Americans Fire Back Over Column

December 16, 2002 11:07 AM

Americans Fire Back Over Column This Toronto Star article comes right at the heels of ealier MeFi post (Canadian American Relations).
posted by freakystyley (29 comments total)

Doublepost!. Well, posted in the comments anyways.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:15 AM on December 16, 2002

whoopsie! yeah, double-post!
posted by freakystyley at 11:20 AM on December 16, 2002

Everything every American said in that article was stupid.
posted by Satapher at 11:26 AM on December 16, 2002

I suspect the standard American view of all this is "yeah, we're ignorant, but so what."
posted by dazed_n_confused at 11:46 AM on December 16, 2002

I suspect the standard MeFite view of all this is "another post on the same fluff story? really?"
posted by eyeballkid at 11:50 AM on December 16, 2002

All generalizations are inherently stupid, including this one.
posted by toothgnip at 12:10 PM on December 16, 2002

All generalizations are inherently stupid, including this one.

Spake the man who represented all of Canada as a pacifist hockey player. With a plastic stick, no less.

Actually, that strip kind of sums up this whole argument, with more resolution to boot.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:29 PM on December 16, 2002

You all suck

The first 3 words of the first link. To me this is a racist statement. As is, I'm better your not. These statements show me how intelligent folks are when making a blanket statements. If you have nothing nice to say, shsh!

The more folks talk down about other countries is a good thing for me. One, I won't expect to see them there, when I do visit. Two, it shows the natives I'm visiting the why's of my trip to their land, to get away from my own natives.

PS, 33,000 Canadians just moved to the US this last year per CNN.
posted by thomcatspike at 12:56 PM on December 16, 2002

The first 3 words of the first link.

Which you obviously didn't read beyond.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:59 PM on December 16, 2002

Yeah, if it wasn't for The Kids in the Hall that gave us *some* glimmer of hope about you freaks, we'd have nuked you into black glass a long time ago.
posted by WolfDaddy at 2:25 PM on December 16, 2002

I thought this was considerably better than the original post, mostly because it's on a smaller scale.

it's curling that really distinguishes the two nations of North America

I guess Mexico finally had enough.
posted by hippugeek at 2:34 PM on December 16, 2002

To me this is a racist statement.

If this thread (and the article referenced) is over here, any reference to race is way over there. It may be countryist, but is sure ain't racist.
posted by websavvy at 2:39 PM on December 16, 2002

If this thread (and the article referenced) is over here, any reference to race is way over there. It may be countryist, but is sure ain't racist.

Ethnicity is a proxy race. If not not racist, than bigoted.

Everything every American said in that article was stupid.

Even the positive things they said about Canada?
posted by Bag Man at 7:21 PM on December 16, 2002

I would put good money that as many Canadians as Americans knew who the Prime Minister of Japan is. As far as America is concerned, he's as important, and more so, than the Canadian PM.

Saying Americans are ignorant because they don't know who the PM is and what the capital is in Canada is like people in White Plains suggesting that New York City residents are ignorant for not knowing the mayor and city divisions in White Plains.

Of course Canadians know who Bush is. He's in Canadians papers (and papers everywhere) every day because he's probably the most powerful man alive.

The ignorance card is bigoted.

The articled linked too, on the other hand, was simply interesting and relatively well-rounded data, unlike most posts about America on Mefi. Good for the star.
posted by Kevs at 7:57 PM on December 16, 2002

"Canadians are sort of a nation of Homer Simpsons."

Wow, and this was an 'anti.' I would wear that badge with pride, O Canada.
posted by Lord Chancellor at 8:44 PM on December 16, 2002

we'd have nuked you into black glass a long time ago.


I know you're joking, but ummm... During the revolutionary war, the US tried to take over Canada and were trounced.
posted by drezdn at 9:00 PM on December 16, 2002

who the Prime Minister of Japan is. As far as America is concerned, he's as important, and more so, than the Canadian PM.

Sorry, we beat out Japan as your largest trading partner by quite a large margin. Then there's geographical proximity. Then there's military; our two helicopters are still more than Japan's glider. However, I do admit on the basis of shopping mall food court influence, Japan has us beat. I'm still working on marketing my fast-food poutine chain in the States.

Score one for Canadian nitpicking!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 9:13 PM on December 16, 2002

I thought even non-Quebecois Canadians didn't like poutain, c'est terrible. Just salt and ketchup with mine, thanks.

Though the pizza in the McD's would be nice to have here =)
posted by Kevs at 10:03 PM on December 16, 2002

During the revolutionary war, the US tried to take over Canada and were trounced.

I think that was the British beating up on some other British subjects, and some very dissonant subjects at that.
posted by Bag Man at 10:05 PM on December 16, 2002

I think that was the British beating up on some other British subjects

Okay, how's this: During the war of 1812, the US tried to take over Canada and were trounced.
posted by timeistight at 11:40 PM on December 16, 2002

During the war of 1812, the US tried to take over Canada and were trounced.

Wasn't Canada not a sovereign nation until 1857 or so? So, I guess the US failed to take more land from the British. Yeah, the British stopped the US from taking more of their empire.

(not trying to be a dick, just making a historical point to highlight an earlier absurd argument)
posted by Bag Man at 12:07 AM on December 17, 2002

Kevs: Poutine is one of the world's great foods... fries with lumps of cheese and gravy... grease on grease on grease. Here in the Maritimes (that's everything in Canada east of Quebec sans Newfoundland), poutine is quite popular. Possibly it's the Acadian influence, since the Maritimes used to be the French colony of Acadia (from the Mi'kmaw "Katy"; when the French were kicked out in 1755 the Acadians fled south to another French colony, Louisiana, becoming... yep... 'Cajuns).

I'm surprised Americans haven't caught on to this artery-clogging treat. I suspect the northern states would appreciate it. Any New Englanders out there to report on this?

(and Bag Man, you're on the right track. Canada gained its independence in 1867, partly in response to perceived threats that the US, with all those Civil War troops looking for something to do, would try again. That wasn't the only reason, or even the most important one, of course. But it's a handy way for Americans to remember when Canada became a country.)
posted by GhostintheMachine at 4:30 AM on December 17, 2002

I think one ground rule can be established: Neither the US, nor Canada, sucks more than France.
posted by CoolHandPuke at 6:11 AM on December 17, 2002

Then there's military; our two helicopters are still more than Japan's glider.

Uh...actually, despite the Japanese government's reluctance to shy away from their pacifist ideology, their armed forces are very well armed and funded, which can't be said for the Canadian Forces. Their "self-defence" forces can easily trump anyone in SE Asia.
posted by anteaus26 at 8:10 AM on December 17, 2002

The first 3 words of the first link.

Which you obviously didn't read beyond.

Yes, I read the article in full. Just pointing out one aspect with in the article itself. When one makes a statement like this against a country some may only regard it as being a nationalist statement. Notice I only attacked the comment, not the Country.
posted by thomcatspike at 9:33 AM on December 17, 2002

Though the pizza in the McD's would be nice to have here

Where does McD's have pizza? Never seen it in Dallas.
posted by thomcatspike at 9:36 AM on December 17, 2002

McDonald's Pizza... first saw it in Ottawa (which I think was a test market) about 10-12 years ago, before it spread to most of eastern Canada at least. "Pizza" was spelled with two tilted golden arches forming the "z"s. They had special ovens installed just to bake them fast. Then, apparently to justify the cost, they changed the apple pies to baked instead of deep-fried. Haven't seen it on the menus here in eastern Canada in several years, though. Apple pies are still the baked variety, so I assume they're still getting good use of those ovens. Wonder if any of this explains their falling market share/stock prices?

The pizzas themselves weren't all that bad, considering it was McD's. Not overly greasy, and the crust was a little unusual, with a somewhat grainy texture on the bottom. One of the very few foods my wife would eat there.

It could have just been a regional thing. McD's has a few "regional" items in some areas, catering to local tastes... like beer in Germany or McLobster (I'm serious) here in the Maritimes.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 10:30 AM on December 17, 2002

Ghost...we have the McLobster here in Boston, too. But I can assure you that our fries, even in New England, will stay covered in blue-blooded ketchup and salt =).

Thanks for the info about Acadia, though - very interesting.
posted by Kevs at 10:44 AM on December 17, 2002

GitM:

One one of my frequent visits to Burlington, VT, my cousin intoduced me to a local joint called Nectar's and the concept (and reality) of "gravy fries". It wasn't until I read your greasy/gravy description above that I made any connection to poutine. Yes, they were darned tasty. Still, calling it "gravy fries"? "Isn't that whole area a little iffy?"

Alas, here in Virginia, we must learn to do without.
posted by speedo at 1:12 PM on December 17, 2002