OTTAWA – As US President Trump’s unilaterally-launched trade war continues, Canadians have struck back with counter-tariffs on a valued American item: the little Canadian flag patches Americans put on their luggage while travelling abroad.
Once, on a bus in London, I asked “is this seat taken” to a lady who was sitting at the aisle and the window seat was open. She turned to me, hearing my accent, and said “It’s not for Americans”. I was taken aback and said, “but I’m Canadian!” and then she said, “oh” and just moved over like it was nothing then.
When I was over there, everyone assumed I was Canadian. I asked a tour guide about it at one point, and he said that it’s just a safer assumption: if they guess American and are wrong, Canadians can get a little offended. But if you guess Canadian and are wrong, Americans tend to just be amused.
Once, on a bus in London, I asked “is this seat taken” to a lady who was sitting at the aisle and the window seat was open. She turned to me, hearing my accent, and said “It’s not for Americans”. I was taken aback and said, “but I’m Canadian!” and then she said, “oh” and just moved over like it was nothing then.
When I was over there, everyone assumed I was Canadian. I asked a tour guide about it at one point, and he said that it’s just a safer assumption: if they guess American and are wrong, Canadians can get a little offended. But if you guess Canadian and are wrong, Americans tend to just be amused.