Identity crisis on the North American continent:

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/12/07/canada.tshirts.ap/index.html

First, this idea is not new, it is just more popular now. I have pretended to be from Canada because it suited me at the time and besides, they are a unique, enlightened nation in no way similar to the United States. Their cars are small and none of them are obese.

Secondly, I've met lots of ugly personalities and there isnt any pattern to their nationality except to say that there are dolts everywhere you live and travel. Airports, more than any other place seem to have a concentration of such folks. I feel that scruitinizing American tourists is popular, easy and comes across as quite vindictive. I, as one of the whole frappuchino of ethnicity that is the USA tend to claim Canadianistic nationality if asked.

This may sound like I am being indirect, avoiding my American guilt, etc. but as time goes by and for a multitute of reasons many people want to see harm done to America. That's my take on the ever-increasing hijacking of the Maple Leaf by non-Canadian travellers.

And getting back to the question of what it is to be Canadian... I have not fielded this to many friends of the Canuck persuasion, as I feel it makes them uncomfortable. Not that that's bad but it is better in my experience to limit the number of hornet nests one kicks over in a day.

And you don't have to be that well-read to know facts aboot Canada.
For example I knew that their PM is Paul Martin and he lives in an Igloo with that wily penguin Chilly Willy. Enough cultural understanding for one day!