Canadian worried about US/Canadian relations

CJK

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 5, 2001
Messages
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Hi all

In general, we are very excited about our upcoming WDW trip. However, I must admit I'm a little leary about something. Since the war started, I've been hearing a lot of anti-Canadian sentiments from many Americans (not here - on the news, word of mouth, from people just back from U.S. vacations). I don't want this post to be about the politics of whether Canada should or shouldn't participate in the war. I'm just really worried about U.S./Canadian relations. I know of a good number of people who have cancelled their U.S. trips because of this issue. I just really love both countries and am wondering what other people have to say on the subject? Thanks........and yes, we're going to WDW!!!
 
To be honest, CJK, I have seen and heard of that coolness between the folks of our two countries also. But I do hope to have some of your great cheese soup at LeCellier later this week. I must say that I had hoped for support for the effort at the official, national level, but the people of Canada are okay with me.
 
It makes me sad to hear about Friends bickering like this. :(
 
I'm glad you're not canceling your vacation because of the actions of a small minority of Americans. A big reason for many of the horrid events that have occurred here and throughout the world in recent years is due to a misperception that the actions of the U.S. government are directly correlated to the feelings and beliefs of its citizens. I certainly don't want anyone to judge me by what my government does and I do my best to extend that courtesy to others. I fully support our troops and hope this war ends quickly and with minimal casualty. I believe the SH is a maniac and needs to be taken out of power. He may not pose an immediate threat to the free world but it's only a matter of time before he does. That said, I don't necessarily always agree or fully support the actions of our current administration or any administration. I doubt anyone does.

I hope you have a wonderful time at WDW. :)
 

I think its horrible that any country's peoples harass other countries peoples because of something they don't agree on. That being said, the anti-Canadian feelings probably stem from a few incidents last week. One at an NHL game where the Canadian fans booed the Star Spangled Banner. That is just horrible and class-less and I'm sure it was just trouble makers doing it, but now people here see it and judge all Canadians by it.
Locally, some youth hockey players from Massachusetts, I believe, traveled to Canada for a tournament and were harassed. These were kids mind you being harassed by both adults and other kids.
Its sad, but you might, because of isolated incidents like these encounter some hostility, but I really hope not! Hopefully after the war, we'll all realize what good friends we've always been.
I hope you have a good trip...FRIEND!!!:Pinkbounc
 
Thanks for the great replies everyone. I agree with a lot that has been said here. We did hear about that Montreal hockey game. We also heard about the Leafs game the following week (where Canadians cheered the US national anthem). I've heard of games in the past where Americans booed the Canadian anthem. It's sad how people, regardless of nationality, do things like this. Like many of you, I hope the war ends quickly with limited casualties. I'm glad to see so many countries including Canada involved in humanitarian efforts. Thanks for letting me express my thoughts. :)
 
I think you should head to WDW and have a great time! I would hope, of all the places in the world, WDW would be the one place where every person, from every walk of life and every nation, could put aside whatever negative feelings they have about anything and everything and let the magic do it's work.

I hope you don't find any hostility when you visit here. :( That would just be too sad. :(

Libbysmom2000, I really liked your post. That's how I believe too.
 
unfortunately, based on things i have seen irl, i am not convinced that it is a minority of americans who are anti-canadian.

if i were you, i would go, but i would not advertise where you are from.
 
I must say that I had hoped for support for the effort at the official, national level, but the people of Canada are okay with me.

Dan- what makes you think that Canada didn't hope for the same support?!?!?

I for one find it sickening that some people of America are *judging* 30 million people in our country based on the decision of one stupid Prime Minister!!!

However,
We did hear about that Montreal hockey game. We also heard about the Leafs game the following week (where Canadians cheered the US national anthem).

THANK YOU SO much for pointing this out...(I will keep my comments about Quebec to myself for the purpose of this thread, but I for one say SEPARATE ALREADY!!!)

Please note as stated in the above quote, that although Quebec made a HUGE mistake by booing your anthem, Ontario quickly showed their support !!!! (funny how the media is quick to pick out the bad, but never the good...)

I'll end my thoughts with this: (this is all suppose to be hush-hush over here...)

Not only are we escorting the US and British ships in, but we have 3 ships, 2 planes and anywhere between 28 - 41 CANADIANS who are fighting on the front lines!!!! Sounds like a bunch of proud Canadians who want to support their *friends* in war, so much so that they don't even care what their own government says!

But of course, where is my head???? CNN would rather tell you guys about how Montreal booed your national anthem as *bad* news makes for *better* news...!!!!!
 
Originally posted by caitycaity
unfortunately, based on things i have seen irl, i am not convinced that it is a minority of americans who are anti-canadian.

if i were you, i would go, but i would not advertise where you are from.

I can't say that I agree with the first part of this. Most people I know are fairly ambivalent about the Canadian official position. Honestly, it's the French who get most of the rhetoric because they actively strove to block the whole thing.

I do agree that if there is concern....which there must be, or this thread wouldn't have been started....then the second part of the quote is probably a good idea. While you can get into those "Where are you from?" conversations at WDW, we have only experienced that one time during a boat trip from MGM to Boardwalk.

I'd go and not worry about it. Most people at WDW are more focused on running to the next FastPass machine than looking and talking to other people! :)
 
I am sick that our Prime Minister doesn't support the USA in Iraq. Although Canada doesn't have a huge number of military, we sure do have very well trained folks who could have really helped the Allies. Even if Jean didn't send military, he could have at least supported the efforts politically. I haven't personally felt anti-Canada from anyone. But I don't disagree with anti-Canada sentiment. If we don't like the anti-Canada movement, then we supporters will speak up against the non-action of our government. If anything I, as a Canadian, have been more anti-Canadian government that any American that I know. The thing that really gets me is that if Canada was attacked, I know the American government would help us, even thou our govt' turned it's back on the war. Jean knows that too. He will be leaving office soon, I guess he is just trying to cause as much damage as he can for the next PM. POLITICS!! AAAAUUUGGGHHH!

For the record, the day the America's took action in Iraq ~ my dd went to school with her American Flag T-shirt! How is that for support! SANDRA LOVES USA!
 
I live near the Canadian border, and I don't feel there is any true hostility here toward Canadian citizens. Yes, there was that incident at the Montreal hockey game, but I think most of us here feel that was a bunch of jerks who don't know how to behave themselves. (Not unusual for a hockey crowd anyway unfortunately). Go to WDW, enjoy yourselves. Most of us Americans realize you're just regular people, trying to live a normal life, just like us. :D
 
Would you all stop with the National Anthem thing already? Geez - the province of Quebec boo's their own anthem for goodness sakes - I for one am happy that they finally hate someone else too!! :D

Yes - ghost is right, a bunch of jerks who don't know how to behave themselves, come on - you guys should know all about that. I mean isn't it America that has certain States that can't have a *bat day* at a baseball game....sigh....:rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by madonna31
Dan- what makes you think that Canada didn't hope for the same support?!?!?

I for one find it sickening that some people of America are *judging* 30 million people in our country based on the decision of one stupid Prime Minister!!!............
Madonna, I am glad I took a look back here, I don't come back to threads all that often.

With my.......
.....I must say that I had hoped for support for the effort at the official, national level, but the people of Canada are okay with me.
I am saying just the same as you, I think. The populace there, as here, do not always speak for the country officially. The PM made a national decision, which I had hoped would have been different. However, that decision has not reduced my liking for the citizens of your fine country.

Hope that is more clear. I think I feel the same as you do.

Dan
 
Yikes, I'm sorry I brought up the National Anthem thing, I didn't mean to put anyone on the defensive. I thought I clearly said that I know and I'm sure most Americans know, that it was just some trouble makers. But I'm sure that's probably where the anti-Canadian sentiment is coming from. Some people are swayed by these news reports...not all of us. I have no bad feelings towards our neighbors to the north and I feel bad that there are people on both sides of the border judging each other.
Again CJK, I hope you have a GREAT time at WDW and hope its a truly magical trip with many happy memories.:)
 
Yes Dan, I think we do feel the same way...I did some research and I think that this is totally worth posting:

What our Prime Minister said and what Canada is doing are 2 COMPLETELY different things:

"Here - educate yourself..." (Pleakley; Lilo and Stitch)

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/03/27/cdnsoldiers030327

OTTAWA - Ottawa now admits that some Canadian soldiers are in Iraq, even though Canada refused to join the U.S.- led war against Saddam Hussein.

Thirty-one Canadians are with U.S. and British troops in the Gulf as part of military exchange, and a British army officer told CBC News that some of the Canadians are in combat. But the prime minister continues to deny any Canadians are directly involved
in the fighting.

For days the federal government has refused to disclose any information about the Canadian soldiers in the Gulf.

On Thursday, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe asked the prime minister to finally admit that having soldiers alongside coalition troops is the same thing as formally entering the war against Iraq.

Prime Minister Chrétien says Canada isn't at war with Iraq. But he conceded that some Canadian soldiers could be with U.S. and British troops inside the country. "It's possible," he said, "but they are not in combat roles."

But Lieut.-Col. Ronnie McCourt told CBC News, in an interview at command headquarters in Doha, Qatar, that some Canadians are on the front lines.

"They are in combat," he said, "and there's always a risk there."

Duceppe says five U.S. soldiers captured in Iraq were assigned to
maintenance units. He says it's ludicrous to suggest that the Canadian soldiers in the region aren't involved.

"When you are at war, you are at war. If you're in maintenance, or if you're in combat directly."

NDP Leader Jack Layton says having even some soldiers in combat means Canada is at war, in violation of its stated policy. "They've told us that we're not involved. The House of Commons adopted a motion saying we're not to be involved. Now it's clear that we are involved. It's outrageous," he said.

The New Democrats are demanding that Defence Minister John McCallum be held in contempt of Parliament unless he discloses where the soldiers are. McCallum has refused.

The federal government is apparently prepared to accept the risk that some of its soldiers could be killed or captured, in a war that Canada refused to join.
 
I'll make you a deal. I won't hold your country's politics against Canadians if you won't hold my country's politics against me. I don't think any of us can control what our governments do.

May I still visit Toronto? I promise to behave myself :)
 
We are due to drive down on the 11th. If the trip wasn't prepaid and non refundable I would seriously reconsider going. Some friends were just in Orlando and came back with bad feelings about being refused service at a gas station there. That in itself was no big deal, you can always get gas somewhere else. Last August someone "keyed" our car in the parking lot at Disneys West Side. That was such a frustrating experience I don't want to go through similar "%#$^ this year. Unfortunately the bad news sells on the news. There was a pro USA rally on Parliament hill on the weekend and I doubt that made any headlines on CNN.
 
As a Canadian I am saddened by a lot that has happened recently, and I think many Americans are too. Waging war without UN approval - what is the point? I fully disagree with people alienating nations that refuse to participate in a unilateral action against Iraq. "Freedom fries", booing of any anthems, pouring out champagne... I'm proud that our prime minister decided to stand back from the actions of Bush and Blair. What international law permits unilateral military action as a "preventive" measure? What would have been the harm in allowing inspectors to do their jobs? Did the US KNOW they were going to be attacked by Iraq? (if so - why didn't they show some evidence?)

What seems most ludicrous is that the leader of Iraq has been a bad and evil person for years. In fact his rise to power was completely supported by the US.

Now to get off my political high horse for a second. I have never felt better about being a Canadian. Whatever the divisions we have in our own country (personally, I love Quebec, and I don't even mind Ontario even though they forget about us westerners sometimes) - I LOVE CANADA. Disney's "O Canada" film was one of my best experiences at WDW. No one should be refused service or otherwise discriminated against based on nationality. If I had a gas station, I'd just as happily fill gas tanks of American cars as Canadian ones - despite my difference in political mindset.
 
I'll make you a deal. I won't hold your country's politics against Canadians if you won't hold my country's politics against me. I don't think any of us can control what our governments do.

Native - I never said that I hold ANY country's politics against ANYONE...are you kidding? I like Bush a ka-zillion times better then Jean Claude Van-tién...:rolleyes:

...wish it was easy to *pick up and move to another country* 'cause I would be moving to the US, probably Arizona in a heartbeat...:D
 




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