Quotes • Relationship

Relationship quotes describe the perceptions that Canadians and Americans have entertained over the years, about each other and about our co-existence. While they are mostly meant to entertain, they are somewhat helpful as well to put the mentalities in context and help populate our imaginary with the colourful depictions popular figures have come up with when referring to that relationship. Should you know of more relevant quotes for the Canadian-American relationship, please contribute them, and help make this page a good repository for the rich wealth of views that have been formulated over the years. Even the most infamous mafia boss of America's history had something to say about it! Check them out!

		"Canada is the essence of not being. Not English, not American, it is the mathematic of not being. And a subtle flavour - we're more like celery as a flavour."		Mike Myers

		"All we want is an independent Quebec within a strong and united Canada."		Yvon Deschamps

		"My upbringing in Canada made me the person I am. I will always be proud to be a Canadian."		Jim Carrey

		"I don't even know what street Canada is on."		Al Capone
		"Canada is a country built against any common, geographic, historic or cultural sense."		Pierre E. Trudeau
		"I want to thank all the Canadians who came out today to wave to me - with all five fingers!"		George W. Bush
		"The US is our trading partner, our neighbour, our ally and our friend... and sometimes we'd like to give them such a smack!"		Rick Mercer
		"They need us. They better hope the United States doesn't roll over one night and crush them. They are lucky we allow them to exist on the same continent. If Canadians disagree with us on something, we have to be deeply offended and we have to ridicule them, because they speak French. We like the English-speaking Canadians."		Ann Coulter
		"Canadians have an abiding interest in surprising those Americans who have historically made little effort to learn about their neighbour to the North."		Peter Jennings
		"The great themes of Canadian history are as follows: Keeping the Americans out, keeping the French in, and trying to get the Natives to somehow disappear."		Will Ferguson
		"In a world darkened by ethnic conflicts that tear nations apart, Canada stands as a model of how people of different cultures can live and work together in peace, prosperity, and mutual respect."		Bill Clinton
		"The Past is to be respected and acknowledged, but not to be worshipped. It is our future in which we will find our greatness."		Pierre E. Trudeau
		"The spineless pussy willows in Ottawa are actually helping to condition the Canadian public to accept the surrender of our country, which American forces were unable to accomplish in 1776 and 1812."		Paul Hellyer
		"When I’m in Canada, I feel this is what the world should be like."		Jane Fonda
		"With or without the Royals, we are not Americans. Nor are we British. Or French. Or Void. We are something else. And the sooner we define this, the better."		Will Ferguson