Hi fellas! I have just joined it and I´m not sure about how can I use it right. I´m a brazilian girl who is interested in learn about Canadian people and culture, because I´m studying English in my graduation degree, but I don´t want to learn british or american accent and culture. I like Canada and I´d like to know if is supposed that americans and canadians don´t like each orther? I´ve heard something about it and I´ve decided to search for more informations. Could you help me? thank you.
Americans against Canadians???
- Thread starter Brazilian guest
- Start date
Brazilian guest said:
Hi Brazilian!
Welcome to Canadian Content.You can sure say that some Americans don't like Canadians and some Canadians don't like Americans. But we do get along every now and then. Most Canadians don't agree with American politics and such recent moves by the American government like attacking Iraq or their banning of Canadian beef.
Canadians and Americans are both very different culturally. In Canada, you could come here as a Brazilian and be part of your own Brazilian community and even have your own part of town. You can also enjoy other cultures and languages throughout our cities. It is not exactly the same in the USA.
Canada is more socialist country that the USA and by that, you get free healthcare, less expensive medecine and you have many more services the government offers you for free or for very little. Like learning English. Our government has programs where you can learn English or French for free.
If you have any specific questions, let us know. We can probably answer them
RE: Americans against Can
I think the cofusion is over whether we don't like Americans or if we like them well enough to try to keep them from making the rest of the world hate them.
Since you are Brazilian, I'll give an example from your country. When George Bush was first refusing to be governed by the ICC or IJC the US sent a memo sent a communique out stating point blank that if countries wouldn't guarantee US citizens immunity from prosecution they would cut military aid and or trade.
The Brazilian government, very publicly, told George Bush that they didn't like being threatened and pointed out what he could do with the nearest rolling donut. Canadians very quietly refused to take a stand, but were quite vocal about signing up to the conventions of the international courts.
Personally I think we'd do better to take strong stands like the Brazilian government did, but we tend to try to work quietly behind the scenes. That sends a lot of mixed messages.
I think the cofusion is over whether we don't like Americans or if we like them well enough to try to keep them from making the rest of the world hate them.
Since you are Brazilian, I'll give an example from your country. When George Bush was first refusing to be governed by the ICC or IJC the US sent a memo sent a communique out stating point blank that if countries wouldn't guarantee US citizens immunity from prosecution they would cut military aid and or trade.
The Brazilian government, very publicly, told George Bush that they didn't like being threatened and pointed out what he could do with the nearest rolling donut. Canadians very quietly refused to take a stand, but were quite vocal about signing up to the conventions of the international courts.
Personally I think we'd do better to take strong stands like the Brazilian government did, but we tend to try to work quietly behind the scenes. That sends a lot of mixed messages.
Thank you for explain. I´d like to know if you have watched SOTH PARK - the movie. I´d like to know if that kind of feeling really exists. Don´t they like your culture? I´ve never heard anything like that before watched it. ok, I know that that´s a movie and is´t unreal, but this situation makes me remember of the jokes we do with argentines and portugueses.
In my opinion, Canada is more polite and has a lot of opportunity for foreigns. I´m taking my graduation degree and after that, I´m looking forward to learn french and travel to Canada. We are often receiving proposes of courses there, mainly from Quebec. Maybe I´ll take my master´s or doctor´s degree there.
And you are not alone in this situation of range against USA. Anybody likes USA. Just England. Spain had paid for standing by them. Bush is mad and I think that he wants to became king of the world. I´m afraid of a possible war agains Brazil. Not now, but in a few decades, water will finish in the world. And wich country has the major water concentration in the world? WE!. If USA continue with this government who attacks countries without a real good reason, we are in troubles...
In my opinion, Canada is more polite and has a lot of opportunity for foreigns. I´m taking my graduation degree and after that, I´m looking forward to learn french and travel to Canada. We are often receiving proposes of courses there, mainly from Quebec. Maybe I´ll take my master´s or doctor´s degree there.
And you are not alone in this situation of range against USA. Anybody likes USA. Just England. Spain had paid for standing by them. Bush is mad and I think that he wants to became king of the world. I´m afraid of a possible war agains Brazil. Not now, but in a few decades, water will finish in the world. And wich country has the major water concentration in the world? WE!. If USA continue with this government who attacks countries without a real good reason, we are in troubles...
Welcome Brazillian!
I don't think it's so much that Canadians hate Americans. I know a lot of American's that I don't hate. We just hate what America has come to stand for, especially over the last few years. American seems to be driven by the need to control the world, as you said, under King Bush.
So, I wouldn't generalize that we hate Americans, just mostly their politics, their corrupt president, and their Christian fundamentalist ideals.
I don't think it's so much that Canadians hate Americans. I know a lot of American's that I don't hate. We just hate what America has come to stand for, especially over the last few years. American seems to be driven by the need to control the world, as you said, under King Bush.
So, I wouldn't generalize that we hate Americans, just mostly their politics, their corrupt president, and their Christian fundamentalist ideals.
Ok. Politically, all the world is against USA. But talking about culture, is it true that you make jokes with each other? Brazilians make jokes with argentines and portugueses, I´ve already said it, and the reason for these jokes is the history of these countries. Brazil was colonized by Portugal, and a lot of things happened in our history making brazilian people think that portugueses are not so intelligent as "we are". I don´t think so, but the most part of population agrees. And about argentines is almost the same thing. I live in the south of Brazil, near to Argentine, Paraguay and Uruguay. My state is called Rio Grande do Sul and we are more identificated with the culture and even the language of these countries than with culture and accent of the north and northeast of our own country. But in São Paulo, the biggest city of Brazil, and in Rio de Janeiro, the most famous, they really don´t like argentines. The reason for that is football, mainly. So, this kind of "rage" is not often political, but cultural. Does it happen there? In this movie I was talking about, SOUTH PARK, there are some interesting scenes that shows the americans burning things from Canada, for example some Alanis' CDs. And even the way that they draw canadians. The cartoon of americans is superior, more developed, and the canadian's is very simple, they even drow a mouth for canadians!! There is other scene that they are in a ONU meeting and two canadian guys were speaking and they pronounced a word (I don´t remember exactaly wich word is that) and all the americans laugh a lot, because that wasn´t the correct pronounce for them. This is just a cultural crash, in my opinion. Do you agree?
RE: Americans against Can
There's a cultural component to it for sure. Something to remember about the South Park movie is that they were making fun of the friction between some Americans and some Canadians, and exaggerated it as a result.
Most of the friction comes from Canada being fairly far to the left politically and culturally while the US is increasingly to right.
There's a cultural component to it for sure. Something to remember about the South Park movie is that they were making fun of the friction between some Americans and some Canadians, and exaggerated it as a result.
Most of the friction comes from Canada being fairly far to the left politically and culturally while the US is increasingly to right.
My experience is that Americans don't now the first thing about Canada or its people. I think it's a defensive reaction because we only hear that Canadians hate America.
I dont think Canada is "FAR" to the left - if anything, it is maybe around 60 out of 100 - 50 being "centrist" (whatever the Hell that is).
It was probably in the low 70's under Mulroney (a phony conservative it ever there was one), and in the low 80's (sometimes) under Trudeau.
But we NEVER had people rounded up and spending time In "Re-Education Camps".
It was probably in the low 70's under Mulroney (a phony conservative it ever there was one), and in the low 80's (sometimes) under Trudeau.
But we NEVER had people rounded up and spending time In "Re-Education Camps".
solarstance said:
Well, not actually Solarstance - its because your Education system focuses mainly on INTERNAL History, maybe with some nodding toss toward European history, in so far as it affected Early America. But thats all.
And your Media focuses either on what fat loudmouth is getting the latest ratings on AM Radio, what liberal Whiner is making a movie lately, or what is going on in the world that MAY have something to do with America.... and it if doesnt - well, then never mind.
RE: Americans against Can
We don't really hate the American people as such. We hate what the American Administrations had done to the world. Either with us or against us. This is what hate. Some US citizens think that they own the world and everybody else is inferior to them. Well they are wrong. Canada and Candians beat them on the international stage every single time.
Our hands are clean of blood and we are proud to serve as peacekeepers around the world contrary to our southern "friends".
We don't really hate the American people as such. We hate what the American Administrations had done to the world. Either with us or against us. This is what hate. Some US citizens think that they own the world and everybody else is inferior to them. Well they are wrong. Canada and Candians beat them on the international stage every single time.
Our hands are clean of blood and we are proud to serve as peacekeepers around the world contrary to our southern "friends".
That depends on what you mean "left" though, Ten Packs. I wouldn't consider China or the former USSR to be leftist. They show(ed) little or no social or religious tolerance and restrict(ed) personal freedoms. They were/are police states and communist dictatorships, but the values they espouse are not in line with western leftism.
Canada, or at least most Canadians people who answer polls, does lean fairly far to left when it comes to social and religious tolerance and personal freedoms.
The United States has become quite intolerant in the last twenty years or so. Dissension is increasingly discouraged, strict religious mores are promoted by the government, and personal freedoms are reduced.
Hey canuckleheadlover, jimmy (prometheus) is orginally from Florida to. You will have to catch up to him and have a chat :wink:
Re: RE: Americans against Can
I really agree with you. In my opinion, Canada is one of the richest countries in the world which doesn´t want to get powerfull under the poorless. And since I was child I think so, and that´s the reason I´m studying your culture and your english accent. I´m going to be english teacher, but I don´t want to teach american ou british english and culture to my students. History tells us that they don´t have done anything good for countries, just want to get or destroy the development of the others. Do you know something about wars done from USA against Paraguay, Cuba, Chile?
moghrabi said:
I really agree with you. In my opinion, Canada is one of the richest countries in the world which doesn´t want to get powerfull under the poorless. And since I was child I think so, and that´s the reason I´m studying your culture and your english accent. I´m going to be english teacher, but I don´t want to teach american ou british english and culture to my students. History tells us that they don´t have done anything good for countries, just want to get or destroy the development of the others. Do you know something about wars done from USA against Paraguay, Cuba, Chile?
Brazilian guest said:
Actually, Canada, or Québec to be precise, has the most water in the world
Re: RE: Americans against Canadians???
That's what we here call a very "American" thing to say. :wink:
Actually, because of the Canadian Shield (rock) our rain and snow tends to stay on the accessable surface, rather than sinking deep into the earth. That's why we have so many lakes and rivers. So in fact, yes, we are consuming our snow.
Brazilian guest said:
That's what we here call a very "American" thing to say.
:wink: Actually, because of the Canadian Shield (rock) our rain and snow tends to stay on the accessable surface, rather than sinking deep into the earth. That's why we have so many lakes and rivers. So in fact, yes, we are consuming our snow.
Water or snow?Numure said:Brazilian guest said:
Actually, Canada, or Québec to be precise, has the most water in the world