On Being Canadian

ON BEING CANADIAN

Every summer, my husband and I travel from our home in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to visit my family in northwestern Ontario. One particular year, after spending several days visiting, we took a shortcut via the U.S. on our way back to Winnipeg, saving us over an hour in driving time. The entry point for us was Baudette, on the Ontario-Minnesota border, and the exit point was Warroad, which is on the Minnesota-Manitoba border.

Driving down Baudette's main street, mindful of the non-metric mileage signs, I noticed scores of people lined up behind rope barriers. I remarked to my husband, "Looks like they are waiting for the Fourth of July parade." He glanced around, and said, "Hon, I think we ARE the Fourth of July parade!" Somehow we had gotten to the front of the parade just as it started, while behind us were flashing police cars, wailing sirens, various floats, and a marching band. We drove slowly, cautious of the people milling around, and while I was tempted to give them the royal wave, I wisely refrained.

July is a patriotic time for Americans and Canadians alike. Americans celebrate Independence Day on July 4th, and Canadians celebrate Canada Day on July 1st. Both celebrations include parades, fireworks, and picnics. While Americans commemorate their independence, Canadians memorialize their confederation. Every July, in honour of these two days, I wear a lapel pin that shows both countries' flags entwined.

I acquired my Canadian citizenship when I was nine years old. My family emigrated from Europe, and after seven years, we became citizens. I don't remember much of what happened that day in Town Hall when we took our oaths, but I do recollect feelings of pride and belonging, knowing this was the most important day in my young life.

Living just a few hours' drive from the U.S. border, my husband and I are frequent visitors to the U.S. Over the years, we have traveled extensively to a dozen states. Each trip makes us aware of both the similarities and differences between Canadians and Americans. One thing we must be aware of while on road trips, is that while Canada is metric, the U.S. is not. Driving ninety kilometres an hour is not the same as ninety miles an hour!

Although Canada and the United States share a common language, there are subtle differences. Some word spellings are slightly dissimilar, as we take our cue from the British. Canadians add "eh" to many verbal statements, while Americans add "huh." Americans comment on our accent while we comment on theirs, both of us insisting we have no accent. We are often called "Canucks" and some Americans are called "Yankees." We have two official languages, the second one being French, and in some predominantly French speaking provinces, road signs are bilingual.

The two countries have similar currency, although ours consists of more coinage, and our bills are more colourful, thus making them more readily identifiable.

Politics are vastly dissimilar between the two countries. So is football, due to the different rules. The U.S. favors a "melting pot" populace, while Canada observes and preserves the various cultures from whence we came. Canada's health care system is envied the world over.

There are differences in food. I have never seen corn on the cob on a restaurant menu in Canada, but in the U.S. it is as common as apple pie. It surprises us when we can't get vinegar for our fries, but at least ketchup seems to be universal. Southern food is a mystery to me, especially when it comes to grits. I am never quite sure what to do with them!

Although Canadians and Americans have numerous differences, that is what makes us unique. The important thing is we share a history from which our nations developed. As the late John F. Kennedy once said, "Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends." It's a good thing this is true, since I am quite sure that our experience on July 4th was the first time an American parade was led by a couple of Canadians!

Maria Harden

Story ID:	162
Written by:	Maria Harden (bio, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Travel
Location:	Baudette Minnesota USA
Year:	2003
Person:	Maria Harden & husband