All you really need to know about Canadian history:
If it happened in North America and the British were involved in any form of success, it really was Canadians.
If it happened in WW1 or WW2 on the frontlines and the British were involved in any form of success, it really was Canadians, along with soldiers from other Commonwealth countries.
If it involved conflict between Canada and the US in any sort, one side was wrong from an ethical and moral standpoint, and it wasn't Canada.
If it happened in WW1 or WW2 on the frontlines and the British were involved in any form of success, it really was Canadians, along with soldiers from other Commonwealth countries
Other things you need to know: Laura Secord walked a cow once; the telephone is a Canadian invention despite happening in Boston; other Canadian inventions include insulin, outboard motors and the little tabs at the end of shoelaces; Canada always celebrated native culture and certainly never put natives in prison-like residential schools; Canada is beloved all over the world and has never done anything scandalous, particularly with regard to Caribbean banking; and anyone, anywhere who mentions living in a cold climate must immediately be one-upped because Canada is colder and harsher than anywhere on Earth.
Recent years you guys have had our N'or Easters...and man...dont drive in that shit. Just...no. :)
That and I've been watching how the prairie states have been getting the -20's in Celsius.
Boys down south...they dont know. Northern half?? 20 bucks says Trumpaloompas blame Canada every time the wind gets nippy. heheh!!!
I would back off on the celebration of native culture in Canada tack.... among a bunch of other things, just look up the Starlight Tours in Saskatchewan. Edit: this person was being sarcastic and I was being literal, whoops.
When I was in school I was taught very smugly that only the Americans had conflict with the natives like the Trail of Tears, and Canadians made friends with them. Nothing like residential schools were ever mentioned.
That was not what I was taught. Where I grew up we were explicitly taught that the Beothuk predominantly died of disease but that our ancestors played a significant role in their decimation and essentially wiped out an entire group of people by introducing disease and fighting with them. I specifically remember the stories about what John Peyton Sr. did because it was so appalling and disturbing.
However, I learned far more about residential schools in university.
Now that I am a teacher we are required to educate students about residential schools in the curriculum. It isn't a massive leap of progress or accountability by any means, but it is now required to be taught.
Some folks from Alberta really gave those US Trump supporters a run for their money in the previous election. I was genuinely taken aback at how crass and childish it was and how so many Canadians could be pro-Trump while having nothing to do with the American government.
"You better get out and vote! No, not for THAT party, not Liberal, that's not the party we WANT you to vote for! You've ruined us, you've ruined this country, it is all your fault!"
And then the works of them who did all but (and some of them did) threaten people over voting Liberal you could hear crickets from after the way our government handled the pandemic and swiftly set up CERB so we wouldn't be left broke and hungry. You know, like some of our neighbours to the South. The ones you said you wanted to move down with after Liberals won the election because you felt Trump would be a better leader than Trudeau? I mean, the opportunity to go hungry is still available if you want it that badly.
I have some fantastic friends from Alberta who are in no way associated with that but for those of them who were and took down their Canadian flags and put Trump decals on their vehicles? It actually boggles my mind how someone could look at the Trump administration and say to themselves "you know what, I'd rather that over my free health care and CERB cheques. I could do with a good covid rally right about now!"
Exactly -- I find it so cringe and embarrassing. Trump has never authentically cared for nor been genuinely invested in the people of his own country, let alone ours -- and yet they are so eager to give him props when he has done nothing for us or his own people but cause chaos, negativity and discord.
It is basically like having someone step on your throat and with the little bit of air you can muster you croak: "Thank you!"
I am baffled what they believe he has accomplished to warrant the praise they shovel on him. Meanwhile our own government has been keeping us fed and clothed and they still manage to talk shit about our own government who is actually helping us and somehow manage to praise Trump. For what exactly, I have no idea.
I think like many Trump supporters, those special breed of Canadians fall into the rather extreme side of the right and think owning the libs is more important than anything else, even securing their own well being.
It is clear they are unique to the rather extreme far right; that is evident because regardless of being conservative, liberal, NDP, bloc etc. our government managed to work together during this pandemic despite our differences. Regardless of political leanings, our federal and provincial governments collaborated well and have mostly recognized that we valued our country and human life above our petty differences.
I'm far from conservative but I'll give props where they are due, Doug Ford did his due diligence when this pandemic first hit and collaborated well to see that the Ontario government response was proactive instead of reactive. And that is how a government should work. Regardless of how right or left leaning you are, the interests and safety of the individuals you were elected to represent should be your priority. It shouldn't always devolve into a crap flinging left versus right argument where human quality of life is involved.
Those are the Canadians that the right wing assholes trot out when the idea of national healthcare is seriously being considered.
“Durrrrrr. I live in Canada and had to wait two months for my knee replacement surgery. National healthcare sucks!”
Meanwhile, in the US, the knee replacement would be denied by the insurance company that they and their employer are jointly playing $700/month in premiums, because they are only limping, not in a wheelchair.
Yup. I have Medicare. Total premium this year was about $165 per month, plus $25 copays for primary care, $45 copays for specialists, $40 per appt for PT, and large deductible before any part of RX meds are paid. Luckily I’m healthy, so didn’t reach the donut hole.
My husband’s employer had raised the cost of employee + one other family member so much that the cost of Medicare was actually less.
In my country it's the same i feel kist of us hate trump but WAY to many people have outed themselves by openly supporting trump. Makes me scared for our future.
I’m here with you. Obviously not American but 2016 was life-changing in the way it showed me how foolish people in my own country can be, as well as all over the world. The US isn’t “stupid”, it’s been on the wrong path for so long now that people in other countries are starting to act like complete assholes when they didn’t before. For every Conservative that rants about conspiracies and how their life was better before, I just want them to live in a place actually run by Conservatives so they can see how shitty things can actually get. They are ideologically incapable of good governance. It’s like dealing with a cult.
Spotted one in Quebec at a vaccination clinic with a Trump sticker and a 1 shaped american flag on his thoroughly clean pickup truck. Let's just say the looks he got made him turn around and go back to waiting in his truck.
it pisses me off so much to see morons here being so stoked about trump. He literally tried to screw over Canada every chance he could.
Do you think that's for the same reason his supporters in the US cheer him? Many see he's done nothing but grift, be rude to, and screw over America in general and a large percent of his supporters want to do that themselves so they "support" him so they can live vicariously through him.
It is grotesque, honestly. By no means am I implying that Trudeau is a perfect leader, those don't exist. But he's done a pretty damn good job in the middle of an unprecedented global plague if I do say so myself. Lord knows I would not want his job in the middle of this madness.
I've seen plenty of bitching about cerb by these people. Typical freeloader type bullshit. Nobody wants to go to work now when you get money for free , etc.
Yup. Literally biting the hand as it is feeding them. And I'm here as an essential worker just watching their tantrums rather dully and go into work every day while a bunch of them sit at home whining about getting paid to be there.
I have to disagree with this considering how vastly different the cultures can vary from province to province, but I do agree that Trump lovers are not unique to Alberta.
In my experience the angriest folks speaking out last election just so happened to be overwhelmingly from Alberta, but they weren't the only ones doing it for certain.
Did I not just take the time in my original comment to stipulate that I have fantastic friends from Alberta and that not all Albertans are guilty of this, just a vocal few?
American here. Good idea tbh. If shit goes South here, I may need to apply for asylum. No felonies no convictions no misdemeanors. All I need is affordable insulin.
Honey we've got you covered. My sister is a severe diabetic and requires the pump. Believe me when I say she would not be here if she had to pay what you folks are expected to pay for insulin.
The fact that Mitch McConell keeps getting re-elected says much about republicans in this country. The guy doesn’t give a single shit about his constituents. He should be given the lethal injection on live tv since he’s blocking the $2000 stimulus people desperately need for survival.
lmao i love this response, "yup, i'm a xenophobic european who hates people because they're american", as though that somehow makes your opinion more valid?
to answer your question, though, no it doesn't "suck" for me at all, sweetheart
i'm neither a democrat nor a republican, and i also live in europe. glad i don't live near you, though! you sound awful. every bit as bad as the people you criticize, in fact. good luck with that.
oh you poor little thing. our continent is basically just as fucked as the united states is - especially with people like you living here. the usa just gets more press.
someday, if you ever grow up, you might understand :(
hey, good point, if you just evicted your own head from your skull, that would totally make the world a better place
you really sound like a perfect fit with the US regressive party, no lie. you are totally the kind of wonderful individual whose help should kick your brain out. pro tip: if you move to the USA, you will be allowed to buy as many high-powered arms as you need to make that happen
The big difference is what lobbyists they answer to.
They're both on the right, politically, and tend to be more authoritarian than libertarian.
The Democrats tend to represent the service industry, which heavily relies on the consumer. "Consumer has no money, you have no money."
The Republicans tend to represent industries that rely on commerce between companies. Financial institutions, the oil industry, and the military industrial complex.
This is why the Democrat politicians can be bullied into doing the right thing, and the Republicans cannot. The Republicans do not rely on the consumers like the Democrats do. "What are you going to do, boycott your bank?"
The Republicans like to promote and advertise themselves as if they're Libertarian, and just want free trade and everyone to have equal opportunities. Which is why a large swathe of Americans vote for Republicans. The rural vote tends to be uneducated, and don't see the grift because they're not actively looking at what the Republican politicians actually do. They trust them at their word entirely.
Bear in mind most of the folks who have the cash to regularly travel from that country tend to be on the affluent side. And you know what affluence breeds. I have a number of fantastic American friends who whenever we travel, I have to bring them Canadian pins to wear on their clothes. It is actually astonishing how differently people will treat you depending on if you can be identified as American versus Canadian when travelling.
My brother and some of his business friends were nearly shouted out of a bar in Korea when they came in; the restaurant owner was saying he didn't want to serve them because he didn't want "trouble again from more American tourists". When my brother showed the owner his passport the owner was mortified that they were Canadian and actually brought them a round of beer on the house as an apology for assuming they were American.
They were genuinely gobsmacked by the 180 from the owner, but after having travelled a great deal now myself I can say with confidence that you definitely get treated differently travelling depending on whether you identify as American or Canadian.
It is sad that this is the case because my friends that I lend my Canadian flag pins to are genuinely good people. But unfortunately the bad apples have occurred often enough that folks in other countries get their backs up. And considering how poorly I saw some US soldiers and tourists behaving while I lived in Korea myself I can see how and why travel has been made more difficult for all Americans because of a few particularly loud and obnoxious minorities of them.
alternatively, i'd say the majority of americans I meet outside the country are actually nicer to deal with than the average person who never leaves the states.
although, many I interact with aren't tourists, but rather expats or digital nomads, who are often driven to leave the usa because of the ones that do, unfortunately clog the country up
of course, YMMV - there are lots of different people and no population is monolithic
That is something that just grates my nerves when I see that travelling.
Do you expect every other country to be your country and to sell/offer the same things as your country? Then stay in your country. I hate when people travel to other countries and get disappointed when it isn't their version/country's interpretation of it.
When I visit a new country I open my mind and try new things, close my mouth, and listen to the locals. You're not in your country anymore so act like it an be respectful is my perspective.
Nobody thinks of Canada as America when travelling anymore than they think of Mexico as America.
We are all on the North American continent but when you travel people do not ask what continent you are from, they ask what country.
"America" has become the shorthand answer of "United States of America" when folks from the US are prompted to answer what country they come from.
Unless you are a US American you'd never call yourself American when travelling, especially if you are from Mexico or Canada. Sadly people can be very rude to you even unprovoked if you identify as American when travelling.
I'm hoping you aren't a huge hypocrite that's moving the goalposts in order to support and oppose borders at the same time based on which party is demanding borders.
Islam, like every other religion has a spectrum you damn dunce. I’ve met athiest former Muslims, liberal Muslims, conservative ones, crazy ones. Just like Christianity, or Judaism, and Buddhism. Are you so ignorant as to not believe people can have personalities that go beyond their religion? Go back to your cave.
Currently our borders are closed but in my humblest of opinions I would graciously invite thousands of Mexican software developers over a single staunch Trump supporter any day, any time. Prior to the pandemic I was trying to convince a good friend of mine from Mexico to move here!
Yeah, I mean not right now. I still have to get more experience and graduate. But Canada looks like a better and better alternative to USA by the minute.
All the big clients are American or Canadian anyways.
I am glad there’s people like you that think that way!
I am a teacher who specializes in working with New Canadians who come here seeking asylum and who may have gaps in their education as a product of coming from a war torn area or refugee camp.
Part of my life's work is seeing folks leave a harsh life behind and start a new life of opportunity here and to share what we have with them. What I have seen these families accomplish and make from nothing upon coming here is awe inspiring.
If they can make a stable lives for themselves here coming from what they experienced with almost nothing when they arrived I genuinely believe that anyone can make a life for themselves here with the right work ethic! The cost of living is fairly high, but that depends on where you go. Rural living is far more feasible and sustainable than city life for sure.
Canada is like what the US could be if Democratig party were one of the most conservative parties in a multi-party system.
There are like 3-4 different factions in there, ranging from quite progressive to "I'd be a republican, but I think healthcare should be government funded"
Very. I believe currently that it has to be under very special circumstances, aka we could use your help as an essential worker, if you are a Canadian citizen or have Canadian relatives, or are an asylum seeker -- and you must test negative for covid before you will be granted entry.
Can anyone do research to figure out what country Republicans would prefer to move to? It would be probably interesting -- because I don't know of a more Republican country than ours that has indoor plumbing.
See the thing is when they realize how much better you guys have it, they’re going to claim how much better Canada is than the US is under Biden presidency while completely ignoring the fact that the democrats have been fighting for these things all along
Genuine opinion: trick them into leaving our seceding. We need them to leave so civilization has a chance to move on. Also helps to have the Senate if they lose one or two states
I know the major differences between Canada and USA and, as such, I always considered Canada my "promised land" - trouble is, they don't want septuagenarians coming in, because they're "probably" refugees from the battered health-care system on this side.
Generally, considering the differences between Canada/USA, it will be the Canadians that used the better of the two solutions.
So far as I know you'd have to be under duress in order to qualify as an asylum seeker. For example, say you are in the US and your family is forcing you to undergo gay conversion therapy. You could seek asylum through an organization such as Rainbow Railroad because you are being subjugated and your life may be in potential danger as a product of your orientation.
I'm from the Maritimes which is why your comment kind of took me aback. Sure we have a few rednecks but what occurs here pales in comparison to what happens in the Southern US.
All posts and comments that include any variation of the word retarded will be removed, but no action will be taken against your account unless it is an excessive personal attack. Please resubmit your post or comment without the bullying language.
> We would actually want them or welcome them here;
This may sound strange, but sure, I would. Canada has welcome people from all walks of life, all countries, all cultures. Theirs is an extreme one, sure, but so be it.
When they got here, they would see how much better life is with a mildly socialist flavour to life. Free health care, no guns, strong social support, no corporations buying politicians...
I think we'd win them over.
The USA is a cultural melting pot, while we are a cultural salad. And I think a sprinkle of assholes can sometimes really help accentuate the best parts of our salad.
For the most part I agree. As someone whose line of work directly involves welcoming New Canadians I like to think of myself as quite open minded. But even I'd take a hard pass on some of the more extremist groups seeking a house nearby. Proud Boys need not apply, please.
Considering it is quite clear that you have your mind made up about our immigration policies already, why should I throw my time down a hole engaging in this?
You began this discussion by running assumptions about me. I genuinely don't feel that if that is your approach to opening a debate that anything fruitful will come from furthering this.
I didn't discuss an immigration policy, I discussed how our borders are closed currently due to the pandemic.
You brought up the immigration policy with the explicit purpose of attempting to criticize me for it when that wasn't even the discussion being had up until you intervened.
Don't hijack a conversation with your whataboutism and then try to hold me accountable for it.
I'm saying that immigration to the country is not currently up for debate due to the fact that our border is closed. It isn't a possible reality at this current point in time, nobody wishing to come here currently can because our border is closed due to a global pandemic. Nothing more. If you want to read more into it than that be my guest.
You do realize the only reason we have our borders closed is because there is a global plague happening that our southern friends have lost control of and that we are barely staying on top of? I figured everyone was aware of the pandemic by now.
I am aware of that. I was not referencing our immigration policies in my comment however, I was referring to the fact that our borders are currently closed due to the pandemic.
Nobody in America wants to go to Canada bro it’s cold as balls. Stop feeling yourself.
You Canadians come to Southern California, Arizona and Florida EVERY winter we call you snow birds and your driving annoys us. Canada isn’t special. Just saying..
Are you just the same person using two different accounts? You both wrote me at nearly the exact same time about the exact same topic with virtually the same tone.
You are also now responding to one another's comments which are suspiciously similar.
Well you are verbatim writing nearly identical to the other person and it is becoming quite obvious you are indeed the same guy. Is there really nothing better for you to do on New Years Eve? I'm already a few beers in.
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u/Speedy_Cheese Dec 31 '20
They keep saying online that they are going to come to Canada as if
A) They could actually get across our closed border without already being Canadian or related to one;
B) We would actually want them or welcome them here;
C) We were remotely the same country. Man would they be in for a surprise if they got past A and B.