I made a trip to our neighbor to the north last weekend. Tom, a friend from college, got married to Nicole, a tall, beautiful medical doctor. A native of Montreal who is now prospering in the financial world of Toronto, Tom has been my guide to Canada over the years. I’ve visited him once before in Montreal and at least twice in Toronto. We’ve been skiing in the eastern townships of Quebec, near Vermont, where Tom’s family has a country home in a beautiful valley with views of the Vermont mountains in the distance. The wedding was held there at Tom’s family’s place.

Going to Tom and Nicole’s wedding provides me an occasion to write a few brief thoughts about Canada and the Upper Midwest. If Mexico gives a certain atmosphere to the states bordering it–the tastes of salsa and cilantro, the sounds of Spanish and mariachi music, the bright colors of Mexican blankets, and, of course, millions of immigrants–the same is not true for Canada. Our modern cultures have a similar source, the British empire (for the most part), so the differences are not as great. Our livings standards are similar as well, so there is no rush across the border by immigrants.

I once heard the comedian Mike Myers, a Canadian, make a perceptive comment about his native country: “Canada is the essence of not being. Not English, not American, it is the mathematic of not being. And a subtle flavor - we’re more like celery as a flavor.”

Here in the Upper Midwest Canada’s influence is subtle, not strong, but wholesome nonetheless–a celery influence rather than a salsa influence. For people here, Canada is thought of most often as a wilderness destination, a place to catch large fish in abundance–a feat that is difficult in our more heavily fished lakes. But perhaps more importantly, Canada is also there as a quiet counter-example to some of the individualistic, violent, bellicose, nationalistic tendencies of our nation.

I first think of Canada’s system of national health insurance for all citizens as one of its most significant differences from our own culture. Most Americans know this difference exists, and it creates a slight gravitational pull in that direction for our own society. Our own regional newspaper, the Star Tribune, published several opinion pieces on June 12 calling for universal, single-payer health insurance similar to Canada’s.

There is also the much-advertised difference in prices for prescription drugs, which has caught the attention of Americans. Same-sex marriage is allowed in eight of Canada’s thirteen provinces and is likely to become legal nationally soon. And Canada’s rates for violent crime are several times lower than those in the United State.

Some might argue that on some measures the comparisons between our countries are not fair. The United States has ten times the population of Canada. One might argue that the U.S. has become the sole world superpower, and, with its military preeminence, has responsibilities to the world that are different not just in degree but in kind from the Canada.

Even if those arguments are true, I would argue that we should compare ourselves with Canada. We share the same continent, have many common aspects in our history and heritage, are both open to immigrants, and if one of us is suffering in some measure when compared to the other, then surely some correction is due.

Oh Canada, you present a picture of a quietly decent society, and only time will tell if you are our future or we are yours.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 18th, 2005 at 5:43 am and is filed under Minnesota, Other Places.