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| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| French philosopher ] is generally ] Although he was referring to ], it is not clear from the full quote whether Voltaire was truly anti-Canadian or not. | |||
| Historical instances of anti-Canadianism never seem to have lasted long enough to persist in any given society. Even American anti-Canadianism (arguably the strongest example of historical anti-Canadianism) was due chiefly to Canada's willing participation in the ], and not necessarily to any attribute of Canada proper. American anti-Canadianism was most prominent surrounding the failure of attempted American invasions during the ] and the ]. | |||
| ==Modern perceptions== | ==Modern perceptions== | ||
| {{see also|Foreign relations of Canada}} | {{see also|Foreign relations of Canada}} | ||
| Generally speaking, where people have formed opinions of Canada they tend to be quite positive. |
Generally speaking, where people have formed opinions of Canada they tend to be quite positive. Dislike for Canada may rise due to a specific objection to policies and attitudes of Canada and Canadians. | ||
| ===United States=== | ===United States=== | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| {{seealso|Canada-United States relations}} | {{seealso|Canada-United States relations}} | ||
| In the ], Canada is often a target of ] and ] commentators who hold the northern nation up as an example of what a government and society that are too liberal would look like. | In the ], Canada is often a target of ] and ] commentators who hold the northern nation up as an example of what a government and society that are too liberal would look like. | ||
| "Soviet Canuckistan" is one unflattering ] for Canada, used by ] on ], ], on his ] show on ] in which he denounced Canadians as ] and the country as a haven for ]. |
"Soviet Canuckistan" is one unflattering ] for Canada, used by ] on ], ], on his ] show on ] in which he denounced Canadians as ] and the country as a haven for ]. Moreover, in ], Buchanan said that if Canada were to break apart due to the failure of the ], "America would pick up the pieces." He said two years after that "for most Americans, Canada is sort of like a case of latent arthritis. We really don't think about it, unless it acts up." | ||
| Buchanan has a history of unflattering references to Canada, having said in ] that if Canada were to break apart due to the failure of the ], "America would pick up the pieces." He said two years after that "for most Americans, Canada is sort of like a case of latent arthritis. We really don't think about it, unless it acts up." | |||
| In the wake of Canada's refusal to participate in the ], as well as its turning down of the ], ] has recently become another prominent anti-Canadian American. She has often proposed (semi-humourous) extreme solutions to "Canadian dissent", such as a military invasion of Canada. | In the wake of Canada's refusal to participate in the ], as well as its turning down of the ], ] has recently become another prominent anti-Canadian American. She has often proposed (semi-humourous) extreme solutions to "Canadian dissent", such as a military invasion of Canada. | ||
| In 2006, right-wing American strategist ] said Canadians are "so liberal and hedonistic" that they have a philosophy of "cultural Marxism". | In 2006, right-wing American strategist ] said Canadians are "so liberal and hedonistic" that they have a philosophy of "cultural Marxism". {{fact}} | ||
| ===Brazil=== | ===Brazil=== | ||
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| ===From the right=== | ===From the right=== | ||
| During the 1990s, there was a controversial ] of well-educated Canadians to the US |
During the 1990s, there was a controversial ] of well-educated Canadians to the US and Britain. Even current Prime Minister ] at a few points in his career denounced Canada. | ||
| :''First, facts about Canada. Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it. Canadians make no connection between the fact that they are a Northern European welfare state and the fact that we have very low economic growth, a standard of living substantially lower than yours, a massive brain drain of young professionals to your country, and double the unemployment rate of the United States.''{{ref|speech}} | |||
| The ] tried unsuccessfully to use this quote against Harper to stop him from being elected in the 2006 election. | |||
| ===From the left=== | ===From the left=== | ||
| Forceful statements against Canada have come from the far-left of the Canadian political spectrum, for example the ]. Often the criticism is that Canada too closely follows the United States lead and is acting like a ]. | |||
| ==Anti-Canadianism and humour== | ==Anti-Canadianism and humour== | ||
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| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| ==References== | |||
| # {{note|speech}} , CTV.ca, 14 December 2005; Susan Riley, "Harper's suspect evolution", 16 December 2005, A18. | |||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 03:42, 25 May 2006
Anti-Canadianism represents a consistent hostility towards the government, culture, or people of Canada.
History
French philosopher Voltaire is generally misquoted as saying Canada is "a few acres of snow." Although he was referring to Acadia, it is not clear from the full quote whether Voltaire was truly anti-Canadian or not.
Modern perceptions
See also: Foreign relations of CanadaGenerally speaking, where people have formed opinions of Canada they tend to be quite positive. Dislike for Canada may rise due to a specific objection to policies and attitudes of Canada and Canadians.
United States
In the United States, Canada is often a target of conservative and right-wing commentators who hold the northern nation up as an example of what a government and society that are too liberal would look like.
"Soviet Canuckistan" is one unflattering epithet for Canada, used by Pat Buchanan on October 31, 2002, on his television show on MSNBC in which he denounced Canadians as anti-American and the country as a haven for terrorists. Moreover, in 1990, Buchanan said that if Canada were to break apart due to the failure of the Meech Lake Accord, "America would pick up the pieces." He said two years after that "for most Americans, Canada is sort of like a case of latent arthritis. We really don't think about it, unless it acts up."
In the wake of Canada's refusal to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, as well as its turning down of the Missile Defense Plan, Ann Coulter has recently become another prominent anti-Canadian American. She has often proposed (semi-humourous) extreme solutions to "Canadian dissent", such as a military invasion of Canada.
In 2006, right-wing American strategist Paul Weyrich said Canadians are "so liberal and hedonistic" that they have a philosophy of "cultural Marxism".
Brazil
One place where anti-Canadian sentiment has been observed is Brazil where people boycotted Canadian goods and burned them in the streets to protest a Canadian ban of Brazilian beef imports, reportedly because of fears of mad-cow disease, but which many Brazilians believed were motivated by an unrelated trade dispute between the two nations. Canada's subsidies to aircraft manufacturer Bombardier have been a source of much tension with Brazil because they are said to interfere with the business of Bombardier's Brazillian rival Embraer.
Anti-Canadian Canadians
From the right
During the 1990s, there was a controversial brain drain of well-educated Canadians to the US and Britain. Even current Prime Minister Stephen Harper at a few points in his career denounced Canada.
From the left
Forceful statements against Canada have come from the far-left of the Canadian political spectrum, for example the Communist Party of Canada. Often the criticism is that Canada too closely follows the United States lead and is acting like a 51st State.
Anti-Canadianism and humour
Humourous anti-Canadianism often focuses on broadly-known attributes of Canada and Canadians (such as cold weather or public health care), as the finer details of Canadian culture and politics are generally not well known outside Canada. Consequently, such humour is often made at the expense of accuracy outside Canada. However, these broad targets are more accurately caricatured within Canada itself. Such self-deprecating humour is nearly universal among Canadian humourists. In keeping with this attitude, some genuinely critical anti-Canadianisms (such as "Soviet Canuckistan") are embraced by Canadians as humourous, in defiance of the original intent.
In popular culture
- In 1995, American director Michael Moore parodied anti-Canadianism in his film Canadian Bacon, in which the United States stages a cold war with its northern neighbour, inadvertently inspiring border raids.
- In 1999, the film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut also featured a fictional war between Americans and Canadians, including an anti-Canadian song, "Blame Canada."
- The television sitcom The Simpsons regularly parodies Canada and Canadians.