2. The magnitude of the differences between Canada and the US are routinely underrated by Americans and overrated by Canadians. This makes both sides somewhat unhappy. ;)
Conversation
3. Americans mostly treat Canada as a maple-syrup-flavoured America, rather than a real place with real place with real problems/benefit. "You don't count as a foreigner" is a common refrain heard by Canadians in 🇺🇸, at least the ones who don't work for immigration services.
2
2
4. When it's more than "America, but where they say 'sorry' funny", Canada is mostly a foil for American political/cultural battles; it's either a utopian land of virtue or den of vice and despair, depending on the proximal political point that someone is trying to make.
1
1
For example: I've had American socialists tell me about how the Canadian healthcare system can do no wrong. I've been unfortunate enough health-wise to see that that's patently false.
1
1
And of course that's just the mirror image of the bizarre discussion of "death panels" from the American right during the Obamacare debates.
1
5. Canada is much more urbanized than the United States. The US is full of vast regions of rural/semi-rural areas. These barely exist in Canada.
(Map credit: NASA Earth Observatory earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/7052/un)
1
2
6. As of the 2016 census, Canada's population was ~35 million. More than half of them (~13 million) live in the five largest metro areas (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary).
For Americans: that is like having ~165 million people across NYC, LA, Houston, and Chicago.
2
1
2
7. The urban centres in Canada are generally disconnected from each other, both physically and culturally.
1
1
Physically: there's no Canadian equivalent of the Interstate Highway System, at least for long-distance travel. The Trans Canada Highway (main inter-provincial road) is one lane each way in many places. By far the fastest way to drive from Toronto to Vancouver is through the US.
2
3
You’re unable to view this Tweet because this account owner limits who can view their Tweets. Learn more
Replying to
Yeah, you have it basically right! Canada is basically a few islands of population along the American border (plus Edmonton, maybe?), a few smaller metros scattered around, and vast empty nothingness.