CANADA - "The Land of Snow and Ice"

[David Gold]

"Canada continues to be either invisible or the land of ice and snow to most of the world. Not exactly a motivating image to attract investment or tourists here, or to add country of origin value to goods and services created here.

If Canada is to compete in the modern world, what we stand for had better be more than the great outdoors, snow, ice, hockey and a few medals. It is an issue that needs to be taken seriously by both policy-makers and marketers."

More here about how "Canada's Brand Runs Cold" : http://www.marketingmag.ca/magazine/current/opinion/article.jsp?content=20060320_75356_75356

 

[matt schrauben]

Canada has plenty attractions. Like a lower drinking age. Than the U.S. anyway.

 

[Renegade46n2]

That's reason enough for me to visit. However, Mexico is closer.

 

[matt schrauben]

I live in Michigan. Canada is just a hop and a skip away.

 

[FUBAR]

Canada sounds really cool (no pun intended) I got some relatives there.

 

[mdjr]

We should become known as the land of snow, ice, and BLOOD.
Then the world will buy our products, or suffer the consequences.

 

[Scarlett Letterman]

Canadians are just as guilty of these generalizations and stereotypes towards other countries. Ask any Canadian their thoughts on Australia and they invariably mention kangaroos, koalas and crocodile dundee. Canada doesn't need to prove itself to the world, we're doing just fine as the land of ice, snow and hockey.

 

[Renegade46n2]

Do you Canadians have any stereotypes for America? I want to know what the rest of the world thinks of us.

 

[Scarlett Letterman]

I like most all of the Yanks I meet. They're never shy, easy to talk to, brash, and rarely humble and it all adds up to a certain charisma I find entertaining. The only ones I hate are the assholes that invade our Windsor bars and start shit with everyone. Just generalizations ofcourse.

 

[George]

I've been to Canada many times due to relatives, and it's a great place. Much cleaner than America that's for sure. Winters are pretty grim as well.

 

[AshDLS]

Canadians are just as guilty of these generalizations and stereotypes towards other countries. Ask any Canadian their thoughts on Australia and they invariably mention kangaroos, koalas and crocodile dundee.

We Australians only have ourselves to blame for that crap, though. Every time the tourism board (or whoever they are) promotes Australia overseas they're always showing kangaroos, koalas, and people with ridiculously thick accents throwing SHRIMP ON THE BAAAAH-BAAAAY!

Don't even get me started on Crocodile Dundee.

Anyway, despite these skewed perceptions I enjoy living in Australia, for the most part (probably going back there in July...)

 

[Arcane Son]

We Australians only have ourselves to blame for that crap, though. Every time the tourism board (or whoever they are) promotes Australia overseas they're always showing kangaroos, koalas, and people with ridiculously thick accents throwing SHRIMP ON THE BAAAAH-BAAAAY!

Bwhahahahahah that was pretty funny dude!

 

[Shamus]

I hear that Canada is just a bleak icy wasteland in perpetual nightfall, dotted by small igloo settlements where the people live in constant fear of polar bear raiding parties.

 

[Illnath]

Canada Sucks

 

[Will Bozarth]

Toronto ruled. walking around at 2am without fear of being raped is always a good thing

 

[ShadarLogoth]

i ventured around montreal from about midnight til 2am on my 18th birthday a couple years back, drunk of my ass, and didnt get into one shady situation, which can not be said for wandering around boston, or even portland, me, at that time of night.

 

[Darth Grimby]

Do you Canadians have any stereotypes for America? I want to know what the rest of the world thinks of us.

I've had better experiences with Americans from the South (Texas/Louisiana/Florida) than those from the Northeast. I just returned from a week in Tampa and had a blast - everybody was nice. Saw Kreator/Napalm Death in St. Petersburg and even though I went alone I ended up meeting some cool people and had a great time.

 

[verderf_lf]

Canada just popped up in the news. With... ice skating! Yey!

 

[derek]

I adore Canada. I've visted many times and enjoyed each visit. The cities are clean, the people (generally) nice and the countryside just full of natural beauty. The stereotypes are obviously in my head when I visit, but there is a great deal more to any nation and any peoples than the stereotype they usually get pegged with

Americans, I remain unsure. Like everything, there are some good ones and some bad ones. The main thing that bothers me is that no matter WHERE they are from in the US, an American-Centrism is inbuilt...which is very difficult to break through

 

[GodAm]

Most of the time Canadians are trying to gain their own image by claiming that they are not Americans, which I believe is not meant to be taken negatively. Either way that is not how the country should be thought of, someone should write an angry yet firm letter to someone (oh how Canadian is that?) The article is right though, this change has to begin here within Canada.

it is the age old problem of identity. We don't know who we are, so some cling to the stereotypes which make us comfortable. Diversity can be a great thing though, the different experiences could help with getting rid of those tired stereotypes.