There are national IQ rankings, I think Canada is in the top 10 in the world. Waterloo and U of T for comp sci and engineering is just behind the heavyweights; MIT, Caltech, Stanford.
If you had to explain Canadian Culture to a stranger what would you say ?
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Rob Ford. Doug Ford. Don Cherry.
Church and Wellesley.
Canadian culture is very advanced in terms of how many sub-cultures there exists.
Canada is still an anglo nation of the west.
However, the individual is put on a pedestal, or a gay pedestal, and people tolerate and/or embrace each other Unless you're gay or black then there is reluctance. This applies to other minorities, and ironically white people too.
Therefore Canadian culture is the triumph of the individual, sub-cultures for belonging, and everyone is encouraged to voice their opinion, aka the western tradition, no matter how dumb that idea is and stupid you really are. Then add in the inferiority complex to certain nations, the superiority complex smugness to other nations, and that is mainstream Canadian culture.
Ironically, the Canadians feel inferior to the Brits, but feel inferior and superior to the Americans. Canadians feel superior to the 3rd world like China.
But during this Huawei debacle, China has said "we are superior to you white supremacist (they basically saying damn racist)", then the Chinese authorities started arresting people and slapping economic sanctions that really is damaging for Canada.
The reason why the Canada government is so weak, is that -
1. it is China versus Canada, what do you expect.
2. Canadian culture. Canada assumed it was superior that that arrest was something the Chinese should accept. When the Chinese said fuck this shit, Canadian culture had no response other than how superior we are.
Really, this Huawei debacle, only Canada can do.
:ambivalence:
Church and Wellesley.
Canadian culture is very advanced in terms of how many sub-cultures there exists.
Canada is still an anglo nation of the west.
However, the individual is put on a pedestal, or a gay pedestal, and people tolerate and/or embrace each other Unless you're gay or black then there is reluctance. This applies to other minorities, and ironically white people too.
Therefore Canadian culture is the triumph of the individual, sub-cultures for belonging, and everyone is encouraged to voice their opinion, aka the western tradition, no matter how dumb that idea is and stupid you really are. Then add in the inferiority complex to certain nations, the superiority complex smugness to other nations, and that is mainstream Canadian culture.
Ironically, the Canadians feel inferior to the Brits, but feel inferior and superior to the Americans. Canadians feel superior to the 3rd world like China.
But during this Huawei debacle, China has said "we are superior to you white supremacist (they basically saying damn racist)", then the Chinese authorities started arresting people and slapping economic sanctions that really is damaging for Canada.
The reason why the Canada government is so weak, is that -
1. it is China versus Canada, what do you expect.
2. Canadian culture. Canada assumed it was superior that that arrest was something the Chinese should accept. When the Chinese said fuck this shit, Canadian culture had no response other than how superior we are.
Really, this Huawei debacle, only Canada can do.
:ambivalence:
While explaining Canadian culture might be difficult, since we are such a young country so we don't have as many old traditions as other nations and the country was founded on a mixture of other nations battling for it, as well as a constant flow of immigrants bringing in their own cultures, it's hard to define our culture. Like some have already suggested, maybe our culture is that we are mixture of cultures. One thing that I find gets over looked, especially by Torontonians, is that yes it's a multi-cultural nation, but gets blown out of proportion because Torontonians tend to think of Toronto as Canada. There for, Toronto is this big mosaic multi-cultural place so that defines Canada, but in fact may parts of Canada aren't so multi-cultural. The east coast and Prairies aren't mosaics. For that matter, I know Vancouver has a high Asian population, but I don't know about other nationalities. Same goes for Montreal. Obviously being a big city they have some immigrants, but nothing close like Toronto.
So...explaining our culture can be a bit tricky, but I will say this, Canadians are far more patriotic then they used to be. I remember as a kid growing up. July 1st was a nice little Holladay with a few Canadian flags here and there but that was about it. In part because so many people were still first generation. Now on Canada day , it's red and white everywhere, and people embrace it with traditional family BBQ's and fireworks going off all over the place. So while explaining our culture isn't so easy, I love how patriotic we've become because this is probably the best country in the world to live in. Our quality of life is extremely high, very safe, and we have great fucking beer.
So...explaining our culture can be a bit tricky, but I will say this, Canadians are far more patriotic then they used to be. I remember as a kid growing up. July 1st was a nice little Holladay with a few Canadian flags here and there but that was about it. In part because so many people were still first generation. Now on Canada day , it's red and white everywhere, and people embrace it with traditional family BBQ's and fireworks going off all over the place. So while explaining our culture isn't so easy, I love how patriotic we've become because this is probably the best country in the world to live in. Our quality of life is extremely high, very safe, and we have great fucking beer.
I liked it better when Canada Day was the Dominion Day. It was more reflective of the Canada's roots and how it came to be. I realize that it grates many, but, the truth is, we have been given our independence and things like patriotism, pride, nationalism were always understated and quite foreign in the Canada of my youth. We went about our business in private, deliberately and in... silence. Unlike the damn Yankees. Many changes followed, especially after the boomers went gaga for PET, but most of those changes were not necessarily for the better. And sadly, we lost something in the process- our identity. Now days, the best thing most will say about Canada and its identity is that we are not Americans.
I think Victoria Day kinda sums us up. We barely remember the Old Queen, and almost no one cares, although once upon a time people could get quite aroused about it. But we're too polite to consider changing the name. And none of that stops us from having a good time.
It's Dominion Day to me as well, but too much trouble to 'splain to the young, so I go along.
Be careful, be very careful trying to explain Canadian culture (whatever that means nowadays) to a newcomer or the liberal lefties will jump on your back.
https://nationalpost.com/news/polit...age-tackle-honour-killings-set-for-final-vote
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/caq-legault-religious-symbols-closure-1.5164470
Someone posted above that we are a mixture of British and American culture. Surely we understand why Quebec feels left out of the equation.
On the other hand I am reminded of the infamous statement many moons ago of a Federal Cabinet Minister who entered the discussion of French and English cultures by saying there is no such thing as English Canadian culture. Can't remember her name, Sheila s.t. who may have been in charge of the culture ministry at the time. At one time she was the office manager for P.E.T's riding office in TMR.
On the other hand I am reminded of the infamous statement many moons ago of a Federal Cabinet Minister who entered the discussion of French and English cultures by saying there is no such thing as English Canadian culture. Can't remember her name, Sheila s.t. who may have been in charge of the culture ministry at the time. At one time she was the office manager for P.E.T's riding office in TMR.
Not to mention Indigenous Canadians, whose names are still on most of the important features of the continent that we immigrants took from them. The so-called' Indian wars between various First Nations, which their French, Dutch and English trading-partners and allies called 'Iroquois' and 'Huron' defined the boundaries between them, that we still use today.
This is false.
There are plenty of good Universities in Canada - many of which could be considered household names and or have contributed much to their main research fields.
Just to name a few:
McMaster University
University of Toronto
Unviersity of Waterloo (Donna Strickland - who just was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics last year)
McGill University
Unviersity of British Columbia
Much of the reason why people believe the United States is the best place to get an education is because of they simply have no need to worry about finances.
They come from loaded families and or have their way paid by scholarships.
In addition keep in mind Canada's population is roughly one tenth of that of the United States and this is directly reflected in our economic state.
I would argue that Canada provides a better education (better value for the money spent) than in America when given the option by an overseas student paying their way themselves.
The schools may have good professors and researchers. That's how they get their name. I'd say the education here is weak likely on par with the USA in terms of weak. The only way you get a quality education here is if your parents are loaded and send you to private schools. I'm talking strictly in Toronto.
I hear horror stories from my friends that are parents. The kids can barely count or
multiply because the teachers get 80k to 120k but are lazy as fuck.
Also, Canada may have more people than other countries with at least a diploma but many people miss this point. Having a diploma does not make you educated or smart. I've many many fucking stupid people with no curiosity or understand of basic things and they have multiple bullshit degrees. They get degrees in stuff id study for fun if I were rich and didn't have to work.
Also, people here don't for the most part have curiosity or interest in learning if it doesn't translate to immediate monetary gain. I think that's pathetic. The way I see Toronto it's a working bee colony. People work hard and learn enough to do their job but outside of that they don't give a shit about expanding their brains or knowledge. That's why when I do meet one of the few that are curious and cultured it's so refreshing.
So just because someone has a bullshit degree in history or sociology or environmental studies doesn't make them educated per se. They just had the money and time to pay for the piece of paper and were able to work hard enough and at times memorize enough to pass the tests.
Our education system needs a bomb dropped on it and started again. I'm sure some of the parents on here will agree with what I'm saying.
I hear horror stories from my friends that are parents. The kids can barely count or
multiply because the teachers get 80k to 120k but are lazy as fuck.
Also, Canada may have more people than other countries with at least a diploma but many people miss this point. Having a diploma does not make you educated or smart. I've many many fucking stupid people with no curiosity or understand of basic things and they have multiple bullshit degrees. They get degrees in stuff id study for fun if I were rich and didn't have to work.
Also, people here don't for the most part have curiosity or interest in learning if it doesn't translate to immediate monetary gain. I think that's pathetic. The way I see Toronto it's a working bee colony. People work hard and learn enough to do their job but outside of that they don't give a shit about expanding their brains or knowledge. That's why when I do meet one of the few that are curious and cultured it's so refreshing.
So just because someone has a bullshit degree in history or sociology or environmental studies doesn't make them educated per se. They just had the money and time to pay for the piece of paper and were able to work hard enough and at times memorize enough to pass the tests.
Our education system needs a bomb dropped on it and started again. I'm sure some of the parents on here will agree with what I'm saying.
So 16 of the top 20 universities in the world is weak?
https://cwur.org/2018-19.php
The rest of us are talking about Canada.
To me, Canada is the greatest country in the world.
If I was to try and explain to a foreigner, I might look to Walter Alward's Vimy Memorial as a means to explain Canada. We are a peaceful nation, we do not seek war, in fact, we look for ways to overcome the need for war, but we will defend our values not just for ourselves, but for everyone else to the best of our abilities. We can be counted on to try and do the right thing.
The above statue is located at the Vimy Memorial in France and is called, "sympathy of the Canadians for helpless". It personifies exactly what our nation stands for. We Canadians will not only protect our values, our freedom, and our liberty, but we will come to the defense of the helpless when they are threatened by tyranny.
If you look at Alward's statue above, top left corner, you will see a canon pointed downwards and the laurel leaf draped over the canon symbolizing our desire for peace not war. (The Vimy Memorial is not a memorial to the victory at Vimy Ridge in as much as it is a memorial to the peace that was achieved, albeit with great sacrifice on the part of a small nation that paid a huge price.) At the same time, you will note the images of the humans who are helpless and figure that represent the nation of Canada that will defend the helpless regardless of the cost and without fear for themselves.
This to me personifies Canada and the Canadian people.
If I was to try and explain to a foreigner, I might look to Walter Alward's Vimy Memorial as a means to explain Canada. We are a peaceful nation, we do not seek war, in fact, we look for ways to overcome the need for war, but we will defend our values not just for ourselves, but for everyone else to the best of our abilities. We can be counted on to try and do the right thing.
The above statue is located at the Vimy Memorial in France and is called, "sympathy of the Canadians for helpless". It personifies exactly what our nation stands for. We Canadians will not only protect our values, our freedom, and our liberty, but we will come to the defense of the helpless when they are threatened by tyranny.
If you look at Alward's statue above, top left corner, you will see a canon pointed downwards and the laurel leaf draped over the canon symbolizing our desire for peace not war. (The Vimy Memorial is not a memorial to the victory at Vimy Ridge in as much as it is a memorial to the peace that was achieved, albeit with great sacrifice on the part of a small nation that paid a huge price.) At the same time, you will note the images of the humans who are helpless and figure that represent the nation of Canada that will defend the helpless regardless of the cost and without fear for themselves.
This to me personifies Canada and the Canadian people.
Not weak, but mediocre. As you can see from that list, there are no top Universities in Canada. We have many decent ones, but not really good ones. Also, given much larger classes and student/professor ratio in Canada vs USA, the research opportunities during Undergraduate studies are very limited. When it comes to high schools, it is almost impossible for students to take advanced science/math courses for credits (or even register as part-time students to take them at local Universities). Look at application forms to top U.S. Universities and list of courses in that form that potential applicants could have taken at high school (like multivariable calculus): there is absolutely no place in Canada to take theses courses at school. There is no national science/math program for advanced high school students. Hell, last year they did not even have money to send our high-school team to the International Physics Olympiad (students had to pay for their own tickets). Yes, Canadian Universities are cheap - and this is the only thing that goes for them. But the best U.S. schools provide huge need-based financial support: e.g., if parents' income is below $60,000 the student pays absolutely nothing in top 5 U.S. schools (and may even get a stipend). And the admission is "financial need blind" (i.e., your ability to pay in no way influence admission).
So, yes, Canadians are at the top level of mediocrity: our 80th percentile student is better than U.S. 80th percentile students (and it is true for any student percentile below 80th). But our top 20% students are much worse than top 20% of U.S. students and they are not getting the education that they need. Combined with the fact that 80% students who get college education do not really need it in a workplace, we have the best educated country among people who do not need this education. We do not care about our talents, we just want the average Joe to be happy and have the most educated support stuff and store managers in the world.
And this is exactly what the U.S.A. and former Soviet Union would say about themselves. The devil is in details ("we will defend our values not just for ourselves, but for everyone else to the best of our abilities")
How can 16 of the top 20 in the world be even considered mediocre?
If you'd actually read the list, UofT ranked 17th in the world. Not too shabby seeing as UK and Japan are the only other countries with a university ranked higher than Toronto.
So if 16 of the top 20 is "mediocre", then there is no country in the world that has a good education system. A high school education gets you nowhere unless it is into a university.
