Enough of this Yank cultural hegemony. You gave us Aykroyd and Candy-- we gave you boring baseball!! Are you planning to lull us into complacency with Celine Dion songs and then invade? Should we have bilingual street signs?
Speak up, O Canada!

I am reminded of that wonderful musical number with Robin Williams:"Blame it in Canada" . It was so funny!

You guessed it, Coolupway! Maybe we could have been more subtle. There are methods to our madness you know! Never be lulled into a false sense of security!

Hmmm. This might not be a bad thing at all. Will we become more polite? Will I have to relearn my terrible high school French? Will I have a good harness racing track nearby instead of having to travel 218 miles to get the signals from the Canadian tracks? Will people start to wait on "don't walk" signs? Do we get that really good national anthem?
Will US now be rated best place to live? WELCOME TO U.S./ BIENVENUE AUX ETATS-UNIS!

First of all you'll have to brush up on your dog-sled riding skills. According to one tour guide in Florida I talked to "we Canadians are the people that ride dog sleds" Oh, and another thing--you'll have to get used to wearing a kilt for that's what Canadians like to wear..of course you'd have to wear long underwear and parkas over them because it never gets above 0 degress in Canada. Did you know that you can ski in Montreal in the middle of July? That was according to one American I encountered on an airplane who was carrying skis with the hopes of getting in a little skiing on his vacation!

Also, if you want to be truly Canadian-like you'll have to remember to beg a pardon of everything that you accidentially bump into.....be it a person, mailbox, store manneqin.....you get the picture.

Of course Canada isn't the only country about which there is widespread and often astonishing ignorance. Imagine my amazement on being asked by an American whether we in Britain are allowed to vote or whether the Queen decides everything ... It was a serious question and not some poorly thought out dig at the monarchy. I had hitherto assumed that just about everyone in the U.S. saw Britain as a democracy.

It's small consolation to Canadians that Americans (and others) with stereotyped images at least know that the country *exists*. Imagine how Bulgarians feel when people from Western Europe (and North America) come up with comments like, 'I had no idea there was such a country' . (!)

What about the lady who asked a friend of mine if she knew that the American composer Dvorak had been born in the Czech Republic? Oh well.

All in all, I don't think Canadians have to worry one little bit because judging from the zillions of American missile bases that hug the border, I'd say we've got you guys seriously concerned. The Quebequois have annexed Old Orchard Beach, Wildwood and Hollywood, Fla. so securely that they're thinking of demanding Lebensraum. Anglo pensioners now own every single condo in Tampa. It's inevitable. You people can keep Minnesota. That's fair. Also Wisconsin. We've got a lot of that sort of thing up home.

Bloomsby,

You mean the Queen DOESN'T make all the rules?? Yes sometimes people have very strange perceptions of other countries and it can indeed be very frustrating!

Another thing.....I always get a kick out of being asked, "Oh, I know someone who lives in Canada....they live in Vancouver. Do you know them? I live in Nova Scotia.....only about 4000 miles separates the two provinces!

But what is even more astonishing is when people of your OWN country are unaware of your way of life or even your existence! We lived for a time in another part of Canada and Nova Scotia was perceived as nothing other than a tiny village where everyone fishes for a living. It's totally amazing. You would think that people would have more of an interest in learning about the world around them.

BKA ... Yes, at times it seems that ignorance reigns supreme. Here, a lot of people born and bred in the South of England, have never been to the Midlands, the North and haven't the foggiest where Norwich is, for example. More than once I've encountered Londoners who think it's somewhere in the North Riding of Yorkshire, though we are only 115 miles from Central London - and a few people even commute to London daily.

It boggles the mind doesn't it?

I'd love to visit Norwich someday. I've heard it said that "Norwich has it all"! I love visiting places with a rich history. Canada is a mere 'babe' compared to most places in Europe.

My cousin was born and raised in Manchester, England. She and her husband have invited our family to visit them. I can't wait to get the opportunity. It may be a while though, as travelling with two toddlers is not an easy thing and although I am a keen traveller, my husband is a very reluctant one! Sigh!! (I did however, drag him to Ireland with me on a holiday before the children were born! ) The trip was magnificent! We had a brief stop-over in London, but alas, all I got to see of England was Heathrow airport!

I am planning a trip right now with a friend and her mother who are originally from Germany. We are planning to fly into Frankfurt sometime in the late autumn and then stay in Stuttgart. The plan is to take in some scenery in nearby Switzerland and Austria as time and money will allow. My husband, John and the children will be staying at home, and although I will miss them, I cannot pass up this opportunity!

I confess that when I first met Bloomsby I asked him if it was really pronounced like porridge as in the Mother Goose rhyme. I knew where it was, but I had to satisfy my curiosity.
Same thing as spotting Yorkshire terriers in Yorkshire, I didn't see many!

My first adventure out of the United States was a trip to Canada and I'll never forget it. Don't laugh too hard but we were just thrilled at the differences. The Royal pound was funny for us..I think you got more gas for your money.
We drove over the Washington British Columbia border and cheered. We had a wonderful, albeit damp stay on Vancouver Island in a campground where the torrents of rain were almost too much for even our rugged gear. Then the city of Victoria that is like a jewel, with those flowerpots growing from each streetlamp. The old English atmosphere of Victoria is just incredible.
I know I was a kid back then but I was not at all blasée about the differences.
We then went to the parks, the mountains and it was a memorable occasion.
That was my first time outside of the US until I went around the world in my twenties.

Many years later after living in France and the States both and my child was growing up bilingual in the States we drove up to Quebec. My kid woke up during the border crossing in upstate New Hampshire and we told her she could speak French to the children in the park there. She didn't believe us.
For her, you had to get on a plane to speak French at the other end!
Then she realized the other children were speaking French and she switched.
The city of Quebec is really gorgeous and pristeen.
But the difference with the French Canadians is that every single word must be translated into French because after holding on to a language and culture all those years, they're not likely to give up on it easily.
This is why arret on the stop signs, hambourgeois on the menus and things that even the French wouldn't insist on.
I commend them, but boy is it tough on translators.

Though Americans probably beat many other nations in being totally unaware of other countries (Reagan didn't even know where Poland was or something if I recall), I've been asked if we all live in locked communities and the gangs roam around all over the place in the States. They see all the bad stuff.
But nothing to compare with someone asking a French friend if he'd come all the way to Detroit from France on the bus!

.... or if there were kangaroos all over Austria...

They do say that Arnold does get tired of repeating he's not an Australian...! I'm surprised he never gave up and began wrestling crocodiles!

I read somewhere that a number of years ago when there was that big antifreeze in the cheap white wine scandal in Austria, the Australian wine market took a real beating. People in Japan stopped drinking it en masse. The Australians had to mount an ad campaign there explaining the difference between the two countries.

Actually, I don't believe anyone has cornered the market on geographic ignorance. When I was back in Montreal last I can't tell you how many clever Canadian people asked me
1. If I lived anywhere near the front (???)
2. If Russian was hard to learn.
3. If there were cars/hotels/airports, etc.
4. If Warsaw was as pretty as everyone said.
And the big one...
5. If I was happy in Czechoslovakia.

I still receive a lot of mail, even from the university, addressed to Czechoslovakia. How it gets here, I don't know. In Canada, if you mess up one number in the postal code, it gets sent back. Here, if you write to a country that no longer exists, the letter still makes your mailbox in decent time.

Czechs aren't much better. About 96% of people have no idea what the capital of Canada is, and can't name one major city. They do know that lots of trees and bears live there and they store up an incredible amount of arcane hockey lore. It's a little strange to get the NHL standings on the radio in the morning.

Now we can all find out what these Canadians are really saying if you just click here. Funny

There's a couple of things I want to ask about that site ...

In reply to:

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GST
The dreaded Goods and Services Tax, 7% that goes on top of just about every purchase (in addition to the provincial sales taxes). The current Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien, got elected partly because he promised to get rid of this tax (also called the "Grab and Steal Tax" or the "Gouge and Screw Tax), and then promptly didn't. If you're visiting Canada and spend enough money, you can get your GST back by mail after you've gone home. Ask about this at the border.

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How long has this been in? and has it been raised at all since conception? (hehe, love the "Grab and Steal tax" line)

In reply to:

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Smarties
Not the ones you're used to seeing in the US. In Canada, Smarties are a candy resembling M&Ms. They do melt in your hand, and they're a lot sweeter. (Thanks to a visitor for this one.) Smarties conoisseurs eat the red ones last.

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That's what I would call a Smartie too, but what are smarties in the US?

Copago --- In answer to your question about our (Canada's) GST Tax (Goods and Services Tax, aka the 'Grab and Steal' Tax, aka the 'Gouge and Screw' Tax).

It has been in existence for about 15 years --- it was a 7% tax when it was introduced, and it is still a 7% tax (It has not been increased YET!)
Mr. Chretien did promise that one of the first things he would do if he won the election (about 10 years ago) would be that his party would abolish the GST Tax... Since he has been in office, there has been nothing done to remove the tax.
While there has yet to be an increase in the GST Tax since its inception, there are rumours now that it will be raised to 10%. Mr. Chretien, and his party, insist that the rumour is false --- He/they say it is not going to be increased --- which probably means that it is about to be increased in the near future.

Loved that link! I even learned a few new Canadian words (well, I'm Québécois, I don't know that much Canadian English).
Anyways, there is one mistake:
guedille
A francophone term for a hot dog covered in spaghetti sauce. Pron. "gay-DEE."
A guedille (pronounced gay-deeye) is actually an un-toasted hot dog bread with either chicken or ham salad in it. I've never seen one with spaghetti sauce. The original guedille was filled with a mix of ground beef, onions and tomato purée, close to spaghetti sauce but much thicker. A hot dog with spaghetti sauce is called a hot dog Michigan.
For more adventurous hot dog conoisseurs, try a hot dog dulac: steam both bread and sausage, add cole slaw, mayonaise and french fries on top.

Im from the UK and I lived in Edmonton Alberta for 2 years, I was asked by friends living in Edmonton but who come from the US if they spoke with an accent, and if I knew Princess Di and also if I lived like the people on Coranation Street in houses that where back to back. Oh and the best one was when we go on holiday do we only have to travel for a few minutes cause the island is so small. If you lived in wales maybe yeah!
Not once was I asked a stupid question by a Canadian, in fact i was so impressed with them I went and married one, Who is now living back here in the UK with me and is asked if he is American, when he replies no Canadian people say to him, Oh thats good , dont want anymore Yanks in here, I would proudly sing O Canada I love the people the place and will one day go back there to live, I have been to America several times to visit relations of my hubbys, and they still think that if you cross the border from Montana that you will be knee deep in snow, even in the summer. Americans make me laugh, but not cause their funny either!

Well! Thanks for the kudos for Canadians! But as a born & bred here type, I like my American neighbours! We do have differences, and I do like my Canadian distinction, however, Americans are ok, too! Thanks, dais!

Another born and bred Canadian here. It's nice to hear your kind words dais. Like Lefois, I do like the distinction of being Canadian --- but, yes, our American neighbours are okay as far as I'm concerned.

Yeah sorry if it sounds like Im putting americans down, I didnt mean to sorry all, America has many fine qualities and it was just my opinion.

Hey dais --- No need to apologize --- Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and has equal opportunity to express it here at FT.

Personally, I don't ALWAYS agree with our American neighbours, and they can be a bit much by times --- but in general/overall they're okay.

Since I started this mess, let me just note, if for nothing other than the sake of the historical record, that I was in the land of the Maple Leaf last week, and found it to be (as I have found before) a most wonderful and compelling place, albeit one in which the metric system is JUST a little bit overused! Let the record further reflect that this is one Yank who is unstinting in his praise of the "Canadian way"/(la vie Canadienne). God knows a few more bilngual roadsigns would help us with our bad French down here in suburban NY!

Glad to know we're still in someone's Good Books! The American media didn't like us much yesterday!

Lefois, please fill us in/Qu'est que c'est?