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I'm currently a college student in the US studying political science. My school has an exchange program with Mcgill University and I'm considering it. It would be a good opportunity to learn french plus the fact that McGill's university has a strong political science program which I'm thinking will help me if I ever apply to graduate school there or anywhere else. However I've heard that canadians can be quite strongly anti-american. For example I've heard from some american friends in Canada that there was a lot of glee after the 9/11 attacks with many canadians happy that america finally got what it deserved.
So folks what's the extent of anti-americanism among canadians?
I don't think you need to worry about that. Canada in general is quite pro-America I would say.
Just show your good personality and avoid the stereotypical American "centre of the universe" sort of arrogance, and you will be fine. Just don't judge when every time you see something different from America.
Be realistic about learning French in Montreal, first it is quebec French, which is different from European French, especially in accents (it is like Austrian English accent), second, Montrealers don't like to talk in French the minute they find you are not a Quebecois.
. For example I've heard from some american friends in Canada that there was a lot of glee after the 9/11 attacks with many canadians happy that america finally got what it deserved.
I really, really can't believe that. If anything, we were saying "well, someone, somewhere, is about to get their country wiped off the face of the Earth. Don't poke the bear."
Glee? At thousands of deaths? Not likely. No Country deserves what happened. I can't say there wern't a few, but there were probably the same amount of Americans as happy about those events as Canadians.
I think botticelli is spot on. If you avoid that stereotypical American "centre of the universe" sort of arrogance, which is what bothers people in the first place, you won't have any issues.
Good luck on the move! Hope you like it here if you decide to go for it.
(...) second, Montrealers don't like to talk in French the minute they find you are not a Quebecois.
It's not that they don't like to talk in French to non-québécois, they'll switch to English because most likely they'll be much more fluent in English then you'll be in French, so it will be much easier to understand each other this way. It's a matter of efficiency, really.
Most people do the same when they speak their interlocutor's language better than the reverse. Let's pretend for a minute that you speak Spanish quite well: if a tourist from Spain came to you and started talking to you in very broken English, wouldn't you switch naturally to Spanish? It's just easier for everyone. But it can be frustrating when you're trying to learn a new language. Which is why it's better to go to Quebec City, Saguenay or Trois-Rivières if you want to learn French: much less people are fluent in English outside of Montreal, and they are therefore less likely to do "the switch" when talking to you.
Originally Posted by Jim Carols
. For example I've heard from some american friends in Canada that there was a lot of glee after the 9/11 attacks with many canadians happy that america finally got what it deserved.
I don't believe that either. I think most of us were as shocked and saddened by this event as Americans were....I meet and talk to lots of Americans here in Victoria and I have yet to meet one I didn't like....Your politics not so much though.
For example I've heard from some american friends in Canada that there was a lot of glee after the 9/11 attacks with many canadians happy that america finally got what it deserved.
This belief is really an example of the attitude some Americans have - thinking they are the center of the universe. 9/11 affected Canadians too, in many ways including the fact that many of them were killed in it. Nobody was gleeful about it, it changed the world as we know it.
It's not that they don't like to talk in French to non-québécois, they'll switch to English because most likely they'll be much more fluent in English then you'll be in French, so it will be much easier to understand each other this way. It's a matter of efficiency, really.
You can never get it right with certain meatheaded Anglos. If you don't speak to them in English you're rude; if you do you're rude as well. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.
For example I've heard from some american friends in Canada that there was a lot of glee after the 9/11 attacks with many canadians happy that america finally got what it deserved.
So folks what's the extent of anti-americanism among canadians?
There is no major anti Americanism in Canada unless you are an American and come up here spouting all manner of Limbaugh and Beck rubbish like quoted above. Tell your friends what they heard was absolute BS. To state that Canadians were dancing in the streets after the 9/11 tragedy is an unbelievably rude accusation.I was going to say come on up and experience Canada for yourself but as you and your friends are so quick to believe that anti Americanism runs rampant in the streets and your social scene seems to believe Canada was happy about the 9/11 event why not just stay in America. I smell a troll.
There's a degree of passive anti-Americanism, more common in Ontario then in Quebec where you're looking to study, but it's not like Canadians are rabidly hostile to Americans. The straight up reality of it is you'll hear critical comments about American foreign and domestic policies in the way that Americans criticize them, but it comes off as dickish since we're outsiders and instead of it being a constructive look at a problem like when Americans do it it looks like gloating when we point these things out. But it's not like people hate American people, you have nothing to worry about.
If you're really keen on learning Quebec french in Montreal, politely ask the other person to continue in french even if they know you're a noob at it. This is the best way to immerse yourself in the language, by using in every day situations every chance you get. Even if you suck, it doesn't matter, people will appreciate the attempt.
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