Brad here. I would not have thought this possible. At the risk of spreading a generalization, Canadians are the neighbor you wish you had. Polite. Friendly. Considerate. Not "patriotic" beyond the confines of sports.
There's an old joke that contains a lot of truth:
Q: How do you get Canadians out of a swimming pool?
A: You say, "Would all the Canadians please leave the pool?"
Wendy likes to cite a contest conducted years ago by Macleans magazine:
Macleans invited readers to fill in the blank: “As Canadian as _________.” The challenge was distinguishing Canada from its neighbor who was louder, flashier, (then) richer, sexier and, well, add “er” onto almost any adjective.
The winner? “As Canadian as possible under the circumstances.”
I like the example of Canadians spontaneously singing the U.S. national anthem when, at a Canada/U.S. hockey game, the P.A. system died halfway through the U.S. anthem.
No, there really wasn't a "patriotism" button that you could push, to get Canadians riled.
Until now.
A few weeks back, when visiting a nearby convenience store, I saw this sign on the door to their walk-in beer cooler.
I'm seeing signs like this everywhere. Manufacturers have had time to update their packaging, to tout their Canadian content. Customers are seeking them out. I haven't seen an uprising like this since the Bud Light fiasco in the U.S.
And no, it's not the "51st state" nonsense. I don't know anyone who thinks that's a serious proposal; nearly everyone understands that this is Trump trolling for effect. But naming Canada and Mexico as the first two targets for punitive tariffs, when both had agreed to a new trade pact pushed by Trump in his first term, rankles even the most politically-unaware. (Evidently the "art of the deal" includes reneging when the deal no longer suits you.)
Good luck with that, dude. Have fun garrisoning a five thousand mile border.
