How patriotic are Canadians? (live, yard, business)

[Trimac20]

As much, or much less than Americans?

How common is it to here phrases like 'God bless Canada!' or see people flying Canadian flags in their yards, wearing the maple leaf emblem/national colours.

Do most people have a 'I'll die for Canada in a heartbeat attitude?'

[minibrings]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

As much, or much less than Americans?

How common is it to here phrases like 'God bless Canada!' or see people flying Canadian flags in their yards, wearing the maple leaf emblem/national colours.

Do most people have a 'I'll die for Canada in a heartbeat attitude?'

Trimac

How patriotic do you think Americans are? I know its hard never having been to the US or Canada, but give people something to start with.

[Robynator]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

As much, or much less than Americans?

Less.

Originally Posted by Trimac20

How common is it to here phrases like 'God bless Canada!'

Not at all common. It's weird to hear "God Bless" anything in Canada. Most Canadians think it's weird to express any religious sentiment in public (excluding well-timed "Oh my God!" or "Holy $#@!" or "Jesus Christ!"). Canadians are equally weirded out by "God Bless America".

Originally Posted by Trimac20

or see people flying Canadian flags in their yards

Not very common.

Originally Posted by Trimac20

wearing the maple leaf emblem/national colours.

As a sports statement more than a fashion statement.

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Do most people have a 'I'll die for Canada in a heartbeat attitude?'

No.

[sunshineleith]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

As much, or much less than Americans?

How common is it to here phrases like 'God bless Canada!' or see people flying Canadian flags in their yards, wearing the maple leaf emblem/national colours.

Do most people have a 'I'll die for Canada in a heartbeat attitude?'

Canadians aren't known for chest-beating "my country is the best" displays of patriotism. Perhaps it is because our country is 100 years younger than the USA, or perhaps it is simply the understated, go about our own business attitude that permeates most Canadian thought processes.

To tell you the truth, Canadians aren't really die-hard patriotic about anything - except their favourite hockey team.

[Robynator]

... although don't mistake a lack of patriotism for apathy. Canadians do LOVE their country. Many are fiercely passionate about it. They just don't take patriotism as seriously as the USA. Canadians just aren't die-hard patriots, period. There's no culture of placing your hand over your heart during national anthems, no "God Save Canada" or "God Bless Canada" or chest-thumping patriotism as sunshineleith's describing above. But if you spoke to a Canadian and asked them individually how they felt about Canada, they'd probably say there was no better place to be.

[sunshineleith]

Originally Posted by Robynator

... although Canadians do LOVE their country. They just don't take patriotism as seriously as the USA.

Yes absolutely Robynator. I LOVE Canada.

My take on "being proud to be anything" has always been that I am proud of my achievements. I am therefore not "proud" to be a Canadian in that sense, because being Canadian is not something that I have achieved - it was the luck of the draw me being born there.

Am I happy I was born in Canada? Hell yes.
Am I proud of my country's stand on various human rights, its policy of peace-keeping, its ability to say to the neighbour to the south "no we won't go to war there because we do not feel it is right", etc - hell yes, yes yes!!

I am proud of those Canadian attributes and actions. I love my country and its musicians and its culture and the wonderful open-hearted people that live there. Those are the elements that form my basis of "Canadian patriotism".

Does that vary radically from what Americans view as patriotism? I am pretty sure it does.

[Robynator]

Originally Posted by sunshineleith

Yes absolutely Robynator. I LOVE Canada.

My take on "being proud to be anything" has always been that I am proud of my achievements. I am therefore not "proud" to be a Canadian in that sense, because being Canadian is not something that I have achieved - it was the luck of the draw me being born there.

Am I happy I was born in Canada? Hell yes.
Am I proud of my country's stand on various human rights, its policy of peace-keeping, its ability to say to the neighbour to the south "no we won't go to war there because we do not feel it is right", etc - hell yes, yes yes!!

I am proud of those Canadian attributes and actions. I love my country and its musicians and its culture and the wonderful open-hearted people that live there. Those are the elements that form my basis of "Canadian patriotism".

Does that vary radically from what Americans view as patriotism? I am pretty sure it does.

Well said!

[sunshineleith]

Originally Posted by Robynator

... There's no culture of placing your hand over your heart during national anthems

oooohhhh.... I must confess though, that now that I am a new immigrant to the UK (and as much as I like it here), I get seriously teary-eyed when I hear O' Canada, see a Canadian flag, or hear Bryan Adams on the radio.

[Robynator]

Originally Posted by sunshineleith

oooohhhh.... I must confess though, that now that I am a new immigrant to the UK (and as much as I like it here), I get seriously teary-eyed when I hear O' Canada, see a Canadian flag, or hear Bryan Adams on the radio.

Just like UK immigrants to Canada get teary eyed over fish & chips and mushy peas?

p.s. If you're serious about Bryan Adams, you may actually enjoy Jeremy Fisher:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueOTPq9KeSs

[sunshineleith]

Originally Posted by Robynator

Just like UK immigrants to Canada get teary eyed over fish & chips and mushy peas?

LOL - yes and the very words "mushy peas" would make one teary eyed LOL - but having tasted them, they are surprisingly tasty!! I'm on a Canadian ex-pat forum over here and it's quite hilarious how we're all bleating for maple syrup, summer savoury and Cheez Whiz LOL