Many Canadians wear flags (pins or patched on to their backpacks) when travelling. They do this to avoid being mistaken for an American to locals. Presumably the reason is that Americans are less liked than Canadians. Do you believe that there is any truth to that notion?

TROLL TROLL TROLL -- another post just trying to play on stereotypes, prejudices, and sensitivities and stir up a hornet's nest of antagonistic generalizations. Go aWAY!

Actually, it's not meant to be a troll...sorry your glass is always half empty.

For obvious reasons, I'm going to stay undercover on this one. BUT I am a Canadian (have you seen that commercial?) and I do wear Canadian flag patches because I'm proud to be a Canadian and yes, I do feel that Americans have a different reputation overseas than Canadians. You can bash me if you like, but I believe that is the harsh reality.

If some dislike Americans it's often because of envy. But who could dislike Candians? There's nothing to envy.

Most people all over the world know that you can't judge the book by it's cover: in other words, we look at the individual's behaviour to determine if he/she is nice or not, not at his passport. There are nice Canadians and not-so-nice Canadians, just as there are nice Americans and not-so-nice Americans, nice Dutch and not-so-nice Dutch, etc., etc., etc. <BR>It is OK to be proud of one's country, but rather silly, in my humble opinion, to wear flags on backpacks etc.

At one point, I think that Canadians and Americans were perceived differently overseas. I don't know if that's the case now. I do know that I have started to use a luggage tag with a maple leaf on it when I travel. Despite the 'let's all wear black when travelling in Europe so that we blend in like locals' threads that you see here in the forum, Americans are always proud of their country. I can't believe the number of US flags I see flying in front of people's homes when I travel in the States. You rarely see the Canadian flag flying in front of a Canadian's home. (Mind you, as soon as I say 'eh', I'm instantly tagged as Canadian ........) To the previous poster, those beer commercials are a riot, but yes, I am Canadian! (And proud of it.)

Nothing wrong with national pride. My french accent is Canadian, when in France I'm always proving that I am from the USA and not Canadian. Not because of lack of respect to Canada, but because I am proud to be from the USA. <BR>Canadians need more national pride. It's a great country that just happens to border on a very active giant.

I, too, am Canadian, and while there IS much to envy and Pat is either very rude or "trolling", there was a historic reason for wearing the Canadian flag in Europe. During the Vietnam War, Americans travelling overseas were NOT popular, particularly in France, Sweden and England . I spent a couple of years over there during the late 60's/early 70's and had Canadian flags and pins shipped over to give to American friends (not, clearly, Pat) so that they would not be hassled as they enjoyed Europe...hassled for pro-government political opinions, that in most cases, they were assumed to hold, but did not. And if Canadians wear the flag tody, it might just be that they like me are PROUD to be Canadian and have never given a thought as to whether they are mistaken for Americans (its not really as important as you seem to think, beer commercials notwithstanding)

Ten years ago I was on a high school trip to Europe. A group of friends and I were standing in front of Sacre Coeur waiting for the rest of our students. A french man came up to us trying to peddle his goods and when we politely refused he became angry and rude, making comments about my friend's nose (believe it or not!). We stood there astounded as he walked away and turned around to leave - he then saw our Cdn flags and ran over to apologize, he said he thought that we were americans! I am quite sure this isn't typical behaviour, but it still happened, nonetheless and you can bet that when I'm abroad this summer I will be sewing another flag on my backpack!

What surprises me is the number of posts I read on this board on "what should I wear so I don't look American", "where can I go where there's not too many other American tourists", etc. It gives the impression to this Canadian that Americans don't like each other and are not that proud to be Americans. Yet Americans are usually known for being proud of their country - confusing. I'm always proud to say I'm Canadian when someone asks and happy to run into other Canadians when I travel. I do wear a small flag pin on my travel bag because I am Canadian, not because I'm not American.

First, any post with what amounts to a hidden agenda (let's you and them fight) is a troll, esp. with an anonymous poster and anonymous posts. <BR> <BR>But in any case, being recognized as an American is still a potential political liability, long after the VietNam war. Aside from issues of personality and how well liked or likeable an individual American or Canadian may be, there have been more substantial issues for quite a while, ever since the "Ugly American" (which referred less to behavior than political issues). In addition to Viet Nam (how was it the French felt so superior to us, even though they set up a bad situation there?), there was the era of plane hijackings targeting American carriers, and when the dollar is strong, an assumption that all Americans are rich. And obviously, over recent decades bombs and terrorist attacks targeting American interests all around. <BR> <BR>I don't see any Canadians or anyone else donning an American pin for protection, but I know plenty of Americans who have put the Canadian pin on for "camouflage" and protection. <BR> <BR>Americans less liked? Sure, but most often because they are seen to represent a particular political and economic system/ideology that's had a profound global impact, and much less because any single American is presumed to be obnoxious personally. <BR>

I think that all of this talk about Canadians wearing pins/flags on their backpack just because they are "proud to be Canadian" is a load of crap. It is because they do not want to be mistaken for Americans, period. <BR> <BR>In my opinion, the flag on the backpack is an unsubtle way of, in the rare event of terrorism, telling the terrorists, "don't go after me -- I'm Canadian! go after the other guy!", or in the more likely alternative, telling Europeans, "hey, I'm cultured and polite, not like those boorish Americans." My rage is not limited to Canadians. Truthfully, I object to anyone attempting to define themselves as one thing simply to assert that they are not something else. It's foolish and juvenile. <BR> <BR>And for those of you Canadians who do take pride in your country, I am glad; you have a beautiful country. You should make your pride a full-time thing...or would it not be "cool" to wear the flag on your jacket when you go out on the town in Toronto, Winnipeg or Ottawa?

my canadian pride definitely is a full-time thing! the backpack i use downtown toronto is the same one i use when i'm travelling and yes, it does have a cdn flag on it! not to mention the tattoo of a maple leaf on the inside of my ankle, NOT to point out that I'm not american, but because i AM canadian. there's a reason after all, that canada has been voted by the UN the best country to live in over and over again.

<BR>I think that Diane makes an interesting point. <BR> <BR>I am proud to be American, but when I am overseas, I do cringe at the number of Americans who I hear complaining & talking very loud. I wear shorts & sneakers for comfort, but am uncomfortable that locals will lump me in with the others. <BR> <BR>Can't explain it -- perhaps it's because I grew up in another country (australia) where I got to see Americans from another viewpoint.

Not to be picky, but didn't the UN also decide that Libya was better qualified to sit on the human rights commission than the US? : )

No, the UN voted that France, Sweden and Austria were better qualified to sit on this commission.

Canadians do have a "reputation" for being mild mannered, quiet spoken people although of course there are exceptions (my next door neighbor!!)..and Americans are perceived as being more flamboyant and "colorful" ...on another website, there's a whole section of "ugly American sitings"!!

I am an American married to a Canadian who is also a naturalized American. Yes, as someone said earlier, there are nice and nasty people in every nationality. We've traveled quite a bit in western Canada and met our fair share of jerks and idiots as well as some truly great people. <BR>And yes, some people overseas are much nicer to Canadians than they are to Americans. Obviously, America is the 500 pound gorilla in today's world--being an American often inspires some knee jerk reactions, a few valid, many completely silly. <BR>FYI, my Canadian-born husband is often mistaken for a German. That, too, brings on some reactions. We were at a restaurant in the 16th arrond. of Paris one time and an elderly couple were sitting near us. As we sat down, they glared at my husband and the man muttered, "les Boches ceci, les Boches cela, les Boches partout!(Germans here, Germans there, Germans everywhere). Then when my husband began speaking in English, the man broke out in smiles. "Ah bon, americain," he said. <BR>Within the U.S., there is plenty of state-based prejudice around. Right after we moved to Eugene, OR, we went out for dinner dressed in our East Coast, i.e., more formal, clothes. An old pickup truck went by, covered with anti-environment stickers. The guy driving the truck shouted "go away, you f---in' Californians." To which my husband calmly replied, "I'm Canadian." The guy shut up immediately and drove off with a quizzical look on his face. <BR>As to wearing the Canadian flag, yes, it can come in handy. My father-in-law was a hostage during the Gulf War. He was taken to Baghdad and made a point of wearing a Canadian pin in his lapel whenever he went out. <BR>BTilke

The UN chose Sudan over the US. Apparently they like the way the Sudanese amputate children's hands when they're on the wrong side. Just another example of the discriminating taste of the UN.