[nonrev]

So here's the deal:

I think a good number of you have heard about the topic of the Canadian Census being done by an American Defense contractor.... thats NOT what I am on about. Let me explain.

In posting some articles in about four or five 'net sites about it; some Canadian, some American (but with Canadian members), I have come up with TWO folks that dont seem to really give a rats butt about it.
OK, fair dinkum. But they were BOTH from Alberta. Now, ON TOP of that, I had no one from Alberta seem ready to raise any Cain about it.

Now granted, thats a pretty piss-poor sampling, but it made me wonder: Is the stereo-typical image of Albertans, that they are sort of American wanna-be's, or at least, lackadasical Canadians true? Or is it a coincidence?


NOW - before we get started: I DO know better than to question the loyalty of a couple of the folks around here, especially RH (I like my teeth the way they are, thanks! ) And this isnt really about loyalty anyhow - its more about what do you folks WISH you could be? - us, or them, or somebody altogether different?

But I just want people's opinion, be you from Alberta, or know folks that are, or just have a feeling yourself....... I just dont seem to be able to understand how Albertans feel differently about Canada than most everybody else I talk to, that youre just kinda "stuck" in the middle of the rest of us.
(And, btw, I admit to not helping things, with some of my ribbing about Alberta folks, but its only meant in the same way that Calgary gives Edmonton a bad time, or Regina and Saskatoon, or Kamloops and Kelowna. And, of course, then there's Winnipeg.....)



I may be way off base here, and if so, I apologize in advance.

[RoyalHighlander]

Hmmmm I may have missed somthing here.. Can you post any links to those articles you were refering to?? This looks interesting.. and If they were posted here I may have missed something that impunes on my loyalty.. (your teeth are safe buddy). So please post more info on the articles to start so we can become informed before we start BASHING YOU ! ! ! LMAO.. J/K

[RoyalHighlander]

BTW, based on just what you stated in the above post, I have no probs being a Canadian livi9ng in Alberta... Myt self I dont feel alienated in any way.. or feel like im on the "outside" at all... I think Albertans use that in the same way that Quebec uses thier "distinct sociaoty" bs tpo keep getting money from Ottawa...I think the "western speration" is just rhetoric the politicos use when they dont know what else to say LOL..

[nonrev]

I'm sure you must have seen the two threads here, RH..... BadAss's "American Company..." and Rev's "Gnaw on Rocks Skull" - both in the Politics section.

The two ho-hum responses I mentioned were in other sites, where I have posted similar notes.

[Regina]

I've been to Alberta a couple of times in the last year and one of the things I noticed was that it did, in some ways seem pro USA. That's from an outsiders perspective, but I saw plenty of US flags flown along with the Canadian ones. In Ontario you just don't see much of that unless it's on a boat.
Just my $.02cdn

[electricbuford]

A very smart lady from Edmonton (that can't stand Bush) , told me that Edmonton is pretty liberal and more "Canadian" than say Calgary. Alberta is a fairly prosperous province , and money sometimes contributes to myopic views - sometimes people forget about what's truly important in life. Most of the canucks I've talked with from Alberta are still "Canadians in so far as my impression is concerned , but those with somewhat yankee dispositions and tendencies seem to stem from a business standpoint. Anyway, I guess that doesn't make much sense, so here's the moral : If you are an Albertan and you like the U.S. so much - then move down here and become an American. Leave Canada to the Canadians.

[Rev_Blair]

I see it more as a left/right thing, nonrev. It was the NDP who asked the question about the census originally...the Alliance and the PCs (may they remain ever-separate) didn't bring it up. It only became public after Martin bagan to wield his power more openly. You see the same thing happening with other issues.

Alberta is ruled by very pro-American arch-conservatives. It has been for my entire lifetime. The fact that they keep getting re-elected points to the population of Alberta at least being able to tolerate them. That doesn't make all of Alberta pro-American, but it does mean that impression is given.

[Mukluk]

Do you know who would lose if Canada only did business with Canadian companies and Americans only with US companies? What if Canadians only bought Canadian products and Americans bought products only made in the US? (ok, ok, they are all made in China but let's say products distributed by the US/Canada for this example ).

Canada would. We are so small. People may be sensitive to using a US company for something like a census, but is the information really that sensitive? I don't really have a problem with it. The Chretien gov is the most patronizing and corrupt government in a long while and people are worried about them using a US company for a census. Not a big deal to me, there are bigger problems to solve.

As for being an Albertan - they are more business minded, perhaps. Call them capitalists. But when you have a neighbor as close as the US with that kind of buying power, how could you not be pro-American? You can be pro-American yet remain a fiercely proud Canadian.

Don't let stubborness (sp) prevent you from making sound economic decisions.

-m

[BadAssBookie]

Businessmen from Ontario are the best - hands down and we have the economy to prove it. If people from Alberta seem American, it is because a lot of them are from (reletively) recent US heritage. As part of the US drive to destabilize a young Canada thousands of Missouri Methodists moved to Alberta around the turn of the 20th century before AB became a province.
It might also have something to do with the fact that the largest industry there is controlled from Texas.

Like everywhere there are good folks, bad folks and people who deserve their head on a pike.

[nonrev]

Well, now that's interesting Badass - I didnt know about that. Thanks!

Do you have any suggestions where I could read up on that, on the 'net?