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Flying American flags in Canada

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jn_12

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So, last month I was in Europe (Belgium, Ireland and England) and I noticed among many differences that these countries do not fly other country's flags. For example, in front of the Grand Place in Brussels you won't find a Dutch flag.

However, here everywhere flies both a Canadian and American flag. Even at the base of the CN Tower we have an American Flag standing beside the Canadian and Ontario flags. Go to Niagara and American flags out number Canadian ones.

Is there any reason why we do this, or should be doing this? As much as I'm not a huge fan of banal nationalism, I can't help but feel like the American flag has become as much ours as our own Maple Leaf, and it makes Canada look like a joke.
 
Well, if you like Canadian flags, go to Ottawa. You won't be disappointed.


American flags typically fly at tourist sites or hotels. Rather than ceremonial, they are used to simply welcome American visitors. That would probably explain their visibility at Niagra on the Lake.
 
I have no problem with this.

One thing I am always surprised to see is how prominently the Canadian flag is displayed beside the American flag in EVERY nba stadium in the states. Even though we only have 1 team in the league, the Canadian flag is given as much respect and showcase as their own.

I think a much bigger problem is all the anti-american sentiment going around these days. I doubt you'll find many places you travelled where the citizens ridicule their close neighbours so much.
 
I think you'll find lots of places like that actually. Don't think for a second that the French don't ridicule the English! And everybody ridicules the Americans, Canada's no different.
 
Well, obviously in Niagara Falls the border has something to do with it, but even when you cross in to Buffalo or Niagara Falls NY, you won't see Canadian flags in even half the numbers that American flags are flown on the Canadian side.

It's very much a Canadian thing to fly the flag of a foreign country. You won't see it overseas. The whole tourism element is a mute point as well since Americans travel to the UK and France as much (if not more) than they do Canada. You won't find the American flag in Trafalgar Square or in front of the Eiffel Tower. I just think that its a very interesting phenomenon, and it ties in well with the other conversations that have taken place about tourism, and a North American Union.

I'm also no saying that we need more Canadian flags (thanks for the tip on going to Ottawa though), I just asked why we feel the need to fly American ones and for the most part fly them on par with Canadian ones. You'd think there would be some level of patriotism in this country that something like this would have been questioned long ago.
 
I have no problem with an American flag, or any other flag, being flown in Canada as long as the Canadian flag is flown along with it. Despite some recent political differences, Canada and the US have a long history of friendship and I think it says a lot about Canada that we feel comfortable enough to fly their flag. Large hotels all around the world often fly flags of many countries; it is not just a Canadian thing.

I too am tired of Canadian nationalism that is nothing more than lame anti-Americanism. Beer commercials that mock some artificial American bogey man stereotype are embarrassing (ooh look he's wearing a suit and doesn't care much for ice hockey, let's get him.) I'm the first one to give criticism where due to say the Bush administration, or some of the recent political/religious changes in that country, but this constant low-level mockery of all Americans over trivial differences does nothing but make us look weak and insecure.
 
I display a cardboard cut out of the Canadian Flag and I have it in a window. It's from the Toronto Sun I think, given a few years ago for a Canada Day Celebration.
 
nothing wrong with being content. arrogance blinds.

there's a canadian flag on my SIN card. :)

i don't think we should get too entangled in nationalistic pride.


Proverbs 16:8 Pride goes before destruction...
 
Well, obviously in Niagara Falls the border has something to do with it, but even when you cross in to Buffalo or Niagara Falls NY, you won't see Canadian flags in even half the numbers that American flags are flown on the Canadian side.

It's very much a Canadian thing to fly the flag of a foreign country. You won't see it overseas. The whole tourism element is a mute point as well since Americans travel to the UK and France as much (if not more) than they do Canada. You won't find the American flag in Trafalgar Square or in front of the Eiffel Tower. I just think that its a very interesting phenomenon, and it ties in well with the other conversations that have taken place about tourism, and a North American Union.

I'm also no saying that we need more Canadian flags (thanks for the tip on going to Ottawa though), I just asked why we feel the need to fly American ones and for the most part fly them on par with Canadian ones. You'd think there would be some level of patriotism in this country that something like this would have been questioned long ago.
Every time someone criticizes something like flying American flags all over our own country, someone's quick to break out the tired old "anti-American" label. Apparently that's not a problem in other countries. Canadians are a weird bunch - we have lots of cheap jingoism (those stupid beer commercials - I guess they work because Molson's been using that angle for years) but we bend over to the Americans in every other way.
 
Who on UT owns a Canadian flag? That would be an interesting poll. I own an American flag, and the "real" Canadian flag: the Red Ensign.

I have a Canadian flag. However, as I live in a condo I have no place to fly it.

The real Canadian flag is the Maple Leaf!





Unfortunate mistake on your part. Didn't you say you were from Texas or something? ;)
 
I have no problem with this.

One thing I am always surprised to see is how prominently the Canadian flag is displayed beside the American flag in EVERY nba stadium in the states. Even though we only have 1 team in the league, the Canadian flag is given as much respect and showcase as their own.

I think a much bigger problem is all the anti-american sentiment going around these days. I doubt you'll find many places you travelled where the citizens ridicule their close neighbours so much.


Americans have just as much anti Canadian sentiment. It goes both ways.

Here is an idea what the Conservative base thinks of Canada: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1975063/posts#comment

This one is really bad, they answer the question "Are Canadians Stupid" http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1699967/posts#comment
 
I wonder if any Americans complain about the Maple Leaf at Buffalo's City Hall.

1583115105_ed1b6eb37b.jpg
 
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