Continental Divide?

1. Well since America is becoming a more diverse, tolerant society… I’m just glad it’s not become more government funded or European-type.

2. I find this extremely interesting, especially considering that I grew up in Canada (although not born there). I’ve always said I would love to live in Canada again – if it weren’t so freakin’ cold! But, yes, you can notice and sense the positive difference immediately when you cross the border. It’s an entirely different, progressive, open culture.
   BTW…….I still have friends in Canada, and one of them (who lives in Vancouver) says she pays about $60 every 3 months for health insurance, that she never has to wait long for an appointment and has been quite satisfied with the quality of medical care. AND she doesn’t pay any more in taxes than I do!

3. CJ:
   “Well since America is becoming a more diverse, tolerant society…”
   Yes, that’s exactly why same sex marriages are being legalized in states all across the country and Bush wants to pass an Amendment that allows gays all across the country to marry, and enjoy the same rights as straights! And why Christian religious leaders and members of congress are fighting to take out the Ten Commandments and prayer in schools, even going so far as to remove “under God” from the pledge, all because these religious types want to protect the rights of minorities of this country, like non-Christians and atheists. Yes, this country is much more tolerant than that.
   In fact, I think the only way this country can be called tolerant, is that it is tolerant enough to let gays live, and not line them up and shoot them, like Dobson et all would prefer…..
   As for:
   “I’m just glad it’s not become more government funded or European-type.”
   This is true, Bush has reduced government down to virtually a non-entity, just look at Homeland Security. That department went from being just plain huge pre-2001, to it’s tight, lean, mean self it is today!

4. I’ve spent a little time in Canada and never viewed it as being THAT much different than living in the United States. Granted, it was in a smaller town (rather than one of the big cities) and the bulk of it was over a decade ago (so attitudes may be changing). Yes, there are differences, but it didn’t seem like daily life was a much different on the Ontario side of the St. Lawrence River than in upstate New York.

5. No, daily life isn’t much different, Brian. But the vibe for lack of a better word (something indescribable) is noticeably different in Canada. And it’s cleaner!

6. There are definitely differences, but its difficult to put your finger on explaining it. The CBC has been running a series called “The Greatest Canadian” which ran a profile on various important Canadians throughout history with the goal of home viewers picking the most important one. Wonder how well that show would do down here. And best of all, we picked Tommy Douglas, the father of medicare.
   Beyond that, we are going in opposite directions on gay marriage, deficits, marijuana policy, etc.

7. It’s nice to witness some intelligent conversation on Canada-US relations, instead of the trash-talk kind of stuff. Good work.
   IMHO (in my humble opinion), Canadians and Americans live approximately the same ‘daily’ lifestyle, and it�s natural that they should: Canadians (English-speaking ones, and disregarding immigration) are the descendants of American colonists too. Except their ancestors, as Americans then, objected either to the grounds for The American Revolution or to legitimization of political violence intrinsic to rebellion, and consequently, lent their support to King George. Moreover, Canadians and Americans are also the product of similar experiences: vast and open territories, that needed explorers and frontiersmen, then settler-farmers and settlements (and submissive Indians), and, development. Moreover, though some Americans may perceive Canada as ‘socialist’ (because of public expenditure on healthcare, education), the fact is Canada’s corporate and personal income tax levels are lower on average than are US rates (see: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/TaxFacts/TFDB/Content/PDF/oecd_inctax_2002.pdf). Plus, its subsidy rates on most agricultural products are nearly non-existent compared to the US’s. Thus, Canada’s mixed economy tends much more to be like the US than Europe�s, contrary to myth. And, that�s also no surprise, as we�re both the product of limitless territory with limitless resources (or so it seemed) and the commerce that developed it.
   Canadians have always diverged from Americans on: the role of government within society, and relationship to the World. More recently, views on the role/impact of religion and multi-lateralism seemed to be increasingly divergent. These distinctions are IMHO, also �natural�, because of distinctions in political ethos and history that did exist.
   As Americans established the �liberal� notions of: “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” as core societal values, the more conservative descendants of Loyalists in Canada responded: “No” — “Peace, Order, and Good Government”. Government could be a threat to them, if it were bad government, but, only then. So, in the 19th Century “Peace, Order, and Good Government” was used as a conservative bulwark against the ‘liberalism’ of The Continental Congress that had disenfranchised their forebears. Ironically, in the 21st Century, the same mechanism is now applied by ‘liberals’ to enfranchise the disenfranchised or to support advocates of choice (of several kinds e.g. drugs, abortion), often against sincere social conservatives defending �tradition�. Moreover, when Canadians settled their West, it wasn�t wild. True to the �Peace and Order� part of the Canadian ethos, police and courts were usually sent out before the settlers arrived in Canada�s North-West. Hence, no desperadoes, gun play, sheriffs or deputies and posses, nor, any hanging judge (accountable for his job to an angry mob of potential electors). Instead: the North-West Mounted Police (today called: the RCMP), and, government-appointed circuit judges (�Good Government�). Therefore, �peace and order�, ensure that no one took the law into their own hands: if your sheep-herding neighbour was blocking your access to a cattle-range, you went to a court to establish a right-of-way, in common law, that would be enforced by the Police.
   Furthermore, when America gained independence they turned inward, focussing more on their development within the continent rather than upon events in The World, they became �isolationist�, regarding the greater world to be a threat (Munroe Doctrine). The (English) Canadians, however, remained attached to The British Empire, by definition, a world-based system in which they played a part both on this continent and abroad. Thus, Canadians were never isolationist and always multi-lateralist with other Imperial and Commonwealth partners. Today, The US mistrusts multi-lateralism, while Canadians mistrust unilateralism and would work to expand the G7 to to G20 and increase its power.
   Religion of the Protestant variety was commonplace among Loyalists; yet, they tended to be non-evangelicals who conformed to the mainstream national churches of England and Scotland (Anglican/Episcopal and Presbyterian). These were �institutional� and rationalist churches, not nearly as fervent as Baptists and other �non-conformists�, and ultimately, not nearly as conservative. Moreover, as the escaping Loyalists and their descendants had no option but to work out political arrangements to form their new country with the French-Canadians — fiercely loyal Catholics back then — it was necessary to push dogmatic difference into the background, and ultimately, outside the political fabric.
   That�s why, IMHO, Canadians have very similar lifestyles, often similar values but not always, and radically different outlooks about relationship to The World.

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