Quote Originally Posted by Spartan Tartan View Post
Father Bill, you have a keen sense of the subtle. I always appreciate your commentary, but I wonder...where does Canada fall (in your opinion) with regards to America and Scotland?
Oh-h-h-h Spartan! You flatter me, and perhaps I respond from an inflated ego as a result. As Rabbie Burns noted, it's rough to see ourselves as others see us, but I'll try to share a bit of a perspective.


I think Canada had a very thorough and powerful Scottish and generally British influence in its formative history but is now slowly becoming increasingly American largely through the influence of the media, particularly the performing and electronic media. Canada was at first formed of those who remained devoutly British for a very long time. Canadians of the time took their identity from Britain more than from an internal point of view. Heck, we didn't have our own flag until 1967, and as a child when we sang thebut national anthem, that meant "God Save the Queen." Oh Canada was not adopted until later.

A second possible difference might be one that Pierre Berton a prolific, influential and now deceased Canadian writer, fierce patriot, and philosopher identified as an interesting phenomenon - the farther one gets from the equator, the cooler the temperament of the culture. Interesting though immeasurable theory, I think that it has some slight truth to it. (Think of the national character of European nations from Equator to north, even some of the difference between Scots and English.) It's hard to tease out, but I see definite elements of it in the discussions here. This is an extremely kind and mutually supportive discussion community, but there are differences which I think are largely born of cultural beliefs, and (thank you, God!) we are not all the same.

Thanks for a provocatively interesting question!