The basic, unnamed question at the heart of Canadian culture is: is Canada fundamentally European nation or an American one? I think this perspective illuminates Canada’s history and its attitude towards the States.
From what I can tell, Canadians are in general much more like Americans than Europeans in their implicit philosophy. Conflicting with that, however, is Canada’s historical identity. At the core of Canadian history is Canada’s *choice* in the 18th century to remain a dutiful, obedient subject of England rather than assert its own independence. Throughout the 19th century, Canada never demanded sovereignty – it was given it essentially as a gift by Britain. So on the one hand Canadians are implicitly pro-reason, pro-freedom, and pro-pursuit of personal happiness like the U.S (to the extent that the U.S is still implicitly this way), and on the other they are historically and culturally committed to identifying with European collectivism and servitude.
Anti-Americanism logically follows from identifying with Canada and Canadian values – if Canada was right in its historical actions, then by virtue of that the States was wrong. Anyone who knows Canadian history and politics, thinks it enshrines Canadian values, and then embraces Canada *on that basis*, will necessarily resent America.
I don’t think this is why the “average” Canadian loves Canada. I think that to him Canadiana basically means American values + hockey, Canadian music, Canadian beer, and various Canadian achievements like the Anne of Green Gables books or the story of the battle of Vimy Ridge. That said, remember Ayn Rand’s point that the identity of a culture is defined by its intellectuals. Canadian intellectuals love Canada because its basic historical and political theme is the lack of personal assertiveness, and they resent America because its theme is the opposite.
[in this post I’ve treated Canada as if it’s regionally homogeous, but there is also the issue of whether it’s better to analyze Canada as having two regionally defined identities: Ontario (despite being covered in Liberal red) and Alberta are more American in their character and feel, and Quebec, the Atlantic provinces, and B.C more European. I don’t know where Manitoba and Saskatchewan would fit into this].
AMERICONORMAN: I agree 100% that “there’s much beauty here to see in Toronto”. There is *such* a variety of gorgeous districts, neighborhoods, and parks, each with their own distinct feel, that anyone who enjoys walking or rollerblading will find it impossible not to fall in love with the city (especially if he also owns a car 
). And thanks to Donald Trump the skyline’s coming along too.
