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I've noticed many people in western provinces, especially BC say they don't really care for Tim Hortons, they deny they have a Canadian accent, and they say all the stereotypes about Canada only apply to the eastern half of the country.
Do you think that people in Canada's West feel more affinity with California and other western states in the US than they do with the rest of Canada?
I've noticed many people in western provinces, especially BC say they don't really care for Tim Hortons, they deny they have a Canadian accent, and they say all the stereotypes about Canada only apply to the eastern half of the country.
Do you think that people in Canada's West feel more affinity with California and other western states in the US than they do with the rest of Canada?
My heavens, I do sincerely hope that you're kidding! In the event that you're not kidding, let me help you out a bit:
the Tim Horton's phenomenon is a masterstroke of marketing genius by Bay Street corporate executives, and it isn't any kind of gauge one can use to measure the patriotism (or lack thereof) of individual Canadians;
there is no such thing as a generic or a universal Canadian accent; and
supposed stereotypes about Canada are those that are articulated by mainstream Canadian media outlets, the overwhelming majority of which have their primary bases of operations in Toronto and in Montreal, both of which cities are considered to be in Eastern Canada by westerners, and which outlets tend to reflect the sensibilities of people in Ontario and in Quebec more than folks care to admit -- there is something of a natural disconnect there.
Some are almost certain to quibble with me about the following, but there is a kind of affinity in parts of the western Canadian provinces for those American states which are on their borders. This doesn't strike me as being unusual. As neighbouring places, one might expect them to feel slightly more familiar both in a superficial way and due to holiday and shopping trips than would those provinces located thousands of miles to the east. I should think that this is to be expected to an extent.
Do you think that people in Canada's West feel more affinity with California and other western states in the US than they do with the rest of Canada?
Not at all. There is good neighbour relations and some familiarity because of proximity and shared geographical features and climate conditions in western Canada/USA but I don't believe there is affinity. Most certainly there is not any affinity that over-rides the family bonds of blood, patriotism and shared trials and history that tie western Canada and eastern Canada together.
Canada is all one family that once in a while has family squabbles or differences but for the most part as a whole the family members all function and get along pretty well with each other. The right side is in sync with the left side enough that we can pat the head and rub the belly at the same time. We love each other in spite of occassional differences and even though many of the relatives live on the other side of the continent and we've never met. It's still all one family and blood is thicker than water.
USA, on the other hand, (yes, even western USA) is water to Canada's blood, it's the big, noisy neighbour family next door on the other side of the fence. It's the neighbour that was at one time distantly related but deliberately disowned itself a long time ago from the Canadian family. That USA neighbour now has a huge family of its own 10 times bigger than Canada's family and it has quite a few serious problems within some of its own family dynamics and not all of the family members love each other. Some of them are truly dysfunctional and hate each other, say really nasty things about each other and fight and stir up trouble.
So western Canada gets along okay with western USA as a neighbour but it keeps a certain amount of distance and is glad of the good neighbour fence because it doesn't want to get involved and dragged into western USA's problems with the rest of its family and doesn't want to take sides with or against any of USA's family members wherever they are.
Not at all. There is good neighbour relations and some familiarity because of proximity and shared geographical features and climate conditions in western Canada/USA but I don't believe there is affinity. Most certainly there is not any affinity that over-rides the family bonds of blood, patriotism and shared trials and history that tie western Canada and eastern Canada together.
Canada is all one family that once in a while has family squabbles or differences but for the most part as a whole the family members all function and get along pretty well with each other. The right side is in sync with the left side enough that we can pat the head and rub the belly at the same time. We love each other in spite of occassional differences and even though many of the relatives live on the other side of the continent and we've never met. It's still all one family and blood is thicker than water.
USA, on the other hand, (yes, even western USA) is water to Canada's blood, it's the big, noisy neighbour family next door on the other side of the fence. It's the neighbour that was at one time distantly related but deliberately disowned itself a long time ago from the Canadian family. That USA neighbour now has a huge family of its own 10 times bigger than Canada's family and it has quite a few serious problems within some of its own family dynamics and not all of the family members love each other. Some of them are truly dysfunctional and hate each other, say really nasty things about each other and fight and stir up trouble.
So western Canada gets along okay with western USA as a neighbour but it keeps a certain amount of distance and is glad of the good neighbour fence because it doesn't want to get involved and dragged into western USA's problems with the rest of its family and doesn't want to take sides with or against any of USA's family members wherever they are.
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To answer the OP, no I don't think Western Canadians have a lower leve of patriotism for Canada. They have affinities (and yes, even family ties sometimes) with neighbouring parts of the US, but this is true of many1 points further east as well. Westerners are still proud Canadians by and large.
Now, as for the post quoted though, it is way too sugar-coated. Canada can sometimes be far from one big happy family and I am not sure it is really less fractious as the U.S.
Just to give you an example: is there a large area of the U.S. where there is almost nothing going on to mark the 4th of July?
The way you frame this question will elicit different responses. I think people on the west coast of Canada probably share similarities in terms of lifestyle and attitudes with other US west coast cities, it's only natural. People in Toronto have a similar lifestyle to Chicago in the Great Lakes region. People on the east coast of Canada have similarities with upper New England. I think most would agree with this and it is to be expected.
But I highly doubt people on the west coast feel more a part of the US than Canada. They are still part of Canada and operate under Canadian laws and institutions. I don't think most Canadians in general, from coast to coast, feel the need to be part of the United States. So this is a bit of loaded question in the way it was framed because you are pitting the US versus Canada.
If the OP asked this question with no reference to the US, then I think more people from the west coast would express more cultural differences with the rest of Canada (mainly ON and QC). Historically, Canada was created as a counterbalance to the US so this commonality links the country but there is an independent spirit out west. To get BC to join the country, Canada had to entice them with railroads and other incentives and it really wasn't a marriage made in heaven since day one. Plus eastern (Anglo and French) domination of politics/power over the past 100+ years has always created a bit of a resentment on the west coast. But it is no where close enough to make them want to separate and form their own country / join the US or anything radical like that. They are still very much a part of Canada.
And maybe it's just me, but I found more outward displays of patriotism on my visits to Vancouver than I do in Toronto. In some ways, Vancouver felt more distinctively Canadian to me.
Last edited by johnathanc; 11-12-2013 at 09:40 AM..
(The US) is the neighbour that was at one time distantly related but deliberately disowned itself a long time ago from the Canadian family. .
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Among many weird statements in your post, this is the weirdest one. What are you referring to here? The British Empire?
Because the Canadian family (as known in the present day anyway) didn't even exist in 1776. Canada was essentially French at that time and had only very recently come under British control.
If anyone distanced themselves from something pre-existing and that they were previously a part of, it was arguably the United Empire Loyalists who left the society in the 13 colonies they had been a part of for close to two centuries, in order to start anew and lay that foundations of most of present-day (English-speaking) Canada.
Do you think that people in Canada's West feel more affinity with California and other western states in the US than they do with the rest of Canada?
Not really, Maybe Washington and Oregon but not California. California is different from the rest of the west coast. If British Columbians think they are more like California they are dilusional.
Considering that most of Western Canada is populated by transplants from the East, I'd say no. Further, Western Canada is very diverse. Edmonton is different from Calgary which is very different from Vancouver. And don't even start with Vancouver Island.
Honestly, I think some people think this way because the culture of eastern Canada is sold as the culture of all of Canada. The beaver pelt, Habs/Leafs, maple syrup eating "Canadian" only reflects Eastern Canada. Hell, even the flag does. I've yet to see a maple tree in Calgary or Vancouver.
Canada is a country of regions, each with their own endearing traits. Too bad we can all just respect each other and get along.
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