Canadian Knowledge...

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I recently watched a tv show that has a Canadian comedian touring the US, asking them ridiculous questions based on Canadian stereotypes, that 99.9% of Canadians know the answer to, but many Americans (even Gore and Bush) got caught with stupid answers. Now, I'm not a smart@$$, so I won't come up with a bunch of questions for you people, but I'd like to know what stereotypes the rest of the world has heard, and which ones you actually believe, so please write the stereotypes you've heard about Canada, and don't know whether they're true or not. I'm sure any fellow Canadians here wouldn't mind too much with bringing the truth to light.

[This message has been edited by Faerus Stoneslammer (edited April 16, 2002).]

 

Well, a few people in the U.S. do rib Canada a bit, but it's not really rampant; I guess we don't have as much stereotypes for our neighbor up North as we do for other countries. The U.S. pretty much ignores its major neighbor north of the border, I suppose. The stereotypical Canadian is probably just an American who says "eh?" after each sentence. Of course, I've heard a few Canadian jokes about them being dumb, slow, or passive, but like I said, it's not common.

 

Well there's always the aboot thing. I believe it coz I actually heard a Canadian talk like that (but he explained that that is only in certain parts of Canada).

...their beady little eyes and flappin' heads so full of lies... - but I don't belive that one.

All in all, I'd say that there aren't many sterotypes about Canadians. At least there weren't till South Park came along...

 

Stereotypes aren't common, at all among Americans, at least not what i've seen or heard, though I have to say the movie "Strange Brew," kinda dose make me see Canadians as stupid alchoholics. But I realize these thoughts are irational, and if I sat and talked with a Canadian, I would set them aside

 

Well said, I like that last bit about talking with a Canadian to set the stereotypes away.
Anyway, I'm surprised no one (of the 3 that have responded so far) have mentioned any igloo, or polar bear, or moose stereotypes. I realize that the general American public doesn't believe these stereotypes, but I have known people who have encountered them while visiting the US (admittedly I have never personally encountered them, but those I know who have, swear to God or on their families that they have, so I tend to believe them).
Of course, you could probably argue that one of the major stereotypes about Americans (from Canada) is that they (Americans) believe stereotypes about Canadians.

 

And I'm surprised that no one has mentioned their Ice Hockey obsession

Ara
(Hitting other peoplw with a stick can be hazardous to your health)

 

Well, I heard Howard Stern refer to Canada as the "Netherlands of the North" and said that Canada produces the best whores and beer in the world. And then there's the powerful marijuana grown in Canada. Doesn't seem to have affected its international reputation much though has it? Maybe Howard Stern should be appointed a Canadian ambassador- it would do something about that "boring, passive" reputation.

[Edit: You only seem to be asking about American stereotypes about Canada, but the European ones are interesting and quite different. The French think all of Canada looks like Lake Louise since there's a picture of Lake Louise labelled "Canada" in the window of virtually every travel agency. So in France, Canada's reputation has not changed much since the 1800's- it's still the land of the voyageurs, travelling white water rivers on canoe and hunting for a living. When Canadians take time out from oppressing Quebec, that is. ]

[This message has been edited by Sprite (edited April 16, 2002).]

 

Can't talk now, eh. National Hockey League (NHL) Playoffs start this week

Seriously, the hockey obsession is largely *not* a stereotype. While not every Canadian could tell you who scored the cup-winning goal in the 1934 Stanley Cup finals, a large majority are big hockey fans.

 

Actually, I have to say that one can say that about many FInnish people as well.
Well.... many Finns immigrated (is that a word?) to Canada at some point (And I am supposed to study history? )

Ara
(Being annoyed is not a state of mind, it's a way of life!)

 

In the UK we think that all Canadian males are either a) lumberjacks or b) mounted policemen, who drink their beer exceedingly cold.
Oh yes, and they write the best CRPGs in the world!

 

Well this is not meant to be offensive to anyone but my stereotype of canadians that they are a bit saner than americans but generally just the same. I know that Canada and the US are two different nations but I cant really see much difference between the two, atleast not between the south of Canada and the north of the US


/me ducks for whatever Kitiara or Shadow Chick may toss at me

 

Well, I've heard igloos, and how we have a lot of weed, and about lumberjacks who like their beer and women, and whores. But about USA, I've heard they are brainless, arrogant idiots who can't be arsed to come to Canada to see the real truth. But I only hear those things. And none of it is true. I have a friend in Pennisylvania and she is not a brainless, arrogant idiot.

/me kicks Joacqin hard.

[This message has been edited by Shadow_Goddess (edited April 16, 2002).]

 

They play hockey don't they?

 

A Canadian friend of mine played basketball; he was crazy about it. But I guess ice hockey's more or less pretty big up in Red Maple Leaf Land.

 

Not be rude or anything, but...

I saw this on That 70's Show and was wondering if it's just US hummur or stupiedy or real.

I'm pretty sure thats how they said it. I think it was rather dumb.

 

We call ham, "ham."
And we call bacon, "bacon."

 

Americans take the piss out of Canadians... no one else in the world does...

...The whole world takes the piss out of Americans. lol...

 

Ok thanks Faerus Stoneslammer.

 

DragonRider Skyward: The confusion is probably because of the kind of ham Americans call "Canadian Bacon". It's a brined ham- not smoked- with cornmeal around the outside. Canadians call it "peameal bacon". But other types of ham are just called ham.

 

I have no stereotypes, but my dad told me his impressions from going to canada, it was in the 70's, but still... According to him, all canadians wear flannel shirts, and if you're in a bar and order a beer, they'll hand you a bottle and a glass, but you must never, under any circumstances, pour it into the glass, you must ignore the glass and drink straigth from the bottle.

I don't know, I'm sceptical, do tell me I'm wrong.