This explains very clearly why I want to go home..

[Bangkokcanuck]

http://www.wimp.com/explainscanada

Thoughts?

 

[CharlieD10]

Nice.

My husband exhibits a pride in his heritage and culture I find an endearing part of all that I love about him, I can understand a bit why you feel the same after watching that.

Thanks!

 

[Bangkokcanuck]

Nice.

My husband exhibits a pride in his heritage and culture I find an endearing part of all that I love about him, I can understand a bit why you feel the same after watching that.

Thanks!

Thanks, I loved the end when they were saying how we had to almost be TOLD to be over the top Homers during the Olympics. That is something I always love about us, yes we have pride but it's a quiet almost reserved pride in who we are as Canadians.

I have lived in Thailand for a number of years and one of our businesses deals directly with tourists and any time we see a back packer come in with a HUGE Canadian flag on the back of their pack first thing we say is "what part of the US are you from?" they always laugh and ask how we know. Because Canadians always have a small discrete flag somewhere on their pack, enough so people will see it but never in your face look at me size. Before the usual digs assuming I am taking veiled shots at the always loud and proud Americans I am not. I love Canada being next door to America it too is part of what makes us, us....

 

[toby]

It was when I left Canada that I became most proud of my heritage: the culture, the landscape, the clean cities.

But when I returned to Canada periodically, I also saw how controlled Canadians had become. The bureaucracy exerts much more control now than when I left, but my family who stayed in Canada seems unaware of this trend.

It is a dangerous trend if you are a libertarian as I am. I heard recently that the government group in charge of the content of broadcasts was recently reviewing an old decision to ban a particular song because it contained the word "fagot". I don't use the word myself, and I might decide not to listen to that song, but I want to be free to make the decision myself -- not have some bureaucrat make the decision for me.

In this forum we have heard many horror stories about how petty bureaucrats (aka visa officers) freely abuse their power to award/deny visas -- with no perceptible accountability to the taxpayers who pay their salaries.

I could go on but won't.

What's the point? Let's not be complacent (like my family) about the erosion of individual rights. Canada is a great country -- if it weren't for the bureaucracy. Let's do what we can to keep them in line, or they'll own us eventually.

 

[CharlieD10]

Because Canadians always have a small discrete flag somewhere on their pack, enough so people will see it but never in your face look at me size.

I had to laugh at that. My husband gave me a backpack for carrying my laptop, and glued to the front pocket is a small, discreet, Canadian flag.

While on our honeymoon in Negril, a tourist came and sat down at bar where we were, and about 3 minutes into the gentleman's conversation with the bartender about his adventure down Black River, my husband nudges me and says, "He's Canadian". He didn't have an overt accent, which I have a good ear for, so I asked my husband how he knew. He just smiled, wandered over to the man, and asked him whereabouts in Canada he was from, and sure enough, he was from Ontario! The "ehs" started flying thick and fast around the bar then, and as my husband explained it later, it's just something about the attitude that shows!

 

[Love_Young]

Put tears to my eyes. This is what I have been looking for to share with everyone at home.
But anytime I see Canada and the US share a bond, it puts a tear in my eye and smile on my face. Because when I see those two flags fly next to each other I see my husband and I with the love we have for each other. Like we are pieced together. And that is us, always by each others sides just like those flags.

This was just the thing I needed to see today. Thanks for sharing.
P.S. I am an American that deeply loves her Canadian through and through. Go USA and Canada!

 

[Love_Young]

I had to laugh at that. My husband gave me a backpack for carrying my laptop, and glued to the front pocket is a small, discreet, Canadian flag.

While on our honeymoon in Negril, a tourist came and sat down at bar where we were, and about 3 minutes into the gentleman's conversation with the bartender about his adventure down Black River, my husband nudges me and says, "He's Canadian". He didn't have an overt accent, which I have a good ear for, so I asked my husband how he knew. He just smiled, wandered over to the man, and asked him whereabouts in Canada he was from, and sure enough, he was from Ontario! The "ehs" started flying thick and fast around the bar then, and as my husband explained it later, it's just something about the attitude that shows!

Aww that sounds sweet though. That you know and love your country enough that you just know when people are from there. And being able to have a conversation like that is wonderful. I feel even though I am not Canadian that I tend to lean towards the way they carry their pride. Because I am a proud American but I am not boastful about it. I do stick up for it though and have deep love for it because it will always be home but I don't feel have to let the whole world know that either, if that makes sense.

 

[sheila la]

I love it. I don't believe Canada gets the recognition it should from most countries.

I forwarded it to my husband in Egypt with the hopes it will give him a better idea of what Canada is and what it means to me.

 

[Bangkokcanuck]

I could go on but won't.

What's the point? Let's not be complacent (like my family) about the erosion of individual rights. Canada is a great country -- if it weren't for the bureaucracy. Let's do what we can to keep them in line, or they'll own us eventually.

For the record the song you referenced was Dire Strait's Money for Nothing.. and it is absurd that the CRTC 25 years after it's released or some such thing have banned it... incredible.. just like the capped bandwidth for third party ISP. Just a couple of examples of Gov't out of control.

I only differ slightly from your comments above I say "Canada is a great country, in SPITE of the bureaucracy"

I always tell my wife that the biggest difference she will see when living full time in Canada is how opposite it is to Thailand. Where there are no rules and anything can be swept under the rug or had with a phone call to the right person or a small bribe. There seems to be no laws or at least none that are enforced and when you first experience it, it seems like WOW this is how life should be, stay outta my business and I'll stay outta yours.... but after a while you realize that all the "freedom" is really a lack of rules and a total self absorbed way of life that causes stress and a feeling of being on your own with no structure that can be depended on. I could give you tons of examples, but I think you get the point.

Where as in Canada we have TOO many rules and TOO many gov't agencies trying to tell us how to think and how to live our lives and how to always be PC. For me it very much is picking the lessor of two evils. I feel that going in I know how out of control the gov't and controls are so I can address it head on and work within a framework that exists. In Thailand there is nothing to work with it's every person for themselves and the consequences be damned.

I am pretty sure I mentioned it elsewhere but I did work for a gov't office for five years and believe me I know first hand how out of control many people working there are. Spending so much time to create and protect their little kingdom it really does need to be put in check and scaled back and more personal freedoms and the ability to make more personal choices given back to people. It is a hard road to change that we are on now in many ways for sure, but again from the places I've seen the currently the lessor of two evils, at least at this point in time.

Oh and BTW I still say Merry Christmas and put up a tree haha, Happy Holidays come on now what's that all about? I couldn't be happier to have the different people from different races, etc, coming to Canada and joining our society. But with our understanding of their differences to us, they need to be understanding to how we in Canada do things differently as well. Then either join us or at the very least respect our right to do, live, worship as we wish. I think you will find that the vast majority of "new Canadians" feel the gov't that tries to enforce all these wacky PC things are doing so on their behalf without being asked as they "think" its the right thing to do.

So yeah Canada has it's issues, but when stacked up against just about anywhere else in the world I still believe in the overall grand scheme its still the place I want to be... all the above is of course simply my personal opinion and no offense meant to anyone and I hope none taken.

 

[AllisonVSC]

...
But when I returned to Canada periodically, I also saw how controlled Canadians had become. The bureaucracy exerts much more control now than when I left, but my family who stayed in Canada seems unaware of this trend.... Let's not be complacent (like my family) about the erosion of individual rights. Canada is a great country -- if it weren't for the bureaucracy. Let's do what we can to keep them in line, or they'll own us eventually.

Well said, Toby. This is one of the stand out differences I noticed when I moved here from the US. I've mentioned to Canadian friends about my perceptions of the bureaucratic nature of everything here and the complacent and passive acceptance of its citizens towards government intrusion and `benevolent policy making`and they look at me like I'm crazy. This bureaucracy of do-goodship is insidious because it is placated on the notion that the government as our best interests at heart. What it is, in fact, doing is oppressive and Canada is becoming a nannystate. What will happen when one (or more) of its citizens opposes the will of the nanny to listen to a Dire Straits song or something more significant? The state will bring the full force of its power down to crush our individual liberties and bring us back in line because they know better than we do about what is best for us.

Most Canadians, I believe, truly don`t recognize or acknowledge the problem. They are a bit like the frog in the pot and they don't feel the water temperature rising yet. Glad to know at least one Canadian does.

Great piece Bangkokcanuk. Thanks for sharing.

Allison

 

[Kaycee1]

Thanks for sharing this, sometimes I wonder WHY my ancestors (I'm 7th generation in North America - original ancestors came over to Virginia in 1730's, then gradually moved their way across North America and helped settle southern Alberta in the 1800's) decided to settle in Canada (when its -35 outside ???) but there are so many wonderful things about this country we often take for granted. My Portuguese husband tells everyone, including his family back in Portugal, that Canada is the best country in the world!!

 

[californiajeninca]

Canada and America are so beautiful. We are truly truly blessed to have all this natural wonder and beauty around us. Obviously I'm from California and to me there is no other place like it, but seeing that video shows just how much more great landscapes and awesomeness that we both share. I too am proudly American, I can be loud about it and I can be quiet about it. I have moved away from CALI my American pride shines through more and more (and despite what some people say about people minorities & Native Peoples llike me are still proudly patriotic), I am grateful that my husband decided to move to a country that is so close to my country and that we share so many great things.

 

[patiently_waiting]

Most Canadians, I believe, truly don`t recognize or acknowledge the problem. They are a bit like the frog in the pot and they don't feel the water temperature rising yet. Glad to know at least one Canadian does.

Wow... not going to make many friends here in Canada with that kind of attitude. Let me make it really easy for you...remember you have another option...

 

[toby]

For the record the song you referenced was Dire Strait's Money for Nothing.. and it is absurd that the CRTC 25 years after it's released or some such thing have banned it... incredible.. just like the capped bandwidth for third party ISP. Just a couple of examples of Gov't out of control.

I only differ slightly from your comments above I say "Canada is a great country, in SPITE of the bureaucracy"

Well put; I agree.

But to clarify my point about one's attitude toward bureaucrats, I do believe that if you passively let their empire building go unimpeded, they will grow to the point that they consume the majority of your tax dollars. At one point, in the 1990's, when about 30% of tax dollars were going to pay interest charges on Canada's massive public debt, Ottawa had 10X the municipal government that Calgary had. Same population, but ten times the government.

Why? Well, the Ottawa bureaucrats had a lot of reasons why they had to increase the size of government, and forget downsizing. Then the COnservatives were elected into power in Ontario, and gave Ottawa a deadline, after which the Province would step in and force downsizing. Voila!! Suddenly the Ottawa bureaucrats found a way to downsize, when they had told us taxpayers that it was impossible. This shows that you`re right-- empire building comes before service to the taxpayers.

Since those trying times, repeated in municipalities across Canada, Canadians have had a much less tolerant attitude toward spendthrift bureaucracies, and have a keener understanding that social programs must be paid for -- by taxpayers. So, voters have been more critical of politicians`promises, and have asked the politicos to explain carefully how their promises will be paid for. Perhaps for this reason, Canada`s finances have been in much better shape, the deficit is declining, and tax rates have declined somewhat.

I believe this fundamental change started with a change in voters`basic attitude, a willingness to hold politicians`toes to the fire and vote out any political party that could not run the country`s finances efficiently.

So, let`s keep the faith and keep that attitude.

 

[toby]

Wow... not going to make many friends here in Canada with that kind of attitude. Let me make it really easy for you...remember you have another option...

There may well be two basic reactions to the metaphor of the frog in the pot.

One will be to thank the observer for alerting us to a danger we did not necessarily see, giving us a chance to do something about it. The other will be to react defensively, and buy a bumper sticker that says “My country; love it or leave it”

Let’s try to be one of the former.

It is true: governments must control citizens to a degree, in order to regulate society. But there is a limit beyond which governments simply become intrusive, nosy do-gooders. As Pierre Trudeau famously said, “Government has no place in the bedrooms of the nation.” The Canadian government had – prior to that point – been trying to regulate sexual mores.

Since most governments don’t or won’t know when “enough is enough”, it is up to Canadians to tell government when to back off. If we bury our heads in the sand and think that Canada is as perfect as it can be, that attitude will lead inexorably to a Canada that is much less perfect than it could have been.