I Am Canadian!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HOBBIT]

Most americans think that Canada is very boring and hasn't done much for the world. I wonder why? Most Americans feel that it is just the 51st state. Not I of course, of course

[Firalphien]

I'm from Vancouver, BC!!!! Which totally rocks..... lol!

[Finrod Felagund]

OK, History lesson...
WWI
Vimy ridge is held by the Germans
The Americans and British try several times to take it but are unable
Canada takes it on their first try

WWII
The unbelievable sacrifice made by the Canadians on the beaches of Dieppe

And Canada has taken part in very nearly every single UN peacekeeping mission since 1949.

Canadians do nothing!!!!

Ha!

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by HOBBIT
Most Americans feel that it is just the 51st state. Not I of course, of course

Sure you don't.

[crickhollow]

OK, History lesson...

please don't leave out the battle at Ypres (you know, "In Flanders fields the poppies blow/Between the crosses, row on row... written by a Canadian, I might add)

WWII:
Walcheren Island, and the liberation of Belgium and the Netherlands. (I just did a paper on this topic)

Finrod, you may not want to bother counting Dieppe. Most Americans have never heard the story, as only 70 US Rangers participated. It isn't covered in your basic american history course.

Me? I'm american, but I'm living in Canada right now. I'm sorry I missed the War. living in Canada, I am forced to defend my country of birth, and my american accent all the time, and have quite a stock pile of nice insults. (although my family tells me that when I call home I have picked up the Canadian accent)

BTW

Canadians are Americans, too!

Don't say that to any of your Canadian friends, they'll beat you senseless! Canadians define themselves as being un-American.

[emplynx]

Originally posted by HOBBIT
Most Americans feel that it is just the 51st state.

me and a friend had to do a speach on canada in our history class. that was our basis.

[azalea]

When I said Canadians (etc) are Americans I was being a smart aleck - since we all live in America, technically (North, South, or Central America). I wish there were a better term than Americans for US citizens (United Statesian?). I guess maybe we're supposed to define ourselves by the state we live in or something.
Anyway, I was not trying to insult anybody. I like Canadians. I know several!

[mirrille]

Originally posted by HOBBIT
Most americans think that Canada is very boring and hasn't done much for the world. I wonder why? Most Americans feel that it is just the 51st state. Not I of course, of course

Yeah. That doesn't make sense. These people don't know anything about our culture, otherwise it would be obvious we are not a 51st state. Our histories took very different turns a couple hundred years ago, but we keep some similarities due to close association. That's all. I find we have a very different mentality on alot of issues.


I went to South Carolina to visit relatives and had to ask directions from someone at a gas station. He guessed that I was from out of town and asked where I was from, so I told him Canada.
He looked surprised and said that's not what he would have guessed, so I asked him what he would have guess.
He said, "Yer look Jepinese. Canajins, they all look Amurcan but talk Frinch." It was cute. So that's what they think of us!

[elf_princess]

I'm not a canadian myself... but... I did visit you all over the summer. Wonderful country if I do say so myself. The people are very friendly... if I ever move to another country, I'm goin to CANADA!

[Finrod Felagund]

Here's some people who are Canadian:

Celine Dion
William Shatner (He got his start at the world famous stratford festival in Ontario.)
Bryan Adams
The Barenaked Ladies
Jim Carrey
John Candy
Dan Akroyd
The Guess Who
Shania Twain

And that just barely scratches the surface

[jerseydevil]

Canada is always talking about joining the US. When the big thing over Quebec leaving Canada was going on (and still is a possibility) Bristish Columbia and several other provinces said they would seperate form Canada and join the US.

I don't know how that is a possibilty - since Canada is more of a socialist country. You guys would pay lower taxes - but not get as many benefits. But you'd have better health care actually in the US - because all your doctors are moving to the US and your in a health care crisis. And by the way - people don't get turned away at hospitals in America - even if they can't afford the bill and don't have health insurance in the US. It is true that you get what you pay for and they wouldn't get the care that someone would get if they could pay. But the same goes in Canada and England and all the other countries that have a formalized national health care.

[Finrod Felagund]

I doubt Quebec will try to separate again anyt time soon, they've already lost two referendums. i don't think the people of BC would pass the over 50% MARK IN A REFERENDUM EITHER.

[Finrod Felagund]

[i]
But you'd have better health care actually in the US care. [/B]

Actually we have something called oHip (sp?) which helps us pay for health care.

[jerseydevil]

I actually wouldn't want Canada joining the US -it would cause us to become more socialist, plus a lot of states would lose representives in the House.

Except for Puerto Rico - which is up to them as to what they want to do (indepedence, territory or state) the United States is big enough.

[azalea]

The media here are reporting that Canada's healthcare system is in a crisis, to the effect that people are dying because they have to wait so long to get treated for cancer, or to get a transplant, etc., because of a shortage of doctors.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Finrod Felagund


Actually we have something called oHip (sp?) which helps us pay for health care.

I know you do - that gives you basic health care - same as in England. But the people that can afford it - have supplemental health care that gives them better coverage than the government provides. In the United States we have different government plans for people that can't afford health care - but there is no blanket policy. As far as I'm concerned - government should stay as much out of people's lives as possible. All it does it end up costing more in the long run with all the added beaucracy.

[Radagast The Brown]

I wasn't in Canada. it's just that I'm in the other side of the world... I would like to fly to Canada to a vication. Few of my friends flew to Canada and left Israel (I wonder why) but I'm sure my family won't do that.

[mirrille]

Originally posted by azalea
The media here are reporting that Canada's healthcare system is in a crisis, to the effect that people are dying because they have to wait so long to get treated for cancer, or to get a transplant, etc., because of a shortage of doctors.

Yes, well, that's because people here believe that a national health care system should take care of EVERYONE, unlike the US, where people dying for not getting treatment is the norm, unless you are rich. Of course we are having a crisis. If you are trying to treat everyone instead of just the few who can afford it, then you are going to see a "failure" of the system alot faster. By Canadian standards, the US system "failed" from the beginning, because Canadian thinking really doesn't like the inequality. It's impossible to compare the two systems because the outlook on what is a "working" system is directly opposite. Another example of how Canadian and American thinking is actually very very different.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by mirrille


Yes, well, that's because people here believe that a national health care system should take care of EVERYONE, unlike the US, where people dying for not getting treatment is the norm, unless you are rich. Of course we are having a crisis. If you are trying to treat everyone instead of just the few who can afford it, then you are going to see a "failure" of the system alot faster. By Canadian standards, the US system "failed" from the beginning, because Canadian thinking really doesn't like the inequality. It's impossible to compare the two systems because the outlook on what is a "working" system is directly opposite. Another example of how Canadian and American thinking is actually very very different.

That is COMPLETELY wrong. Why do you think Mexicans cross the border just to have babies? Because people receive treatment in the United States whether they have insurance or not - or whether they can even pay for it. I KNOW that hospitals don't turn people away without insurance in the US because I have a friend who has a drug problem. He has no insurance and he goes to hospitals all the time. He doesn't get turned away. True - they're not going to give him an MRI or the latest technology - but even in Canada - you get what you pay for.

I have a friend who is studying nursing in Canada. She grew up in the US - and she always says how much better health care is in the US. Plus she also tries to explain to people - that US hospitals don't turn people away if they need medical attention.

You are right about American and Canadian thinking being so different. You think that more taxes and bigger beauracracies and bigger governments are the answer. Where all it is is a waste of money. Sadly this is the direction the US is going in.

[emplynx]

All you french reading canadians, read my sig!