Americans and Canadians culture Q&A Thread.

[SirDuff]

Interesting the way you phrase that.

As has been pointed out, states’ rights can vary within the U.S. We have federal laws, and we have state laws. To make things really interesting, there can be local laws, as well.

Putting it very simply (and someone correct me if I’m wrong, because I’m not an expert on this), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that guarantees employees the right to take unpaid leave without penalty for caring for self or family members, and that includes maternity leave.

My state, MA, as one example (I can’t speak for other states as I have no idea how they work it), passed a law a few years back called the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act which provides up to 12 weeks of paid family leave, including time for bonding with a new child.

https://www.workingmother.com/massa...ents-need-to-know-about-new-paid-family-leave

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/how-pfml-is-different-than-fmla

There can be other laws, benefits and rights that come into play, as well.

https://www.masslegalhelp.org/employment-unemployment/time-off-personal-need

That is why it can be hard to generalize when it comes to the U.S. It’s often all about the states.

Which is no different than in Canada with federal, provincial, and municipal laws etc.

 

[SirDuff]

There is far more socialistic leanings in Canada as compared to the USA. It amazes me how many Canadians spend money in Cuba. Especially Eastern Europeans living in Canada that escaped that sort of government.
There is far more interest in Canada for the royal family as compared to the interest in the USA. Remember, I live in both places. You don’t. I live the differences.

I’ve lived in both places too. I also “live the difference” and have very different impression than you do.

Totally not saying that you don’t have the experiences you say you have but this whole “I know the *truth* and you don’t“ is a little tiring, especially given that you aren’t the only one in the world (or on this thread) who also lives between both countries.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Canadians, how big is the Toronto vs Montreal rivalry? I ask because their MLS teams are playing each other Saturday night at 7:30pm and I’m curious how much advertisement it gets?

There is always some level of sports rivalry between the two cities. Not nearly as much for soccer as the legendary rivalry between the Leafs and Habs…

 

[SirDuff]

There is always some level of sports rivalry between the two cities. Not nearly as much for soccer as the legendary rivalry between the Leafs and Habs…

I was thinking that as well. But much is based on city rivalry versus rivalry between those two specific teams? I mean, my family are in Toronto but are Habs fans (we were part of the mass exodus from Montreal following the 1981 referendum, which probably explains it) and I have many friends outside of the two cities (e.g. Ottawa - though maybe not so much once the Sens arrived) that have strong affiliation with one of the teams).

Of course, there is also the “anybody but Toronto” feelings for some people

 

[SCCNJ]

I'm curious to know how many Americans have visited Canada? I don't know a single Canadian that hasn't been Stateside, but I am also very close to the border. It (was) easy to pop over for a shopping trip on any given day.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Which is no different than in Canada with federal, provincial, and municipal laws etc.

Right. And probably like our states, too, not everyone in every state is in complete agreement about everything, either. There can be lots of dissension among people in the various states - maybe some more than others.

 

[White Cat]

I'm curious to know how many Americans have visited Canada? I don't know a single Canadian that hasn't been Stateside, but I am also very close to the border. It (was) easy to pop over for a shopping trip on any given day.

I would say every Canadian that I know has been in the USA. I would say less than half of Americans I know have been in Canada.

 

[GreatLakes]

I've always thought it was funny that there always seems to be a much higher interest in the Royal Family in the US when compared to Canada.

I don't get it.

 

[Buzz Rules]

There is always some level of sports rivalry between the two cities. Not nearly as much for soccer as the legendary rivalry between the Leafs and Habs…

It wasn’t meant to soccer specific, just wanted to give an example. Thanks for clarifying about the rivalry.

 

[lisaviolet]

Edit.



.

 

[SirDuff]

It wasn’t meant to soccer specific, just wanted to give an example. Thanks for clarifying about the rivalry.

Check out Roch Carrier’s “The Hockey Sweater” (or, if you can read French, the original “Le chandail de hockey”).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm curious to know how many Americans have visited Canada? I don't know a single Canadian that hasn't been Stateside, but I am also very close to the border. It (was) easy to pop over for a shopping trip on any given day.

My husband has for work several times, his project he is on right now is in Ontario though he hasn't needed to go up there for it.

In terms of travel other locations have just beat out Canada although we do have interest in visiting several places there. Much like the U.S there are places we want to visit but other destinations beat out. I do think a cruise would be neat one that combines the New England area or ones that do combo with the Pacific Northwest. I'm in the middle of the U.S. but husband's family that lives in MN do cross over more frequently.

 

[tvguy]

I'm curious to know how many Americans have visited Canada? I don't know a single Canadian that hasn't been Stateside, but I am also very close to the border. It (was) easy to pop over for a shopping trip on any given day.

My first trip to Canada was 1966. My most recent was in 2019. Too many in between over the years to count. With one exception our family reunions have all been in Saskatoon/Candle Lake or Calgary. The one family reunion in Ottawa I wasn't able to attend. Which is funny because the majority of my surviving family live in Ottawa. I have never been east of Saskatoon. But I have spent time in Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Paddockwood and Candle Lake. My bucket list includes Ottawa and Montreal. My wife was born in France and wants to practice her French!

 

[bcla]

Native born implies born on U.S. soil. Actually, they can be born anywhere in the world, as long as they were considered a U.S. citizen at birth.

I won't get too deep into it, but there are some people who don't agree with that assessment of what it means to be a "natural-born citizen" of the United States. It's not necessarily about politics per se, but there was a certain Canadian born American politician who ran for POTUS.

There's no current definition of a "natural-born" Canadian citizen for someone born after the current law went into effect, but there was previously, and I understand that the laws are still in force for anyone born at that time it was in effect. Not sure what good it would do since Canada doesn't seem to have legal restrictions on naturalized citizens in political office (like minimum citizenship and residency requirements). Also being born abroad but entititled to Canadian citizenship also required registering before turning 22. And on top of that it was discriminatory against Canadian mothers, who didn't transmit citizenship unless the child wasn't born in wedlock.

https://historyofrights.ca/wp-content/uploads/statutes/CN_Citizenship.pdf​

PART l.​

Natural-Born Canadian Citizens.​

4 . A person, born before the commencement of this Act, is a natural-born Canadian citizen:—​

(a) if he was bom in Canada or on a Canadian ship and has not become an alien at the commencement of this Act; or​

It he was born outside of Canada elsewhere than on a Canadian ship and his father, or in the ease of a person bom out of wedlock, his mother​

(i) was born in Canada or on a Canadian ship and had not become an alien at the time of that person's birth, or​

(ii) was, at the time of that person’s birth, a British subject who had Canadian domicile,​

if, at the commencement of this Act, that person has not become an alien, and has either been lawfully admitted to Canada for permanent residence or Is a minor.​

​

5. A person, born after the commencement of this Act, Born​

( b )​

is a natural-born Canadian citizen:—​

(a) if he is born in Canada or on a Canadian ship;​

or​

( b ) if he is born outside of Canada elsewhere than on a​

Canadian ship, and​

(i) his father, or in the case of a child born out of wedlock, his mother, at the time of that person’s birth, is a Canadian citizen by reason of having been bom in Canada or on a Canadian ship, or having been granted a certificate of citizenship or having been a Canadian citizen at the commencement of this Act, and​

(ii) the fact of his birth is registered at a consulate or with the Minister, within two years after its occurrence or within such extended period as may be authorized in special cases by the Minister, in accordance with the regulations.​

​

6. Notwithstanding anything contained in section four or section five of this Act, a person who is, at the commence ment of the Act, a minor born outside of Canada elsewhere than on a Canadian ship and who has not been lawfully admitted to Canada for permanent residence, or who is bom after the commencement of this Act and outside of Canada elsewhere than on a Canadian ship, shall cease to be a Canadian citizen upon the expiration of one year after he attains the age of twenty-one years unless after attaining that age and before the expiration of the said year​

(a) he asserts his Canadian citizenship by a declaration of retention thereof, registered in accordance with the regulations; and​

( b ) if he is a national or citizen of a country other than Canada under the law of which he can, at the time of asserting his Canadian citizenship, divest himself of the nationality or citizenship of that country by making a declaration of alienage or otherwise, he divests him self of such nationality or citizenship:​

​

Provided that in any special case the Minister may extend the time during which any such person may assert Ms Canadian citizenship and divest himself of the other nationality or citizenship, in which case upon so doing within the said time he shall thereupon again become a Canadian citizen.​

 

[declansdad]

There's no current definition of a "natural-born" Canadian citizen for someone born after the current law went into effect, but there was previously, and I understand that the laws are still in force for anyone born at that time it was in effect. Not sure what good it would do since Canada doesn't seem to have legal restrictions on naturalized citizens in political office (like minimum citizenship and residency requirements). Also being born abroad but entititled to Canadian citizenship also required registering before turning 22. And on top of that it was discriminatory against Canadian mothers, who didn't transmit citizenship unless the child wasn't born in wedlock.

​

We have no problem with people who were born elsewhere but become citizens running for public office.

 

[bcla]

We have no problem with people who were born elsewhere but become citizens running for public office.

Understood. It's kind of different than the US where there are specific restrictions depending on which political office. In California there's no real eligibility for state political office other than being a US citizen registered to vote in the state. But for federal office there are minimum age and length of citizenship requirements.

I remember Australia had some weird situation because their constitution specifically doesn't allow members of Parliament to have multiple citizenship. And it was really odd because many were born in other Commonwealth countries such as Canada or New Zealand, and never really thought about their status because they considered themselves to be Australians. It might have also been a matter of their constitution being written when one would have still been a subject of the British Empire if from another Commonwealth country.

 

[White Cat]

I’ve lived in both places too. I also “live the difference” and have very different impression than you do.

Totally not saying that you don’t have the experiences you say you have but this whole “I know the *truth* and you don’t“ is a little tiring, especially given that you aren’t the only one in the world (or on this thread) who also lives between both countries.

And we all know your Canada European connection as well. I would love to hear any other American on this thread that is entrenched in both counties thoughts. Or a Canadian who moved as an adult to the US as well. These experiences would interest me. Much like Carrie and Kim on this thread, I have found that Canadians love to make little disparaging remarks to Americans, and about the French in Quebec. There is a lot of interest in general about the USA, and that fact that it’s not reciprocal seems to be a hurting point for many Canadians. Americans just don't care.
I once had a lady in a restaurant, she must have heard my accent, stick an American $100 bill in my face and tell me that she wished that Canadian ISES fighter would have killed more Americans and that she wished the Vietnamese would have. While this was extreme, this sort of thing happens very often. Especially during the last 4 years, it was like hey we have an American in our midst.
I have found that the area I am in any way very hard for an American, besides the crappy weather. And Canadian business laws hard on dreamers and doers. Bill Gates would have had to move to the USA, and just pay the huge exit tax.

 

[declansdad]

I once had a lady in a restaurant, she must have heard my accent, stick an American $100 bill in my face and tell me that she wished that Canadian ISES fighter would have killed more Americans and that she wished the Vietnamese would have. While this was extreme, this sort of thing happens very often. Especially during the last 4 years, it was like hey we have an American in our midst.

I don't know where you lived but that is just not very common. In fact, the way you have made many of these posts, they seem very disparaging on your part.

 

[ronandannette]

...I have found that Canadians love to make little disparaging remarks to Americans, and about the French in Quebec. There is a lot of interest in general about the USA, and that fact that it’s not reciprocal seems to be a hurting point for many Canadians. Americans just don't care.
I once had a lady in a restaurant, she must have heard my accent, stick an American $100 bill in my face and tell me that she wished that Canadian ISES fighter would have killed more Americans and that she wished the Vietnamese would have. While this was extreme, this sort of thing happens very often. Especially during the last 4 years, it was like hey we have an American in our midst.
I have found that the area I am in any way very hard for an American, besides the crappy weather. And Canadian business laws hard on dreamers and doers. Bill Gates would have had to move to the USA, and just pay the huge exit tax.

I can't refute your experience, which is horrible ( sorry, eh) but I simply DO NOT BELIEVE you are being confronted like that "very often" anywhere in Canada. There's certainly bigotry amongst us toward one another from many directions ("Left-coasters", Albertans, the 416/905, Newfies, Quebekkers) to name a few. I find it interesting that this thread began as a discussion of cultural diversity which is ubiquitous in Canada and generally respected and celebrated. It doesn't matter here what colour you are or where you came from but where you now live can put you in the cross-hairs.

ETA: Now that I'm re-reading it, I'm also super-curious about why a random mean Canadian woman would have had a $100 UDS to accost you with but I digress...

 

[TippyThomas]

This one went exactly how I expected it would.