Canada and the United States just celebrated their birthdays, and we’re having a party!
Hosted by Tamara of Part-Time Working Hockey Mom.
Her directive:
In the first week of July there are two important national days going on: July 1st: Canada Day and July 4, Independence Day, so let’s honour those two countries, shall we?
Talk about the top ten things that we (dis)like about the U.S. and Canada, differences that strike us, whatever comes to mind!
What qualifies me to compare these two countries? Although I was born in Germany, Canada has been home for most of my life. When my parents moved to San Diego, California (1974), that became a second home. Towards the end of their lives, I was living there for weeks and sometimes months at a time, experiencing life as a U.S. resident.
Many people assume that Canada and the United States are similar, if not interchangeable. I remember someone in Greece asking if I was American and when I said “No, Canadian”, their response was “same thing”. At the risk of sounding whiney, this is something we Canadians hear all the time, and frankly, it’s a wee bit annoying. I’m sure an Austrian wouldn’t like being mislabeled as German, or a Belgian as French!
TOP TEN DIFFERENCES:
(not in any particular order)
Canada is 9.98 million square kilometres (3.85 million square miles) in size (second largest country) with a population of approx. 37 million. Why so, sparse? Most of the country is comprised of forest and arctic tundra.
The highest concentration of residents is in the southernmost areas, clustered around the world’s longest land border. The United States is slightly smaller (third largest country) at 9.8 million square km (3.8 sq. mi.), but its population sits at over 325 million – almost ten times more than Canada.
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Canada has two official languages: English and French. The United States does not have an official language, (true; click HERE) but its de facto language is English. Alright, so we both use English, but is it the same? Not quite!
You see, when America gained independence from Great Britain in 1776, their language slowly morphed into an American version, changing the spelling of some words and replacing others. Canada remained part of the British Empire and kept using that version of English for the most part, but over time, also incorporated some Americanisms.
Here’s a handy-dandy chart, just to confuse you even more! 😉
For a more comprehensive chart, click HERE.
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Let’s start by showing the different political parties.
The United States is a republic governed by a president and Congress. The American president is elected by a nationwide vote for a term of four years. He/she may serve no more than two terms and remains in office regardless of the dominant political party in Congress.
Canada is a constitutional monarchy governed by a prime minister and a parliament. The PM is chosen by the governor-general and is the leader of the political party with the most members in the House of Commons. The position has no term limit, and he/she may remain in office until there is a change in the majority party.
Canada is a more liberal country than the United States and adheres strictly to the “Separation of Church and State” credo. In the U.S., some politicians base their campaigns on religious topics, especially as they pertain to same-sex marriage, abortion, birth control.
This simplified chart by Ravajava at Deviant Art gives you the general idea where Canada and the U.S. stand on the world political spectrum. Unfortunately, the current Canadian (Liberal) and U.S. (Republican) governments are at odds with each other. This conflict will only hurt the general population on both sides of the border, and I hope things get resolved soon!
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Healthcare in Canada is universal and paid for through taxes. In the United States, it is privately-run. Exceptions are Medicare (seniors) Medicaid (low income) and Veterans Affairs (military), which are government programs.
Free clinics do exist in some larger urban areas, for those who have no insurance and cannot afford to pay. Many employers in both countries offer enhanced insurance benefits. Canadian healthcare costs, including prescription drugs, are much lower than American.
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The Canadian one-dollar coin, commonly called the loonie (for the bird pictured on one side), was introduced in 1987. The nickname loonie became so widely recognized that in 2006, the Royal Canadian Mint secured the rights to it. When the Canadian two-dollar coin came out in 1996, it was nicknamed the “toonie” (a contraction of “two” and “loonie”) and uses an image of a polar bear.
One and two dollars bills are still used in the United States. The mint also produces coins, and I have found some in vending machines, but most are likely saved by collectors. Canadian bills come in different colours, depending on the denomination, which has prompted some Americans to jokingly refer to them as “Monopoly Money”.
The Canadian dollar generally is worth less than the U.S. (right now, it sits at $0.76 U.S., which is lower than usual). There have been times when it was at par and even worth more, depending on the differing state of our economies.
In May of 2012, the Canadian Mint ceased production of the penny (1 cent), because it cost more to produce than it was worth (1.6 cents). Since then, cash transactions are rounded to the nearest 5 cents. The United States has a similar manufacturing deficit (1.67 cents) but still produces pennies.
Canada began switching to the metric system in the 1970s and 1980s. Temperatures are shown in Celcius, gas is sold in litres, solids are measured in grams, distance is in kilometres etc. Because this was new at the time, many older people continue to use the Imperial system (Fahrenheit, gallons, ounces, miles, etc.) which is still in use in the United States.
Here’s a humorous look at metric conversion, courtesy of xkcd.com: ( Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0))
When it comes to variety and great sales, the United States wins this one, hands down! By virtue of it’s larger population and quantitative buying power, there is more choice and sales can go as high as 80% off. That’s rare in Canada.
Online and catalogue shopping in the U.S. also offer unlimited possibilities. Generally speaking, most stores are open on holidays whereas, in Canada, they shut down (regulated in some areas).
Canada’s love of all things Hockey is fairly well-known. There are seven Canadian teams in the National Hockey League. The Hockey Hall of Fame (home of the exalted Stanley Cup) is located in Toronto, Canada’s largest city.
Other popular sports are Baseball, Football (both American and Canadian style – there is a difference) Lacrosse, Basketball, Soccer, Curling, Rugby, Cricket, Golf.
In the United States, Football is king, including college ball, with Baseball and Basketball not far behind. Also popular are Soccer, Hockey, Golf, NASCAR and IndyCar.
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Maternity Leave Basics In Canada: New mothers can take between 17 and 52 weeks of leave from their jobs. Their employers are required to accept the employees back into their jobs, or the equivalent, at the end of the mandated leave at the same rate of pay with the same employment benefits.
On top of mandating maternity leave, the government offers paid leave for one or both parents through Canada’s employment insurance plan. A pregnant employee or new mother can take a paid maternity leave of up to 15 weeks. Either the mother or father can take 35 weeks of parental leave after the baby is born or adopted.
The parents can share the leave however they choose. If eligible for the program, the benefits equal 55% of the parent’s average weekly insurable wage, up to a maximum of $485 per week. For low-income families, the rate of benefits can increase to up to 80%, with the same maximum of $485 per week. Employment insurance benefits are taxable in the same way as wages.
Maternity Leave Basics in the United States: The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) signed into law in 1993 requires employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for several medical conditions, as well as the birth of a baby. If the mother has pre-birth complications, she may be able to take part of the leave under the medical component.
Before the law was enacted, the U.S. had no laws requiring that employers provide any leave. There are still gaping holes in the FMLA, however. It exempts small employers, defined as those having fewer than 50 employees. Some states have their own version of the FMLA and have an even lower threshold for employer exemption.
There is no federal or state law mandating maternity benefits. A few states include maternity benefits as part of the state’s disability insurance plan, which provides a partial offset of lost income. Companies are free to go above and beyond the FMLA and state laws to offer employees more leave or maternity/family benefits.
Like other employer-paid benefits, paid maternity leave is offered by top companies to attract qualified workers.
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Canadian Gun Culture: In Canada, the average person doesn’t own a gun, and the crime rate is relatively low. People who have weapons include military and law enforcement personnel, hunters and collectors. Oh yeah; criminals too, who get them illegally (many smuggled across the border).
There’s been a disturbing rise in gun deaths in Toronto this summer, caused by gang warfare. The Canadian government unveiled new legislation in March that tightens controls over the sale and licensing of firearms, including provisions that would reclassify two controversial families of rifles as prohibited weapons.
The new bill also boosts background checks, requires owners to apply for authorizations to transport weapons and compels gun vendors to keep a record of sales for at least 20 years.
U.S. Gun Culture: Gun laws in the United States are more lax and private gun ownership is common; almost half of American households contain at least one firearm. In fact, there are more privately owned firearms in the United States than in any other country, both per capita and in total.
Just as freedom of religion is considered to be guaranteed by the First Amendment, freedom to possess firearms is considered to be guaranteed by the Second Amendment. Civilians in the United States possess about 42% of the global inventory of privately owned firearms.
Rates of gun ownership vary significantly by region and by state; most common in Alaska, the Mountain States, and the South, and least prevalent in Hawaii, the island territories, California, and the Northeast corridor.
Were you aware of these differences? Did any of them surprise you?
Are you a resident of Canada or the United States?
If not, have you travelled to either country?
To visit the other participants, click on the image:
Looking forward to your comments!
Political party logos image credits: Canada U.S.A.
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
43 thoughts on “CANADA/USA: WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?”
This was a very interesting and very well designed post with interesting information and great graphics and photos. I really enjoyed reading it. Funny thing, I’ve never considered Canada and the US as the same thing. They are clearly very different countries so it is funny many people think that.
Thanks for reading and also for the kind words, Thomas! 🙂 Many Americans and Europeans seem to think we are alike, but obviously not the more educated ones. 😉
Well thank you Debbie
When I travel the USA, I realize we are actually about 10 different nations pretending to be one. The accents, words, and language are a great place to start. This was very interesting.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post! 🙂 Regional accents and dialects are fascinating! My husband is from Italy and there, every little town has its own dialect. His, known as “Barese” (Bari region), sounds nothing like Italian. 😀
Fascinating post, Debbie D. and I was aware of most of the differences. I was in Vancouver, CA several years ago and found it most enjoyable. Healthcare in the US is awful, with most of it being unaffordable. Currently, politics are out of control and crime runs a close second. My hubby and I wanting to move further north to a quaint little mountain town and ignore the rest of the mess.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post, Eugenia. 🙂 Vancouver must be beautiful! I hope to visit there, one day. Sadly, it’s cheaper for Canadians to visit Europe than their own country. Domestic flights are outrageously expensive. 😛
Yes, I experienced the horrors of the U.S. healthcare system while looking after my ageing parents in California. We Canadians are quite shocked by the vitriolic nature of American politics; as the video mentioned, we don’t go on about it that much. The U.S. has many beautiful places and there are more choices for just about everything, like food and clothing. A small town in the mountains might be just the ticket to get away from everyday stresses. 🙂 We have enjoyed many road trips visiting such places in America. They’re so congenial and picturesque!
You forgot one very important difference. The U.S. has the 1st amendment, which guarantees the right to freedom of speech. Canada, does not guarantee freedom of speech, judging by the harsh monetary fines (among other things) for using non-politically correct speech or “offending” someone with a p.o.v. that is not considered the norm (i.e., if you don’t believe in gay marriage, which I personally don’t but I’ve leaned to accept it). That would be my number #1 reason not to travel to or live in Canada. Beautiful country but I don’t believe in severely ;punishing someone for speaking their opinion.
You’re oversimplifying, GB. We do have freedom of expression here in Canada, but there are laws against “Hate Speech”. From Wikipedia:
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms:
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is part of the Constitution of Canada. Section 2 of the Charter protects freedom of expression, including freedom of the press, and also freedom of religion. Section 1 of the Charter guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in the Charter but also recognizes that the rights and freedoms are subject to reasonable limits, provided the limits are prescribed by law and “can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.”
Meaning of “hatred”:
The various laws which refer to “hatred” do not define it. The Supreme Court has explained the meaning of the term in various cases which have come before the Court. For example, in R v Keegstra, decided in 1990, Chief Justice Dickson for the majority explained the meaning of “hatred” in the context of the Criminal Code:
Hatred is predicated on destruction, and hatred against identifiable groups, therefore, thrives on insensitivity, bigotry and destruction of both the target group and of the values of our society. Hatred in this sense is a most extreme emotion that belies reason; an emotion that, if exercised against members of an identifiable group, implies that those individuals are to be despised, scorned, denied respect and made subject to ill-treatment on the basis of group affiliation.
P.S. The video at the top did explain that.
I reallyenjoyed reading this Debbie. And it made me smile when Dana was talking about things you should never say to a Canadian. There are so many aspects of Canadian life that are the same as UK life. For instance, our political leanings are private – it’s very rude to ask someone how they voted here too. And manners – we too are notorious for apologising when someone bumps into us! And people above a certain age are very courteous – we hold doors open for each other and say please and thank you. But manners and courtesy are dying out in younger people – it’s very sad, because we all taught those things to our children but exposure to a more narcissistic way of being, through TV maybe, seems to be killing the world we knew. And personal space – wow – that’s a big one here too. We still form orderly queue’s for buses and in supermarkets, (outside of the big cities that is – no idea what goes on in London these days with public transport) however, some of the more recent newcomers to the UK from Europe don’t seem to subscribe to the idea of waiting your turn in line and so it will be interesting to see how long it takes for it to be a free-for-all fight at the lines in Tesco’s! When I arrived in Canada in the 70s I was shocked at how everyone just piled into the bus regardless of who was there first – I was used to queueing! But I soon got used to it. This is a wonderful post, l learned a lot. Canada is so much like the UK in its ways. I still love and miss Canada. But I do love America and Americans – only been there once despite living right next door for 10 years but we grew up in the UK with thousands of Americans all around us. We had NATO bases only a few miles away and so the ‘yanks’ were always around and we do miss them since the bases near here closed. Americans were always very polite and respectful to us. Thanks for an interesting read.
You’re right, Gilly. Courtesy is becoming a rare commodity in the modern world, even here. 🙁 I agree that Canada and the UK have a lot in common. We are still part of the Commonwealth of Nations and have a large number of immigrants from the UK. When I lived in Germany, we visited a few American NATO bases and marvelled at the variety of merchandise their stores had. My father was in the Canadian army, so they allowed us in and yes, they were always friendly and accommodating.
Public transit in Toronto is wild! I used to take the GO train to and from work. Getting there was easy, but coming home – yikes! People guessed where the train’s doors would stop and gathered in little groups to wait. Often, they miscalculated and then it was a mad scramble! 😮
My parents moved to California in the 70s and lived out their lives there, so I’ve visited many times. As we’re close to the border, we have also taken many road trips into the U.S. and enjoyed them. Since you-know-who became president, we prefer to spend our travel dollars elsewhere, though. 😛
I’m glad you enjoyed the post. As GB mentioned, above, I forgot to mention the Hate Speech law. It does stop any hate propaganda from being distributed, but people are still free to state their opinions.
Actually, the hate Speech Law was covered in Dana’s video. I forgot! 😛
I had a friend who was German born, and one day I asked her what differences there were between Germans and Austrians. “The Austrians are Germany’s hillbillies,” she said with a sneer. So, there’s that…
Hahaha! Yes, well…
I have actually heard something similar. 😛 Mostly, that’s a bad, northern German attitude and they even apply it to Bavarians. It’s the old story: North is where the industry and money are, south is more rural. Austria is somewhat similar to Bavaria, so I guess that’s where it comes from. No wonder many Austrians don’t like Germans! (I have relatives in Austria and know this to be true.) It’s a beautiful country, though, rich in culture.
Well done Debbie. Now I understand why I try to spell realise and the like with an “s”. I remember in elementary school learning that color and similar words like neighbor sometimes had a “u”. This is hard to believe in that others who are my age don’t remember this. But I don’t think I am mistaken.
Anyway, thanks for the good read. Ann
Interesting, Ann! I didn’t know American spellings are that recent. When I was in journalism school, (early ’70s), we were told we had to write the American way for publication. I didn’t think that was right and still refuse to do it. Stubborn Canadian! 😉 Oddly enough Canadian English uses “z’ for words like “realize” and not the British “s”. (I see that Oxford English also uses “z”. So confusing!) I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for coming by! 🙂
Debbie,
Cool comparison of Canada and the U.S.A. Your general topics I knew a little about each so it was nice to read in more depth. I liked the video you shared of the woman explaining the difference. Personally, I wish there were more people in the states who respected one’s personal space. People can be quite rude and will squeeze pass you through the tiniest gaps and if you give them the opportunity to do just that they will attempt it instead of being polite by going around you or saying excuse me, giving you time to get the heck out of their way. You probably figured out this is a sore area with me. 🙂 I knew parts of Canada spoke both French and English. I didn’t know the pronunciation of ‘ou’ words but then I can’t say I’ve spoken to a Canadian long enough to pick up on the accent but I figured there would be some difference in speech patterns in Canada just like the United States. I can spot transplant to East Tennessee after talking with someone within minutes. 🙂 Thanks for sharing such fun and enlighting post, my friend!
Hi Cathy; I’m glad you enjoyed the post! 🙂 Yes, different accents exist within Canada as well, especially on the east coast. I was so surprised when someone in California said I had a Canadian one. I can’t hear it! 😀 Rudeness is a sore point for most of us, I think. Canada has its share of rude people too, but thankfully, they’re in the minority. Thanks for coming by and have a great weekend!
Howdy, DEBBIE. I had a chance to travel into Canada once, in the Summer of 1988. My Brother, a good friend, and I took a road trip North from L.A. When we got to Butte, Montana, I fell in love with that little town. So when my Brother and my buddy left to drive up into Canada, I stayed behind in Butte and had them pick me up on their way back again. And that was the closest I ever got to Canada. Although we had a number of family members who were from Canada.
The USA and Canada come together for me in a guy I really like named Steven Crowder. He was born in the U.S. but raised in Canada. He’s a very sharp, funny and entertaining conservative who has a really popular YouTube channel called ‘Louder With Crowder’. He’s one of only a small number of YouTubers whom I can honestly say I follow on the Internet. Anyone who can truly make me laugh always has my attention.
Maybe I’ll make it out of Butte and into Canada next time, one of these years. Until then, I’ll “always have Steven Crowder”. 🙂
Interesting post, Debbie!
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC Presents ‘Battle Of The Bands’
Thanks for checking out the post, Stephen! 🙂 I Googled Steven Crowder since I haven’t heard about him and was surprised to learn how successful he became at a young age! Also checked out Butte, Montana (I have heard of it). Some beautiful scenery there and apparently, it was the home of Evel Knievel, the famous stuntman. If you ever get to Canada, look me up! 🙂
A nephew of mine recently migrated to your country and I can see why. The only downside I can think of is that you don’t have any warm spots or do you?
Canada is always in the top five of great places to live. I hope your nephew will be happy here! 🙂 The summers are hot in the south, but you’re right, there is no place that is warm year ’round. British Columbia is usually milder in winter, but they get a lot of rain. I live in Southern Ontario, which is also milder than most areas. Thanks for coming by! 🙂
What a fabulous post, Debbie! I truly enjoyed learning about the differences between our two countries. I think I actually learned a thing or two, even 🙂 Well done!
Hi Mary; I’m glad you found this enjoyable and informative. 🙂 Much appreciated! Thanks for coming by.
This was really interesting and informative. More reasons to love Canada. The shopping tho? And sales? Something needs to be done about that! 🙂 I didn’t realize your population was so low either. No wonder when I go to the U.P. in Michigan I just want to keep on driving north!
it’s true, shopping is so much better in the U.S. You have a lot more people and that makes a big difference. And if something new comes out, it usually takes a couple of years to get to Canada. Lots of people engage in cross-border shopping for that reason. Maybe not so much at the moment, given the strife that’s going on between our two countries. Pity! 🙁
Michigan is one of our favourite road trip destinations. Lots of interesting places to see there! 🙂 Thanks for coming by, Mimi.
This was a really cool idea—I learned quite a few things!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Marcia. Thanks for coming by! 🙂
Awesome post Debbie! I hope you had a wonderful holiday celebrating Canada Day. Are fireworks a big part of the Canadian celebrations like they are here in the U.S.?
I’ve always been fond of Canada and its people because I was blessed to grow up so close to you guys. I was always amazed at how clean Canada was, compared to what our side of the border looked like back in the 70s. I remember you all had very strict No Littering laws and it took a while for us to come around I guess.
It amazes me how our country hasn’t figured out how to have Universal health care when so many other countries do it and do it well. The maternity leaves in Canada blow me away. I don’t want to get too carried away because I’ll end up getting political so I best keep my mouth shut for now. 🙂
I love the “toonies” — that made me giggle. That’s cute.
Hey, I loved that you included a song by my very favorite band, the Guess Who. I never heard Guns Guns Guns. Good song!
And I sure don’t think I’d be able to switch to a metric system. I have a hard enough time with what we have now! 🙂 I remember back in the 70s when the US was toying with the idea and metrics were being introduced in school and such and it just had my mind all kinds of boggled…
Nice post. Really cool contrast and comparison between the two countries. I still want Justin Trudeau when you all are finished with him. It makes me insane how our #45 manages to piss off your Prime Minister and so many of our best allies. Don’t even get me started… 🙂
talk soon,
Enjoy the rest of your week,
Michele at Angels Bark
Hi again! 🙂 Oh yes, fireworks are set off, usually for several days before and afterwards. The dogs hate them, of course, and so do we. I wish they would outlaw private sales and stick to formal displays in parks, only. Sigh…
Your comment about not getting political made me laugh! 😀 I did my best to keep my opinions out of it and stick to the facts. Was tempting, though! 😉
The loonies and toonies really make your wallet heavy. The good thing is, if you put them in a piggy bank, you’ll have hundreds of dollars in no time! Great way to save for a special occasion.
A lot of people here still do the metric to imperial conversions in their head. I certainly do, when it comes to measurements, having learned that system in the dark ages of Canadian elementary school. My advantage was living in Europe in the last half of the 60s where metric is all they know. Metric is a lot easier because everything is measured in 10s, 100s 1000s, etc.
That’s one of my favourite Guess Who songs and it was perfect for the theme. 🙂 I’m glad you like it, but surprised you hadn’t heard it before.
Justin Trudeau is even more popular in other countries than his own, it seems. 🙂 Somebody said that’s because #45 is so awful by comparison. Can’t argue with that!
Thanks for coming by this weekend, Have a good one!
I’m born and bred Canadian with American family.
Yup, and I don’t think we are all that different, nor do I get offended by hearing ‘same thing’. We are alike, maybe we differ in spelling words or political parties, but I’d like to think as humans we are similar. Holding family, love and health above all and trying to coexist in this world with differing opinions. The little things are not that important as the big spectrum of things. We are all people, and we pretty much all want the same things out of life no matter where you come from.
Thanks for visiting and sharing your opinion, Freda. Some of us who travel a lot do get tired of the “same thing” comments. Unfortunately, there is much going on now in the big spectrum, but I absolutely agree with your last sentence. Have a good weekend! 🙂
I love Canada. I have a close friend who lives there. Thank you for saying nice things about my country. That was very kind of you to do. Enjoy the rest of your Summer… both weeks. 😉
Hi Myke; Come on up for a visit! 😀 I spent a lot of time in the U.S. and it has many great things going for it; also some not so great. Every country has positives and negatives – like winter. 😉 I’m happy to tell you that our summers last a lot longer than two weeks. It feels like 100F here today. We’re having a thunderstorm, so it might cool down a little. Thanks for reading my article. Cheers!
I was just joking about the brevity of the Summer season. My Canadian friend taught me that. 🙂
I know. 😀 On the other hand, if you’re way up in the Yukon or Northwest Territories, it’s likely true. Just another one of those things we Canadians hear a lot; like we all live in Igloos. Hahaha!
Basically, that’s right. I discovered, strangely enough, that in the US travelling can be with two ‘l’s or one, as in traveling. I just thought that might be an interesting “nugget”.
Another thing, not as sweet, is maternity leave. This is one point for Italy: Italian mothers get 80% (or, at least they did when my girl was born) of their regular wages, and since they have socialized medicine (boy, did I ever get jumped on for that one) they lose none of their health benefits.
Great article, my friend. Thank you.
Hi Mary;
I haven’t seen any American publications that spell “travelling” with the double l, but many words have alternate, acceptable spellings. When I was in journalism school, they told us we had to write in American English. To be honest, that pissed me off and I refuse to do that now. LOL
Sounds like Italy has a great maternity leave program. The rate of pay is much better than ours! Thanks for reading my article. Ciao! 🙂
GREAT post, Debbie, love the conversion charts, and very interesting (yet shameful for the U.S.) to read about maternity leave. I didn’t know it was THAT bad.
Thanks for playing – I expect you’ll be back next week for the soccer theme?
I’m glad you enjoyed my contribution, Tamara. 🙂 It took me a long time to complete and I just can’t get involved in any more of these right now. Sorry! I’ll definitely come by and check out your soccer theme entry, though.
As you know, I have lots of Canadian relatives and differences between the countries was always a topic at family gatherings.
Yes, I remember you talking about that, Denise. It certainly makes for interesting conversation! 🙂 Thanks for coming by.