Nice answer, sansman! Maybe I should start telling people I'm a Californiacan.

Sometimes I listen to AFN Benelux on my way into work - American Forces Network.

During the breaks they have some community announcements regarding healthcare, child benefit, how to use a roundabout etc. Every so often they have this announcement about not wearing your nationality on your sleeve, don't wear US emblems, don't keep the same schedule every day etc.

I feel this might be a bit paranoid - particularly in the Benelux. But perhaps its stuff like this that forces people to masquerade as Canadians.

Hmmm, maybe I should start calling myself a feman, so as not to offend men.

I don't want us all to be the same. I like our differences. I wish we could just respect and appreciate each other BECAUSE of those differences, not in spite of them.

Lawchick - I think you are right on. I spend half my year in Florida and my American neighbours are openly proud of their country. They are far more expressive and demonstrative about their nationalism than we are in Canada (IMO).
It must be extremely difficult to repress that when travelling abroad. To see someone disguising themselves with another country's patch must hurt.

No flags, no patches, no logos, no initials, no pins on my hats! It's not about pride of country or lack thereof, it's about having a reasonable sense of fashion.

Sadly I have witnessed firsthand anti-Americanism while in Europe. I am a very proud Canadian but have many US friends and used to, in fact, fly to the US frequently for a job in the past.

Twice it happened in the UK. A B&B owner in St. Andrews assumed I was American and when I told her I was Canadian she immediately apologized profusely. I told her it was no big deal. Later on, she knocked on my door and presented me with a large book on Scotland she had bought for me to show that she was sorry for making such assumptions. She outright told me she preferred Canadians!

The second time happened in Italy. The person felt so bad about calling my husband and I American that he proceeded to buy us some wine at dinner!

The third time happened in July in England. We were asked whether we were American or Canadian and after responding the woman said she was relieved and told us she was glad and started on some political stint.

The reason we wear Canadian flags on our packs is, as someone mentioned above, a conversation starter. My husband wore a Canadian hockey jersey to the Open in Carnoustie to show support for Mike Weir. Nothing else. And Mike Weir acknowledged him! It was a very good conversation piece, I must say.

It should not happen but it certainly does. Who knows - it may happen the other way around, too!

So - I conclude that ALL Europeans hate ALL Americans and love ALL Canadians.

Thanks so much.

My favourite Canadians are Terrance and Philip.

I really have a soft spot for Ron.

I am more into real people like Doug and Bob or Dudley Do-Right

This problem could be easily solved by banning backpacks altogether. I don't really care whose flag is on them - I'm just sick of being belted in the face every time a backpack wearer steps backward or turns away from me.

I hear that. It's like being surrounded by sets of encyclopedias on swivels.

I'm a Vancouverite Canadian looking forward to the time I can call myself a
Cascadian.........

And most of us Seattleites would be glad to join you, llamalady. The only question is, how far south do we go? Surely not as far as SF; I wouldn't take Sonoma County either. Humboldt would be nice, for all that marijuana revenue. And east? Do we stop at the Cascades/Coast Range?

Decisions, decisions!

Let's get an Alaskan to make the boundaries! For sure (fer shure) the
Cascades are the eastern border.

And then there's the flag, and the anthem, and the money.......gee, we'd
better get right on this!

I've added my two cents Canadian before, which is now on par with the USD finally :) Just back from Europe, this time without our trusty Canadian flags. We were mistaken several times for Americans due to what I call the "North Americanization of Language", we just happen sound alot like Americans because of television, radio, etc.

I'm not certain why some American posters take offense when we say we are Canadian. What would happen if we said nothing when asked if we are Americans, would the conversation be about politics, the Yankees, Denny's, which we know nothing about? So when asked, we say were are Canadian, although the Aussies, and New Zealanders know the difference even without Canadian flags on backpacks.

Oh, if we ban backpacks none of our kids could travel lightly so they could find the next great place to visit and we would be forever destined to watch reruns of Pilot Guides.