How much do Canadians really dislike Americans? (hotel, home)

[Montguy]

Originally Posted by Mhundred

I feel your views seem to be shaped by whatever personal experiences or events you have seem to have experienced than what is it like for the majority in reality. Most american and canadians especially on the border regions tend to get along fabulously.

If you talk to people from windsor, ontario they will defend detroit more than most 90% of people living in michigan do. The same goes for those on both sides of the Niagara region those along the quebec-vermont border, BC and washington.

I don't claim to represent any sort of majority of Americans in my views on Canada/Canadians, but it is also my experience that there are others who notice the air of snobbishness from many Canadians who cross the border and visit the U.S. While it isn't my contention that all Canadians display such unbecoming behavior, I'm perfectly willing to dispute the seemingly international stereotype of Canadians as being the epitome of perfection in contrast to Americans.

As for Canadians and Americans in the border regions "getting along fabulously," I do beg to differ. Granted, we aren't prone to violence and outward displays of hatred against eachother, but there's always a visible divide. I simply believe that Americans and Canadians comprise two fundamentally incompatible societies--tourism doesn't change that.

Originally Posted by Mhundred

It wasn't until the whole war on terror that many people in those regions even started to see the real divisions of living on opposite sides of a border. If anything the "hate" you talk about is mostly in the abstract. Most americans and canadians who interacts on a regular basis are no less friendly neighbors than any other regions regardless of a border.

Canadians have been aware of that border for quite a long time, Mhundred, long before post-9/11 militarism by the U.S. Canada's political culture has been exploiting Canada vs. America for well over four decades--there's no disputing that prominent Canadian politicians from past and present were/are very much aware that skepticism of the U.S. makes them very attractive as political candidates (I find that to be especially true of the laughably diminished Liberals and their New Dem successors).

Originally Posted by Mhundred

There are very few countries in the world that get along nearly as well as the US and canada do but if like you said you are a cynic then what can anyone say to change your view?

The Canadian and American governments in cahoots with their corporate palsies are, in my opinion, the only real beneficiaries of the U.S.-Canada relationship. Again, I don't view us and "them" as being compatible societies overall, and it isn't just cynicism that leads me to such contentions.

And a cynic can be persuaded, Mhundred--it's not impossible, just difficult.

[BobTex]

I'd just like to add my somewhat miniature experiences. I am married to a Maritimer from NB and have inlaws in both NB and NS. I have lived in 2 border statse and have worked (in healthcare) with dozens of Canadians.

I agree with the posts that say there is subtle(and sometimes not so subtle) undercurrent of disdain for the US. This is pretty widespread throughout my experience with Canadians. Having said that I may admit to having similar disdain for other areas of the US (New England, Northeastern US). I think this is just human nature to have less than love for those of differing nationalities or even regional differences. I think this disdain is reinforced by Canadian culture continually. Remember 200 years ago Canadians and the US were at war ("War of 1812") . It is possible that even today those ill feelings may have been passed down from preceding generations, who knows.

[tom77falcons]

A friend of mine from Philly moved to Toronto a few years ago. I've since visited the city a number of times. First time I was up there I was invited to a house party. Within the first half hour I was in two conversations and got handed two insults.

First one a guy who was a geography teacher was going on about all his world travels, and I mentioned a few places that I had been to and he looked over and said something like "wow, an American with a passport", blah blah.

Second conversation involved a woman that a soon as she heard I was from the US went into a detailed description of a trip she took to Cuba. The whole time she is talking she keeps looking over at me, and finally says something like, "such a shame you can't ever go there cause your govt", blah, blah. The only reason she brought up Cuba of all places was when she knew she had an American nearby.

Would they have treated the beloved Aussies, Brits, Dutch, etc. like that? Yeah right. I just found this behaviour rude and demeaning to a foreign visitor. Left a bad taste in my mouth. So yeah, Canadians are rude to Americans.

[illcosby]

Americans are nicer than Canadians.

I don't think Canadians dislike Americans or even America... it's just that at times you guys are so ass-backwards we can'r help but go "huh?".

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by tom77falcons

A friend of mine from Philly moved to Toronto a few years ago. I've since visited the city a number of times. First time I was up there I was invited to a house party. Within the first half hour I was in two conversations and got handed two insults.

First one a guy who was a geography teacher was going on about all his world travels, and I mentioned a few places that I had been to and he looked over and said something like "wow, an American with a passport", blah blah.

Second conversation involved a woman that a soon as she heard I was from the US went into a detailed description of a trip she took to Cuba. The whole time she is talking she keeps looking over at me, and finally says something like, "such a shame you can't ever go there cause your govt", blah, blah. The only reason she brought up Cuba of all places was when she knew she had an American nearby.

Would they have treated the beloved Aussies, Brits, Dutch, etc. like that? Yeah right. I just found this behaviour rude and demeaning to a foreign visitor. Left a bad taste in my mouth. So yeah, Canadians are rude to Americans.

No the people you met at the house party are rude to Americans.

[robertpolyglot]

The relationship is love-hate or friendly banter, from what I can see.

There's no denying that Canada consistently ranks higher on QOL studies than does the U.S.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

but like anywhere you'll have ignorant folk who base their perceptions on stereotypes.etc.

Before You Flee to Canada, Can We Talk? (washingtonpost.com)

Kinda like the guy in the link..

[HOTW]

I found the article to be a total representation of what I have experienced here in the USA as a Canadian. The rudeness towards my homeland that runs unchecked and gets worse when people realize I am Canadian. I have lived here twice as long as I lived in Canada but because I cannotthink like an American I will never be one. Even our children-Dad is an American- don't quite fit because they have been raised in a household that was not purely American in thinking. I have had many issues with teachers who did notnlike having a kid in the class with a different viewpoint due to dinner conversations about current events. Whenever my children came home wih a biased viewpoint from the school we discussed all sides of an issue!

When children as young as 4 dictate to their parents who they must vote for cause teacher said so I consider that not a proper environement for young minds to learn to think but more of an indoctrination of the youth to repeat after me.

I have truly encountered the ignormus' illustrated in the infamous Molson Canadian commercial - i speak english not canadian, no I do not know your friend in Toronto(i grew up outside of Toronto but noone knows it here so I use Toronto as the biggest known city near it)- so when people talk about American bashing it is probably because this typenof ignorance is all too common!

I have become to dislike Americanism but in general I like a lo of people here they are quite willing on a whole to learn more about Canada the ones who don' t I tend to find have a general lack of usable gray matter! Experience makes you predjudicial sad to say.

And it is true Canadians tend to know more about American History than Americans know about Canadian History. We also tend to know a lot more of the two sides ratherthan just the textbook version of the country it is printed for! What usually surprised me was the absolute lack of History/Geography knowledge in the High Schools here I easily was able to outpace my peers and most other grades in that department. The worst part was the teachers not being able to adapt to a student from a different style of learning I had to "dumb down" a lot of my work to avoid the accusations of plagarism. Actaully had to challenge a teacher who was grilling me on a paper when he came across words he had to look up in a dictionary. I was able to tell him the meaning of the words he had underlined in my paper without benefit of a di tionary. The only 2 teachers I enjoyed in the US high school were both who had spent time in Canada!

Canadians that I know as well as myself we don' t so much dislike Americans but their attitude needs adjusting! The people themselves are quitenpersonable but when it comes to anything about America they are always "best" yet they cN rarely give examples of Why?!!!

[jambo101]

Well said and welcome to the forum HOTW

[Rubi3]

I've been in Canada a few times and enjoyed each visit, not encountering any problems at all. However, the first discussion board I found after being online happened to be Canadian owned and operated. I suppose the anonymity was the reason many Canadians were hostile to Americans. I am straightforward when reacting to another's words and invariably my responses nearly always made me the bad person, rather than the person who posted the insult. There were some nice people, but, they were fewer than the nasty ones. Good things came out of that board, though. One woman and I still keep in touch which is several years since that site shut down.