Canada: You Got Me Thinking About It, and Now I Don't Know What to Think

An old friend of mine from college recently posted a link to this video on facebook. He's doing one of those song a day things, and this one was supposed to be a song that makes you laugh. I think this is the same one he posted:

Canada, oh Canada, I don't know much about you but I've been thinking about you lately. First there was a conversation. "We don't think much about Canada in this country," he said. Now, did he mean that when "Americans" talk about the continent of North America they often forget that Canada even exists, thus thus forgetting that we "Americans" aren't the only "Americans" in the country? We do live in the United States of America after all. Or did he mean that we who live in the United States tend to ignore them as a political interest, failing to notice much if anything that goes on there? It's true, I realize. I don't know much about the country.

Here's what I do associate with Canada. My Dad traveled there recently, which is probably why the subject came up in the first place. One of my favorite comedies, The Whole Nine Yards, was partially set and was filmed there. Watch out, there's nudity. Speaking of films, the new Doctor Who was produced as a collaboration between BBC Whales and the Canadian Broadcasting Company for a couple of seasons. Last but not least one of my favorite novelists, Robertson Davies, was born and raised there and was at one time the Master of Massey College at the University of Toronto.

Another thing, we were aware of Canada in college, if only because of Five Iron Frenzy, and the maple leaves we used to see chalked up all over the Quad at The University of Alabama. Occasionally we would see cryptic messages that the Canadians were planning to take over the country. Looking back, I don't know whether this was only a really bad joke, or if it were some sort of propaganda over which our neighbors to the North would be really offended. Though I do have some positive associations, I still know little to nothing about the country. Which is probably a shame. Thing is, I really don't know. Maybe next time I meet someone from Canada, which happens occasionally in a college town, I'll remember to take the time to ask.