Canadia?

[Tony Smith]

On the return leg home from attending D-Day ceremonies in France, Australian PM Toy Abbott dropped by the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa. He gave a speech expressing his feelings at being in "Canadia" (http://www.torontosun.com/2014/06/09...-canadia-gaffe), and has been roundly criticised back home for embarrassing us and offending his hosts. Has it received any coverage at all in Canada?

PS In a further embarrassment, his minders staged his conference standing in front of a Ram Kangaroo, because it would be nice for the viewers at home to see an Australian contribution to the museum!

[David Dunlop]

Hi Tony.

I am not aware of any coverage on the topic out this way at all, but then we are pretty laid back out here on the prairies and would have been excited he actually stopped by for a visit at all!

We only get upset when visitors shout slogans to the crowds from balconies, or our own Prime Minister flips the bird to the general population out the train window as he races through town.

David

[rob love]

You can call us anything you want...just don't call us late for supper.

Never heard a thing about it here, nor would I expect to.

[maple_leaf_eh]

No offence taken. Canadians are scrupulously polite and apologetic, even when we are supposed to be offended. Nice of the handlers to feel compelled to pose him in front of a Kangaroo. I doubt there are any artifacts (except for maybe a Staghound) that have any Australian connections.

[Jes Andersen]

Most Canadians wouldn't really be concerned anyway. I have found that my Australian visitors actually know more about Canada and Canadians than some of our closer neighbours. Visit Whistler B.C. and find half the people there are from Australia.

Jess

[John McGillivray]

When I was in the Philippines many years ago there were a few times when I told people that I was from Canada, and was asked “what state (of the US) was that in?”