Welcome To Canada

Actually, this piece makes me feel sad more than it makes me laugh. There are some legitimate points here about policies we need to work on and our weaknesses as a country (and let's face it, there are weaknesses in ANY country), but it's also a very revealing piece showing all-too-common imperialistic assumptions/attitudes towards Canada from within the US. Note how the author bashes Canada for its lack of unique identity and the amount of Americanization of our culture, etc--as a reason why Canada isn't "better" in any way than America, and why (implied) America is still better than Canada. This is a classic imperialist sort of argument--the empire America has infilitrated, influenced, and in some cases out right taken us over economically/culturally/etc, through the enormous pressure of its size and proximity, and then the empire says "Well Canada is mostly American anyway so what's the point in them trying to celebrate/maintain their uniqueness?" There is no acknowledgement of WHY there is so much American influence in Canada, or how America is pushing to expand that influence (imperialism). The author takes every opportunity to make Canadian nationalism sound illegitimate, ineffectual and nonsensical. The author even quotes the Fraser Institute and National Post writers for his information from Canadians on Canadians--ie basically quoting the compradors on why the empire is better. <P> In fact, the whole tone and subject (U.S. immigrants/ex-pats in Canada) of the article reminded me of some passages from a book by Robin Mathews, "The Treason of the Intellectuals", where he talks about the U.S., displacement/alientation and resentment. The tone of this article is definitely resentful--resentful of Canada, and Canadians, and of the Americans who chose to move there. And note how American ex-pats in Canada still define themselves, in this article, as Americans who love America, living out the "American dream" in Canada--a warning that Mathews' arguments re imperial immigrants carrying their imperial assumptions with them (below) hold true. <P> <blockquote> (pp 119)...That condition is one that is familiar in the radically individualistic U.S.A. almost as a nationalist characteristic. It is expressed as an accent on individual rights, on litigation, on condemnation of difference, on suspicion of the neighbour, on the expression of distasteful ambition, on a sense of resentment against established society combined with reactionary support for power, however corrupt. Key to the condition is a feeling of <i>resentment</i>, general resentment, nagging resentment. Analysis of the pyschological state is complicated by the fact that a very large number of people at any time believe they can claim to have been ill used, unrecognized for their merit, unable to practice a chosen metier as they would have liked. But the resentment that is bred of the Iago condition seeks forms of destruction, breeds--itself--a destructive urge... <P> (pp 125-126)...The Imperial going to the colony/hinterland usually does not go <i>to join</i>. He/she goes to demean, to destroy, to replace what is there with what he/she believes is the (imperial) better...The Imperials of the U.S.A. very often carry all the imperial baggage described above as well as a deep sense of unlocated resentment--their peculiar national characteristic. Canadians welcome them all as immigrants and are battered and bloodied by an onslaught of imperial detractors, confused about Canada and deeply resentful about their own uncertain identities. They attack <i>nationalism</i> in Canada, a delicate community expression of the desire for self-respect and national integrity. They attack <i>nationalism</i> in Canada because they are resentful of any people who have a quiet and self-assured sense of being at home in their own land.</blockquote><p>---<br>Now call it extreme if you like, but I propose we hit it hard, and we hit it fast, with a major, and I mean major, leaflet campaign.--Rimmer, Red Dwarf<br />

I enjoyed this thoughtful response. Thanks

I also enjoyed reading your thoughts....both 4canada's and sthompson's. Canadians still don't quite get it though. If we have an identity crisis...a problem seperating ourselves from "America" (whatever that actually entails), it's out of our own choosing. If we would but simply remove our noses from between America's buttcheeks we would see each other and not their a**...and the world would smell much better to us as well. Evrything we are, say, or do doesn't HAVE to be in reference to, or in comparison with them. We could have our OWN identity, but we would have to wean ourselves off America first. That means this constant, incessant, fixation, and obsession with America. (the above quote about our schizophrenic paranoia is frightenly appropriate) Canada could be relevant, Canada could have value. Being Canadian could mean something. Actually in fact all are true, we just don't know it, and can't see it because of our senses are blocked out by American a**. We DO have relevance, value, and an identity of our own...it just takes waking up and smelling the coffee (as opposed to the clingons)to recognize it...Canada is there...just look, okay? American's most likey just get annoyed with our noses up their arse anyway, and aren't going to ever take us seriously unless we approach them in a more direct manner face first...(as in eye to eye)..like EQUALS. Let's get over the obsession with them we have. They aren't obsessed with us, Why should we be with them. I'd like to think that being Canadian means more than being something "in reference" to America/Americans. If they think we're just a less appealing version of them, it's only because that's what we're presenting ourselves as. We don't have to be the opposite either to form a unique identity of our own. That is in reality doing something for no better reason that it is the "opposite of being American"...which once again means it's done in reference to America/Americans...once again done out of some reference or link with something American...the opposite of "being the opposite". Try independance...true independance. Without hate, OR butt snorkeling. Let's just be us. We're not so bad. But if we stand up to face the world and it sees nothing but an American backside stuck to our collective face, what are they going to think...what would YOU think if you were them. Yeah. So now, my question is...how do we wean ourselves off our American linked identity? Focusing on hating them or focusing all conversation upon them keeps us irrevocably linked. Let's not be "anti-somebody" (you insert your own favorite group to hate)..let's be PRO somebody...us...ourselves...Canada....Canadians for Canada talking about Canada being constructive and building ourselves up...building our nation, building our pride, building positive, constructive relationships with one another, and anyone out there in the world who likes the Canada they see coming out from behind that American a**...with a refreshing smile and a clean, sparkling face not spewing "america sucks" with every other breath, but speaking up for how GREAT it is to be in Canada, and to be CANADIAN! Please don't think me too knaive, or polyanna..it could be done...all it takes is a little effort, and INTROSPECTION...honest introspection. It's a dare Canada...waddaya say?

Well said!

Oh, so while we encourage immigrants from other countries to hold on to their cultural identity and maintain an affinity with their land of origin, Americans who come to Canada are supposed to completely purge themselves of American heritage and values.

How interesting that only one group of newcomers to Canada is expected to renounce their culture and beliefs. I guess there's not enough room in our precious "mosaic" for Americans.

Gee, perhaps we shouldn't let Americans in at all, either to visit or immigrate. How about a big old Berlin Wall along the border? I'm sure that would make Robin Mathews happy.

i got as far as "nazi war criminals"

lol

this Labash guy has to brush up on his WW2 history revisionism. Thanks to the internet, the last century is under current, massive re-think/re-write.

Anon YOU had me laughing with visuals an artist such as myslelf is tempted to put to canvas. Thanks.

And Susan: "They attack nationalism in Canada because they are resentful of any people who have a quiet and self-assured sense of being at home in their own land."

I happen to be one of those Canadians that does feel a self-assured sense of being at home in their own land which is why I never feel I need to defend being Canadian and could actually find humour in this article. Labash found more than he expected in Canada, no doubt in my mind about that.

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"Yeah, well, [Mr. President] we used all five fingers because that's the way our mittens are made." Antonia Zerbisias

The difference is that for many Americans who come to live in Canada think bringing their culture with them means trying to turn Canada into America north, ie. unbridled greed born of their pathological obsession with capitalism (which is really what Americans' constitutionally guaranteed pursuit of happiness has become).

I would submit that any person immigrating to Canada from any country trying to bring with them cultural values that do not match with our own is censured equally as Americans doing the above are censured. This would include things like racial hatred, or corrupt politics (not that these do not happen here but they are attitudes that are more openly adopted and accepted in some other countries).

It just seems like common sense that if you are thinking about going to live in another country you would spend some time investigatng what that country is about and if you have a problem with what you find then stay home.

Would you consider Alberta's domination by American-style republicans who descended from American immigrants to be losing their American culture?

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The midget, Bush, and that Rumsfield deserve only to be beaten with shoes by freedom loving people everywhere.

- Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, The Iraqi Informat

<p>sthompson,</p> <blockquote>…it’s also a very revealing piece showing all-too-common imperialistic assumptions/attitudes towards Canada from within the US. Note how the author bashes Canada for its lack of unique identity and the amount of Americanization of our culture, etc…The tone of this article is definitely resentful—resentful of Canada, and Canadians, and of the Americans who chose to move there.</blockquote> <p>perhaps I’m biased from living 30 km south of the border, but I see the article more as elaborate self-deprecation — that by and large Americans don’t know Canada, that the piece’s first two sentences sum up our narcissism, that a hockey/bacon/beer stereotype is all too common <i>because</i> generally we haven’t taken the time to get to know the neighbours.</p> <blockquote>…After going to Canada for just a half an hour from Buffalo, she concluded, “It was like a completely different country…”</blockquote> <p>That’s not applied imperialism — that’s someone thinking about something that hasn’t been thought about before — that’s a dawning awareness.</p> <p>I know more than one person in the States that had to be reminded to get Canadian money when travelling to Canada for the first time. The conversation usually went something like:</p> <br> <p>Traveller: “Why should I get Canadian money?”</p> <p>Me: “If a Canadian came down to visit here, went to a store, and tried to buy something with Canadian money, what do you think the cashier would do?”</p> <p>Traveller: (<i>two-second pause</i>) “Ohhh…”</p> <br> <p>Strange, but true.</p>

The very fact he wrote that stupid stuff shows we matter more than he cares to let on. So sad, probably doesn't even know any Canadians. Notice the stereotypes?

What is most telling about neoconazi Canada bashers is their failure to use varifiable evidence. None of them would pass a freshman poly sci course. The reason why their arguments boil down to inuendo and don't have any solid statistical basis is if they did, they wouldn't have any argument. Examples: life expectancy,level of inequality, percent of work force covered by unions, infant mortality rate, etc. I could go on, but you get the point. All of this factual data speaks in favor of Canadians visa vis USians.

once again...the debate shifts to who? what? HOLY COW BATMAN! Not "for Canada", but against the U.S....why is that...oh, well...it was worth a try I suppose...4canada you have my permission (as if it were needed anyway) to go right ahead and do whatever cartoons you want...if everything is about the U.S. on this site why doesn't everyone just move there and TOTALLY assimilate? And change the name of this site...

no kidding...it's even more American than Canadian to bash America...their own malcontents have done it much longer and do it so much better than us...in reality it's even actually AMERICAN to bash America, lol...so we've now totally assimilated into "blue" America it seems....how "un-Canadian is that? Kind of like the tar baby this American thing isn't it? Let's all get a life of our own okay? We're worth the effort don't you think?