[MissNomer]

It's a small world guys. Most products have pieces and parts from all over the world even tho it may be made in Canada or the USA. We won't be getting away from it now.

As for being dependent on USA, sure we are. They are also dependent on other countries. It would be one hell of a shock if they closed their borders to the world. Their economy, as would ours, would tank in an instant. They are no longer self-sufficient.

And, stepping back a bit, this rivalry gets a bit much. Sure we don't like some of their policies, especially foreign policy. And they are bigger and badder than any other country so they get a little carried away with the heavy hand. But what goes around comes around.

The USA, in it's extreme capitalism, has, in all fairness, been one of the world's biggest innovaters. And, in their extreme repression, created blues music. And in the beginning when the USA was first created, and the light of democracy and freedom shone more or less untarnished it attracted risk takers which attitude has been passed along.

All this doesn't take one iota from any other country. Not even Canada. We all contribute, all in different ways, all to our own ability to do so. Some contribute by maintaining evenness and stability; some by innovation; some by sheer necessity. We all take from and give to one another. It's called a community.

[Ripcat]

I'm too busy to comment on my Canadian Identity.

I have to feed the moose,
walk the beaver,
plant the wheat,
do some logging,
set my traps,
take that snowmobile trip,
write a letter to my MP,
sing Oh, Canada.
clear the hockey sticks and hockey nets out of the laneway,
go to the bank(TDCanada Trust, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Bank of Montreal, Bank of Nova Scotia),
cook some back bacon,
and rake the maple leaves off the lawn.
Hopefully I'll have some time left to watch Red Green.

[Franco Unamerican]

well done !!

[Welsh]

I think this it is telling how deep the pathology lies when MissNomer, in an attempt to be nice, just can't help jab a stick in the eye of the US.

Examples:

She is trying to make the point that the world is an interdependent place, every country has parts of its economy that depends on others. So she says,

"It would be one hell of a shock if they closed their borders to the world. Their economy, as would ours, would tank in an instant. They are no longer self-sufficient. "

Then she wants to point out that countries may disagree on foreign policies of other countries, but that is expected so she feels it is important to add at the end,

"But what goes around comes around. "

Next, she wants to commend the US on its innovations in government, technology and music, but can only do this as long as it is clear these contributions to the world are possible because of,

"extreme capitalism"
"extreme repression"
"when the US was first created...it was untarnished"

And then she wants us to all hold hands and sing Kumbaya together so she says,

"Some contribute by maintaining evenness and stability;" (She is talking about Canada here folks, which is clearly the most even and stable place on Earth)

"some by innovation;" (That's the US, who is able to do this because of its once untarnished visions, extreme capitalism, and extreme repression)

"some by sheer necessity. " (I am not sure who she is complimenting here...I mean disingenuously slagging here)

"We all take from and give to one another. It's called a community."

Hey MissNomer, excuse me if I don't feel all warm and fuzzy inside after reading your Canadian "compliment" to my country.

With friends like these......

[MissNomer]

You know what? You don't have to.

My whole point is that there is good and bad. Bad can lead to good things. Good things can also lead to bad things.

It's like this country ... some things I really like, some things I really don't like. One comes with the other. But overall, you cannot distinguish this country, or any other, by one or two things; one would have to look at the whole. Which is something that few bother to do on a regular basis, myself included.

By the way, I was thinking Norway when I spoke stability. A small country that on the surface might not look like much but underneath it does a very lot.

So stick that into your pipe and smoke it.

[MissNomer]

Oh and Welsh, just cause you seem to get so upset to think that I could appreciate anything American..........

An American invented one of the greatest, most useful, unthinkable to be without things in THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!!

What is it?


TOILET PAPER.

Just another great American innovator.

[Johnnybgoodaaaaa]

Something I'm trying to understand is the whole talk of the US needing Canada a whole lot more than Canada needs the US. While it is true that the US does get a good deal of stuff from Canada, Canada still profits billions of dollars from trade with the US. While some trade policies might not be fair, knocking off 100's of billions of dollars of trade with a country would effect your economy greatly. You can say that you can just trade with other countries, but part of trading with other countries is finding a buyer. If those countries already have markets set up, and trade partners, then I don't see how it would be THAT easy to suddenly flood billions of dollars worth of trade with another country. To me, it's like: Canada has the resources, the US has the money.

Onto something else, I read something JadeoftheNorth said about Canadians being in all television shows and movies. Well, to my knowledge, The Shining was a mostly All American movie, except with like one person from the UK. I could be wrong, but at least the main actors were all American. This is not to say that Canadians do not act in a good part of American films/Tv(mike myers, jim carrey, etc)but there are some great all time classics which you can watch that don't have Canadians in them. Just trying to make the point that it is possible to do those things you speak of, although it depends on how much you know about television.

Of course, there's no reason to do those things listed on both challeneges. Entertainment, clothing items, whatever, are all for enjoyment. Why someone would boycott and not be interest in things just because they are from the US, seems ridiculous to me. Having patriotism for your country, I think, comes down to how much you enjoy living in your country, and how much you think about it and love it, not what kind of clothing/movies comes from it. Of course, we would all probably be proud of some great accomplishment our people do, but I don't see why that means we should challenge ourselves to not use product from another country. Patriotism to me goes beyond material items. Why form an identity on being able to not use products from another country. I can see it now "this is a Canadian knife -- completely the same as an American one, but made in Canada"....see how ridiculous we can become with these challenges to not use things American/Canadian.

[WarHawkster]

god I hate Mike Myers.

[Johnnybgoodaaaaa]

WarHawkster WarHawkster:

god I hate Mike Myers.

I don't mind him, but as far as Comedians go, if I'm going to watch anything from Saturday Night Live, it better have some Chris Farley or David Spade.

[WarHawkster]

His Austin Powers movies are only funny on the first viewing, after that I can see right through his phony english accent and it just bugs the hell out of me.

[Johnnybgoodaaaaa]

Yeah, I'm not really a big fan of them anymore either. I was when the first one came out, but they just got old. Now, Tommy Boy or Black Sheep are some great movies.

I still remember when I got so high and watched a Jim Carrey movie. I used to think he was just kind of goofy, but I swear, Ace Ventura 2 was the funniest movie when I was high. His other movies are great too. To me, Mike Myers is funny sometimes, but I think Jim Carrey is a better actor. I don't know if I'm spelling Carrey right. Maybe it's carry?

[WarHawkster]

First time I saw Ace Ventura (the 1st one) with that opening scene... funniest thing I have ever seen in my life! Oh man!

[jullian]

i don't think the original post was to try to demonstrate patriotism or inspire people to be patriotic. i think the original poster's point was to prove just how dependent canada has become on the US economically and culturally. thus proving how canada has somewhat lost its own identity to american saturation.