at this part, because not too long ago a cruise ship had docked here in Windsor, and it was in the paper. They interviewed this guy from Texas, and here is what he said, as well meaning as it was.....
Quote:
The liner stops in Windsor for about half a day.
"When we think of Canada, we think of ice and snow because you're the far North to us from South Texas, you know," said Walk McGinnis, who's also took the cruise ship tour. "But of course, it's a modern metropolis and I'm much impressed."
Was he expecting igloos, parkas and mukluks in the middle of August?! lol!!!
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