http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/canada/ ... -of-canada

If I remember correctly,there isn`t much of culture here.The Queen and the royal family ,just like in England is never celebrated.Not many people know why we have Victoria day.The military is always rubbished at every turn,their achievements and the good work they have done now and in the past isnt well known.The only thanks they ever get are war protestors calling them 'war criminals' and of course veterans day,when we all throw toonies in buckets to get a rose on your shirt.Anyone who tries to join the army will be so discouraged,it`s unbelievable.On Canada day,shops and businesses do not even close,it`s 'discount day'.We are pretty much the only country that does this kind of a thing and shows no respect for it`s own birthday.

The average Canadian schoolkid will tell you a lot about the USA,but he does not know his Prime Minister,MPs,MPPs,Premiers,Mayors and Councillors.It`s always that who cares attitude to everything,including our own history.No wonder our arts and sports sectors are a joke,except for Hockey.When it comes to football,it`s 'Who watches the CFL?',as a result,we end up with a lot of NFL rejects,no offence.Same thing with our own shows,they are not bad at all,but nobody will watch them if you paid them.The amount of money these athletes and artists get paid working in Canada is just pitiful compared to the rest of the world.

My question to to my fellow countrymen out there is ,what kind of country are we building here?Where are we headed,if anywhere at all?How can we complain about immigrants not assimilating when there is nothing to hold on to and there is no encouragement?I have never seen so many people determined to tear down everything they have and leave a country with nothing,only in Canada.Or am I talking to myself?Who cares right?

   

There is a saying, if you want to say something chances are someone has already said it but better. So to sum up why Canada has become a toxic waste dump of other cultures instead of our own.

The truth is I believe that the Liberals betrayed Canada the moment they drew up the Charter of Rights and Freedom. The intention may have been nice, but as we see now the Charter is starting to cause more and more problems as time goes on.

   

Actually the average Canadian knows squat about the U.S. as well. They might have a smattering of pop culture but that's hardly knowledge - in fact, i'll wager Americans know just as little about their culture, politics and history as well. As stated on another thread, this isn't about schools, culture, politics or even Canada - it's about intellectual relativism, lazy societies and a dumbing down of our culture.

   

Yeah, this is all trace back to the Charter? That's quite ironic considering the thread's topic and here's a little tidbit for your baseless rhetoric - some Conservative Premiers supported it too. You figure out who they were and we'll all look to the thread's title for a good chuckle

   

Americans get a rudimentary lesson in their History in school. I can't recall a single year where we actually got through the whole text book. Most of the time we stopped around World War II.

They focus on the wars mostly and gloss the rest. Seriously, most people probably don't know Garfield was an actual name for a president.

And heaven forbid asking student's to name the states and their capitals. Of course their knowledge of Canada is less. Many American's do believe the capital is Toronto. Granted it works that way with other countries too. I bet most American's would believe that Japan's capital is Tokyo or that Turkey's is Istanbul.

   

The TC itself apparently shows ignorance about Canada, thus continuing the said trend concerning the inherent topic. Ironic isn't it.

   

How can we expect Canadians to know much about this country, when our own Prime Minister equates the House of Commons to the US Electoral College?

Harper talks on and on about how he was elected Prime Minister by Canadians...when in reality he we don't get to vote for the Prime Minister. Sure its hair splitting to a degree, many Canadians do base their vote on the federal party leaders, but only voters in Harper's Calgary riding get to vote for him...and they're choosing him as their local representative.

   

Speak for yourself... let me guess, you live in Toronto?



Just curious, do you?



Well the fault of that is your own ignorance isn't it?

You clearly have no idea about Canada's contributions during WWI and WWII. WWI and our military contribution during that time was what put Canada on the map as its own nation.

"In the later stages of the war, the four-division Canadian Corps was regarded as among the most effective and respected formation on the Western Front.[17] Because its component divisions were larger than comparable British formations (who were suffering manpower shortages by 1916), Canadian divisions came to be relied on as "shock troops" and used frequently in an assault role.....

...... Without conscription, the Canadian force was limited to those dedicated enough to enlist. The high point of Canadian military achievement came at the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917, during which Canadian troops captured a fortified German hill that had resisted British and French attacks earlier in the war. Vimy, as well as the success of the Canadian flying aces William Barker and Billy Bishop, helped to give Canada a new sense of identity. This translated into greater autonomy, with Canada sending its own delegates to the Treaty of Versailles negotiations in 1919, joining the League of Nations as a member in 1921, and being formally granted autonomy via the Statute of Westminster in 1931....."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_h ... _World_War

I shouldn't even have to mention 1812, WWII or even what our troops are currently doing in Afghanistan which nobody else has been able to do with so few troops. We've been on the frontlines of the war over there since we first put boots on the ground. not only have we been fighting and holding against the Taliban over there, we've also have had some of the fewest civilian casualties resulting in our operations, we've been able to train the military and the police and do, unfotunatly, limited reconstruction.

I am all for us being pulled out by 2011 and don't believe we should have been there in the first place, but we're there now and our troops and their efforts at least diserve some respect beyond simple ignorance.



Ignorance indeed.... you got your countries and holidays all screwed up..... a fine example of the blind leading the blind, cripes.

1st off.... Canada's war protestors are few and rare compared to in the US, and most of our people have enough brains to understand that you can support our troops and still not support the war.

You don't like the war? Fine.... support our troops by forcing our government to take them out of harms way.

2nd off.... Veterans Day?

This isn't the US you're speaking about.... I think you need to re-educate yourself on these matters, as we celebrate Remembrance Day.

And a Rose?

Seriously, you gotta be fk'n kidding me with such ignorance.

Try a Poppy... cripes.



Based apon.... what?



Plenty of shops where I live close down except restaurants and other places that are out near celebrations that relate. I had the day off.... most of everybody else I know had the day off, in fact the only people I know of who probably didn't work in the emergency field, such as police, nurses, doctors, firemen, etc.

Shall we shut them all down too just so you can feel comfortable that we're all patriotic enough?



I think before you go on about preaching on how ignorant Canadians are about their own country, you should work on your own ignorance of your own country first.

Secondly, you don't speak for me, so don't.... I may not know 100% of our history and our various cultures, but I clearly seem to know a lot more then you do, and I am always willing to hear and see more of our culture when it comes my way.

And just because you're ignorant of our own culture, doesn't mean everybody else is. That's not meant as an insult, just an equal observation compared to your own.

   

Also, don't forget that while the Conservatives won the minority to be the party in power, technically the majority of Canadians who voted, didn't vote Conservative. Another flaw in our democracy if you ask me.

   

Meh, same thing happens in the States. Obama is the first president we've had in a while that didn't get elected as a minority president. People forget that the states have plurality as well. A president could get elected with 40% of the vote if there were 2 other candidates that polled 30% each.

   

As has Chretein.

   

"What's in a name? that which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet;"

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields."

Seth, you might want to research these kinds of posts in more depth.