Canada? Do you mean that big white space on the map that is north of where the US ends? LOL (We also know very little about Hawaii or Alaska, if that's any comfort.)

No need to be baffled!

Americans know little about Canada and mostly pay no attention to what goes on in your country. Most of your countrymen live close to the border and live in situations where American culture, news, media, politics, etc, can affect and may at times seem to out-shout your own local equivalents. By contrast, most of the American side of the border is sparsely populated and the rest of us live at a great distance from you. Our understanding of you is as chisue explains, we West Coasters fly over Canada to get to Europe.

Her statements about Alaska and Hawaii may be true in the Midwest where she lives but is much less true on the West Coast.

Canadians visit the US frequently and many relocate or emigrate to the US, thus increasing the profile and mind-share the US has in Canada. The reverse movements don't much happen at all.

Don't take it personally, Americans know little about what goes on outside our borders. You just happen to be the most closely located example of what we don't know.

Well, I think it's their loss. I have travelled in Canada and not only is it a very beautiful place to visit, but the people are really nice! Talk about natural beauty, Canada has it in spades!

There is a lot about the US that Americans don't know about, so yes, Canadians, I wouldn't take it personally. Lots of Americans never go outside their city/state and know little about the rest of our country. In my opinion, of course. :)

I can understand Americans not knowing anything about the rest of the world, after all the USA is a huge country with lots to learn about.

My bafflement comes from the fact that the contestants know lots about other parts of the world but not Canada.

casey, look at a list of countries by population and maybe another by impact on the world and events in people's lifetimes. And, for some, the countries their ancestors came from. Maybe these notions, and the order of that list of countries, would be a rough approximation of what countries people might know anything about, however little. For better or worse, Canada doesn't fight above its weight class.

And Canada doesn't make the news as much as other parts of the world. (And, btw, I am a first generation American, with my ancestors being from Canada)

True, Suzie. South of the border, there's a lot going on. Canada is relatively quiet for us news-wise. Of course, Canada has been in our news lately with the horrific fire.

Chisue, I think west-coasters are fairly knowledgeable about Hawaii and Alaska because it's a convenient travel destination for us. Please don't ask me about the Virgin Islands, Bahamas or even FL. (I know you are knowledgeable about HI!)

I don't think I've ever met a Canadian I didn't like! Canadians are my favorite guests at our Maui condo. Although they are *renting* from us, they still write to say 'thank you'. after a stay. While other guests tell me they enjoyed the condo, Canadians write more of a 'bread and butter' note -- just as I imagine their mothers *taught* them! LOL

Canadians also are among the wittiest people I've met -- very droll!

chisue ~ that's very funny that your last word is "very droll" because the french translation of the word funny is drole - as in "c'est drole" which means it's funny.

I've been paying closer attention since Justin Trudeau. Hubba hubba.

I suspect it's because many of us assume Canadians are pretty much like us. Other than hockey and wearing maple leaves, you don't really stand out from us. Most Canadians don't go picking fights or starting wars with other countries so no coverage there. I've never really heard of any Canadian food dishes things that make Canada stand out. Most foods remind me of foods from the midwest. As far as scenery goes, you go to almost any National Park and it is overrun with people from other countries. Many people don't get out and explore.

Poutine is very Canadian

Nanaimo bars - yummm

Butter Tarts - mmmm good

Beaver Tails - oh so yummy

Poutine is disgusting.... So is Tim Hortons coffee. :) Now Nanaimo Bars (made by M&M are the very best, even better than my home made and I make good home made), Butter Tarts are to die for, and I've only ever had one Beaver Tail (Grousse Mtn, Vancouver) and it was delicious!!

And I don't find our PM the least bit attractive. I just don't get the "hotty" thing people think he is.

Canada is absolutely 'known' for it's butter tarts. I make awesome butter tarts, the ones that are in stores and bake shops are too sweet and sugary. Maple syrup is another one of our 'attractions'.

Debby, the media is having a super love-fest with Trudeau. You can't read or watch anything without the media commenting on his looks and his wife. Blech.

I think one reason is that Canada is such a good neighbor; It doesn't kick up a fuss, doesn't invade, buys US products, and does not throw its trash over the border and provides a great place to vacation. There are places where you can hear a Scottish brogue and others where its best if you speak French. Canned goods in the grocery stores print product labels in English and French. In times of national distress, it is cooperative. For example, during WW2, it permitted the US to carve a road out of their pristine wilderness so that the US could have an overland route to Alaska, just in case the sea route was cut.

Canada and the US both speak the same language, however, a few Canadian words yet carries an older English spelling. I'm not sure about Canada's land measure; In the US, we use a very old 'mile' and 5280 ft per mile, and our highway distances are in miles. Canada has bucked the US trend and bravely converted their road distances to kilometers, and you buy goods by the liter (litre?), not gallons and quarts. However, they drive on the right side of the highway, the same as US - That's convenient!

Canadians do not create sensational news, do not stir up trouble with their border neighbors, are good neighbors, so good in fact, they are forgettable on the front pages of US newspapers. And, lets not forget, they play a mean game of hockey.

There are only a few countries in the world who don't use the metric system. We've used it for over 40 years. I learned it in 11th grade because that's about the time we made the switch. I still use pounds when I weigh myself and measure in inches and feet for the smaller stuff. But in kilometers for long distance. I still measure in cups for cooking and baking. I stopped converting our temps in Celsius for people who only measure in Fahrenheit. I used to, but figure if someone wants to know it bad enough, they can google. :)

I'm like Debby. I don't even think of Fahrenheit. Celcius makes sense to me. Same as highway speeds. If the speed is 100kmh, that's what I go by. I could care less how many mph that is.

But I still go by $/lb. Our system is screwed up. The Liberals brought in Metric back in the late 70's but it's only half-assed. Nothing is 100% metric.

They also made the metric fit the pound weight. Instead of using straight 500, 1000 grams, etc. they make 454 grams which equals 1 lb.

The stores advertise the prices in lb and oz, but on the actual sticker on the package of meat it's in kg. So I stand there and do the math to see if I am buying it at the advertised price.

I do all my baking and cooking in imperial, and any recipe I use is in imperial. I don't have measuring spoons in mm etc.

I got some RoTel tomatoes, and I get a real kick out seeing English only on the can. Everything in Canada has to be in French and English. It's a pain for manufacturers.

Snidely your statement was one of my trivia quizzes one time! :-)

Switching from Fahrenheit to Celsius was easy. If it's cold outside in Fahrenheit it's cold outside in Celsius.

My ten cents or so. I have been in love with Canada since I can remember! Its beauty is beyond compare with so much unspoiled space. Then there are the unfailingly polite, kind and extremely helpful people.

Many, many visits with many, many friends.

One of my most treasured life memories is the summer my Dad and I went up for a Fathers' Day/his Birthday combined celebration. Lunch around the corner from Davie Street (in BC) after visiting Steveston. Anyway...

I just read somewhere that the UK will be converting to driving on the righthand side of the road! The plan is to phase it in slowly. For the first month, only the trucks will be driving on the righthand side. ;-) ;-) ;-)

Jasdip, you can't blame politicians for the metric to Imperial conversion for weight.

A kilogram is a standardized amount. A pound of weight in the imperial system is also a standardized amount. When you weigh a pound of (anything) on a metric scale, you'll find it's 454 grams. It's the conversion equivalence, just as 16 C is 61 F or 32F is 0 C. No manipulation is involved.

In French, the historical word for pound (of weight and also of money) is "livre", which also means "book". If you go into a store in France or French speaking Belgium where a counter person handles your order (a meat or deli counter for example) and you ask for "un livre" of something, you usually get 450 grams but sometimes 500. To them, it's an ambiguous word and such a request is slightly annoying. Better to ask for 450 or 500 grams explicitly, or half a kilo.

Snidely my step-father is from Switzerland. He can't understand why we aren't fully metric. We're half metric, half imperial. And the weights should be the same as in Europe. Very easy math. 500 grams, 1000, etc.

I am guilty. I have been to Canada once although I spent my young years in Saranac as a camp counselor. Everything I know about Canada comes from Strange Brew, Corner Gas and South Park. I think Canadian humor is the best. On the more serious side, I do think we see Canada as the Switzerland of North America.....we don't have to worry because you are all so nice!!!!

About going Metric.....when I was in 4th grade we had to learn Metric because we were going over to it. I couldn't get it AT ALL.....So odd because it makes more sense but I had already learned "our" system. My car changed over to Metric for the AC/Heat when my battery died and I still never know what the temps are because I refuse to pay 100 dollars for the dealer to plug it into a computer and change it in two seconds! I do know my AC feels good at 21c

And I had to Google Beaver Tail....and was relieved to see it is fried dough....I could get behind that.

My child told me the formula which was too much for me...but celsius to farhenheit easy formula is c x2 plus 30

not exact but close....I just will go with what feels good...LOL

I know America uses Metric for medical calculations. (i.e. 'the patient is 6cm dilated. Give her 10 cc's of _____ to bring down her blood pressure') Is it used for any other specified area?

Medical and scientific.

I had to Google beaver tails, too. There were pictures of plain ones that looked exactly like what were called "crispies," many years ago, and what are sold here in Louisiana as "shoe soles." Anyone familiar with both?

the total sum of my 'in person' knowledge of Canada comes from 2 sources:

1. A trip from Orcas Island to Vancouver & Victoria when I was 8. I can still see the astonishingly beautiful gardens in my mind's eye.

2. 6 years of camp in Bemidji, MN, with canoe trips into God's Country Canada, where the only people we ever saw were the occasional Cree/Mohawk?? and it was all pristine waterways & forests.