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We constantly compare and define ourselves as "not American". This often manifests itself as either a desire be more like our southern cousins, or a complete rejection of everything American.
When we discuss our home city or town, it is nearly always whether it measures up to some arbitrary standard.
This is a great country with much to be proud of. I think it is time to simply be quietly confident of that without trying so desperately to prove it.
Most Canadians i know are proud to be Canadians and dont see America as a preferred place to live.
I've lived in America for many years and am always glad to come home to Canada where i'm now happily retired
http://smileys.smilchat.net/smileys/numbers/drapcana2.gif (broken link)
Complete rejection of anything American is absurd. Walk down the street, from Sears to Futureshop, from McDonald's to Starbucks, there is more American than Canadian.
What I want to change about Canadians is to stop being so American, whether we admit it or not.
To jambo101, it sounds contradictory when you say you are so proud and so happy living in Canada while spending "many years" in a foreign country and only came back to retire. So the logic is, I make money and pay taxes in the US, and retire in Canada and receive Canadian benefits?
Up until the Olympics, I would have said something along the lines of "they should not be afraid to be *visibly* proud of their country". I can't tell you how many times my bf (and others) made snide comments to me, an American, about Americans with flags in their yards, or wearing red, white and blue. I would reply, "hey, it's not my choice of yard decor or fashion, but what's the problem?". And then, lo and behold, the dormant patriotism came out last February. I *knew* you guys had it in you!!
The follow up posts kind of illustrate my original statement. We never seem to define ourselves as anything other than different / siimilar to Americans. Should we not spend more time considering who we are, not who we are alike or different from?
The follow up posts kind of illustrate my original statement. We never seem to define ourselves as anything other than different / siimilar to Americans. Should we not spend more time considering who we are, not who we are alike or different from?
I agree. Reading the comments, I'm not sure it'll ever happen, though.
Maybe the problem is that there are "only" 34 millions of Canadians who are dispersed over such huge geographical area, therefore, national identity crisis? For example, between BC and Ontario there are 3 huge provinces where not so many people live, so people in BC may feel disconnected from the rest of the country? Add to this the fact that more than 300 millions Americans live south of the border, and you'll feel the pressure and much more influence from the US than from the rest of the country. I'm wondering what would happen if all 34 million Canadians lived more closely together, in a country, say, the size of California. Would it still be the same?
Populationwise, Canada is 10 times smaller than the US! Populationwise, Canada is a very small country and it's hard to build and maintain national identity if you're so close to the huge (again, populatiowise) powerhouse south of the border. Especially considering how young Canada is as a nation. Add to this huge inflows of new immigrants to both countries every year, and it becomes even more of a challenge: You have this huge cultural, political and ideological pressure from the south and, in addition, to this, you have to integrate hundreds of thousands of newly arrived immigrants.
The follow up posts kind of illustrate my original statement. We never seem to define ourselves as anything other than different / siimilar to Americans. Should we not spend more time considering who we are, not who we are alike or different from?
Can you please elaborate on that? Who are we that is not alike or not different from anyone else?
Please define what you consider we are that makes us very uniquely Canadian.
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