Top 5 Most Similar Countries To The US? (school, architecture)

[nzrugby]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Though Canada's political system is based on the British Westminster model, Canada has moved closer to the U.S. model since the early 1980s with the new Constitution and Charter of Rights.

All of this gave the courts (especially the Supreme Court of Canada) a far greater role in Canadian politics, in particular in overruling laws democratically passed by parliaments (federal and provincial) alleged in court challenges as being contrary to the Constitution or the Charter.

Interesting, the Canadian parliament has no right to make the Constitution null and void ?
So picking say Conservative leaning judges could have the Canadian Supreme court appointing a government like the US Supreme court did with Bush ?
Who has the final say in Canada the voters or the Supreme court ?

[irish_bob]

Originally Posted by nzrugby

The UK/Aus/NZ share far more in common with Sweden/ Norway/ Denmark than what we do with the USA, we are all Monarchies and liberal.
The Swedes etc speak English English and spell the proper way when using English, centre is spelled thus.
The USA is far more like Mexico in being a Republic NOT a democracy .
The USA does not have one man one vote of equal value.

If sport is part of culture, India etc have far more in common with us than the USA.
True both Americans and Canadians would fail the, explain the LBW law.
Where citizens/subjects of other Commonwealth countries would know it well

republics are more democratic than monarchs you idiot

[nimchimpsky]

Originally Posted by northstar22

Germany IS culturally similar to the USA. German is the predominant ethnic heritage of most Americans, and that has obviously influenced our culture. English (British) is only fourth, behind German, Irish, and African. Just because they don't speak English, doesn't mean they aren't similar to us.

For example, French Canadians are far more culturally similar to us than the British, South Africans, or Irish, even though the latter speak English.

Having been to Germany, I completely disagree.

[nimchimpsky]

Originally Posted by pukeko

New Zealand may outwardly look like America's slightly shabby cousin, and they do speak English, but if you stay any amount of time, you'll find that the cultures are actually really, really different.

America is dynamic, entrepreneurial, success-loving, future-oriented; New Zealand is staid, Tall-Poppy-chopping, inwardly focused, comfortable with the way things are. (Don't believe NZ's nation-branding campaign).

Or Australia's. When I visited Australia, I was shocked to find that it was basically the exact opposite from how the nation likes to brand itself on the international stage.

[Edu983]

Originally Posted by yellowboy06

My top 5 would have to go to...

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1. CANADA

2. AUSTRALIA

3. NEW ZEALAND

4. GERMANY

5. (this is a hard one) UNITED KINGDOM


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Do you agree or disagree?

Nowadays, Mexico is more related to the U.S. than any of the countries you listed (excluding Canada).

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by nzrugby

Interesting, the Canadian parliament has no right to make the Constitution null and void ??

I guess Parliament could do this. After all, the Constitution itself is a product of Parliamentary democracy, having been nailed down and agreed upon by elected Parliamentarians both federal and provincial.

Originally Posted by nzrugby

So picking say Conservative leaning judges could have the Canadian Supreme court appointing a government like the US Supreme court did with Bush ??

I don't believe there is any process for the Supreme Court appointing the Government of Canada. We have a Governor General for that so in case of a crisis the GG would be the fall-back mechanism.

Originally Posted by nzrugby

Who has the final say in Canada the voters or the Supreme court ?

The Supreme Court is one of the branches of government, and it's a balancing act between them as in many other countries.

If the Supreme Court overturns a piece of legislation then Parliament will simply a) let it slide and comply or b) pass a new law on the same topic.

There is also a section in the Constitution which is known as the "nothwithstanding clause" which allows the federal Parliament or the provinces to override certain portions of the Charter of Rights. Apparently it was put in place to safeguard against hypothetical court rulings that might for example legalize hate speech or child porn as "freedom of speech".

[callmemaybe]

I would say

1) Canada (80% similarity)
2) Australia (67% similarity)
3) New Zealand (60% similarity)
4) UK (55% similarity)
5) Singapore (45% similarity)
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.
.
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everywhere else < 30% similarity

[CowanStern]

1. Tejas
2. Winston County, Alabama
3. Dade County, Georgia
4. The Conch Republic
5. The People's Republic of Boulder.

[Wild Colonial Girl]

Liberia?
China

No one who has ever been to Australia, the UK or NZ would think they were anything like the US. They speak the same language, that's all. In terms of priorities and character, they are on opposite ends of the spectrum. In terms of food, housing, lifestyle aust and NZ are only similar to the US in that they're new world not old world.

[dunno what to put here]

Canada is so similar to the US, it's almost uncanny. It's not just culturally either, but they look virtually identical. Roads, city layouts, city architecture. The people have similar accents. I've been scolded many a time for mistaking a Canadian for an American.

However, I agree with the above poster that the UK, Australia and New Zealand are honestly not that similar to the US. The former three all have universal healthcare, they all under the same monarch, they all have Westminster-style governance and all have some form of a safety net for the unfortunate souls who find themselves in the doldrums.

Oh, and they also drive on the CORRECT side of the road.