A question for my fellow Canadians?

Question

A lot (but not all) of Americans and other non-Canadians see Canada as some vast frozen wasteland where we all live in igloos and go around wearing arctic gear. The question is, does this irritate or bother any Canadians. It honestly doesn't bother me. I think it's kind of funny actually, that so many people would have so many misconceptions about Canada. But what do you think? This question is also open to non-Canadians, to get a non-Canadian point of view.

Answer 1

It doesn't bother me.  Many Canadians get annoyed at how little Americans know about Canada becasue we know so much about the US but that is only becasue we really rely on them as a country, and to them we are not very important.  I love the video "talking to americans" on The Rick Mercer Report.  It is so funny, and the Americans all look so dumb.  I think they are kind of stupid, but its not their fault.

Answer 2

Perhaps part of the problem is when living in a geographically large country, unless you have the money/means to travel large distances, it can be hard get exposed to, and experience firsthand, the lives of other cultures.

Thus, silly misconceptions.

I've been to parts of BC, Alberta, & Saskatchewan.

This is one American who would have no problem moving to Canada.

Answer 3

Everybody enjoys  being smarter than others, and if others seem less than smart we enjoy that.

Everybody is stupid about something

Answer 4

i think its pretty funny. all the better if it keeps people away from our beautiful unspoiled country!

Answer 5

it funny how ignorant some people are

Answer 6

i die laughing everytime i hear a comment like that from non canadians. it amazes me how much others know of Canada. but still it kills me everytime i hear that. i think they all need to watch this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRI-A3vak...

i think this will really help them. its also a very funny commercial!!

Answer 7

CANADA IS A FANTASTIC COUNTRY OF RESOURCES/ BEAUTY AND CULTURE. THE BEST

It doesn't bother me. I am just amazed that Americans know so little about Canada. Europeans / Asians/ Africans who visit

know a lot more.. I find this unclear and ununderstandable why our neighbours know so little about a country that has the

many resources/ oil/ water/ and heritage.

For other uses of "Canada" or "Canadian", see Canada (disambiguation) and Canadian (disambiguation).

Canada

Canada is the 2nd Largest in area in the World after Russia

Canada (IPA: /ˈkænədə/) is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world's second largest country by total area,[2] and shares land borders with the United States to the south and northwest.

I am amazed. A lot don't know we are bi-lingual and believe like you say ( we are a frozen wasteland.)

Think of Canada Arm on the SpaceCrafts.. Still ,? Wayne Gretzy, Alex Trebek

Pam Anderson/ Tricia Helfer/ Avril Levigne etc etc.Martin Short, Bob Goulet Jim Carrey, Phil Hartman, and TONS OF OTHERS AND

A LETS MAKE A DEAL GUY (

An old distinquised actor ( passed ) said of Canada

Peter Ustinov ( Academy Award WInner Said Canada is

Fabulous and So Clean ( it looks like its run by the Swiss)

Personally , I think the Americans who don't know much about Canada should Learn

We do in Canada / Neighbours are important today, especially when we stand together in arms./lets learn about each other

Answer 8

It doesn't bother me if this is what people think.  At least we're not known as war-crazy Republicans.  

Now, that would bother me.

Answer 9

Five myths about Canada you need to know about!

1. Free health care.

Canada's health care is not free. It is funded by a heavy tax

regime that takes hard earned money from even the working poor. If

you make $C20,000 a year. You will be taxed. Make more? Like $C75,000

and up? Oh, you can bet you will get hit with taxes. In some

provinces like Alberta, you also get the additional privilege of

paying health care "premiums" on top of your taxes.

The big hospital unions like the Registered Nurses and various

so-called "para-professionals" have taken over the health care

system and destroyed it. This is what happens when you create a

a monopoly, and worse, a government owned monopoly.

2. High standard of living

Huh? Since when? This country has one of North America's biggest

drug ghettos. It's called Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Canadians

have a lower per capita GDP than Americans. They also make less

money than Americans, and ironically many other countries: Ireland,

Germany, Switzerland to name just a few.

3. Peaceful

Nope! There are just as many acts of violent crime, drug gangs,

domestic murders in Canada as in the U.S. It's just never adjusted

for per capita, ie. the actual population of the two countries

and the size of the cities in each country. Canada has serial

killers, drug shootings, pollution, gang violence. How come we don't

hear much about this in the world's media, the way the U.S.'s

problems are constantly brought up?

4. Strong economy

No! Canadians just piggyback off the U.S. economy and they still

can't manage to get their unemployment rate down to anywhere near

to the U.S. rate, which was hovering in the low 5's most recently.

Canada's rate has varied over the last decade or more from 11% to

a low of about 7%. The country just sells off its raw natural

resources rather than having a productive economy through

strong innovation or research. Yet the Canucks complain about

selling those resources to the U.S. Huh?

5. Canadians are polite self effacing and humble

Whoa! Canadians are anything but polite and "European" as they

like to tell the world. Most Canadians I've met are ignorant,

boorish, self absorbed anti-American bigots. Go to a Canadian

workplace: see how they treat you, especially if you are a brown

or black person.

Go to a restaurant or a store. The tone is very cold and "British"

in nature. Look at how they drive. I have driven in Britain, the

U.S. (San Diego, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Seattle area).

Nowhere have I seen such stupid backward drivers as I have seen

in B.C. and Alberta.

Basically Canada needs to have its huge pompous self absorbed ego

deflated. Canadians are hypocrites and they love to be delusional,

and self absorbed about how great they are. The U.S. incidentally is the

country where a lot of Canadians, (about 250,000 at last count), go

to live well, retire and of course, for employment. Hypocritical or

what?

Answer 10

i think it's funny, because we are so close to them , why would they think its all ice and igloos xD, pretty funny.

in the summer its pretty hot here though... but i live in toronto..ontario pretty close to the states, so i guess i could'nt really say much about the northern part of our country, but im pretty sure that places like british columbia , newfoundland, P.E.I , etc. aren't frozen wastelands xD..

do Americans also think that Alaska is a frozen wasteland with igloos? that'd be pretty funny if they thought that southern canada is, and not Alaska lol.

Answer 11

It doesn't bother me at all.  We know who we are.  And I have slept in an igloo!

Answer 12

Its weird that people think that. Canada is a messed up country in certain ways but not in that kind of way! We live in houses, condos, apartments and such. It dosnt bother me cuz i kno where I live!

Answer 13

Im from Ontario, but had to travel to South Carolina for 6 months out of every year.

I actually met a woman who thought that polar bears and penguins were a common sight for us. They also think Canadians are alcoholicsd!

Answer 14

I just generally assume that those who subscribe to those myths about Canada and Canadians are joking. For those who honestly believe that we live in igloos, chew on raw seal blubber and have just this day learned about electricity, I gently like to set the record straight.

I don't think anyone's misconceptions are borne out of malice but if those misconceptions result in negative behaviour towards any given group then I am disturbed by them and feel justified in setting the record straight. Again, gently and with respect.

Answer 15

I don't think anybody actually believes Canadians live in igloos.  They're just teasing you.  Just ask them if you can see their gun (or whatever stereotype applies to their nationality).

Answer 16

It dosen't bother me. I Just laugh it off.

It does make me wonder how we can live so close to the U.S.A and they seem to know nothing about us, though.

Answer 17

I think americans are just ignorant and always stereotype countries outside of america or think they have the same stuff as in the US, it is unbelievable how dumb some of them are...

It's ok to think about the igloos, I doesn't bother me whatever they think, maybe we should start thinking they have the yogui bear and his friend bubu living in the streets as well as they think we have polar bears wandering around