Having both Canadian and American citizenship has formed me into an unbiased 3rd party in the never ending banter between the two nationalities. When I’m in Canada, I am picked on for being American. When I’m in the states, I am picked on for being Canadian. It’s cyclic. It has, however, put me in an interesting position because of my strong sense of pride and loyalty for both countries.
Only recently, however, have I realized that the banter goes beyond the whimsical remarks of pronunciations. Both countries are so focused on the exploitations of the stereotypes that we neglect actual issues that make the two countries more compatible than expected. As just a slight issue, Canada is the U.S’s largest supplier for oil, electricity, and natural gases. All of which I’d say are pretty important. But furthermore I bet the average American doesn’t appreciate this. On the other end, I consistently see Canadians criticizing the U.S for its outrageous military spending. However, do Canadians appreciate that the U.S’s grand military is the reason Canada hardly has to worry about military spending? Think about it… If anyone invaded Canada, America would destroy them. And hence, Canada benefits! But again, I’m sure these issues are completely ignored as the two countries are too busy elevating their own country and pathetically trying to deteriorate their “friendly neighbours.”