"So, what would be comparable to USA vs. Canada?"

That is a pretty tricky question, depending on _which_ American you asked. I can't even venture a guess for our Canadian neighbors. The mighty split that was exposed in the course of the last two presidential elections would most likely inform most answers.

For myself, I honestly am not sure what makes me proud of being an American. I would guess it would be my mother's long family history in New England, and my Father's Swiss lineage than emigrated here in the late 1800's and ran a very large successful farm in Iowa (I figure they got there, saw all that FLAT land and said: "You want how much? SOLD!"). So I guess what makes me proud of being an American is the somewhat hackney'd 'American Dream' - of the US as a place where imigrants come, have the chance to work hard and succeed; or where if you're smart & work hard you can have the chance of success despite your class background. I still see that story being played out today, our Chinese born purchasing agent, the Indian software firm next door that plays cricket in the parking lot in the summer evenings... I think that's what sets the US apart. I know it's not perfect - the interment of Japanese Americans during WWII, the closed door to the European Jews during the rise of the Reich and the often poor treatment of newcomers by those already here (both past & present day).

Anybody care to speak for Canada (or the US, as I'm sure I've well represented most American opinions)?

-Zeke