Americans regard Canada as a quiet and likeable neighbour. But there are gaping holes in their knowledge of Canadian geography, culture and politics.
This ignorance – illustrated in a series of recent polls – should concern this country. As global power dynamics shift, and China and India grow in importance, Canada must work harder to educate Americans about its continuing strategic significance.
One of the studies found that, even though Canada remains the U.S.’s largest trading partner, just 39 per cent of Americans regard what happens in Canada to be of “vital importance,” with respondents giving higher scores to China, India and Mexico.
Only 13 per cent of Americans have visited Canada in the last year, and 44 per cent do not know where the nearest land border is, according to the poll, conducted by Gallup in November, 2010. Americans, however, also view Canada more favourably than any other country in the world, a source of goodwill that Canada should seize on.
full article http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/canada-the-invisible-likeable-beaver/article1941812/
Stumble It!
If they knew Canada was not all Eskimos and igloos they would swamp us. Better they don't know.
When I was a teenager, a friend of mine told me about a guy he knew who spent his winters in the southern US. As he sat at the bar, telling them stories about wagon trains, Indian uprisings, igloos and polar bears, they kept buying him beer all night, as they lapped it up. At first it was hard to keep a straight face, but with practice he found it easier.
Rick Mercer did a filming in the US on a similar vein.
The general public has the ususal spread of education so you are more likely to talk to someone with only high school or even if they have a higher level of education they would not be what you would deem as worldly. The fault is both in the educational system and the media.
Americans are very proud of their heritage and the educational system focuses on US history with some European history. Canadian history just is not considered important. From the time they are little they are told they are the best in the world and everyone wants to come to the US to better themselves financially. If you hear something often enough it becomes a truth. It is hard to be humble when you are perfect.
When it comes to the legislators they are going to act in ways to please the greatest number of voters and those voters have a centrist view of the world. So we see the never ending softwood lumber dispute, dirty tar sand oil, trade actions that fly in the face of NAFTA, etc.
I agree that we need to raise our profile, but it is a difficult task.