From MIM Notes 268
80% of Kanadians believe their culture is no different than Amerikkkan culture according to a poll of 1048 Kanadians run by a Kanadian newspaper, the National Post on August 8th and August 15th. According to the definition laid down by Lenin and Stalin, a nation has a contiguous territory, a connected economy, a common language and a common culture. Thus, it's not surprising that Kanadians think they have the same culture as Amerikkkans. The largest obstacle to being one nation is the tariffs at the borders, but even so, the economies are largely intertwined, probably more than many island nations' economies. The material facts of life point to there being one united oppressor nation of North Amerika. In contrast, the people of Aztlan are often super-exploited or exploited, speak Spanish and traverse territories south of the U.$. borders. We do not deny that the U.$. empire tries to form a multi-national petty-bourgeoisie of sorts, but there is much more reality to an Aztlan nation than a Kanadian nation. Kanadians mostly live within a few miles of the U.$. border. The First Nations surrounded by Kanada and some immigrants are the exceptions. The vast majority of "Marxist" parties do not account for this fact. They speak of separate Italian, English, French and Kanadian "working classes," but they see a multi-national "proletariat" within U.$. borders. They are slaves of the imperialist borders and not the sentiments and economic realities of the peoples. There is much more justification for lumping an Amerikan and Kanadian population together than a multi-national "proletariat" within U.$. borders. What connects Kanadians together as Kanadians is the health-care system (cited by 19%), Canada's history (16%), hockey (13%) and geography (12.6%). In other words, there is very little reason for Kanada to be apart from the United $tates.
A co-sponsor of the poll bemoaned the loss of British identity: "'This poll confirms the complete and utter extinction of a Canadian identity based upon British traditions and a British connection.'" MIM would add that there is not much separating England from the United $tates either.
Readers should make no mistake. MIM does not advocate unifying the imperialist populations of Kanada and Amerikkka and we take advantage of whatever differences can be mustered between Kanada and the United $tates just as we would between Texas and New York. We only acknowledge the scientific reality of their unity and we address the people of Kanada and Amerikkka both as parasitic populations in the main. At the same time, we excoriate our alleged comrades calling themselves "Maoist" globally who are so far out of step with the times as not to recognize the basic facts of imperialist country economic and cultural life.
Note:
National Post 9Sept2002, p. a1.