They’re in-laws.
It took but a few days in Calgary for one Jordan Michael Smith to discover a truth about Canadian identity that they don’t teach in Carleton University political science classes – that we are more like Americans than we are one another.*
That, and all orthodontists reside east of Thunder Bay. I figure there’s about a week between now and his first ass-kicking.
Ezra:(If you’re reading this). If it is fact you hired this dude, you might want to re-consider. Apparently he’s determined to piss off as many westerners as possible in the shortest period of time. Sounds more like a troll to me and a very ill informed one at that. Go East young man, Go East.
And BC has more in common with Washington state. Ever heard of Cascadia?? It makes more sense than “Alumbria”
So, why did the Western Standard hire this not-especially-conservative young eastern man?
Scary thought: this is what passes for a young conservative these days.
“And maybe that’s what a country really is. A big family. Less a place where everyone thinks and acts alike than a collection of people who are tied together in an intangible but profound way.”
Yeeesh.
Im an ALBERTAN first and only a canuckistanian because I dont have a coice. YET.
Viva la liberta ALBERTA
As I understand it BC entered confederation on a promise to build a connecting railway,I suppose if one really liked Railway Robber Barons this could be taken as “intangible but profound”but it escapes me.They slapped on the restrictive crow rates to favour Eastern interests and we fought back some years later by sending them Margaret Trudeau.
In any gathering here in BC I find native born types like myself are about 20%.The rest are from the Mystic East.
It seems to take about 3 years to settle in out here, first off: mountain co-op for the fleece out fit.break it down by repeated machine washing with a cross trainer thrown in.
Learn to pronounce “Tsawassen” ,careful here, if you say it in a culturally sensitive way,your busted as CBC or back east swine by other earlier emigres.
Starve your nervous tics and bizarre body language by immersing your self in ennervating vegetarian cuisine,claim to love tofu.
Revel in your inability to drive in snow, this is what got you sent out here in disgrace in the first place.
Affirm you aulde sod ties by continuing to vote liberal no matter how corrupt and incompetant they become.
As I understand it BC entered confederation on a promise to build a connecting railway,I suppose if one really liked Railway Robber Barons this could be taken as “intangible but profound”but it escapes me.They slapped on the restrictive crow rates to favour Eastern interests and we fought back some years later by sending them Margaret Trudeau.
In any gathering here in BC I find native born types like myself are about 20%.The rest are from the Mystic East.
It seems to take about 3 years to settle in out here, first off: mountain co-op for the fleece out fit.break it down by repeated machine washing with a cross trainer thrown in.
Learn to pronounce “Tsawassen” ,careful here, if you say it in a culturally sensitive way,your busted as CBC or back east swine by other earlier emigres.
Starve your nervous tics and bizarre body language by immersing your self in ennervating vegetarian cuisine,claim to love tofu.
Revel in your inability to drive in snow, this is what got you sent out here in disgrace in the first place.
Affirm you aulde sod ties by continuing to vote liberal no matter how corrupt and incompetant they become.
As a bred and born Albertan (fourth generation) I have always felt the antithisis towards Southern Ontario was the result of S.O.’s believe that it IS Canada. The rest of us are colonial subjects to be patronized then ignored. Quebec was one of those conquered people that had to be given their stripend to asuage the guilt of the conquering upper Canadians. Of course guilt is best asuaged by using the western serfs money rather than the Upper Canadian’s coin of the realm.
The other make up in the Upper Canadian make up is the fact that they view themselves as a defeated people. They lost the American Revolution and have been anti American ever since. Albertans however do not see themselves as a defeated people. Many of our ancesters came from the US out of choice. This new land was the new frontier and a place of opportunity where individuals of any ethnic or racial group were welcomed and respected so long as they were willing to help build a better place to live.
Sometimes Calgarians move to Edmonchuk and vacation in Florida. What does it all mean?
I’v lived in kanada most of my life, rite here in S.Ontario. I’v travelled to most of Kanada and much of the US of A, and find there are a lot of diferences from place to place, but also many similarities. One of the outstanding similarities is that in Kaybec they are a whinney bunch of snivelers, sum in here are proving that there are many such whinny snivelers in Newfberta as well!!!!
When you’re in Texas, my advice would be to stay away from Houston or Dallas as vacation spots. They have become our version of big international cities, and I’ve often said you could blindfold someone and airdrop them into the middle of LA, Phoenix, or Dallas, and the person might never know the difference.
If you want to vacation in a big city, try Fort Worth. Not only does it have Sundance Square, a metropolitan opportunity for dining, bookstores, comedy clubs, theatres, opera, concerts, etc., but it is located in a large Texas city that still retains a lot more of our Texas flavor.
If you want to try out the Gulf Coast, I would recommend Galveston Island. It’s a little bit like old New Orleans, and the beaches are not as scenic as Florida, but Galveston is rich in Texas history. A while back, they were messing around some abandoned buildings and found a jewel of a theatre that Najinski had danced in, and Sara Burnhart had performed in.
If you’re looking for a beach vacation in Texas that’s a little bit more like the sandy beaches of Florida, try Corpus Christi or Padre Island.
If you have a yen to take a look at the kind of natural beauty Texas serves up, try some towns in the hill country outside of Austin. Kerrville is right in the middle of the scenery and at the same time has restaurants, clubs, and river activities. If you want a little more regional, try Wimberly.
If Arizona is your thing, forget about Phoenix, and if the city is what you’re after, try Tucson. Even better, go to Prescott, where you can get off the beaten path a little, have some small-town ambience, but with tons of amenities, upscale restaurants and the whole works.
If you really want to get into thick wilderness areas, try towns above Payton, around the New Mexico-Arizona state line.
For your information, in a lot of neighborhoods outside the big cities, people fly the flags that are from their country of origin. However, it is not an in-your-face kind of thing. It is more like, hey, guess what? I’m from Canada. If you are Canadian or want to talk with a Canadian, stop by while I’m mowing the lawn. Really, we don’t mind this at all, unless the flag represents a country that is unfriendly to the US. In Texas, residents fly as many Texas flags as American flags (and occasionally the Confederate battle flag).
Finally, I really don’t understand this huge need to take a “position” about the United States. North America is being more closely tied because of our economies and our businesses and our friends and relatives all the time. Down here, provided Canada is not being hostile to the US, we are content to think of our Canadian neighbors as the friends and extended relatives they are, and we really don’t understand a need for Canadians to “define” themselves relative to the US.
…after spending many years travelling this once great country, from shore to shore (except Yukon), and apologies to all the hard working stiffs in Ontario (it must be brutal having one’s head on straight while depending on CBC Pravada and CTV Tass) I have come to the realization that there is exactly one word that clearly defines Easterners:
Lemmings.
“…after spending many years travelling this once great country,”
When exactly was it great?
“and apologies to all the hard working stiffs in Ontario (it must be brutal having one’s head on straight while depending on CBC Pravada and CTV Tass) I have come to the realization that there is exactly one word that clearly defines Easterners:
Lemmings.”
Thank God for objective analysis. Now where are all the great folk who insist that Easterners are prejudiced and look down on them? Seems like the compliment is more than returned.
And is our once great country better off for it?
Folks, Jeremiah is just jerking your chain for his own personal amusement. Ignore him like the troll that he is.
If Kate would please send this troll packing…
Ah yes. He must be a troll if he dares to argue against the prevailing sentiment.
But one is not a troll if one makes such delightful and thoughtful, not to mention, substantial comments as:
“Folks, Jeremiah is just jerking your chain for his own personal amusement. Ignore him like the troll that he is.”
“If Kate would please send this troll packing…”
The intellectual weight of those statements is profound, Eeyore. Amazingly profound.
If I m troll, what exactly are you?
Jeremiah – I love ya man! Keep it up!
Do you think you could come out and speak at a separtist gathering or two? I’m sure you’ll help us see the errors of our ways.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m goin out to put up an American flag.
As a Johnny come lately to this stereotype cut and slash, I would like to say that as a resident of Houston for the last 5 years, I don’t find any resemblance to Hamilton unless you are referring to refinery row. It might not be shangrila but it isn’t a one horse steel town either. A lot to see and do. It is also a great place to start your explorations. San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, Galveston Lake Charles, take your pick.
As far as Mr Smith and his opinions of Calgary go, I really wouldn’t waste my time discussing anything with him.
As a Johnny come lately to this stereotype cut and slash, I would like to say that as a resident of Houston for the last 5 years, I don’t find any resemblance to Hamilton unless you are referring to refinery row. It might not be shangrila but it isn’t a one horse steel town either. A lot to see and do. It is also a great place to start your explorations. San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, Galveston Lake Charles, take your pick.
As far as Mr Smith and his opinions of Calgary go, I really wouldn’t waste my time discussing anything with him. Of course he is no Mary Walsh either. Now there is another minor celebrity for whom I’ve lost all respect for.
Jer: “When exactly was it great?”
…hmm, good question – maybe before you were born?
Sorry, sorry, couldn’t help feeding the trolls…
-they’re just so cute and cuddly.
“and apologies to all the hard working stiffs in Ontario (it must be brutal having one’s head on straight while depending on CBC Pravada and CTV Tass) I have come to the realization that there is exactly one word that clearly defines Easterners:
Lemmings.”
Snivelling remarks such as this are pointless. All of the “western” commentors here fail to realize that your neighbours to the WEST are hardly distinguishable from your neighbours to the east – the cafe lattes in Vancouver taste the same as the ones in Toronto. Sven R and Hedy F are not products of eastern Canada. East this, East that, Easterners bla bla bla….
Some throw out thoughtless insults, as if this is some kind of panacea. You fail to even realize that the easterners drawn to this site are the kind of easterners that you might like if you stopped tossing insults at them for a moment.
Clearly the column was crap, particular the comments about perfume and orthodontists, but so what? It’s not like the guy won the pullitzer prize for it. He’s no Mark Steyn, that’s for sure… wait a minute, Mark Steyn is from eastern Canada… how on earth did that happen? Makes ya wonder, it seems to shatter a certain worldview.
There are crappy eastern columnists and crappy western ones, there is no reason to turn this into regional warfare.
“i can truthfully say many westerners are as obnoxious and arrogant as many torontonians”.
Agreed.
no need for ass kickin’ just kick him in the head ’cause it’s so far up his ass you’re bound to hit paydirt
Jeremiah, you are NOT here to debate or discuss, you are here to deride and dispute. That is clearly evidenced in your postings. Although you do not resort to name-calling and swearing, your obvious intention is to “jerk our chains” and get some attention for yourself.
That is one of the definitions of a troll.
As for me, I am not here to jerk the chains of Kate’s readers, nor am I deriding and disputing Kate’s readers. I do not visit other sites that I disagree with and tell them that I disagree with them. Ergo, I am not a troll.
Duh!
SF: not a snivelling remark but a true statement. Look at the elections for the past 10 years, look at the Liberal TV aircraft carrier ads a couple of elections ago, look at the amount of Liberal voters now even with AdScam, Gun Registry, Human Resources…need I go on?
Yes, the BC types are very similar to Ontario, but wait, mostly in the GVRD (Vancouver region).
Notice also they voted the same as the majority of Ontario…
Proof in the pudding. Don’t know how many times when I visit Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, the snide remarks about Westerners and so on.
There has always been a “west vs east” mentality, no doubt spurred on by Eastern mentality of milking the West – a satire cow cartoon drawn up years ago still hold true today.
While westerners are as obnoxious as toronto types, remember there are many more of you…
Tomax… look at the elections in Alberta since forever. Despite Conservative mismanagement and incompetence the electorate votes one way. If the east are lemmings, what does that make you? Can you seriously blame the rest of Canada for not wanting Stockwell Day as PM?
I hate to say it, but most of the recent people who have moved to Calgary are of the “rube” variety. We have many people here who have fled small town eastern poverty, but that is not a problem at all. The only problem as I see it is that people are bringing their “small town, awshucks, ways” to the city and not adapting to city life. Things such as not looking both ways before crossing the street (over 300 pedestrians hit in 2006) assuming cars will stop… The recent arrivals assuming that they can get away with the slow pace of life they are used to… (Slow workers are a big problem on worksites).
These people will learn the “competitive city ways.” I just wish they would learn sooner…
tomax7,
Before I was born, eh? Somehow I doubt it. Let me put it this way. Prior to World War 2, living standards in Canada were at what we currently recognise as third world levels. The greatness must therefore have come after 1945, and probably was shortlived – let me guess – Diefenbaker or Multroney era?
“just so cute and cuddly.”
Thats what she said.
“While westerners are as obnoxious as toronto types, remember there are many more of you…”
Percentage wise or in absolute numbers?
Eeyore
“I do not visit other sites that I disagree with and tell them that I disagree with them. ”
For someone on a board where the majority espouse liberty and freedom of speech, you sound like a real communist. I agree with a lot of stuff posted on this board. When I disagree, I voice my opinion. Disagreeing is a bad thing? Is this a Eeyore type conservative only board?
Some of us dare to have opinions that dont resemble the party line.
Well since we are sorta talking vacations here, I will put my belated two cents in for Lake Havesu, Arizona.
It has desert AND water and the area is packed full of snowbirds from Saskatchewan.
IIRC, Havesu has a McCulloch Blvd. named after the chainsaw company AND they bought the real London Bridge and shipped it to the desert and reassembled it there. :0)
“Gee, I wonder what the good folk in the deep south would do if you flew a Canadian, or for that matter, any foreign flag there.”
Speaking of stupid stereotypes (said the Southerner).
Please excuse jeremiah rightwingprof.
He is a fairly typical, garden variety, anti-American bigot.
And like many, many people in Canada, thanks to decades of Liberal and left wing power, he has very likely had absolutely no teaching about flag protocol and is completely oblivious in his ignorance.
What the hell????
Such hostility….from both sides.
I hate to say it but I am on the fence when it comes to the East versus West debate. I have met great people from both regions and have also met my share of close minded whack jobs.
Peace, brothers and sisters, peace.
I just came back from a lovely long weekend so my doubt and anger towards others has not re-surfaced yet.
Perhaps I will return to this posting tomorrow and see how I feel then. 🙂
I’ve always considered myself above the east – west debate in Canada.
But I noticed that the further east you go, the higher the support is for the Charter of Trudeau’s Rights.
And the farther West you go, the higher literacy rate is.
I wonder if the two are connected?
Give the poor Trawna dweeb a break.
He’s working for the Sunk chain, fer crissakes.
He won’t be earning enough mney to buy himself a friggin beer after work.
Not that he deserves one, but . . .
(in the news biz, so I know).