Why Isn't Canada Two or Three Countries?

[jwoodie]

To an American, Canada seems to be composed of at least two different geographic entities who have very little in common. Western Canada has more in common with its neighboring States in the U.S. than it does with Quebec, which has little in common with the rest of the Western Hemisphere except for a few Caribbean islands. The Maritime Provinces could be described as a third Canadian entity, but they are more like homeless orphans who simply took the best deal they were offered after WW2.

Why do these two main entities remain hobbled together? Is simply not being "American" enough of a common cause for them to stay together as a single country? It seems like Western Canadians are carrying that load while the rest of the country doesn't give a damn about anything but their own narrow interests. Could these Western Provinces make it on their own without having the others on their backs? Strict border enforcement might be the only thing needed for them to establish a prosperous and free new country.

Your thoughts?

 

[1srelluc]

Were it not for the surly Quebeckers America's Hat would have been annexed long ago.

Thing is nobody wants them and they are not worth the powder and lead to cleanse.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

To an American, Canada seems to be composed of at least two different geographic entities who have very little in common. Western Canada has more in common with its neighboring States in the U.S. than it does with Quebec, which has little in common with the rest of the Western Hemisphere except for a few Caribbean islands. The Maritime Provinces could be described as a third Canadian entity, but they are more like homeless orphans who simply took the best deal they were offered after WW2.

Why do these two main entities remain hobbled together? Is simply not being "American" enough of a common cause for them to stay together as a single country? It seems like Western Canadians are carrying that load while the rest of the country doesn't give a damn about anything but their own narrow interests. Could these Western Provinces make it on their own without having the others on their backs? Strict border enforcement might be the only thing needed for them to establish a prosperous and free new country.

Your thoughts?

Canada does whatever we tell them to do. Except the faggotry shit. The Tundra freezes the brain so que sera sera

 

[Concerned American]

To an American, Canada seems to be composed of at least two different geographic entities who have very little in common. Western Canada has more in common with its neighboring States in the U.S. than it does with Quebec, which has little in common with the rest of the Western Hemisphere except for a few Caribbean islands. The Maritime Provinces could be described as a third Canadian entity, but they are more like homeless orphans who simply took the best deal they were offered after WW2.

Why do these two main entities remain hobbled together? Is simply not being "American" enough of a common cause for them to stay together as a single country? It seems like Western Canadians are carrying that load while the rest of the country doesn't give a damn about anything but their own narrow interests. Could these Western Provinces make it on their own without having the others on their backs? Strict border enforcement might be the only thing needed for them to establish a prosperous and free new country.

Your thoughts?

If left up to the Quebecois, Quebec would be independent of Canada. French Canadians visualize themselves as French--many French nationals disagree and see them as rabble rousers. One French family that I know brought to my attention that the Quebecois either use or want to use (can't remember which) the word "Arret" on stop signs. My friends tell me arret is not the same context as stop and that even France has "Stop" on their stop signs. Federal signs in Canada must be printed in both English and French--even to the point that signs pointing the way to Lake Louise, AB are printed Lake Louise over Louise Lake I think these type of issues are some of the dumber responses Ontario has saddled Canadians with.

 

[Canon Shooter]

I used to spend a great deal of time in Canada. I've probably seen more of it than most Canadians. Considering just the lower provinces (no one goes to the northern ones too much) I see Canada more as five separate entities.

Ontario could be a country unto itself. Toronto, for instance, is like Pittsburgh. It's nothing special, although it does have one of the best steak houses I've ever been to:

Barberian's


Quebec is very, well, French. There's no two ways about it. Be it good or bad, it is what it is. That said, I do love the old walled city. Quebec, for me, could easily be its own country, as well.

Manitoba and Saskatchewan are red-headed step-children. There's nothing going on out there, and it's some of the flattest terrain you'll ever see. It's so flat you could watch your dog run away for days up there.

Then you've got Alberta and British Columbia are gorgeous. I used to love the drive from Vancouver to Kelowna, and then across the Rockies into Alberta: the small town of Canmore (which is within the confines of Banff National Park) and Calgary, and then north to Edmonton and Fort McMurray.

My favorite part of the country, though, are The Maritimes. Nova Scotia is very cool, as are New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. My favorite, though, is Newfoundland & Labrador. It was in St. John's, Newfoundland where I became an honorary Newfie. At the behest of my friend Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies, I went through the "Screeching In" ceremony at Christian's Pub. An interesting aside: George Street in St. John's has more bars per square foot than any other city in North America. "Screech" is this gawdawful tasting rum. You can read about it here: Screech In

The gentleman performing the ceremony is the guy they talk about in the article in my link.

Here are some photos of me (in the long sleeve gray t-shirt with the yellow hat) during the ceremony.

The Maritimes are so vastly different from the rest of the country. Truthfully, it is easy to see how Canada, which is the second largest country on the planet in terms of size, could be divided up into a number of smaller countries...

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

The only viable places to have a population are on the border.
The rest is frozen tundra where no one wants to live.
I have family in BC and it's alright as long as you visit in the summer.

 

[Concerned American]

The only viable places to have a population are on the border.
The rest is frozen tundra where no one wants to live.
I have family in BC and it's alright as long as you visit in the summer.

Don't you live in SD? Gets pretty cold there too.

 

[Canon Shooter]

The only viable places to have a population are on the border.
The rest is frozen tundra where no one wants to live.
I have family in BC and it's alright as long as you visit in the summer.

I once read that 90% of thew Canadian population lives within 250 miles of the American border...

 

[TheParser]

Your thoughts?

Maybe some Canadians wonder why the United States is not three countries: liberal, conservative, and moderate.

 

[jwoodie]

Maybe some Canadians wonder why the United States is not three countries: liberal, conservative, and moderate.

Common language and cultural norms used to unify the U.S. Now it divides it.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I once read that 90% of thew Canadian population lives within 250 miles of the American border...

It's something like that.
Not only is it more profitable it's a hell of a lot warmer.

 

[bambu.]

Common language and cultural norms used to unify the U.S. Now it divides it.

Seems to be.
Multiculturalism has been a dismal failure in Europe/Britain...Cameron and Merkel basically said so...and it seems in the U.S. and other places in the West.
Oh well, they refused to listen to the warnings...so now there is what there is.
So many people on the terror watch list in Britain that they can't all be watched.

At least some normality is being restored to the world, Trudeau has shaved off that silly beard.