Canadians Have True Class

[IslandTractor]

I have to agree with this. We see lots of Eastern Canada folks on the road and I don't have any bones to pick with them.

They are absolutely angels on the highway compared to NYC or Boston drivers.

 

[jix]

Now this thread is interesting. The Words to "O Canada" have been changed over the years. There were too many repetions of " we stand on guard" in the verse and some thought that this was silly..and boring. The Anthem of Canada is actually "God save the Queen" but that offends the Quebecois for historic reasons. our governments have pandered to that idea in the hopes of assauging the French Canadians. so we really do not have a popular national anthem at all. Personally, I wish we did. It will probably be years before old farts like myself are satisfied with something that our government comes up with, and that pleases all of our constituent populations. Partisan jealousies are very palpable here in the great white north. We Canadians, now, are neither fish nor fowl....and we have a scant grasp of our history..and of glorious events to unify us. Our national anthem song lacks inspiring and meaningful references which could unify all Canadians. We have no civil war, no history of revolution, no major unifying event in our past. We do have things to be proud of, to be sure, but achievements are not the stuff of glory, as significant as these may have been.

For these reasons, I envey the US its national anthem, which is from a rich and glorious history and forged in a very appealing philosophy, through several cataclysmic events of world-wide importance. The Stars and Stripes anthem is inspiring, dramatic, poetic and is historically based in reality about a world-changing event. There is meaningful pride in it and to be taken from it. I doubt it could ever be improved upon, especially the last stanza. "Land of the free and the home of the Brave" This powerful stanza is proven to be true...and that is to be envied.

Canadians have such patriotic feeling too, I know, But we do not have a good song about it...and we need one. We need a proud and glorious history to inspire such a song..not just a string of heroic events like contributions to wars (too many) or police actions, (also too many) and not just hockey games nor building the CPR railroad (by an American engineer) and not just geography nor climate. Canadians do not want to feel like wallflowers at a dance, but we often do.

a previous poster said that Canadians have class. thanks for that compliment, sir.

I believe that that may be our saving grace. "Class", (generosity of spirit, noble ideals, modesty, magnanimity, courage, faithfulness.) These are things to be proud of. Canadians even without an inspiring anthem, are proud of our country mostly because we do have "Class"...and so does our country among the world's nations. That, so far, has been our legacy. We are trusted and respected in the halls of the great nations... and We are not done yet. Maybe that is truly how we "stand on guard"

Jix
PS. Pierre Trudeau wrote book called "TWO SOLITUDES" about the cultural make-up of Canada's two major cultural groups; The English..and the French-Canadians. It was thought provoking. These two peoples are very distinct and wish stay that way, in SPADES. There is not much in common between them Frech Canadians have class too, but they hide it very well behind a façade of partisanship. If you are not French Canadian, you may net see it at all. So sorry, Pierre.

 

[PILOON]

Actually, I find Quebecers are good drivers, they don't stay out in the fast lane, don't cut you off and then drive 10 KM/H under the speed limit etc... They just drive FAST

They just do not want anyone to get there first. BMW drivers believe they own the roads and everyone get out of the way.
Honda Civic's zig and zag thru gaps left and right like a sewing machine.
Rush hour commuting traffic flows at 130kmph with LEO's urging them on but at 10:00 LEO's ticket anyone over 105.
And yes, LEO's now admit they have a quota to fill.

When you drive fast you need to be a good driver in order to survive. Practice does make perfect.

 

[MAN IN BLACK]

This thread should be closed...it's getting no where !
Absolutely useless to this point !! :thumbdown: :duh:

 

[wawajake]

Now this thread is interesting. The Words to "O Canada" have been changed over the years. There were too many repetions of " we stand on guard" in the verse and some thought that this was silly..and boring. The Anthem of Canada is actually "God save the Queen" but that offends the Quebecois for historic reasons. our governments have pandered to that idea in the hopes of assauging the French Canadians. so we really do not have a popular national anthem at all. Personally, I wish we did. It will probably be years before old farts like myself are satisfied with something that our government comes up with, and that pleases all of our constituent populations. Partisan jealousies are very palpable here in the great white north. We Canadians, now, are neither fish nor fowl....and we have a scant grasp of our history..and of glorious events to unify us. Our national anthem song lacks inspiring and meaningful references which could unify all Canadians. We have no civil war, no history of revolution, no major unifying event in our past. We do have things to be proud of, to be sure, but achievements are not the stuff of glory, as significant as these may have been.

For these reasons, I envey the US its national anthem, which is from a rich and glorious history and forged in a very appealing philosophy, through several cataclysmic events of world-wide importance. The Stars and Stripes anthem is inspiring, dramatic, poetic and is historically based in reality about a world-changing event. There is meaningful pride in it and to be taken from it. I doubt it could ever be improved upon, especially the last stanza. "Land of the free and the home of the Brave" This powerful stanza is proven to be true...and that is to be envied.

Canadians have such patriotic feeling too, I know, But we do not have a good song about it...and we need one. We need a proud and glorious history to inspire such a song..not just a string of heroic events like contributions to wars (too many) or police actions, (also too many) and not just hockey games nor building the CPR railroad (by an American engineer) and not just geography nor climate. Canadians do not want to feel like wallflowers at a dance, but we often do.

a previous poster said that Canadians have class. thanks for that compliment, sir.

I believe that that may be our saving grace. "Class", (generosity of spirit, noble ideals, modesty, magnanimity, courage, faithfulness.) These are things to be proud of. Canadians even without an inspiring anthem, are proud of our country mostly because we do have "Class"...and so does our country among the world's nations. That, so far, has been our legacy. We are trusted and respected in the halls of the great nations... and We are not done yet. Maybe that is truly how we "stand on guard"

Jix
PS. Pierre Trudeau wrote book called "TWO SOLITUDES" about the cultural make-up of Canada's two major cultural groups; The English..and the French-Canadians. It was thought provoking. These two peoples are very distinct and wish stay that way, in SPADES. There is not much in common between them Frech Canadians have class too, but they hide it very well behind a fa軋de of partisanship. If you are not French Canadian, you may net see it at all. So sorry, Pierre.

I am sorry you feel limited and conflicted it seems somewhat Jix........you may want to read a book that Pierre Berton wrote I think it was called Canada at War . It expresses how Canada obtained it's national pride during the second world war. I know first hand how the Dutch people feel about Canada after the Canadians were instrumental in liberating their land from the Nazis.So feel free to hold your head high with pride because we "stood on guard" for freedom and still do many times decades later standing side by side with the USA many times too !

 

[buickanddeere]

According to the Movies . Only Americans supplied equipment and fought WWII . Single handedly defeating both the Nazis and the Japanese.

 

[Looking4new]

I would much rather drive my big truck in Montreal than in Toronto. (For you Americans, my big truck is 82 feet long and bends in the middle, 2 trailers.) At least when a Quebec-er cuts you off you have no fear of hitting him.....He's doing about 80mph. when you want to change lanes the car drivers seem to open a hole for you to slide into. In Ontario as soon as they see the signal they jump right into the hole you are going for and quite often they get cut off by me.

 

[Big Barn]

I would much rather drive my big truck in Montreal than in Toronto. (For you Americans, my big truck is 82 feet long and bends in the middle, 2 trailers.) At least when a Quebec-er cuts you off you have no fear of hitting him.....He's doing about 80mph. when you want to change lanes the car drivers seem to open a hole for you to slide into. In Ontario as soon as they see the signal they jump right into the hole you are going for and quite often they get cut off by me.

Years ago, my experience driving 'big truck' was similar. Seems like B.C. would have been similar to Ontario. Whereas I 5 Southern California (even rush hour) was a breeze to change lanes. Put on your turn signals and on the fifth 'blink' just move over. I guess all the passenger car drivers who didn't know how this worked were already dead. Terry

 

[Bird]

I guess I might as well throw in my :2cents: worth about Canada and it's people. For the 1971-72 school year, I was sent to the Traffic Institute of Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, for the 9 month school year. There were 86 of us in the class, state troopers, city officers, and officers from several foreign countries, including one Sub-Inspector from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I think he and his wife were the epitome of a gentleman and a lady; most popular couple there. I've also driven to Alaska and back 3 times and flew a Cessna 152 from the factory to Alaska once. Now prices were always high in Canada, but I NEVER got the feeling that anyone in Canada was trying to take advantage of us or cheat us. So, yep, I agree with the OP's title for this thread.

 

[riptides]

After WWII parts of my family relocated to Canada, from Europe.

It is interesting to observe the fierce loyalty and pride in ones country from the same blood lines and experiences.