How has Canada managed to stay so neutral?

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knh959

I would hardly call Canada neutral. The Canadian army has been fighting in Afghanistan for six years. A Canadian soldier in Afghanistan is more likely to be killed in combat than a US soldier in Iraq. Canada is a charter member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Canada has continuously contributed naval units to the Persian Gulf as part of US led Naval Task Groups in that area since 1991. Canada and the United States are partners in NORAD the North American Aerospace Command. After 9/11, Canadian Airforce jets patrolled US airspace in defence of the United States. Canada is the only country in the world ever to have flown missions over US territory in defence of the USA. Neutral? Hardly. We don't make a big fuss about it, we just do what is necessary without any chest pounding.

K B

We are a conservative group of people (attitude-wise, not necessarily politically). We're proud of being Canadian but do not feel we have to go around shouting it to everyone every minute of the day. Places that we have helped, and we have done our fair share of helping, are basically left with their pride in tact (we do not put up huge signs saying that this building was built by the Canadian government as I have seen the USA do in European cities I have been to in the past). When you give something to someone and follow it up with the emotional baggage the US does, you should not expect adoration. And rubbing people's noses in the help you give them is no way to get it. As a nation, Canada does not rub the noses of the people we help in it and because we don't, we do get a form of adoration when we travel abroad.

Some American travellers I met in England were sporting the Canadian Maple Leaf and palming themselves off as Canadians. And they might have pulled it off had it not been for their absolute need to tell the entire UK that they were the biggest and the best and could buy anything. I, a mere Canadian as one of them referred to me, was treated like a hero while they were the crass, loudmouthed Yanks. It has everything to do with attitude and only a little to do with politics or money.That sort of behaviour is just too tacky to generally be Canadian.

If you are not a crass, loud mouthed Yank, and there are a lot who aren't, I am sorry you are suffering because of the others. Your President is often looked upon as a role model and I am sorry to say that in the eyes of a lot of people throughout the world, you have not had a good role model for some time now. If you work as hard at downing every other nation then it is a foregone conclusion that every other nation is going to be watching for you to make a mistake.

In short, the main reason is mostly attitude and it starts at the White House and trickles on down to the streets.

:);;

It's not easy being neutral... We have many ties with other countries. Like trading ties with the US that could have been cut off if we did not support the US in the Iraq war by going to Afghanistan and although Canada believes that Kosovo should separate from Serbia and become it's own country (like Serbia did after WWI), we can't because we have ties with Serbia which would be cut off if we supported Kosovo.
Canada is not known as a melting pot like the US. We are mosaic and preserve different cultures and their traditions and this is a reason why many people would rather live in Canada than the US.
We've managed to stay neutral because we're a peaceful country and we haven't pissed off any other countries besides the middle east. We're loved by many and hated by few.
I think I just ranted on, but I hope I at least answered a bit of your question.. :)

Canadian Yummy Mummy

I believe it has to do with your big army---kinda of that philosophy of Boys and their toys....You have the 'power'' to get involved much like the British and bc of the USA ego that so many of you have, it's in everybodys faces.

no slavery.. were awesome.. i love canada

SafÃ¿re

Canada only appears "neutral" because of their neighbours to the south.

I suggest you ignore American "politics" and pork-barrelling. Most of the Americans do.

Sterling's Mommy

needed the two points
but
i do understand what your saying
altho im not american, im canadian so if i did answer this it would come out as biase
sorry :(

Al Bundy

Our main problem is that we are the world's largest superpower, so most of the responsibility falls into our hands whether we like it or not. Although some of our problems could've been easily avoided, like the Iraq War.

Lindsay

Its honestly just because no one seems to care about canada, nothing big happens, so it gets left alone and thrives so if we dont watch it'll strike someday.
I think US is expected more of..and we dont always have the best leaders, or at least certainly not neutral ones

harry k

It's easy to be "neutral" when others expectations of you as a nation are low. There is nothing to attain or nothing to lose.

The world expectations of the US are extremely high, in either direction, and it's impossible to meet them.

Also, it's really not a "good" thing being neutral.

Remember the greatest evil in the world is to do nothing (being neutral) in the face of evil.

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