As this thread predictably heats up and sidetracks all over the place, let me take a moment to explain Canadians and how we perceive the US.
I obviously don't speak for all Canadians, but I think it's fairly accurate.
We are a peaceful country and people by nature. Our history isn't as rich in warfare as many others, incl. the US.
We are swamped by US media (TV, music, movies - and in most ways, that's a good thing), but from an outside perspective we see a neighbouring country that has so many issues with race and violence, we don't understand it.
We also wonder how you can be so obsessed with your right to bear arms, it seems silly to us. But of course, we don't live there.
So when the guns, drugs, illegal immigrants and other bad elements of the USA trickle up here we don't appreciate it. We think "Hey, send us your good tv shows, cars, products, etc. but keep your guns, drugs and illegals to yourself."
Of course, it's impossible but I really, really wish that the gun violence from US cities doesn't plague us. For a city of 3+ million we have maybe 50 homicides a year. We want to keep it that way and we realize that no matter how much money or personnel we put into border security, the guns will get through.
Peace
