Bad news, Canada. America loves you.

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The Seeker

The Seeker

Thunderbird
Supporting Member
Andrew Malcolm brings us some good news on the front of international peace and love, but some bad news for the Great White North. It turns out that of all the many nations in the world, aside from our own, Americans love Canada the best.

A new Gallup Poll finds that it’s become Americans’ most very favorite foreign country both now and in the 20 years Gallup has inquired about such things.

Americans may not have been there and may be abysmally ignorant about a next-door neighbor (or neighbour) that is by far its largest trading partner, best friend and closest ally. (Until the last election Harvard grad Barack Obama thought they had a president up there.)

But Gallup finds that a record 96% of Americans are feeling the love for that northern land of toques that’s 10% larger than the United States with one-tenth the population. U.S. lovers of Canada are up 4% just in the past year.


In fact, liking Canada is almost unanimous in the 57 states. Only 3% of Americans think unfavorably (or unfavourably) of Canada, and they probably don’t even know where it is. (North of everything except Alaska and Detroit.)

​
But that’s good news, right? I mean, they’re not just our neighbor and largest trading partner, but they are responsible for the other half of one of the longest international land borders in the world. We want to be on good terms, and so should they, right? Not so fast there, back bacon fans.

When Americans start paying attention to anything, even if it’s positive, they tend to unintentionally smother, crush the bushes and walk all over the flower beds, telling you how really glad they are to be there, you know what I mean? It’s as if Randy McQuaid came for the weekend — and stayed a month.


​
But not everyone is feeling the love for Canada. Hey… don’t get the wrong idea, here. I’m not talking about me. I love Canada. I’ve spent a lot of time there. Amazing fishing and hunting, great food, wonderful people. And you know what else they have a lot of that I like? Oil.

But as I said, not everyone loves Canada. Some people thumb their noses at them, turn down their offers to build pipelines and send their Prime Minister scurrying off with hurt feelings to go make deals with China.

But not me. I don’t blame Canada, even if the kids on South Park do. A short video tribute to close:

[video=youtube;PaLt_X6xmbk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PaLt_X6xmbk[/video]
 
BGRIN thanks for posting that.
I didn't see this exact amusing item before, but I saw the Gallup poll results the other day.
I didn't bother to post it here as it might seem too self-serving so I let it go.
I guess I'm just typically modest :y2:
 
Hey Rocky! Send me some Elsinore Eh!? But hold the mouse.
BBEER
Canada rocks, only been once but really enjoyed it. And hope one day to get back. I actually had a co-worker back about 10 years ago who "sold it all" in the Florida Keys (cashed in on the real estate bubble at the RIGHT time, unlike me) and moved to Nova Scotia.
 
Yep, that geography lesson is a classic and the "Great White North" phrase still endures CRY
But hey, it's not winter all the time :y2:
And yes, winter time is the less endearing feature about living up here, but this isn't the only place that has winter.
I think at last count there were about 1/4 million Americans living in Canada. Quite a few here in NS. In fact there are four in our vintage bike club.
There are only 33.5 million of us so we have lots of wide open spaces.
I enjoy talking to US tourists when I'm out on the road and more than one has said - in so many words - "If I could earn the living here that I earn back home I would move here."
I remind them about how bad winter can be at times and then they have second thoughts :y2:
A couple of summers ago we were out on our vintage bikes when a BMW group from the flatlands of Texas stopped to admire our bikes. They had spent that past two days riding up the coast on the winding coastal roads with no traffic and were thoroughly enjoying the ride. It was their first time here and were also enjoying the hospitality and the fresh seafood.
I've travelled to many other countries, but this is home; this is where I was born and brought up; where I earned a living and raised my family. Life is good.
 
The funny thing about Canada is how they use a mixture of metric and imperial.....

The weather forecast will give the temperature in Celsius, but when they follow a cooking recipe, it's all in Fahrenheit.

Lengths and distance are in meters, but they'll give you their height in feet and inches.

You'd think that would make them good at converting between the two, but they aren't any better at it than anyone else.
 
The Seeker said:
The funny thing about Canada is how they use a mixture of metric and imperial.....

The weather forecast will give the temperature in Celsius, but when they follow a cooking recipe, it's all in Fahrenheit.

Lengths and distance are in meters, but they'll give you their height in feet and inches.

You'd think that would make them good at converting between the two, but they aren't any better at it than anyone else.
Click to expand...
That is sooo true. I still struggle with metric at times. Imperial is drilled into my head and I can't forget it.
The younger generations do pretty well with metric, but until all the older generations are gone there will probably still be both systems to a large extent.
I have a conversion pamphlet that I consult very often :y13:
 
I was arrested in Canada for being drunk in public - it wasn't my fault really though. Everywhere I went there were huge billboards saying "Drink Canada Dry" so I gave it my best shot! (OK, I know ..............weak weak weak)

I spent some time working for California Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a divison of CIBC, and I was sent to Canada for a few months training - froze my butt off but it is a very beautiful place and I did get the opportunity to ski Whistler. At the time there was a song out called "I never met a nice white South African" and did I get some stick on occassion when people found out I was South African!!! But that was the rare occassion. What really stood out for me at the time was how pristine Canada is and how clean the cities are - Toronto in particular.
 
The temperature settings on your oven are in Fahrenheit.....not Celsius.

If you ask how tall a Canadian is, they'll say something like 6 Feet....even though their driver's license says 182.88 centimeters
 
I've only ever been to Whistler in the summer time, but I'll bet it's a winter wonderland in the winter.
Glad you enjoyed your time here.
Dave has also commented on our clean and tidy ways over here.
 
I enjoyed Toronto more than Ontario. Good friends of mine are leaving SA soon to take up residence in Toronto - he's Canadian and his wife is S'African - she loves Toronto and is really looking forward to the change of lifestyle. I did get the opportunity to go to Alberta for a few days and there I just fell in love - could have easily settled for a cabin up there. Very, very beautiful. And tasty salmon too!
 
One thing about Toronto that always amazes me is that rush hour traffic in the morning and afternoon is the exact opposite of US cities.

People actually live IN the city and work in the near suburbs......so the traffic is going in the opposite direction!

Montreal is also a GREAT city. The 2nd largest French-speaking city in the world next to Paris.
 
Gromit said:
I enjoyed Toronto more than Ontario. Good friends of mine are leaving SA soon to take up residence in Toronto - he's Canadian and his wife is S'African - she loves Toronto and is really looking forward to the change of lifestyle. I did get the opportunity to go to Alberta for a few days and there I just fell in love - could have easily settled for a cabin up there. Very, very beautiful. And tasty salmon too!
Click to expand...
I've mentioned this before, but my next door neighbour is from SA. He's been here for a long time.
I agree about Alberta and the nearby Rockies. Wonderful country.
My mother and sister both live in Toronto and we get up to visit when we can.
My wife's health isn't good so travelling the past couple of years has been restricted.
 
I can honestly say I probably wouldn't live anywhere else......maybe BC instead of Alberta if I was rich but until then I will stay put.
 

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