This is what is mindboggling to me. I live near Washington, DC, USA and there have been 2 major Canadian events in the last 2 years:
1) Alberta, Canada represented in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival with lots of folklore and bison burgers and Molsen on a hot and humid July day. The humidity was brutal that day. But why not all of Canada represented in the Fest? The Folklife folks in the USA would NOT have been picky enough to decide "ONLY ALBERTA".
2) There was a discussion about USA opportunities to immigrate into Canada with a special deal through "Alberta" and the reasons they laid out for us were "low taxes, high profits, spacious, more Conservative than the rest of Canada.
Last of all, Stephen Harper made a speech in Parliament about NEEDING to keep politically congruent to the USA because of the consequences to Canada of a lack of strong trade relations. And that a vote against Harper would somehow weaken US relations???
NOW….I am an American, my favorite province is NOT Alberta, it’s Manitoba! Second of all, I CHERISH the things about Canada that separate it from the USA!!!!!! And I LOVE listening to Elizabeth May and Jack Layton and even think that Dion doesn’t get a fair deal because he speaks PERFECT English, but English-speaking people are so picky the accent is all they judge by. As far as grammar is concerned, Dion is fluent as can be in speaking English….AND I imagine French as well.
(I wonder if these guys ALL get along more when they debate in French because it becomes like a French Test rather than a debate 
)
Well….I just want Canadians to know they don’t have to assume Americans are all pro-Bush or pro-McCain and Barack Obama is ahead by 10 percentage points now. MANY Americans if they could vote October 14th, would vote NDP, Green, Liberal, and NOT BACK the Conservative Majority at all.
Also it would be funny if Bloc Quebecois started campaigning in staunchly English parts of Canada.
I guess the great thing about being an American who IS knowledgeable about Canada is that anything I buy or piece of knowledge I obtain from Canada gives me a comparative advantage in this topic area. In the USA I have a margin to rebut ANYTIME someone calls me an idiot.
Edit:
To answer Candy’s question
"What are the things you like that separates Canada from the USA?"
Well for one thing, I think during the USA’s Civil Rights Movement era 1960s-early 70s, there was a real sense of euphoria in Canada, in the USA, and in the UK all at once. The USA came through with racial integration and equal opportunity employment and fair housing, Canada came through with national healthcare, and Britain came through with John Lennon and a rise of Labor Party principles. Well this is a corny way to equate the 3 countries, I know. But I think relatively speaking, these countries were more equal in visions and policies back in the day, based on my knowledge, I wasn’t born yet.
Now in 2008, I think Canada has stood the test of time that the USA once had in its past and sort of let slide. Canada, far more than the USA, sees itself as a group of diverse peoples banding together to share in the fate of Canada’s future, and the process is felt lower in the
the process is felt at lower levels of society, down to the common working manufacturer.
2) Canada does a better job than the USA at not failing to neglect political issues that are not urgent, but vitally important to Canada’s long-term future and generations to come. (I’m talking environmental sustainability, reducing carbon emissions, organic farming, things like that.)
3) Canada’s political direction is influenced by the values of the communities within Canada. In the USA, I feel the attitude is such that how much you earn entitles you to potentially unlimited amounts of possessions, hospitality, luxury, and people live from their cars to their houses to their job offices. In Canada, wealth is not discredited, same free market, BUT people in Canada tend to realize more than Americans that there is a great amount of joy in things that cannot be exchanged for cash and demand a group of people making a sacrifice, such as clean streets, local festivities, culture & art.
(I’d like to add another point.) So I raised points about Canada not forgetting its past, investing in its environment, valuing community activities, culture and art. The USA has the flaw of equating these things with "socialism" which is quite sad.
Canada is able to recognize that exercising "social consciousness" has nothing to do with "social-ISM," which is a free market capitalist system, not socialist, where by the PEOPLE want to make their own choices, but ALSO ensure that the choices being made will be the ones they will be thankful for having made 10 years from now.
And this involves more investment in the governing system perhaps, which is why I’m skeptical of this Stephen Harper
it involves investment in scientific research, medicine and health studies, and these things don’t have to be government sponsored, but when the need is not met with a profitable incentive "just like road repair" who else will take on these projects?
So now to end on a solid footing.
In a nutshell the difference between Canada and the USA? The "Lowest Standard Quality of Life Guaranteed to the Canadian citizen is closer to the middle than that of the USA citizen’s guaranteed minimum."
And the higher minimum standard of living both enables and is the result of higher levels of political participation and social awareness of the issues facing the country.
I realize some of the points I made were silly, but you get the jist of what I’m trying to say.
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Bubba S 12th March 2010
Most Canadians assume that most Americans have never even heard of Steven Harper. As far as the Bush administration being pro Harper, that’s not an assumption, that’s a fact.
candleduck 12th March 2010
i am actually surprised an American took an interest in Canada.
most Americans we hear of believe that the majority of Canadians live in igloo’s etc.
I imagine that most Americans don’t like harper, especially if you don’t like bush or McCain. Harper is an evil man and knows just as much about economics as McCain.
Dion did not have a strong presence in the debates I felt, but I did enjoy Ducep’s performance.
and btw Harper did not have a majority, that is why we had an early vote.
His only chance of getting a majority this time around is if he were able to win Quebec over, and fortunately for humanity, he most likely was not able to.
~*ajidamoon*~ Jibwah Waaban 12th March 2010
I don’t assume americans know anything about our elections…..It greatly surprises me when one knows anything at all about our country.
Karen C 12th March 2010
I must say, Erik, you are a bit of an enigma!
An American who not only knows where Canada is but reads all the Canadian political items in the newspapers! Astounding!! Something you should know by now is that what is written in the papers is not necessarily the Gospel Truth, especially if it is political in nature. The Canadian media are the biggest bunch of manipulators in the history of this country. Those polls you hear about – I have been hearing about them for 63 years. I have lived in 5 of the 10 provinces, travelled in all ten and one Territory and have met an unbelievable number of people in that time and on those trips but I do not know, nor am I related to anyone who has ever been asked to be a part of those polls.
That could be because those polls, often by their own admission (in small print) are taken by 300 people (or there abouts) out of the 33 plus millions there are in this country. If the pollsters work for a Conservative (or Liberal or whatever) editor, chances are the readership is also Conservative (or Liberal or whatever) thinking. So I ask you, how hard is it to find 300 Conservative thinkers who buy Conservative papers and then declare a high percentage of Conservatives?? As you move across Canada you simply change the name of the party in most places. There is always a way to make statistics tell whatever story you want. In the school I went to (in Quebec btw) that was called ‘Manipulation’.
I lived in Alberta for most of 35 years and I do not believe I ever saw a newspaper that did not talk up the party lie (that was a typo; sb ‘line’ but in this case the two words are pretty close in meaning
)) and believe me, the party line in Alberta is mostly Conservative.
The problem this year and in fact in all the recent elections, is that we do not have any really good candidates to choose from. Mr. Harper has his nose so high up GWB;s butt that it isn’t even remotely funny. BTW, Do feel free to send him a box of Kleenex for his little brown nose.
Mr. Dion is no where near as bad as he is made out to be but only a handful of really bilingual people know that. His problem is not with English as it is taught but with English as it is spoken – full of double meanings, and colloquialisms etc. He is quite a literal speaker of the English language. A good speech writer could work around a little problem like that but I take it his speech writer is not the best.
Mr. Layton is not the most charismatic soul on earth and I have never been an N.D.P.er but he has some excellent advertisements that have me thinking of changing camps.
Ms. May and her Green Party have some good arguments but their scope is still a tad too narrow to move her up into a higher echelon yet though I think one day she will – the possibility is there.
It is unfortunate that some of the financially poorer folks do not really give a continental damn about any party and will vote for whoever offers them the biggest bribe – oh I know tax cuts or higher baby bonuses are not strictly speaking bribes – not in the legal sense – but they are bribes nonetheless and this is an area that both the two main parties (in the past at least) knew how to play with very well indeed. Somehow I liked bribery back when it was called bribery. Everyone knew what they were dealing with. You know – a job here or a drink there or a Havana cigar somewhere else.
Ok Off my Soap Box. Your question – "Canadians seem to assume Americans are pro-Harper and pro-Alberta (province)?"
Do not assume. It makes an A S S out of U and ME. You are in a corner of the world where a lot of what you hear about Canada comes from Alberta and is about Harper. Come east, young man, come east! You will get a different perspective in each province. And when you get to Newfoundland/Labrador you will hear about the ABC Movement. That stands for "Anyone But Conservative". Gotta Love those Newfies, eh?
mj_puce 12th March 2010
I’m actually surprised Americans know or care about any of our provinces, or any of our politicians. I’ve been following your elections quite closely, and I think it’s fantastic that Americans are waking up from the Bush years and Obama is winning! If all Harper cares about is "congruence with America", how’s he going to be congruent now? Harper is just an old school blow-hard right wing idgit like McCain and he’d probably sell our whole country to the States if he could. He only got elected because the left is split between the Liberals and the NDP. Unfortunately Canadians don’t have a lot of confidence in Dion, the Liberal leader right now. It’s not just his accent but his body language and the way he always looks like he’s about to cry. It’s really not fair because it has nothing to do with issues, but will give the NDP who a chance to gain more seats in Parliament. Alberta can afford to promote itself because they have all the oil and the money. I guess they’re trying to attract investment, but they do seem out of step with the times. Alberta has always been about oil and red meat. I guess the main difference between Alberta and Texas is just the winters.
Candy- 12th March 2010
Wow…. Eric your the only American I know that actually knows about Canada and the politics! You probably know more than a few Canadians about the election coming up.
Now to answer your question:
Most Canadians actually don’t think Americans are pro- Harper. What we do probably think is that Americans don’t even care about our recent election. That being said how could we make an assumption about what leader Americans like if we think Americans don’t care at all. Though Eric you did prove our thought wrong!
With the favourite province… I have no idea how Canadians say Americans have a favourite! I don’t get that at all. I mean I don’t have a favourite State that every other Canadian likes! I guess these are just Stereo Types.
Just one question:
What are the things you cherish that separates Canada from the USA?
scubabob 12th March 2010
Thumbs up Eric.
That’s how they square off with a Republican/ Conservative thing too. It is unfair to both political entities to say they’re the same ( they aren’t) but in a political spectrum, they are but in different context.
A natural assumption I guess. You seem to have a grasp on how our politics work. Given that, just think for a sec. Our Conservative party is as far right as you get in Federal or Provincial politics. Alberta has had a long history of voting Conservative.
If you have two bears…one really black, the other blackish brown…are they both black when compared to a polar bear?
As to your point #1. It’s not uncommon for a province to go on an advertising binge on behalf of the entire country but putting themselves first. Hell…Ontario is guilty as hell of that. We do that in a huge way. It worked though. You noticed. You identified Alberta, folksy things, wildlife and mowing down on wild cow. from Canada.
Marketing.
As to your point #2. See above. Same answer. Marketing again. If someone who leaves the States, moves to Alberta, works and is productive there, doesn’t that make them an Albertan Canadian when they gain citizenship? Hell…there are a lot of Ontarian Albertan Canadians right now. Soon it will be Ontarian Albertan Newfoundlander Canadians when Hibernia get rolling big.
Man…we’re gonna have to invent a national drivers licence.
Currently it’s attractive to work in Alberta. Cost of living is going up there however, supply and demand thing.
slipstreamer 12th March 2010
Because people love to stereotype. Many Americans have stopped listening to Canadians in general because of the knee jerk anti-Americanism. Statements such "…as most Americans we hear of believe that the majority of Canadians live in igloo’s etc…" seem to be becoming typical.
America/Americans are HEAVILY stereotyped negatively in Canadian media – we are basically blamed for all the worlds ills, while unsavory parts of our shared history (oppression of natives, slavery, pollution and exploitation of environment, racism, ..all happened in Canada too) are glossed over.
By the way, I am a left wing American with family and friends in Canada and even I am sick of the self-righteous bashing. It is self-righteous ignorance masquerading as truth.
For example, Canadians love to talk about their clean water and their environmentalism. Look up Pebble mine, Alaska.