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Canadians are just more reserved and ‘polite’ than most in public. When in a “safe” environment, I’ve heard Canadians express views and attitudes that can be pretty “hard edged”.
The intensity and depth of the Ango - Francophone divide in Canada usually surprises most Aussies.
That could be it. We Canadians sure like to ride the polite scooter whenever abroad. That being said, Canada seems willing to adopt progressive policies more rapidly than the other Anglo countries. I could be off though. It’s just personal observation.
Canadians are just more reserved and ‘polite’ than most in public. When in a “safe” environment, I’ve heard Canadians express views and attitudes that can be pretty “hard edged”.
The intensity and depth of the Ango - Francophone divide in Canada usually surprises most Aussies.
Yes, for example, it seems that there is something about Quebec that makes certain otherwise smart, well-intentioned, worldly Anglo-Canadians completely lose their marbles. And the reverse type of irrationality also exists in Quebec vis-à-vis the rest of the country.
Here is an example (somewhat close to real life experience).
Acajack is travelling through the Kalahari desert of Namibia.
He enters a village where he meets this thirtysomething Canadian guy from Listowel, Ontario who is helping the villagers build a well for much-needed drinking water. He learns that the guy has been working on international development projects for 10 years around the world, in the mountains of Bolivia, in Bangladesh, etc. He ended up here because he fell in love with a local lady and has been made a member of the tribe and speaks their language fluently, including its unique click sounds.
Everything goes well until he learns that Acajack is francophone and from Quebec, and then they start talking about Quebec, innocently enough at first, and eventually he turns into a raving lunatic on steroids.
Thankfully, it doesn't happen all the time, but every once in a while, geez. From eminent experts on classical music to environmental activists. No background is automatically immune.
And you can certainly find Québécois people who are all nice and worldly with you when sitting at a café in Buenos Aires, but talk to them about Anglo-Canada, and they go crazy. Jekyll and Hyde.
Yes, for example, it seems that there is something about Quebec that makes certain otherwise smart, well-intentioned, worldly Anglo-Canadians completely lose their marbles. And the reverse type of irrationality also exists in Quebec vis-à-vis the rest of the country.
Here is an example (somewhat close to real life experience).
Acajack is travelling through the Kalahari desert of Namibia.
He enters a village where he meets this thirtysomething Canadian guy from Listowel, Ontario who is helping the villagers build a well for much-needed drinking water. He learns that the guy has been working on international development projects for 10 years around the world, in the mountains of Bolivia, in Bangladesh, etc. He ended up here because he fell in love with a local lady and has been made a member of the tribe and speaks their language fluently, including its unique click sounds.
Everything goes well until he learns that Acajack is francophone and from Quebec, and then they start talking about Quebec, innocently enough at first, and eventually he turns into a raving lunatic on steroids.
Thankfully, it doesn't happen all the time, but every once in a while, geez. From eminent experts on classical music to environmental activists. No background is automatically immune.
And you can certainly find Québécois people who are all nice and worldly with you when sitting at a café in Buenos Aires, but talk to them about Anglo-Canada, and they go crazy. Jekyll and Hyde.
So what you're saying is that Quebecois French needs more click click sounds. I'm on board!
Yes, for example, it seems that there is something about Quebec that makes certain otherwise smart, well-intentioned, worldly Anglo-Canadians completely lose their marbles. And the reverse type of irrationality also exists in Quebec vis-à-vis the rest of the country.
Here is an example (somewhat close to real life experience).
Acajack is travelling through the Kalahari desert of Namibia.
He enters a village where he meets this thirtysomething Canadian guy from Listowel, Ontario who is helping the villagers build a well for much-needed drinking water. He learns that the guy has been working on international development projects for 10 years around the world, in the mountains of Bolivia, in Bangladesh, etc. He ended up here because he fell in love with a local lady and has been made a member of the tribe and speaks their language fluently, including its unique click sounds.
Everything goes well until he learns that Acajack is francophone and from Quebec, and then they start talking about Quebec, innocently enough at first, and eventually he turns into a raving lunatic on steroids.
Thankfully, it doesn't happen all the time, but every once in a while, geez. From eminent experts on classical music to environmental activists. No background is automatically immune.
And you can certainly find Québécois people who are all nice and worldly with you when sitting at a café in Buenos Aires, but talk to them about Anglo-Canada, and they go crazy. Jekyll and Hyde.
That guy was Mennonite, wasn't he? I think I might know him, hahaha.
To the OP: Mikey's right, that this subject has been done to death on this forum. But Americans tend to group people together more by colour, it seems to me, because of the history. It's a given that wherever you find higher concentrations of another type (could be colour, could be religion) of people that racism towards that group will be higher than if you are the only black man (as an example) in a town. My experience has been that Canadians refer more to people by country of origin, such as Jamaicans, Haitians, etc rather than a giant group labelled "black."
Here in Manitoba, racism is directed primarily at the First Nations. They are the most visible and poorest element of our society. I have black nieces and nephews and I have asked my sister what they have experienced and she says that it's the natives that get the racism, and that the black kids mostly have a "cool" factor about them.
I was born in the United States to a Canadian mother (which makes me a Canadian citizen, I recently discovered, but I digress). I grew up in the southeastern US in the 1960s, where there was open racism. My mother didn't have the racial baggage that most American southerners carried. That doesn't mean that Canadians didn't have their own prejudices, however. She explained it this way. "Canadians don't understand the issues that America has with race. But say 'French Canadian' to them, and watch the fun begin."
So what you're saying is that Quebecois French needs more click click sounds. I'm on board!
Quote:
Originally Posted by netwit
That guy was Mennonite, wasn't he? I think I might know him, hahaha.
LOL, that's funny.
I just want to point out that the example that AJ gave isn't about racism though, it's about cultural prejudice. Racism is a form of bigotry but it is strictly about race and skin colour, it's not about culture, politics, ideals or language.
I just want to point out that the example that AJ gave isn't about racism though, it's about cultural prejudice. Racism is a form of bigotry but it is strictly about race and skin colour, it's not about culture, politics, ideals or language.
I know what tabarnak means. Was I being pedantic again?
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I think I might know him, hahaha.
