Oh Canada!

[Candelion]

Originally Posted by Greyson

My hope is that Canada and the USA will forever be allies.

Amen to that, Greyson! Canada is privileged to have such a great country as a neighbour.

[kittygrrl]

I don't know if you are referring to my post but I've never considered living in Canada a consolation prize. I've talked about it for years and the last few years (with spouse) have looked at it seriously and even chosen a place or two that we think we would enjoy. It's kind of a shock to see anyone would have a problem with someone who's dreamed of living Canada- as if you owned it personally. You don't. It belonged to the indigenous people who lived there thousands of years before your family got there, so technically you are a the product of immigrants and the empire building of England and whose sub ligation of it's people allowed you to take over their country and claim it as your own.

Don't worry, I'm sure you will be able to keep your playground intact. Nobody will want to come where they are not welcomed. But let me make a prediction and say when you have poisoned your land and water with tar sands and killed all your trees and your land is barren, you will cry and beg that America will let you in and I am sure we will be far more welcoming then the reception then you gave me in this thread. Peace.

[Candelion]

I'm sorry kittygrrl, I did not post this article as a response to your post. I was on my lunch break and I came across this article...I thought it was a light-hearted observation by a Canadian living in the US on the pronouncements by a few celebs that they will move to Canada if Trump wins. I thought my fellow Canadians would enjoy, or at least find interesting, this sort of "hey, we're great, too" perspective.

Sadly, Canada does not have a monopoly on destroying the environment. And the race by both our countries to completely destroy our natural surroundings is not a finish line I want to be at.

I'm sorry you took offense to the article. None was meant when I posted it.

[C0LLETTE]

Originally Posted by kittygrrl

I don't know if you are referring to my post but I've never considered living in Canada a consolation prize. I've talked about it for years and the last few years (with spouse) have looked at it seriously and even chosen a place or two that we think we would enjoy. It's kind of a shock to see anyone would have a problem with someone who's dreamed of living Canada- as if you owned it personally. You don't. It belonged to the indigenous people who lived there thousands of years before your family got there, so technically you are a the product of immigrants and the empire building of England and whose sub ligation of it's people allowed you to take over their country and claim it as your own.

Don't worry, I'm sure you will be able to keep your playground intact. Nobody will want to come where they are not welcomed. But let me make a prediction and say when you have poisoned your land and water with tar sands and killed all your trees and your land is barren, you will cry and beg that America will let you in and I am sure we will be far more welcoming then the reception then you gave me in this thread. Peace.

You really think you'll be around after we have poisoned our land and water? I give you , maybe a year. It'll be your companies, your corporations, your energy companies, your drive for capital that destroys us all. we are your liberal , "nice" neighbours...and if you destroy your own country, we have little doubt you'll eat and destroy us first.

So, please don't go on about how we will have killed off everything you look for up here...you'll have levelled and laid us to waste long before you start eating your young.

We struggle to survive being your neighbours but we know full well you will not respect anything about our survival or culture if yours is at stake.

Want to come here? Great! But come because you love what you see is possible here, not because you think we are are just mini versions the USA... and not because we exist only in your shadow and will come begging for help once you've raped everything we fight so hard to protect.

Kitttygrll..we really are a decent, peaceful and culturally respectful country. If you don't believe that, you, honestly, don't need to have us on your wish list. But please do find some other country to bash. Long as you leave us alone, we'll be fine and we will treat refugees, even yours, with generosity and respect.

[Candelion]

Originally Posted by C0LLETTE

Want to come here? Great! But come because you love what you see is possible here, not because you think we are are just mini versions the USA...

This is exactly what I got from the article. I thought it was more of a reminder to Canadians, rather than an admonishment to Americans, that Canada is not a second choice. Canadians have a subdued but fierce pride, but uncharacteristically I am going to indulge in a little flag waving here. Canada is a great country...a country one should run to with open arms, not a convenient place to land when running from something.

[kittygrrl]

Originally Posted by C0LLETTE

You really think you'll be around after we have poisoned our land and water? I give you , maybe a year. It'll be your companies, your corporations, your energy companies, your drive for capital that destroys us all. we are your liberal , "nice" neighbours...and if you destroy your own country, we have little doubt you'll eat and destroy us first.

So, please don't go on about how we will have killed off everything you look for up here...you'll have levelled and laid us to waste long before you start eating your young.

We struggle to survive being your neighbours but we know full well you will not respect anything about our survival or culture if yours is at stake.

Want to come here? Great! But come because you love what you see is possible here, not because you think we are are just mini versions the USA... and not because we exist only in your shadow and will come begging for help once you've raped everything we fight so hard to protect.

Kitttygrll..we really are a decent, peaceful and culturally respectful country. If you don't believe that, you, honestly, don't need to have us on your wish list. But please do find some other country to bash. Long as you leave us alone, we'll be fine and we will treat refugees, even yours, with generosity and respect.

I don't think you ever heard me say I wanted to live in Canada because I think of it as a mini U.S. That is so wrong! I've visited Canada on so many occasions and have loved the people I met and the peaceful nature of your country. I consider myself a person without a country as many indigenous people of the Americas have. My people were killed by the thousands by disease introduced by missionaries. Our land and country stolen. Our people shot with cannonballs. That fire still burns bright whenever I think about it. But that is the past and there is no way I will ever get my country back again. The U.S is a violent society and while there are beautiful things here, it doesn't make up for all the ugly things I see. As far as the destruction of both lands because of oil and natural gas you don't have to be a prophet to see it is happening in Canada to an alarming degree and I don't understand why Canadians are not stopping it. In any case, it seems some here want to jump to conclusions about my motives without first asking why I've wanted to move there. I have stated a few and to be honest I really don't believe I should have even had to explain myself at all but I don't like it when someone assumes they know my motives. Maybe Canada isn't as wonderful as I always believed it to be. It's fine, if I have the time I will dream another dream.

[C0LLETTE]

Originally Posted by kittygrrl

I don't think you ever heard me say I wanted to live in Canada because I think of it as a mini U.S. That is so wrong! I've visited Canada on so many occasions and have loved the people I met and the peaceful nature of your country. I consider myself a person without a country as many indigenous people of the Americas have. My people were killed by the thousands by disease introduced by missionaries. Our land and country stolen. Our people shot with cannonballs. That fire still burns bright whenever I think about it. But that is the past and there is no way I will ever get my country back again. The U.S is a violent society and while there are beautiful things here, it doesn't make up for all the ugly things I see. As far as the destruction of both lands because of oil and natural gas you don't have to be a prophet to see it is happening in Canada to an alarming degree and I don't understand why Canadians are not stopping it. In any case, it seems some here want to jump to conclusions about my motives without first asking why I've wanted to move there. I have stated a few and to be honest I really don't believe I should have even had to explain myself at all but I don't like it when someone assumes they know my motives. Maybe Canada isn't as wonderful as I always believed it to be. It's fine, if I have the time I will dream another dream.

I suppose I was simply responding to your prediction that "... when you have poisoned your land and water with tar sands and killed all your trees and your land is barren, you will cry and beg that America will let you in and I am sure we will be far more welcoming then the reception then you gave me in this thread". My question is :Why would you want to come here if you believe we will be begging you (America ) to go there? I don't think most Canadians see themselves that way or headed to such a bleak future.

I actually believe you would be quite welcome and happy here if that is what you would like to do. On the whole, we really are trying to be a peaceful, welcoming and liveable nation.

[cathexis]

Originally Posted by C0LLETTE

I suppose I was simply responding to your prediction that "... when you have poisoned your land and water with tar sands and killed all your trees and your land is barren, you will cry and beg that America will let you in and I am sure we will be far more welcoming then the reception then you gave me in this thread". My question is :Why would you want to come here if you believe we will be begging you (America ) to go there? I don't think most Canadians see themselves that way or headed to such a bleak future.

I actually believe you would be quite welcome and happy here if that is what you would like to do. On the whole, we really are trying to be a peaceful, welcoming and liveable nation.

When i have been to Canada, folks have been quite warm and welcoming. Your country's reputation on human rights is very inspiring, and your record re: Native Peoples is well more compassionate than the USA's.

Have been to Canada many times (live about 20 miles from the border). My Partner and i are your neighbors.

[C0LLETTE]

Originally Posted by cathexis

When i have been to Canada, folks have been quite warm and welcoming. Your country's reputation on human rights is very inspiring, and your record re: Native Peoples is well more compassionate than the USA's.

Have been to Canada many times (live about 20 miles from the border). My Partner and i are your neighbors.

Hello Neighbour...I'm waving to you!
BTW...check out that "u" in neighbour. Neighbour or neighbor, we get along just fine except I had to override spellcheck to be able to drop the "u" lol.

[Candelion]

Any time another falls, we will gather here
In any kind of weather, any time of year
Watching for the headlights down the 401
Respect and dedication for our bravest ones
Hearts fill with sorrow and with pride
As the fallen pass below, on the final ride

Along the Highway of Heroes we stand
In a show of gratitude from right across the land
Standing on the bridges faithfully
Because you keep our true north strong and free

Soccer moms, firefighters, legion members too
School kids and teachers, folks like me and you
Standing at attention with the Maple Leaf held high
A grassroots benediction for the ones who died
You’re all our daughters, all our sons
And you make us proud Canadians

Along the Highway of Heroes we stand
Here to show the gratitude from right across the land
Up here on the bridges we will be
Because you keep our true north strong and free

Now it’s our turn to stand
It’s our turn to stand
It’s our turn to stand on guard for thee

[Soon]

Originally Posted by Candelion

I have faith in my American friends. I have faith that they'll make the right decision on election day. And I'm all about telling America it's already great, because I live there and I see it for myself every day. But let's be clear -- Canada isn't a second-rate alternative. Living in Canada is a privilege.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/heather...cahpmg00000001

well, the author (and myself) were wrong about that bolded part