The definition of Americanization is clear: the perpetuation of a single American model onto the world. Canada and America are like conjoined twins at birth – they cannot be separated without one of them dying, and they cannot be apart no matter how hard they try. “Our [Canadian] cassus belli, or overall feelings for Americans, are only negative because we’re jealous of our reliance on them. We feel they stole hockey, rugged nature, beer – these staple goods of the Canadian identity, from us rather than vice versa,” says Allan Smith in An American Nation?.

Yet Canada’s relations with the US show that they are afraid to oppose the globalization of their society. When John Diefenbaker was Prime Minister he said, “We are a power, not a puppet,” in response to the United States attempt to get Canada to join its Organization of Americas – which would have essentially converted Canada into the 51st state of America. Canadians will allow America supremacy to push them over because they are too reliant on American culture and ideas, and fear the repercussions of saying no and disagreeing. An example is the American accidental attack on Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. At 1:55 a.m. Afghanistan time on April 18, American F-16 pilots dropped a half-ton bomb on Canadian soldiers conducting a live-fire night exercise near Kandahar. Canadians were outraged, meanwhile, on the night of the accident, American’s booed Canada’s national anthem at a hockey game. Where has Canada asserted its independence in this violation of their dignity? The American reaction to the event is non-existent, as one letter to the CBC expressed, “I, like many, many other Americans am sick and tired of the comments coming out of the north." There is a lack of nationalism at the heart of the ability of Americanization to succeed. These examples clearly articulate the symmetry of the two societies. Though they appear to be conflicts, in reality, the way Canada dealt with the situation shows they are afraid of offending America, and losing a fraction of the fringe benefits from living next door to the most technologically advanced society in the modern world gives. To quote Jonathon Lemkin, “You sharpen the human appetite to the point where it can split atoms with its desire; you build egos the size of cathedrals; fiber-optically connect the world to every eager impulse; grease even the dullest dreams with these dollar-green, gold-plated fantasies, until every human becomes an aspiring emperor, becomes his own God... and where can you go from there?”

The presence of mainstream American society in Canada is overwhelming; the existence of Canadian culture in Canada is like a flower in a field of weeds. David Crane of the Toronto Star writes, “It is this mix of policies — tax cuts for the richest, spending cuts for the neediest — that shows why the United States today, as opposed to earlier versions of the American Dream, can no longer be a model for any country that wants to build a decent society.” Firstly, many intellectual resources are being taken away from Canada, referred to as the American “brain drain”. Better jobs, less taxes, and higher wages make the U.S. an unfairly competitive market where much of Canada’s developed potential moves. A good example is the migration of hockey players to United States teams. Lured by lucrative contract offers, and room for expansion in financially stable unions, the best Canadian players end up flying south for the summer. Many Canadian celebrities have dual citizenship, like Jim Carrey, who comments, “To me, this country defined me. This country allowed my dreams to come true.'' Canadian stars, at the height of their popularity, become American. The fact that every resource Canada has, artistic, intellectual, kinesthetic – in every field, there are many strong examples that support the idea of Canada losing its future potential to an Ameri

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