As a Canadian who's spent most of the past two decades in states instead of provinces, I'd say Steyn pretty much has it nailed down. Canadians mock Americans for not knowing anything about Canada, but while Canadians tend to know some American geography, most have no grasp on the American mindset. Most Canadians are still more European than North American.

I agree emphatically with Mark Steyn, author of your cited article, and with Randy Brandt, the first commenter.

As an American who views most other public issues from the standpoint of gun owners' rights and selected other liberty-defined issues, I would fight tooth and nail against attempting to integrate any populous Canadian provinces into the United States. I am certain our lobbies -- and especially the powerful National Rifle Association -- would see it the same way and act accordingly.

For Canadians who want the same gun rights that I enjoy, if they cannot get rid of their Euro-focused socialist national government or some of the provincial governments of similar mind cast, then let them migrate down here as individuals and live under the Constitution of the United States. For Canadians who do not value liberty above the welfare state, let them remain at home in Ontario or British Columbia.

On the other hand, the question ought to be asked: Why would large numbers of self-respecting Canadians even want to break up their own country to join a neighboring society whose history, political and social culture, and even ethnic and racial makeup is markedly different from their own?

I used to like the sight of the old Canadian flag, bright red with the Union Jack of the British Empire in the upper left corner. It showed pride of heritage as no other banner could ever accomplish. The maple leaf flag bespeaks nothing, in my opinion; which in itself, of course, counts for nothing, because I am not a Canadian.

One of the more interesting evenings of my life was in the summer of 1966, in a classical-type theater with a proscenium arch at the Stratford Festival in Ontario. If memory serves, I believe the play was August Strindberg's "Dance of Death", about an impossibly torturous marriage.

Before the start of the performance, the orchestra played "God Save the Queen". Everyone, including all of us visiting Americans, stood straight and tall, along with many, many guests in formal wear with military ribbons displayed on the breasts of their coats. From their age and appearance, I thought they must have been World War II veterans. They displayed a level of public patriotism that almost made me shudder in gladness to be among them, because those people do not treat Canada and its history lightly, as we do all to often with the United States. All told, they gave me a fleeting but definitive feeling that I stood in the presence of a gathering of a distant but viable branch of the nobility of old England, with whom I shared in the fellowship of the English-speaking world.

Why in fact would any Canadian want to give up their heritage merely to become relatively unimportant states in our North American union?

Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI

OK, so here it is. I am Canadian. I love my country, and I despise the United States for the most part. Your people are good, for the most part, but quite brain dead in other ways. You can advance some technologies soooo far, yet are too stubborn to update your constitution. You take that gun thing way too far. Another thing, your economy is based on war. The US is probably the biggest weapons producing nation in the world and wars are soooooo good for the economy that it makes me question what being American is all about. Everyone in the US seems to whole-heartedly support the puppets you elect. Well, I have to say that all the draft dogders had their shit together. What I am amazed about is how nobody in your society realises what a gong show the whole september 11th thing was, and how stupid the whole "war on terrorism" and "War on Iraq" is. The war based economy of the US needed the war on terrorism to get out of the slumping economic state it was in. The "war on terrorism" is perfect for you guys... especially if a country isn't WITH the US, they are AGAINST you. So, this justifies any attack on any country the US doesn't like and wants something. Iraq was about the oil. Seriously. No, the US government itself did not benefit directly, but members of your government certainly did. As people, as capitolist. I could go on forever about all this. As an end note, all Americans are not bad. Your government sure is. America's grip on Capitolism needs to be looked after. As much as the business of the United States is business itself, that is exactly what is destroying your country. For some reason money comes before people and that is just sick. This is obvious in the fact that the gap between rich and poor is getting bigger and bigger. Is this right? uumm... yes, in the US it is. Seeing as how money is what drives the capitolist economy, so why should people matter? It's all about the bottom line. Oh wait, you are human, you are a person, I guess you don't matter, someone is going to fire you because it's cheaper not paying for your salary. ahhh... capitolism... sigh... There is a happy medium between capitolism and communism. It's a shame the US is to ignorant to even give any parts of communism a chance. Mind you, a whole war over weither you care about money or people more is ummm... questionable. Money won. Go you. That war has sorta prevented any american from giving communist ideas a chance. Roosevelt had some great ideas to revitalize the US economy. And I hear that a lot of people opposed him because he was thinking about the people before money. Anywho. I'd love to hear about what anyone has to say because I am somewhat ignorant to Americans' views on things. I just can't wait for the Evil Empire to crumble. I don't know who'll take over from the US, but Canada should. I don't say that because I am Canadian, but because umm.... our country seems to take care of its people. It's too bad we have to be so influenced by our neighbours. As far as flags go.... I cringe each time I see the American flag. As does the rest of the globe. It stands for "the advancement of personal agendas." In other words, heartlessness. You could easily liken the US foreign policy to Hitler's Nazi Germany. Liebens Raum. Yes indeed. Claim what is rightfully Germany's territory. And doing it for the benefit of Germany... screw other people and other countries. Now, the US isn't as ruthless, and war mongering, but that's because the US was smart enough to have mastered propaganda so well that even its own public believes that it is doing the right thing "for the greater good." And the US realises that it has to be somewhat diplomatic in order not get shitkicked by opposing nations, like Nazi Germany did. One day, I hope, US citizens will realise that the rest of the world hates you. Oh, the Cuban missile crisis. hmmm.... what babies, eh? Americans being affraid because they had a few nukes pointed at them for a short while.... Well, sit back... take a deep breath, an realize that the USSR had nukes pointed at them since day one. Were they scared? hell yeah, but they weren't babies about it. Ever think that the Bush administration plotted September 11th? I sure do. Think about it. Your economy needed a jump start... what better than a war... but who will the US fight in this new war? hmm... Terrorists... that's perfect. Terrorists can be anywhere, and will never go away... so this war will last forever... and ever. The economy will thrive for the cost of only a few thousand civilians. But people don't matter in capitolism, Money does. Anything starting to click in your minds yet? Hmm... I should go to bed now, but before I do, I just have to say the the CNN is incredible. It shits out the most propaganda I have ever seen. Wow. Good work. Sometimes I sit and watch it, just to see the shit the United States public watches. Sigh, I could go on, but I will respect you, and wait for a reply. I find this all quite funny. In closing, every American should open their minds and admire differences, and care about things other than money. Sorry to all the good Americans out there, but I can't do much about the capitolist numpties that control everything in your country.... ooh that reminds me. The day after Sept 11th I looked on the stock market at american weapons companies, and holy shit, the price of their stocks sky rocketed. Go war based economy. Ok, Canada doesn't always do things right, but at least we don't go around and impose shit on people in other countries and prance around like we know everything, and what we do is right, and if you are different you are wrong... shit, I should really stop, this is too much fun. By the way, these are opinions, and I think with a few hours of research I could justify everything I wrote.

PEACE