Here in Detroit, we have a fair amount of interaction with our buddies on the other side of the river. I have come to learn over the years that almost all Canadians have a problem with the better US economy, jobs, the exchange rate, etc.

To compensate, Canadians are forever talking up their country. Any cab driver will be happy to relate how clean Canada is, or how uncrowded, compared to the US, even if not asked. After hearing about the many that came during the Vietnam years - about a million times - I finally developed a strategy to deal with this crap.

Now, when I get into a Canadian cab I preempt them: I go on and on about how clean Canada is, etc., etc. Then, I look about with admiration and I say: "We should buy it".

This usually is the end of the conversation.

I agree - we *should* buy it ... how do we get rid of the Canadians?

I, for one, will boycott Canadian bacon, although I never eat it anyway. Makes me feel good to say it though.

Um, we're not all like that person with the sloppy thinking and foolish opinions. Some of us are working very hard to change things here. It would be nice to get some support once in a while...

I wrote to a local morning radio host on our taxpayer-funded national broadcaster (the CBC) about his leftist-slant in promoting an anti-war event last week. He wrote back suggesting I leave the country, and that I shouldn't vote because I watch Fox News. After I posted the bit to my blog, it got some buzz, then some more buzz, then a mountain of buzz, and now commentary in one of our national dailies, the National Post.

Here is the core story -- many other posts as well.

The point is that we're not cut from the same cloth, a lot of us share your criticisms about our country and its attitudes. Some of us are taking real heat for it (I just got an email from another broadcaster calling me an idiot, twice). Please get to know the nascent right wing in Canada, who are using blogs to push for change. Encourage us with a supportive comment once in a while. Maybe one day we can make Canada into a country you can respect again.

Cheers

Not Canadian, kind of off topic, but I was talking to a Kiwi who works in my town, at a bar. Total stranger, I was waiting for a friend, just decided to talk. He was very eager to offer observations about how corrupt the US is, how its priorities are messed up, all sorts of not very helpful or nice criticism, none of which I could possible change as an individual.

I just couldn't imagine going to New Zealand, being friendly to some guy sitting next to me, and then use it as an opportunity to launch into criticisms about my guest country.

Someone needs to tell this clown who thinks he's so frigging smart that Clinton actually was impeached. There's nothing better than the false pretense of intellectual capacity to prove that one does not have it.

Did any of you read the comments on Matthew Good's posting of these? Every one of them is "see, Americans and especially American conservatives are idiots because they don't believe what we believe. QED." Why can't these lefties just argue a case based on facts and logic for once? Name-calling is not the way to convince someone he is wrong.

I used to travel to Canada on business quite often and would agree with angry_in_t_o. They have the same situation we have; many, many people with common sense and moral values and a MSM that toes the liberal line and spouts non-stop anti-Americanism.

Canada: America's Hat

Angry in T O -- I hope it works, eh.

We spent summer vacation in the Gulf Islands (B.C.) last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. The reaction from folks who asked where we were from (Texas) couldn't have been more shocked if we told them we were from the moon. It was a lot like the U.S., moonbats in the metropolitan areas (Victoria, Vancouver) and good people elsewhere. We totally avoided politics and except for a waitress in Sidney who sniffed when I declined a Perrier, the trip was politically uneventful.

What can you expect from goodie-two-shoes people from an emotionally immature country which forms a peer loving and sexual relationship with a certain parent country, such that the parent-child relationship becomes eroticized and then disguised/ denied/ repressed, so the child is in constant turmoil around subtle and hidden inc*st on the one hand, and around rejection and abandonment-anxiety on the other?

Canada is like an annoying little brother always vaying for our attention while being jealous that we are the bigger brother.

Look, its penis envy plain and simple. I mean half their country is in the arctic circle. What'd they think would happen to stick'n'balls after a life-long exposure to that kind of temperature. They're lucky if they can procreate.

The Weekly Standatd had a great article last week on Canada and it's obsession with the U.S.

Canada: The Great White Waste.

First of all, I've lived in Canada all my life, and I have never even seen Canadian bacon. Secondly, Canadians are NOT losers, I'm a Canadian. Ok, bad example.

If I could, I'd trade Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Delaware to Canada in exchange for Alberta.

Any takers?

Jack M., throw in Michigan and we'll take a province to be named later.

No- not New Hampshire! New Hampshire is logging trucks, battered pick-ups, perilous mountains and flannel as far as the eye can see. New Hampshire makes Vermont (the Volvo state) nervous. We need New Hampshire.

New Hampshire should update its already feisty slogan to 'Live Free or Die- Fuck Yeah!'

That would look awesome on a license plate.

Just as it is with the Islamo-nutters, the animosity comes from differing relationships with women. It's like living next door to Troy Aikman for those guys up there.

American men, what with our huge, bulbous penises, more money and much better breath, are simply more desirable to American and Canadian women alike. Canadian men also know that if the women they're with weren't suffering from inferiority issues they'd be living in Miami and dating men with normal-to-large size willies.

This is going to lead to problems, guys. I'm surprised it isn't worse than it is, frankly.

Let's Be Honest: Canadians Are Losers

Nood, I'm sure Ace meant no offense.
Your countrymen are all totally queer. I hope you aren't taking that the wrong way. Canadians are spiteful children compared to our beefy American men. I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Brew fan, wait a minute I live in michigan the tip of the mitt to be exact, you can't just get rid of us like that, let me at least have a chance to pack my bags and snowshoes.

RR,

I actually like Michgan people because they share an equal disdain for the FIBs :)

p.s. Go UWM Panthers!

I was in Nunavet Province last summer. The owner of the lodge liked Guns and Dubya. Great guy to talk to. The few folks I've met in Alberta and Saskatchawan seem to have their heads on straight.

I was hoping we could bring back that loving feeling by ragging on polar bears some more, but I suppose Canadians are close enough.

> throw in Michigan and we'll take a province to be named later.

Sure, give 'em the lower part, but keep the U.P. And put some missile silos there so the Canadians don't get any funny ideas.

So I guess my ealier plea to cut Canadians some slack as there are a lot of conservatives here working hard to turn things around isn't really working.

Oh well.

I guess I'll just stand here and continue to suffer the insults. What a crappy day this is turning out to be...

Cheers everyone

I am a Canadian and I am embarassed that smugness and self-righteous have become predominant national characters. It's easy to be morally superior from the sidelines. I really am sorry.

Sigh. I am so incredibly sick, tired, and ashamed of the pompous whining of my fellow Canadians... The sad reality is that there is precious little that unifies Canada (hockey and beer notwithstanding) beyond arrogent anti-americanism. Althought the responses are solid and reasonable, unfortunately, the original poster was not looking for cogent answers--each question was posed rhetorically, with the implicit statement "why are you guys so dumb?". Dialog is not the intent--the questions were posed only to denigrate. I cringe is shame.

While I can not apologize on this dipstick's behalf, rest assured that there is a minority of us here who disagree with him vehemently.

I cut Canada a lot of slack because, among other things, Toronto is awash with gorgeous women. The fact that a disproportionate amount are apparently quite dim is a plus, not a minus.

we'll take the prarie provinces and the territories...the rest.....uhhh.....no thanks

Kevin................What hockey? So that leaves Beer, hum...ok beer it is!!! prost!!!!

Angry in TO,

Lighten up! We're just pulling on your Cougar Boot.

Americans just hate Canadians because Canada always comes across as (rightfully so) morally superior.

Most countries love Canada, and most hate the States. Sorry, fact of life. And the way you'd hear Americans complain about Canada, you'd think it's Americans that have the penis envy. hahahaha...

We need Canada. It's our dumping ground for our wimpy leftists.

I think we should close the border every once in awhile to tank their economy, and remind them who holds their balls.

Kevin's got a point. A hefty minority of Canadians hate the way Canuckistan is run, and a hefty minority of Americans would love to see this country run along the same lines. Follow up the "I'm sorry, Canada" link over at Alarming News for yet another taste of our local moonbats' self-loathing.

I think it was C. S. Lewis who pointed out that whenever someone insists that they're better than you, it's safe to assume that they don't really believe it.

Touche, Shamu!

But I am always amazed at how much the US is a topic in Canada, while news of Canada is relatively scarce in US news sources.

I think its a matter of relevance.

Log Cabin, that would be SO awesome for Canadians...considering the U.S. imports more oil from Canada than Saudi Arabia, not to mention all the lumber to build your houses, your clean water for your desert communities, and a bunch of other natural resources Americans lack. As well as the cheaper drugs for your grandparents who can't afford them in the States.

Great thinking Loggy! If you try real hard, you could be PRESIDENT some day!

If I could, I'd trade Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Delaware to Canada in exchange for Alberta.

Hey now, wait a minute...I'm from Maine and we have...uh...LOBSTER...yeah, uh, lobster and STEPHEN KING.

So if you want to lose your access to horror novels and cockroach of the sea lobster, then go ahead, get rid of Maine...I dare you!

And in response to "angry," we do appreciate you Canadian conservatives - keep up the good work.

Well, lauraw, as Pierre Trudeau once said (paraphrasing): when you sleep next to an elephant, you're going to be woken up from time to time. He might have been a total soc1alist, but he was right about that.

I think Shamu is on to something.
To use the Dowd "high school as life" template, Canadia is the suck up class president who does anything to be popular, but caves at the first sign of real conflict.
And if that makes Canadians happy good for them.

America is the big jock who just wants to play football. And if the little Iraqi kid is going to tie our shoes together or attmept to assasinate our ex-presidents, we'll corner him in the parking lot.

Damn I love my country!

yeap, the elephant does get horny once in a while.

Pierre Trudeau, didn't he play for da Maple Leafs?

It's been my experience that folks from B.C. and Alberta are much more "American" in outlook (or "oot-look", to take a cheap shot), whereas the eastern provinces tend to be more "european". I've often thought that the Western provinces will eventually request annexation by the US or simply secede from Canada and form their own country.

LOOK OOT! LOOK OOT! Polar bear, eh!

Heh. Canadians talk funny.

"Lighten up! We're just pulling on your Cougar Boot."

I know. That's why I keep coming back for more. ;)

In the meantime, I will continue my pleading, "Please help us! We need your support! What? No, I'm not calling from PBS during pleadge week!"

Cheers

You have our support, now we want your beer.

There's got to be some quid pro quo here.

"And in response to 'angry,' we do appreciate you Canadian conservatives - keep up the good work."

Thanks, we'll plugging away.

To use the Dowd "high school as life" template, Canadia is the suck up class president who does anything to be popular, but caves at the first sign of real conflict.
And if that makes Canadians happy good for them.

Meh, Canadians don't try to be popular, they just are. People prefer to have conversations (which is what happens when you talk with Canadians...or most other country's citizens, for that matter) as opposed to being told what to do (which is what happens when you talk to Americans. Especially when the people doing the lecturing aren't really looking out for your well-being, just their own.

Of course, to use the Dowd example even further, America could be seen as the spoiled brat who used to get its way, and throws a tantrum when it doesn't?

"You have our support, now we want your beer."

Of course you do. I've tasted your stuff.

Any country that produces John Candy and leslie Nielson cant be all bad.

Oh, and Shania Twains sweet ass too.

Hey, don't forget Gordon Light...never mine.

Honestly, Canada is only considered a country because the USA Humors those numb nuts. Mexico could kick Canadas pasty white ass. Hell France might be able to beat em (Maybe to close to call on that one.) Why do we even care what those dizzy bitches even think ( Oh wait, we dont)

Meh, Canadians don't try to be popular, they just are.

Can-nuck, please! You are the goth chick, art college bound country of this planet. You're not cool enough for the popular crowd, so you react by defining your national identity solely in terms of us, i.e. what you are not - Not Americaness. It is impossible to imagine an American thinking the reverse. In fact, it's impossible to imagine an American thinking about Canada at all. One, I'm probably the only American who knows that you're technically independent of the U.S., and Two... Damn, even the mere mention of your country's name has rendered my comment whiny and self-serious. Geez, I apologise to my fellow Americans (And please, don't get all whiny about how you're American's too. That only makes other country's snicker behind your back.)

Lauraw got it right...

Americans don't hate Canadians...we simply don't think about you at all. You're just there.

BTW Canadians, that was me with the Can-nuck please comment. Apparantly my subconsious knew that a post about you wasn't even worth signing in for. As a matter of fact, I retract it in it's entirety. I'm embarrassd for my effort.

And as the wonderful UN/Canadian peacekeeping record shows, converstion accomplishs so much more than telling people what to do. It sure worked in Rwanda!
Most countries "get along with" (ignore) Canadia because it is so useless. Really what it Canadia going to do to the Norks, send some blue helmets over to give them a stern talking too? Canadia has made itself irrelevent, the eunech-americans which the french pansies wish the USA was. Besides I do seem to recall a few Canadian PMs "ordering" Americans what to do. We just ignored them.

The spoiled brat analogy fails becasue if you ignore a spoiled brat he can't do anything but whine. Kind of like Canadia. Ignore us and we can kick you're ass "Fuck Yeah!"

I have a family member who likes to play online poker.

Whenever he sits down, he types in the chat box, "Good luck everyone......."

"except Canadians."

The resulting outrage never fails to make me laugh.

"You have our support, now we want your beer."

Of course you do. I've tasted your stuff.

Actually, I live in Maine so Canadian beer is readily available up here. I'll probably start a thread-war with this statement, but I think America does have one excellent beer - Sam Adams Boston Lager.

The only good thing to have come out of Boston for quite awhile, actually.

Kevin,

Trust us, we know there are some good Canadians.

But it sort of lacks punch to say "Let's Be Honest: A Substantial Majority of Canadians are Losers."

Know that we are talking about your douchebaggier brethren, not you.

I will give Canada credit for one (aggregated) export:

I always did think Bob and Doug McKenzie (Take off to the Great White North, take off..it's a beauty way to go..Koo loo koo koo koo loo koo kooo) was a pretty funny skit on SCTV.

I even liked Strange Brew. Of course, I was 11 when it came out, so what did I know.

Well, to be honest, staking our reputation on the irrefutable proof we established that Iraq had massive stockpiles of WMD turned out to be a little more embarassing to American credibility than a former President having a blow job.

If Bush, Powell, Cheney,Tenet, (and the neocons that never got laid in college) had instead spent their time getting blowjobs from hugely hot Canadian babes in Vancouver and Toronto....all that embarassment could have been avoided.

Think of it in a different way. We are in a meeting with the Norks nailing them to the wall. "Your country is a disgrace, Kim Jong Il! People starving, economy 1/35th the size of S Koreas, a stupid nuclear strategy. You are driving your vountry to ruin!" To which Jong Il replies: "So what! The bigger offense that makes what you say about us pale in comparison is PM Kaziumi had a blowjob and Secretary Rice a carpet-munching!"

Canada hasn't had a good sexual scandal since Margeret Trudeau was presenting the world with fine full beaver shots in the 70's. There is of course rampant perversion and sick sexual kink occuring everywhere with people and animals - openly - in a part of Canada. But that is Quebec, the people Canucks, a sort of lesser race, and they are so irrelevant other than insisting on having their dying language pasted on everything that it really doesn't matter.

Truth be told, think of Bush & Co as dumb blunderers on Iraq that got the big things wrong - no WMD, welcome as liberators, oil will pay for the whole American effort there - but are lucking out as other things shake from the tree we walked face first into.

We got Libya to fold and the AQ Khan network - a menace worse than whatever we believed Iraq was up to - flushed out. We got Arafatdying at a good time (any time in the last 30 years would have been good) at the same point the Israelis realized the more land they grabbed the more Palestinians might be citizens in the future. We got Arabs doing nascent Democratic things. We've "only" lost 1550 dead and 11,000 wounded - small for a strategic war. We got many of Bush's wealthy benefactors richer on some piddling Iraqi contracts but more importantly on rocketing prices for oil, gold, China trade, and real estate. We did suck up 300 billion in costs, but we have already figured out how to cut taxes for the wealthy, borrow from foreign nations, and stick our kids paying off the interest and principal of the Bush Years.

Fuck the kids. It's just simple payback for their years of whining for more truckloads of Chinese made toys and 100 dollar sneakers, for annoying us with rap and hip-hop music. While they are downloading music, we are hocking their future.

When I was eighteen years old, I went on a trip to Venezuela. One night in town I overheard American style English being spoken by some people who were not from my group. I walked over to say Hello and to ask them where they were from.

The girl I greeted said stonily, 'We're not from the US, we're Canadian,' and then turned her back on me. Her little group then proceeded to talk among themselves and pointedly ignore me.

With a red face I returned to my friends and told them what happened. A Venezuelan guy who was with us said, 'Those Canadians, we get lots of them here. They're cheap, they hate you Americans, and they don't know how to have fun.'

So there's my worthless little slice of life from long ago.

Leave it to Cedarford to turn a perfectly good Canada-bashing post into a extended tinfoil hat rant about the evils of the Bush administration.

Slublog...if Cedarwacker is the poster (yawn), I don't even bother...just move on to the next comment.

Thanks a lot Cedarford. I was just searching Google for Margaret+ Trudeau+ fine+ full+ beaver+ shots and I just keep running into this stupid post.

If Cedarford didn't exist, Ace would have to create him.

If Ace had created him, he'd be a lot funnier.

I blame the j00z.

While they are downloading music, we are hocking their future.

Well, DUH.
You got a better way to distract them while we sell them into virtual slavery to the Chinese?
Honestly, sometimes I don't think you're keeping up with the program.

Sorry to hear your Trudeau beaver hunt isn't going well. May I suggest other Canadian beavertail browsing? Carrie Ann-Moss, Shannon Tweed, Alainis Morisette, Sheryl Crowe, Pam Anderson, etc., etc.

The post, BTW was on the WMD question - and unless you are a flag waving America is never wrong jingoist.....you have to admit we looked pretty stupid not finding any WMD then compounding the embarassment with constant reminders that Iraq is a big place - why they could be buried anywhere! That Iraq was as big as California....then the fervid claims of some that said Israeli intelligence (which has never steered the US wrong to serve it's own purposes) tracked secret convoys to Syria. So all the WMD must be in Syria, buried there.

It took over a year for the Administration to finally admit "No WMDs".

Now, it's a harsh reflection on human nature - but sometimes it is a pleasure to see people or nations that constantly lecture others on how to behave - Kofi, Martha, France, the USA - end up with egg on their face.

Unless and until evidence is found, I'll agree it's embarrassing. But you've got to admit this article on "looting" is interesting:

The New York Times

March 13, 2005 Sunday
Late Edition - Final

SECTION: Section 1; Column 5; Foreign Desk; THE CONFLICT IN IRAQ: THE LOOTING; Pg. 1

HEADLINE: Looting at Weapons Plants Was Systematic, Iraqi Says

BYLINE: By JAMES GLANZ and WILLIAM J. BROAD

and unless you are a flag waving America is never wrong jingoist....

....is that truly the only possibility, or are you presuming people take themselves as seriously as you do yourself?

So it took an entire year of searching before they gave up. Wow, that's shocking. Guess we need to rely a little less on sigint and try some humint? Oh wait, we need to publicly lynch someone for this. So morale will improve.

Anything to justify your personal jihad, after all.

Ignore cedarford, he is just another anti-semetic whiner that has been booted from just about all the other blogs

A message to my pals in Canuckistan:

President George W. Bush shone a light on the world and now all the filthy cockroaches are scurrying for cover.

Bill Clinton got a hummer under the desk.

Any more questions, dickwad?

Angry in TO and others like him...I'm aware my following comments do not apply to all Canadians, and its always nice to meet those who think like you do.

I was born in the USA and moved to Canada when I was about 7. Since then,(quite literally) I've dealt with America bashing. KCTrio, I loved your post. Unfortunately it will fall on deaf ears, of course, but I appreciate it.

It's surprisingly common to hear Canadians light-heartedly chatting about how great it would be if there was another Pearl Harbour or 9/11. Mostly not serious, but I certainly don't share their sense of humor. 2 Canadians were killed in the WTC attacks, and 2 were killed by insurgents/terrorists in Iraq. Hardly got a mention in the papers. However, when 4 Canadians were accidentally killed by an American pilot (you recall the incident?) , for weeks the first 3 pages of the paper had at least one item about the event. Outrage that the Americans would do something like this. (Clearly, the pilot dropped the bomb because he knew they were Canadians and Americans just wish they could be from Canada)

Canadians #1 reason for thinking Americans are stupid is that Americans think Canada is cold...these same Canadians, when questioned about how they're dealing with the cold weather, will say, "I can handle it. I'm Canadian. I'm used to the cold." Not to mention the fact that over 50% of Canada is permanently frozen. Over 90% of the population lives within 200 miles of the American border, where it gets hot in the summer, but the winter's are a hell of a lot colder. I don't think it's a stretch to suggest that if they were to compare the weather in Southern Ontario and say...New York , they would find that Canada is in fact COLD!

My last point is that Canadians are jealous. They won't admit, but the comment I hear the most from Canadians re: Americans? "They all think their country is the greatest in the world." Pretty well word for word. Someone I lived with 2 years ago commented during the California forest fires, "it serves them right for thinking they're better than us."

What country do Canadians think is the best country in the world? Canada, of course. So the #1 reason to hate Americans? They think they're great, but why doesn't anyone notice that we're greater??? Note: I can think of a few reasons.... (Not that they will admit it. Most will spout something that they heard was in Fahrenheit 9/11, not that they bothered seeing it)

For you Canadians, the reason that American's do not know a lot about the great Nation of Canada is not that they're stupid. It's that Canada is pretty well a non-entity when it comes to International Affairs. They don't need to know a lot about Canada. On the flip side, Canadians don't seem to know a whole lot about Americans either. I could only laugh during the olympics when the "letters to the editor" sections in the papers were filled with, "American's think they're so great, always rubbing their medals in our faces. We have better things to do than win medals at stupid sporting events." Now, this is not an exact quote, but if I could possibly find the article (not even going to try) I'm sure that I'm pretty close. The thing is, (for you Canadians again) America was not rubbing medals in your face; you were rubbing the medals in your own face.

Canada is not really a proud country, as you claim. The sad part is, Canada/Canadians have a lot to be proud of. You would rather cheer whenever there is bad news in America than cheer about good news at home. People I know sat around the TV watching Americans during the Olympics hoping for a loss instead of sitting down to cheer on Canada.

Canadians, (I am one of them, by the way), and any Americans, if you've seen the commercials; have you ever REALLY watched the 'I AM CANADIAN' beer commercials that the country loves so much? Listen closely. The commercials are not, 'I AM CANADIAN' commercials at all. The message is, "I'M NOT AMERICAN".

I've lived in Japan for a couple of months now, and I could only smile at the pictures of Canadians on classroom walls...wearing Parkas and fishing from igloos. THAT IS THE IMAGE CANADA HAS PAINTED OF ITSELF.

One last point that a previous poster did touch on...being 'educated' to hate Americans. I can recall being in high school History and the course focussing on America's 'mistakes'. "During the 1920's, America isolated itself from the rest of the world." (msg: American's don't care about anyone else) By the way, I'm not disagreeing with the 20's statement, its just the msg afterword that they choose to teach. And following that, of course, "America is always trying to stick it's nose where it doesn't belong". MAKE UP YOUR MIND!!! I don't see Canada doing a thing for peace. The gov't would not even consider sending any real manpower overseas (partly because they might have to rent planes from Russia and China like they did when they sent a team to Indonesia following the earthquake/tsunami at the end of 2004). But mostly because the government here has stayed in power so long by remaining anti-american. To the new PM's credit (Paul Martin), he seems to be trying to walk the fence and reach out a little to America. The reason he has to walk that fence is that he's in a situation right now with a minority government, and he can't afford to lose any more support. (Canada's system is much like the British system, where the winning candidate is the one whose party has won the most 'seats' in the house of commons, or the Canadian Congress, if you will) Right now the Liberal party does not have a majority and sometimes needs support from other parties. Unfortunately for them, their major opposition is from the Conservative party, the party most likely to help them out with issues concerning Canada-America relations.

I think that's about all I care to cover for now...and more than what you care to read...sorry for the odd arrangement of ideas...it's tough to sort everything out in these little boxes :)

The spoiled brat analogy fails becasue if you ignore a spoiled brat he can't do anything but whine. Kind of like Canadia.

Haha, yeah, whining is one thing Americans have gotten pretty good at. Whining to the UN to support the Iraq invasion, whining to Canada to join missle defence, whining to its public about Social Security reform. C'mon, you're spoiled brats. You can't live in denial forever.

Ignore us and we can kick you're ass "Fuck Yeah!"

Hahaha, yeah, I guess that's why America is so popular? Maybe the spoiled brat comment wasn't encompassing enough...I mean, to follow the school year analogy even more, I guess America also fits the bully role, as well. It is, after all, fairly obvious that Americans gain what "popularity" they seem to have on the world stage by threatening force of some kind.

Anyways, it's getting off topic. Fact is Canadians are better-liked, more respected, and generally cooler than the U.S. Tough to accept, but don't worry, you'll realize it someday. :)

"defence"

We'd be getting along much better if you Canadians would assimilate.

If the US were a weak country, Canada would have been annexed to the USSR years ago.

A country so sparsely populated, and so loaded with natural resources...come on now. Get real.
If we were really the bullies who ruled the world by force, Canada would be the 51st state.

The fact is, we are hostile to the true bullies- the aggressive states that other countries would prefer to mollify and suck up to.

'Popularity' is as worthless as it is ephemeral. If France, Canada, Germany, et al 'liked' us, they still would have opposed us on the war because they were involved in the Oil-for-Palaces scam.

There is no such thing as friendship between nations. There is only national interest.

Oh, and you can buy real Cuban cigars in Canada. Perhaps the best reason to visit The Great White North.

"and you can buy real Cuban cigars in Canada"

No offense, but the reason you can do that is Canada has been pandering to Fidel these oh so many years.

To quote Val at http://www.babalublog.com/ fidel castro can kiss my ass!!!

If we had no problem with communism, we could import goods from the slave-nation too.

"If the US were a weak country, Canada would have been annexed to the USSR years ago."

I don't recall saying the U.S. was a weak country. I just said they're the world's bully. It's true. Neocons don't like to believe it, but it's pretty clear to the other 98% of the world's population.

"The fact is, we are hostile to the true bullies- the aggressive states that other countries would prefer to mollify and suck up to."

Haha, yeah, like Iran. Man, you sure showed them when you gave them cash from the arms sales to the Contras...or, maybe Iran isn't the big bully you're making them out to be?

"No offense, but the reason you can do that is Canada has been pandering to Fidel these oh so many years."

Nah, it's not really pandering. We just realize that the Cold War is over, and so is any real reason to keep Cuba in the dark. I know it's infuriating to not be able to dominate a country so close to you, but c'mon, pandering? Last time I checked, the U.S. didn't set the foreign policy of the rest of the world. Don't like it? Too bad.

Last time I checked, the U.S. didn't set the foreign policy of the rest of the world.

Which is it? Are we the world's bully, or does the rest of the world set its own foreign policy free of our influence? Make sense, man.

"Haha, yeah, whining is one thing Americans have gotten pretty good at. Whining to the UN to support the Iraq invasion, whining to Canada to join missle defence, whining to its public about Social Security reform. C'mon, you're spoiled brats. You can't live in denial forever."

Whining to the UN to support Iraq? There's really no logic at all to your argument, as every one could go the other way. How about the UN whining to the USA not to go to war with Iraq? Iraqs debt to France, Russia, and Germany is well over the $100 billion mark. And the Americans are rebuilding the country, while Canadians sit back and watch Fahrenheit 9/11 thinking that they're doing their part. Also, if you recall, it was countries like France, Russia, and Germany that kept Saddam Hussein in gold toilets with the oil-for-food scandal.

Whining to Canada to join missile defence? How about Canada whining to remove tariffs from softwood lumber? What Canadians don't realize is that a lot of Americans don't favor free trade. It would be beneficial for American's not to. And by your logic, any talks between countries could be considered 'whining'. I think when we talk about Canada's whining, its completely different. I don't really think pushing for the border to open to cattle is whining, it's just trying to make a deal in the interest of Canada.

Whining about social security reform? How about Canadian's whining about health care reform? Or Canadians whining about gas prices? Or Canadians whining about the Sponsorship scandal? THESE ARE JUST DOMESTIC ISSUES that countries deal with.

Damn Iraqis. The have one little ruthless dictator and they whine, whine, whine.

And as for it being obvious that Americans get what 'popularity' they have by bullying, and that Canadians are "obviously" better-liked, more respected, and generally cooler...
WHAT?

If that is the case, then people are just mislead because they don't know anything about Canada...and probably don't really care. Shamu, I recommend you read Will Fergusons, "Why I hate Canadians." It's not what it sounds like exactly. He's a Canadian author who is just sick of Canadians little myths that they entertain themselves with that mostly involve comparing themselves to the USA. You'll be happy to know he's anti-american too. Read my above post, too, if you would so I don't have to delve into this again.

And I grew up in Canada, and I know how you feel about Americans. I would venture that Canada has a higher percentage of people that hate America than most other countries...they're just too stoned to find a reason.

Speaking of which, I have a penpal in Iraq who was filling me in on the situation in Fallujah, specifically. Do you know why those people hate Americans? Someone told them Night Vision Goggles were for seeing throught heir wives clothes...seriously. It's not their fault, they were just denied an education by a ruthless dictator. Hating American's is popular (and not with good reason, unless jealousy is a good reason) and Canada is the country with the least to complain about. There's another blog on this website about Canada, and KCTrio posts the stats for Canadas imports and exports. Take a look.

In case you missed it, the point I was trying to get at with NVG in Fallujah is that just because they hate Americans doesn't mean they have a good reason. They might hate Canadians if Canada had planes to fly their military past Halifax.

"We just realize that the Cold War is over, and so is any real reason to keep Cuba in the dark"

You need to brush up on your history a little. Canada was trading with Cuba well before the end of the cold war.

I see they haven't closed up that wormhole to the Bearded Spock universe.

Which is it? Are we the world's bully, or does the rest of the world set its own foreign policy free of our influence? Make sense, man.

The point you're missing is that the U.S (as the bully) insists its foreign policy decisions be paramount in other countries. They (other countries) do, as you point out, set their own foreign policies, but often to the sound of bitching from the U.S.

Whining to the UN to support Iraq? There's really no logic at all to your argument, as every one could go the other way. How about the UN whining to the USA not to go to war with Iraq? Iraqs debt to France, Russia, and Germany is well over the $100 billion mark. And the Americans are rebuilding the country, while Canadians sit back and watch Fahrenheit 9/11 thinking that they're doing their part. Also, if you recall, it was countries like France, Russia, and Germany that kept Saddam Hussein in gold toilets with the oil-for-food scandal.

Point taken, arguments do go back and forth. Although I doubt that expressing displeasure over the US's invasion of Iraq is on the same level. UN members wanted more evidence of WMDs, evidence that obviously never existed. Going to war is a pretty big committment. You don't follow just because the US says it's legit.

Oh, and sure, Germany and France kept Saddam on gold toilets during oil-for-food. The US also kept him on gold toilets while he was gassing Kurds. What's the argument trying to be made here?

Whining to Canada to join missile defence? How about Canada whining to remove tariffs from softwood lumber?

The difference is that there isn't any proven threat from any of the countries Bush cites as a reason for missle defence. I mean, if Iran and North Korea are going to pursue nuclear weapons, you can be sure Bush will bomb their reactors into obliveon. So, why the need for missles in space? On the other hand, the threat to Canada's softwood lumber economy is pretty real and evident. Canada has won numerous bilateral trade decisions that its softwood selling practices are legit and within the free trade rules drawn up by both sides. The US refuses to follow these judgements. So, please, tell me how protesting these violations of the US constitutes as whining. Whining is when you're not entitled to something. Canada is entitled to the decisions rendered.

What Canadians don't realize is that a lot of Americans don't favor free trade.

What you don't realize is that most American corporations that do business with either Mexico or Canada DO favour free trade. And its their opinion and their contribution to GDP growth that matters, not yours. What's a corporation not to love about sending a few million jobs to Mexico and make its shareholders more money?

I don't really think pushing for the border to open to cattle is whining, it's just trying to make a deal in the interest of Canada.

Good point. Trade negotiations don't really qualify as whining, unless you have a country complaining about the decisions that have been made based on rules they helped create. Then, you pretty much have to call a spade a spade.

And as for it being obvious that Americans get what 'popularity' they have by bullying, and that Canadians are "obviously" better-liked, more respected, and generally cooler...
WHAT?

What's not to understand?

And I grew up in Canada, and I know how you feel about Americans.

Actually, you don't know how I feel about Americans. I like Americans, I just don't like ignorance or hypocrisy.

They might hate Canadians if Canada had planes to fly their military past Halifax.

They might, except 1) it's the US that's invaded their country, and 2) Canada isn't the country that looks to invade others. ;)

You need to brush up on your history a little. Canada was trading with Cuba well before the end of the cold war.

Yup, because the embargo was the US's. Of course, now that communism is pretty much gone from the world, the US still feels like it needs some kind of victory over Cuba. The fact it keeps failing has pissed off numerous administrations. What exactly is the US looking to accomplish in Cuba?

Canadians are losers because they misunderstand each other.

Think of 30 million people all going in each a different direction every single day.

Get the picture.