Please.
I'm curious to know what you see as the specific cultural differences between the two countries? I grew up mostly in the States, but part of my childhood was in Ontario. Also, I had a place in BC (Whistler) for 10 years. Other then some superficial differences (hockey, curling, college football, Tim's vs. Duncans, high-grade pot, more polite drivers in general), I don't see a lot of differences.
Music. I live close to the border, and Can-Con is a fucking joke, at least on classic rock stations. They find some sucky Canadian artist to cover a classic rock song, so they can play the "new" version as Canadian content. Please.
Art. No differences I'm aware of.
Politics. Used to be differences, seems pretty similar from my perspective now. Most Republicans down here would beg to have Harper run our country.
Militarily. Used to be vastly different. Canada seems to be rattling it's saber more and more now. Under Harper, Canada will be with the US in every war we're in.
The Environment. Your own minister of the environment has admitted (on NPR) how truly poor Canada's environmental record has been the last 10 years or so. Canada will rape the environment to make a buck. Cod fishery, Oil Sands, Salmon fishery, old growth forests, etc., etc.
Fitness. Some differences, but take a look at the national obesity numbers and you'll see Canada is following our "lead".
In terms of happiness, I think that is hard to gauge on a national scale. In Whistler, one of the best playgrounds in the world, leading in to the Olympics, people were generally miserable. Politicians going rogue, high taxes, traffic jams.
I think McCalls had an article about 4 years or so ago about the happiness factor, so I assume they have some data in the article to back it up. But, I think it's just a matter of time. Keep following the US "lead", and Canada will trend to our happiness level as well.
Especially as big corporations are treated as preferentially by the body politic as they are here.
I see very different cultures between two countries.
