What's the difference between Canadians' & Americans' ?
- Thread starter kiwi_NZ
- Start date
Really Scot Free? Then I suppose you will be interested in the following joke.
A man was visiting his friend, who owned a condom factory. He was showing him around. He showed him a package of condoms.
“This is a package of six, we call it American package.”
“American package? Why?
Americans use one condom a day. On Sunday they rest, Americans are religious. Now here, this is a package of nine, that is the French package.”
“Why French?”
“One for each of the weekdays, two for Saturday and two for Sunday. Now this one, it contains twelve condoms, that is the Canadian package.”
The guy was impressed.
“The Canadian package? Wow, Canadians must really be into sex.”
“Oh, absolutely. One for January, one for February and so on.”
Kiwi, what the posters have said so far is for the most part correct. Outwardly there is very little difference between Americans and Canadians. We look alike; we pretty much enjoy the same foods. Canadians may be a bit more into hockey, Americans a bit more into football. But other than that, there is no significant difference.
However, there is a profound difference in outlook. Canadians have been members of the Commonwealth, subjects of the monarch for a long time now. Canadians are more respectful of authority than Americans are.
There is a standing joke. How do you get 50 Canadians out of a swimming pool? You say to them ‘OK guys, everybody out of the pool’. Canadians respect authority, institutions such as parliament, courts etc. much more than Americans do.
Canadians are not subject to the kind of Bible thumping patriotism that sells so well in USA. Religious right, while very strong in USA (they have almost taken over the Republican Party) are fairly weak in Canada (they are one of the many interest groups that make up the Conservative Party).
In general, Canadians are much more liberal than Americans. In most of the issues such as abortion, death penalty, gun control, gay rights etc. Canadians are very liberal, tolerant; Americans tend to be much more conservative.
Indeed, I have said it many times, if Obama were to run in Canada, he would have to run as the leader of the Conservative party, and I wouldn’t vote for him. He is too conservative for my taste.
So superficially there are very few differences. However, if you look deeper, you will find profound differences.
However, there is a profound difference in outlook. Canadians have been members of the Commonwealth, subjects of the monarch for a long time now. Canadians are more respectful of authority than Americans are.
There is a standing joke. How do you get 50 Canadians out of a swimming pool? You say to them ‘OK guys, everybody out of the pool’. Canadians respect authority, institutions such as parliament, courts etc. much more than Americans do.
Canadians are not subject to the kind of Bible thumping patriotism that sells so well in USA. Religious right, while very strong in USA (they have almost taken over the Republican Party) are fairly weak in Canada (they are one of the many interest groups that make up the Conservative Party).
In general, Canadians are much more liberal than Americans. In most of the issues such as abortion, death penalty, gun control, gay rights etc. Canadians are very liberal, tolerant; Americans tend to be much more conservative.
Indeed, I have said it many times, if Obama were to run in Canada, he would have to run as the leader of the Conservative party, and I wouldn’t vote for him. He is too conservative for my taste.
So superficially there are very few differences. However, if you look deeper, you will find profound differences.
Kiwi, I think the same holds true for Australia and New Zealand. My impression is that New Zealand is a more liberal, more tolerant country than Australia. I think New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the vote.
Am I right in my impression?
Am I right in my impression?
Actually, this is exactly the opposite of the truth.........there was very little, if any, difference in political ideals between the loyalist and the American supporter of Independence, aside from the obvious.........it took many many Americans a long time to pick sides.....and they did so for a number of reasons, idealism being close to the bottom of that list.
Indeed, the Loyalists brought American ideas into Canada.........the Loyalist heritage is an American one, the Loyalist brought American ideas north.....and those American ideas were definitely NOT the conservative ideas of the day......
If you want to see the Loyalist legacy in Canada, take a close look at me
Loyalist on both sides of the family........
Colpy:"
If you want to see the Loyalist legacy in Canada, take a close look at me :icon_smile: Loyalist on both sides of the family........""
Yet another tratorist Yankee wetback unearthed.
"tratorist'........??? tratoristic.......?? google won't help.
:lol:
If you want to see the Loyalist legacy in Canada, take a close look at me :icon_smile: Loyalist on both sides of the family........""
Yet another tratorist Yankee wetback unearthed.
"tratorist'........??? tratoristic.......?? google won't help.
:lol:
LMAO! I thought that was only in Texas!
No in texas they wear large belt buckles to compensate.
A Canadian is just an unarmed American with public health insurance... :smile:
Wish I could take credit for that crack, but I can't. It belongs to John Wing, a distinguished and very funny stand up comedian.
The differences between Canadians and Americans are subtle but profound. You cannot reliably distinguish them by looking, not even always by talking, unless that "Where you from?" thing comes up. One of the simplest ways to see the differences is to look at our respective constitutional documents. Where the U.S. constitution talks about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," the Canadian constitution talks about "peace, order, and good government." (Never mind that neither idea seems to be working very well these days.) That really I think is the most basic difference, the emphasis on individualism versus collectivism. That really is why Canada has things like a universal publicly funded health care system, the U.S. does not: medical care is a public service in Canada, in the U.S. it's a business. Those values are reflected in our political parties too. There are really only two in the U.S., Democrats and Republicans, which in U.S. terms are generally described as left and right respectively. In Canada, and in western Europe, they'd be labeled right and far right. Canada's political spectrum on the usual left-right scale is much broader than the U.S. version, much closer to the European model, though I suspect that even Canada's most leftist political party would be viewed as pretty centrist in Europe.
It's not really possible in the space available for a post in a message board (if I want anyone to read it) to detail the differences, in the sense of providing a list like "Canadians think X, Americans think Y" about a dozen or so ideas, it's just not that simple. There's probably no such thing as a "typical" Canadian or American. I have more interests in common with my American neighbours in Montana and North Dakota than I do with the people in urban southern Ontario, just as my nearest American neighbours have more interests in common with me than they do with their compatriots in the great urban conurbation of the U.S. eastern seaboard. Canada isn't one place, it's thousands, perhaps millions, of places, all different, and so is the U.S. You'll just have to come here and see for yourself.
Wish I could take credit for that crack, but I can't. It belongs to John Wing, a distinguished and very funny stand up comedian.
The differences between Canadians and Americans are subtle but profound. You cannot reliably distinguish them by looking, not even always by talking, unless that "Where you from?" thing comes up. One of the simplest ways to see the differences is to look at our respective constitutional documents. Where the U.S. constitution talks about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," the Canadian constitution talks about "peace, order, and good government." (Never mind that neither idea seems to be working very well these days.) That really I think is the most basic difference, the emphasis on individualism versus collectivism. That really is why Canada has things like a universal publicly funded health care system, the U.S. does not: medical care is a public service in Canada, in the U.S. it's a business. Those values are reflected in our political parties too. There are really only two in the U.S., Democrats and Republicans, which in U.S. terms are generally described as left and right respectively. In Canada, and in western Europe, they'd be labeled right and far right. Canada's political spectrum on the usual left-right scale is much broader than the U.S. version, much closer to the European model, though I suspect that even Canada's most leftist political party would be viewed as pretty centrist in Europe.
It's not really possible in the space available for a post in a message board (if I want anyone to read it) to detail the differences, in the sense of providing a list like "Canadians think X, Americans think Y" about a dozen or so ideas, it's just not that simple. There's probably no such thing as a "typical" Canadian or American. I have more interests in common with my American neighbours in Montana and North Dakota than I do with the people in urban southern Ontario, just as my nearest American neighbours have more interests in common with me than they do with their compatriots in the great urban conurbation of the U.S. eastern seaboard. Canada isn't one place, it's thousands, perhaps millions, of places, all different, and so is the U.S. You'll just have to come here and see for yourself.
Accents, patriotism, Canadians in general are a little less religious per capita, I think. Drink more beer in Canada, spend more time on the net. Looks wise, no diffference, except perhaps Canadians might be a bit more fit in total. Canadians, I think are more willing to be tolerant. Wear more toques in Canada. We aren't as shocked at women being topless or about gay marriage. We're a little more leftie politically. Perhaps a little more knowledgeable about the rest of the planet.
I don't necessarily agree with a lot of the political synopsis Dexter made but the paragraph above echoes my feelings on the matter. I'll go one step further to say that I think when you get down to most issues, there isn't a lot of difference between Canadians and Americans, and even the "defining" issues vary region to region, more as Colpy said, with likenesses flowing North-South as opposed to East-West.
Yeah, flatlanders are flatlanders, oceanside people are oceanside people, etc. There are more differences between regions than either side of the border, I think.
Here's a Kiwi joke for ya
A successful farmer from the South Island High Country died and left everything to his devoted wife. She was a very good-looking woman and determined to keep the farm, but knew very little about farming, so she decided to place an ad in the newspaper for a shepherd. Two guys, both Australians, applied for the job. One was gay and the other a drunk.
She thought long and hard about it, and when no one else applied she decided to hire the gay guy, figuring it would be safer to have him around the house than the drunk. He proved to be a hard worker who put in long hours every day and knew a lot about farming. For weeks, the two of them worked, and the farm was doing very well. Then one day, the farmer's widow said to the shepherd, 'You have done a really good job, and the farm and the stock look great. You should go into town and kick up your heels.' The shepherd readily agreed and went into town the very next Saturday night.
One o 'clock in the morning came, and he hadn't returned.
Two o'clock and no shepherd. Finally he returned around two-thirty, and upon entering the room, he found the farmer's widow sitting by the fireplace with a glass of wine, waiting for him.
She quietly called him over to her.
'Unbutton my blouse and take it off,' she said. Trembling, he did as she directed.
'Now take off my boots.'
He did as she asked, ever so slowly.
'Now take off my socks.'
He removed each gently and placed them neatly by her boots.
'Now take off my skirt.'
He slowly unbuttoned it, constantly watching her eyes in the fire light.
'Now take off my bra.'
Again, with trembling hands, he did as he was told and dropped it to the floor.
Then she looked at him and said, 'If you ever wear my clothes into town again, you're fired.'
A successful farmer from the South Island High Country died and left everything to his devoted wife. She was a very good-looking woman and determined to keep the farm, but knew very little about farming, so she decided to place an ad in the newspaper for a shepherd. Two guys, both Australians, applied for the job. One was gay and the other a drunk.
She thought long and hard about it, and when no one else applied she decided to hire the gay guy, figuring it would be safer to have him around the house than the drunk. He proved to be a hard worker who put in long hours every day and knew a lot about farming. For weeks, the two of them worked, and the farm was doing very well. Then one day, the farmer's widow said to the shepherd, 'You have done a really good job, and the farm and the stock look great. You should go into town and kick up your heels.' The shepherd readily agreed and went into town the very next Saturday night.
One o 'clock in the morning came, and he hadn't returned.
Two o'clock and no shepherd. Finally he returned around two-thirty, and upon entering the room, he found the farmer's widow sitting by the fireplace with a glass of wine, waiting for him.
She quietly called him over to her.
'Unbutton my blouse and take it off,' she said. Trembling, he did as she directed.
'Now take off my boots.'
He did as she asked, ever so slowly.
'Now take off my socks.'
He removed each gently and placed them neatly by her boots.
'Now take off my skirt.'
He slowly unbuttoned it, constantly watching her eyes in the fire light.
'Now take off my bra.'
Again, with trembling hands, he did as he was told and dropped it to the floor.
Then she looked at him and said, 'If you ever wear my clothes into town again, you're fired.'
It's Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and a man makes his way to his seat right at center ice. He sits down, noticing that the seat next to him is empty. He leans over and asks his neighbor if someone will be sitting there. "No," says the neighbor. "The seat is empty." "This is incredible", said the man. "Who in their right mind would have a seat like this for final game of the Stanley Cup playoffs and not use it?" The neighbor says "Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Stanley Cup we haven't been to together since we got married in 1967." "Oh ... I'm sorry to hear that. That's terrible. But couldn't you find someone else, a friend or relative, or even a neighbor to take the seat?" The man shakes his head "No, they're all at the funeral."
Dear Diary
Aug. 12 - Moved to our new home in Canada. I am so excited. It's so beautiful here. The mountains are so majestic. Can hardly wait to see them with snow covering them.
Oct. 14 - Canada -- it is the most beautiful place on earth. The leaves have turned all colors and shades of red and orange. Went for a ride through the beautiful countryside and saw some deer. They are so graceful. Certainly they are the most wonderful animals on earth. This must be paradise. I love it here!
Nov. 11 - Remembrance Day. Deer season starts soon. I can't imagine anyone wanting to kill such a gorgeous creature. Hope it snows soon. I love it here!
Dec. 2 - It snowed last night. Woke up to find everything blanketed with white. It looks like a postcard. We went outside and cleaned the snow off the steps and shoveled the driveway. We had a snowball fight (I won). When the snow plough came by we had to shovel the driveway again. What a beautiful place. I love Canada!
Dec. 12 - More snow last night. The snow plough did his trick again to the driveway. I love it here.
Dec. 19 - More snow last night. Couldn't get out of the driveway to get to work. It's beautiful here but I'm exhausted from shoveling. F#cking snow plough.
Dec. 22 - More of that white **** fell last night. I've got blisters on my hands and a sore back from shoveling. I think the snow plough hides around the corner until I'm done shoveling the driveway. Asshole.
Dec. 25 - Merry F#cking Christmas! More frigging snow. If I ever get my hands on the sonovabitch who drives the snow plough, I swear I'll kill the bastard. Don't know why they don't use more salt on the roads to melt the f#cking ice.
Dec. 27 - More white **** last night. Been inside for three days now except for shoveling out the driveway after that snow plough goes through every time. Can't go anywhere, the car's stuck in a mountain of white crap and it is so frigging cold. The weatherman says to expect another 10 inches of the crap again tonight. Do you know how many shovels full of snow 10 inches is?
Dec. 28 - That f#cking weatherman was wrong. We got 34 inches of the crap this time. At this rate it won't melt before summer. The snow plough got stuck up in the road and that bastard came to my door and asked to borrow my shovel. After I told him that I had already
broken six shovels shoveling out all the crap he had pushed into my driveway, I damn near broke my last one over his f#cking head.
Jan. 4 - Finally got out of the house today. Went to the store to get food and on my way back a damned deer ran in front of the car. Did about $3,000 damage to the car. Those beasts should be killed. The bastards are everywhere. Wish the hunters had
exterminated them all last November.
May 3 - Took the car to the garage in town. Would you believe the thing is rusted out from all that salt they put all over the roads.
May 10 - Moved to Florida. I can't imagine why anyone in their right mind would ever want to live in such a God forsaken place as Canada!
Aug. 12 - Moved to our new home in Canada. I am so excited. It's so beautiful here. The mountains are so majestic. Can hardly wait to see them with snow covering them.
Oct. 14 - Canada -- it is the most beautiful place on earth. The leaves have turned all colors and shades of red and orange. Went for a ride through the beautiful countryside and saw some deer. They are so graceful. Certainly they are the most wonderful animals on earth. This must be paradise. I love it here!
Nov. 11 - Remembrance Day. Deer season starts soon. I can't imagine anyone wanting to kill such a gorgeous creature. Hope it snows soon. I love it here!
Dec. 2 - It snowed last night. Woke up to find everything blanketed with white. It looks like a postcard. We went outside and cleaned the snow off the steps and shoveled the driveway. We had a snowball fight (I won). When the snow plough came by we had to shovel the driveway again. What a beautiful place. I love Canada!
Dec. 12 - More snow last night. The snow plough did his trick again to the driveway. I love it here.
Dec. 19 - More snow last night. Couldn't get out of the driveway to get to work. It's beautiful here but I'm exhausted from shoveling. F#cking snow plough.
Dec. 22 - More of that white **** fell last night. I've got blisters on my hands and a sore back from shoveling. I think the snow plough hides around the corner until I'm done shoveling the driveway. Asshole.
Dec. 25 - Merry F#cking Christmas! More frigging snow. If I ever get my hands on the sonovabitch who drives the snow plough, I swear I'll kill the bastard. Don't know why they don't use more salt on the roads to melt the f#cking ice.
Dec. 27 - More white **** last night. Been inside for three days now except for shoveling out the driveway after that snow plough goes through every time. Can't go anywhere, the car's stuck in a mountain of white crap and it is so frigging cold. The weatherman says to expect another 10 inches of the crap again tonight. Do you know how many shovels full of snow 10 inches is?
Dec. 28 - That f#cking weatherman was wrong. We got 34 inches of the crap this time. At this rate it won't melt before summer. The snow plough got stuck up in the road and that bastard came to my door and asked to borrow my shovel. After I told him that I had already
broken six shovels shoveling out all the crap he had pushed into my driveway, I damn near broke my last one over his f#cking head.
Jan. 4 - Finally got out of the house today. Went to the store to get food and on my way back a damned deer ran in front of the car. Did about $3,000 damage to the car. Those beasts should be killed. The bastards are everywhere. Wish the hunters had
exterminated them all last November.
May 3 - Took the car to the garage in town. Would you believe the thing is rusted out from all that salt they put all over the roads.
May 10 - Moved to Florida. I can't imagine why anyone in their right mind would ever want to live in such a God forsaken place as Canada!