[Closed] What is it with Australia?

With that size of chip on your shoulder, I suggest you move to Scotland, you will fit right in.

How exactly did you read that into my question? 🙄

It's not really any different to people who can't or don't differentiate between England and the United Kingdom and then get shirty when someone points it out to them.

Tim Tam, anyone?

Is it not a made up place then? Like Narnia?

I reckon it's the French issue that puts us off, share with the French! That's just not colonial cricket what!

No Mr stabiliser, that's Tasmania.

so you're sore because Australia ignores Canada?
maybe get out more?

They mentioned America. Why do they have to mention individual states?

I think it is the perception that less people move there from the UK (or dream about doing so...), therefore there is less demand for information about it from people back home - Australia is viewed as having more UK expats there, and as such, the news is interested in reporting about what is going on somewhere where some people feel they have a connection. I have no idea if that is actually the case - but I don't think that news reporting etc. is done on the basis of factual assessment, perception is much stronger on that sort of thing anyway - and self reinforcing.

There is also that big bit that is quite French, and many English people have a bizarre thing about the French - which is perhaps related to the above perception that less people head there or want to head there.

Actually Jekkyl, I think Australians and Canadians recognise each other and get along just fine. I'm just curious as to whether my perception of Australia as a more 'favoured' English-speaking country than Canada is correct, and what its origins are. Like a shared sports tradition (rugby and cricket, for example, as opposed to ice hockey and lacrosse), or something else.

Is it not a made up place then? Like Narnia?

[i]whether my perception of Australia as a more 'favoured' English-speaking country than Canada is correct[/i]

I reckon its a climate thing. Australia is PERCIEVED to be warm and sunny and full of easy going blokes, whereas Canda is cold and full of French.

No that's TamsinArchernia,

Canada is a real place like coronation street.

No that's TamsinArchernia, (thanks Hels - geogrpahy ninja)

Canada is a real place like coronation street.

I heard this the other day;

"Australia - Canada in a thong"

No idea if it's true but it made me laugh.

And it's seperated by a small fence only from nutsville.

The new Governor of the Bank of England is Canadian so you do get a look in. That's a pretty influential position IMHO.

And besides we like our colonials noisy and repellant, thats why we sent them there.

I reckon it's the sports: we're crap at ice hockey, and the Canadians know nothing about rugby, cricket or football.

And the weird and poisonous animals.

can you get time off work for "colony envy" ?

What's it all aboot, eh?

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[img] [/img]

vs.

[img] [/img]

I used to think colonic irrigation was watering the outback...

So what are you after, more Canada news, or less Australia news?

mrmonkfinger - Member

So what are you after, more Canada news, or less Australia news?

A little bit of both, [s]really[/s] probably.

I like Canada, the trails there really made me feel alive!

I think Australia has a very definite identity whereas Canada is some place near America with snow.

I think it's because Australia is better connected to the UK:
- greater numbers of immigrants/ migrants
- similar sports being played - rugby, cricket
- Neighbours and Home & Away

I reckon it's the sports: we're crap at ice hockey, and the Canadians know nothing about rugby, cricket or football.

This

You need to be better at, at least two of those sports before we recognise you. Do it quick cos I love Canada, although I've never been to the French bit!!

@zippykona

See, that's sort of what I am trying to understand. Obviously Canadians don't see themselves that way, but if we're comparing, then Australian has none of the characteristics that I think make Canada more interesting.

For example:

1. We're bilingual
2. We have cool sports
3. We are a hardy bunch that live in snow for a good part of the year
4. We have a strong intellectual tradition
5. The tension that comes from living beside America, also makes for interesting contrasts
6. We have an interesting history and a Native people that introduce a whole 'appreciation for the earth' dimension to our culture

Now, I know that Australia has some comparable features; but with twice the population, and a more diverse migration profile, I would think Canada might be seen as more interesting than it seems to be.

They are quite similar, interesting bit on the sides with a huge void in the middle 😉 Both get insanely hot and then one gets stupid cold.

I prefer Canada

I think most Brits are confused about Canada.

There seems to be a small French nation embedded inside it. No one really understands why.

Australia seems to mostly be people with cockney accents talking with clenched teeth to keep the flies out and far easier to grasp as a government/judicial system.

No confusion here.

Canada = bears, Australia = crocs.

Simple.

For example:

1. We're bilingual - Yeaah but FRENCH
2. We have cool sports No you don't
3. We are a hardy bunch that live in snow for a good part of the year - only cos you have to
4. We have a strong intellectual tradition - Do you talk to girls ever, that's not leaping out at me as a chat up line
5. The tension that comes from living beside America, also makes for interesting contrasts - see above
6. We have an interesting history and a Native people that introduce a whole 'appreciation for the earth' dimension to our culture - yoghurt weaving, boring francophiles with a mild neighbour dispute. Sounds like one huge housing estte from undistinguished berkshire has been transplanted to north america

Hoist by your own petard

(just taking the P, would actually quite like to go to canada -

Maybe because your government even manages to make Abbot look like a hand wringing lefty?

Doesn't Canada get covered when referring to America in the the same way Scotland does with England?

If someone gave me a ticket to Australia I would trade it in for a ticket to Canada,or give it away.

If I went to New Zealand ,I would not plan to visit Australia just cause I was down that way.

I would go back to Canada in a heartbeat

I don't know why I am not attracted to Aus as a place to visit,maybe I is just weird 😉

I think that it's 2 fold -

1) Canada is right next to the good ol' USofA which shouts loudly about everything it does, likes to tell everyone who will or won't listen how great they are and think they own the world.

2) Australia likes to shout loudly about to anyone who will or won't listen how great they are and think they own the Southern hemisphere.

In both cases Canada is seen as being meek & mild, not attracting any attention and just getting on with it, so no-one notices it.

Although this did seem to work in it's favour in the current global financial situation.

You (Canada) let the australians have as many International Experience Canada visas as they want until they reach 30, you only Brits to have 2.

It may be a bit of fear playing into this argument. I like Canada and have seriously considered emigrating there. The people are very nice, the countryside is stunning, property is cheap. But... I am scared that one day it will become part of the USA and I am not sure I want that.

Australia? Miles from anywhere and full of deadly things that will kill you if you forget to check before you sit on the toilet.

Also, the Aussies are easier to wind up. With the exception of the Quebecois (they speak like ducks quacking...) Canadians are too polite and nice.

I'd be keen to visit both countries but neither is top of the wish list and Canada is ahead of Oz by a whisker.

I think the only external difference in terms of my perception is that the Australians are more verbose on the world stage. Canadians seem a little more reserved. Thats no bad thing.

Like a shared sports tradition (rugby and cricket, for example, as opposed to ice hockey and lacrosse), or something else.

Some of the oldest Lacrosse teams in the world are in the UK,we share Lacrosse alright.

And the properly male version too, none of the girly non-contact nonsense 😉

I once asked two students with lacrosse sticks if they were going rock pooling, they didn't laugh . 🙂

Canada = Rush
Australia = Kylie

1-0 to the Canucks, eh.

Canada = Mike Pyke* [url= http://theeastterrace.com/pyke.shtml ]Legend. [/url]
Australia = Wendell Sailor

I make that aboot 2-0 now.

Canada = Whistler
Australia = Thredbo

This is getting embarrassing now...

Etc.

*Yes, I know he's gone down south and is mincing around in skimpy shorts these days, but that try, and celebration thereof, gives him legendary status.

Also Canada =

Banff, Sunshine Village + Norquay, Lake Louise, Kicking Horse, Fernie......

Canada wins 😉

New Years Eve in The Sando.
Australia wins.

Then again....

Canada = Celine Dion
Australia = Midnight Oil

Canada = Montreal
Australia = Melbourne

Canada = Molson
Australia = Little Creatures Pale

Hmm....

But of course, this seems to happen quite often. People talk about Australia (and to a lesser extent New Zealand) in terms of sports, and holidays all the time. Heck, even events in Austrialian politics get reported here. But Canada? Very little.

Why on earth do you want to be famous in sports? Sports are just hobbies that should not be made into some mega importance events.

Come to think of it, in coverage of one of the recent world university rankings, in which Canada had three universities in the top 50, an article mentioned the position of UK, US, and Australian universities.

Those in UK, US and Aust are over hyped. Don't believe a word of that rather believe in what you do with your life. I chose all my Universities based on the city and views ... Not University ranking. They are all nonsense as far as i am concerned. University ranking is merely media spin ... lot of shite they are.

There are numerous examples, from entertainment to politics to sport, I can think of that exemplify what feels like a neglect (or just plain ignorance) of Canada, and I am wondering why people think this is.

Having celebrities are not something to be proud of as they are bunch of people that are prostitute to fame. Politicians are like criminals with legal authority that constantly need your feeding.

Or am I just imagining it?

I would rather you maintain the imagination then trying to make it known to the world.

Put it this way Canada has something very special that "no one" in the world should know. You have the good life. Peace of mind. So why bother exchanging them for headaches like others? The higher profile you have the more attentions you get and the more troubles will follow. The more people know about Canada the more the country will be "raped". Good quality quiet life is all you want. Why attract such lousy attentions for?

AusLand = Soon to be part of Asia.
NZ = Obscure part of the world where you go for retirement or to show your superiority to the natives.
USA = I love guns and ammo but soon to be US of Mexico.
UK = We like to sell everything, the world revolves around us and nobody will catch up to us in a million years.

🙄

Because ever since WW2 Britain is the bloke in the middle

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In order: Canadian - Brit - Australian

We like to look down on the Australians - they're all convicts, its a bloody big desert and they drink piss awful beer!

We don't like considering what the Canadians have got - manly men, loads of countryside so its not overcrowded, great mountain bike trails, ****ing big salmon to eat, bears (everyone loves bears) a polite society (those who aren't french) and snow (the only thing better than bears, is snow, and you've even got special snow bears, that makes us really jealous!)

And, best of all, you (ok, technically it was us, but in reality it was you) burned down the white house! do you have any idea how inferior that makes us feel, as we know that the upstarts have successfully got one over on us, but have left you alone!

In fact, we know the only two drawbacks you have are french people and bloody awful cheese

so, we don't like talking about you, because we feel inferior, whereas we can talk about everyone else, because we know we're better than them!

CaptainFlashheart - Member
Tim Tam, anyone?

Painfully difficult to source in England since Tesco stopped stocking them. 😥

The good thing about UK is the high population concentration that enable you to sell your stuff to everyone quickly.

The good thing about Canada is that you may not see Zombies that often unless you are in the city.

We don't like considering what the Canadians have got - [b]manly men[/b],

[quote=Teetosugars ]CaptainFlashheart - Member
Tim Tam, anyone?

Painfully difficult to source in England since Tesco stopped stocking them.
They come out at about £9/packet posted if anyone is interested. PP Gift of course.

Living down in Oz I'd visit canada, it's just the massive expanses of nothing that put me off, and they are too polite.

Throw in their like of stupid games and and joining in with the americans and I'm out. Thats even before we get to the French bit.

They do have some redeeming features though

makes duck houses in your moat seem OK really

Canada literally has a oil corporation for a government. Canadian goverment scientists aren't allowed to publish research until the government has reviewed/edited them. The Canadian tarsands are the largest energy (environmental disaster) project in the world. Canada was the only G8 country to not sign Kyoto. Vancouver will have a Chinese population majority by 2016.

Canada is simply a resource store for the US and China. Probably not what people in the UK think?

However, best trails in the world 🙂

Australia has super-tough chocolate that doesn't melt. No joke. I grilled a KitKat chunky. Nothing.

What has Canada brought to the table eh? EH?

That's what I'm talkin aboot. (Yeah, ABOOT!)

NZ = Obscure part of the world where you go for retirement or to show your superiority to the natives.

Ha ha that was a good one.

If I could've moved to Canada as easily as I did Australia, (just buy a one way ticket), I might have.

it'll sort it self out in a generation or so ...we live in Aus' and my 11year old daughter asked me the other day who the President of Canada was - I told her to go and study Belgium politics and then ask me

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Having been to Canada last year I'd move there in a heartbeat if I could. Honestly never felt more at ease in another country.

OP has it the wrong way around. It's not that the UK is particularly interested in Australia, it's the other way around: Australia has traditionally been very attentive to what happens in the UK (politically, legally and culturally) , whereas Canada has a much more interesting, rich and varied neighbour to the south in which to be interested. However all that will fade as Australia and the UK alike look to their neighbours more.

Canada shares exactly the same legal system as the UK,

whereas Canada has a much more interesting, rich and varied neighbour to the south in which to be interested.

You are aware that the state directly to the south of Canada is the USA, aren't you?

You don't appear to know much about Australia, so its higher news profile is a blessing for you.

That suggestion is only a joke anyway. They're not really going to let the shackle-draggers run the police over here.

I much prefer Canada because they have less zombies but then the bears might eat you alive and the cold winter might freeze your balls off.

😆

Lived in both Canada and Oz. Both great.

Canada is cold and no one wants to spend winters somewhere worse than here .Australia is warm and much further from the inlaws you emigrate to get away from

Canada= Amerikka without the guns
Australia = Amerikka with different accents

Canada= Amerikka without the massive paranoia.

Which is why I like it.

Have been to Canada & NZ and enormously enjoyed both trips; people very welcoming, though Canadian beer better and the less said about Canadian wine, the better.

No desire whatsoever to go to a semi-arid desert (ie. Australia) full of Australians ([b]never[/b] forget that Murdoch is an Aussie), if it's all the same.

Australia is too bloody hot. Canada is ace.

a semi-arid desert (ie. Australia)

No desire whatsoever to go to a semi-arid desert (ie. Australia) full of Australians (never forget that Murdoch is an Aussie), if it's all the same.

I was trying to think of a Canadian who causes offence and couldn't. Thats right they are all bland 😉

We have also had a lot of rain this last few months, it's certainly not even semi arid here

curtisthecat - Member

Canada= Amerikka without the guns

Not so.

Very similar level of gun ownership, if anything Canadians own more
proportionately. However, they seem to be significantly less likely
to shoot each other. There are obvious exceptions for Lower BC mainland
drug dealers and member of outlaw motorcycle gangs.

because you sound like Americans, and who can be doing with that?

also, 90% of American backpackers pretend to be from Canadia, further ruining it for you.

Get your own accent, and we'll see.

Are you just grumpy because we have more exciting weather than you:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-17/live-blog3a-nsw-bushfire-emergency/5028762

😯 😯 😯

We think my friend's sister has lost her home in this one 🙁