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I know the US is the US and Canada is Canada, with totally different histories, but would you say that the northern fringe of the US really has more in common with Canada than the southern half of the US?
I'm not just talking about climate and landscape those are more obvious. I'm talking about things like urban landscapes and even attitude.
The sunbelt cities of the US generally are more sprawling, more auto oriented than most cities in northern US, plus you come across more right-wing characteristics in terms of religion and politics in the southern part of the country. This is a large generalization but do you think these US regions/states have more in common with these Canadian provinces/regions than with the rest of the respective countries?
The obvious difference is that all the Canadian regions have much vastar uninhabited areas, and the one province in Canada, that truly has no US counterpart is Qubec
Washington/Oregon = British Columbia, with Seattle = Vancouver.
Montana/Wyoming/Colorado = Alberta, with Denver = Calgary.
Dakotas = Saskatchewan
Minnesota = Manitoba ,with Minneapolis = Winnipeg (w/ Winnipeg being much smaller)
Wisconsin/Michigan/N. Ilinois/N. Indiana = Ontario, with Toronto = Chicago.
Maine/Vermont/New Hampshire = New Brunswick/Nova Scotia
Alaska = Yukon/NW Territories/Nanvut
What do you think?
Do these regions have in many ways more in common with each other than the rest of their respective countries?
I used to travel a great deal throughout the US on business. I think you are correct. The northern States do have more in common with Canada than the south. I'm from Manitoba and always felt quite at home in Fargo, Minneapolis, and western Michigan. I seem to have more in common withe these people than I do with Provinces further away from my home.
Even so there are differences in world view and attitudes. I do find almost all Americans to be less aware of other parts of the world than Canadians are. I think that is because Canadians have to, we are not the 500 lb gorilla.
I hope this thread does not turn into some sort of America bashing just because we have some differences.
Toronto has more to do with WNY than it has to do with Illinois/Indiana. SW ontario (windsor/london) has close ties to the Detroit area of SE MI. Also Montreal and Vermont have some close ties; there's lots of french canadians located in VT/ME. I don't believe Calgary has anything to do with Denver cultural-wise, but I could be wrong.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ThroatGuzzler
Toronto has more to do with WNY than it has to do with Illinois/Indiana. SW ontario (windsor/london) has close ties to the Detroit area of SE MI. Also Montreal and Vermont have some close ties; there's lots of french canadians located in VT/ME. I don't believe Calgary has anything to do with Denver cultural-wise, but I could be wrong.
If Vancouver and Dallas had a love child, it would be Calgary. The only thing Denver could be compared to Calgary with is somewhat simalar topography, but, moreso like Montana in that respect.
Seattle and Vancouver are like fraternal twins.
Montreal is a world unto itself.
Portland Maine is very simalar to Halifax or St. John, NB
Toronto is nothing like Buffalo or Rochester, thats for sure. You cross the border at Niagara Falls, and its like you're leaving mexico and entering USA, except here you're leaving the rust-beltish, abandoned factories, dumpy looking western NY, and entering a sprawling, clean, booming Ontario!
The transition from Surrey/south GVRD to Blaine, Washington feels rather seamless. Especially if you're coming from White Rock, which is mainly a somewhat upscale area near the water. Blaine, in turn, is a somewhat upscale area near the water, but facing west instead of southwest.
I would tend to agree, having moved from the South to upstate New York. Attitudes are a little different in the North compared to the South, in sort of overall literacy, taking care of oneself, ideas about religion, foreign affairs, etc. Doesn't mean the north doesn't have plenty of conservative attitudes, its just a bit different. The northern U.S. also has some unique cultures (watch 'Jersey shore' for example - but please don't think the state is like this!).
I thought Vancouver had a distinctly west coast feel, like Seattle/Portland, whereas my friends from Ontario seemed more "Canadian" ...
Since you mention urban landscapes, one thing I think overall is Canada tends to have nicer cities that didn't experience middle-class flight and suffer from anti-urban government policies the way most U.S. cities did. Although there are probably some rough neighborhoods, Canada doesn't seem to have a counterpart to Rust Belt cities like Detroit, St. Louis, even Buffalo, etc. (And yes, Canadian cities do have racial diversity). Admittedly my personal experience is Montreal and Vancouver, but I've heard good about Toronto, Calgary. The U.S. seems to me a mixed bag with a few nice cities here and there.
I have travelled to border areas between Canada and the U.S. and have never, ever found that the border areas on the U.S. side feel "more Canadian" than American. Sure, there are some aspects that make them seem more "like Canada" to people but I am not sure if these are related to climate, geography and ethnicity more than to their proximity to Canada.
I find the American culture and identity to be very strong and you generally feel that as soon as you cross the border. People tend to be very "American*" even if they live just a few hundred yards from another country (Canada). I don't find that Americans just across the border are that different and more Canadian from residents of the same state that live further away from the border.
*Or at least, the prototype American as found in the northern parts of the United States.
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and parts of Alberta are indistinguishable from the Great Plains States of the Midwestern United States.
The Maritimes are very similar to New England and the Northeast.
Ontario closely resembles the Upper Midwestern states.
Much of Alberta resembles Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.
British Columbia combines the Pacific Northwest and Western Idaho and Western Nevada.
The most American province in culture and attitude is by far Alberta. It does make sense though since Alberta has 4 times the Canadian average of American residents, and Calgary, Alberta's largest city is 11% American.
The most American province in culture and attitude is by far Alberta. It does make sense though since Alberta has 4 times the Canadian average of American residents, and Calgary, Alberta's largest city is 11% American.
Yes you're correct. Apparently Toronto's about 5% American too. I find that hard to believe lol.. so I'm not sure how reputable that info is. It's also 11 years old mind you.
Quote:
Private American Citizens Residing Abroad (1999 FIGURE)
CANADA
1. Halifax 40,000 (15% American) 2. Calgary 105,000 (10.5% American)
3. Vancouver 200,000 (10% American)
4. Toronto 250,000 (5% American)
5. Ottawa 24,300 (2.4% American)
6. Montreal 65,000 (1.9% American)
7. Quebec City 3,400 (0.5% American)
Calculated the percentages by looking at 1999 metro population figures. Halifax is actually the most American-Canadian city in Canada in terms of percentage.
Last edited by ThroatGuzzler; 08-23-2010 at 02:04 PM..
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