Why living in Canada sucks.

Unless you're a Native, living in Canada is so unfulfilling.

If someone were to ask me what my heritage is, I would say Irish. But as I read some native Irishman's (on another forum) response to the seemingly frequent claim of association with one's native land, is that the consensus amongst most people is that I'm not Irish, I'm Canadian, and I shouldn't try to claim otherwise.

Now this puts me in a dilemma. I'm a naturally and instinctually very patriotic person, and I feel the instinct to immerse myself in my culture, but for someone who is born in the world's pit stop , it's significantly harder.

It's hard to focus my thoughts, and I know my post is a little open-ended, but I think you will all get the basic idea.

Another reason I said Canada, and not North America, is because for 1, I can't speak for Americans, though most of my peers share my anxiety about living in Canada, and 2, Americans are for the most part very patriotic, and are encouraged so. This, I find, is not so frequent in Canada.

Anyways, Canada is a great place, free to do whatever, for the most part, not oppressed, etc. But I think I'm gonna have my kids in a european country so he can feel some sort of National identity.

Anyone have any comment on this?

Canada > USA

Uh... Alright... I'm sorry, what would you like to be refered to as? I wasn't using it in a perjorative manner. It's pretty much been established that American refers to an inhabitant of the USA. Just like saying someone is an Indian, is often connected to Native American, while not exactly PC, it has become an accepted term (Indian is sort of fading out for Aboriginal or Native American nowadays though).

And Boss_DJ, that's my whole point, its frustrating becasue I can't legitamately call myself a part of the only heritage I have, as I feel equally as fake when saying I'm Canadian. May have been born here, but my Canadian roots only go back a couple generations when my grandparents/great grandparents immigrated here, while at the same time, I can't call myself Irish because even thoguh that's where my ancestry lies, I am not directly connected to it.

I feel sort of like I'm in limbo.

Edited by SuperXero - 03 March 2006 at 12:11am

I would say we have a lot to be proud about as Canadians. You just need to do a bit of learning. I suggest Lester B. Pearson and Vimy Ridge to start off.

We don't need to look to the past to have an identity, for that matter. Canada is a valuable contributor to the world stage. Look at our reputation for peacekeeping, for instance. We're widely recognized as a country willing to step in and help a place out after said nation has gone through hell.

Our efforts towards human rights both at home and abroad are also laudable. As Canadians, you and I are treated by our own society better than almost anyone else in the world.

If you don't feel patriotism, that's your loss. There's a lot to feel good about, though- I wear my national identity proudly, and would happily call myself Canadian in any nation in the world.

HV, your sig is mesmerizing, and extremely creepy. I need to make something like that with my own face...

Hairball!!! wrote: I hate when Canadians refer to "Americans." Guess what buddy, Canada is in North America, so that makes you an American too.

UH no he is not an American. Being a citizen of the United States OF AMERICA is a prerequisite to calling yourself an American.

A lot of Europeans and South Americans hate when people from the U.S. refer to themselves as Americans.

I have a teammate who's Canadian and several friends who are also. I'm happy to say that I've never met one that I didn't like and become friends with.  I think that Americans think of Canadians as brothers and sisters, part of the same family.  I think that we think of Australians, English, and Irish as close cousins.

Somebody asked me the other day "What are you?”  I told him I was an American. He said "No, what ARE you? What's your heritage?”  I told him I'm a cur. Half Dutch, some English, some Scottish, some Welsh probably. But that's way, way back. I call myself an American. The guy who asked me just got off the boat from the Russia (or there about). He's a citizen now. Pretty proud of it too. I told him to not forget where he came from, but that from now on, he's just an American too.

African American, Italian American, Indian American, German American, Irish American... That crap drives me nuts. Why separate ourselves that way.

I'm not even going to touch this one.

If this is really bothering you, you might want to pick up the book "Never In A Hurry" by Naomi Shihab Nye. It has all kinds of references to a person's identity, nationality, and heritage. A really different read.