Thanks for that, It makes me feel a little better

How - when you said that mennonites dont associate with people outside their "own" and yet they certainly did with us and we arent mennonites!

Rednecks would, I suppose, say they come from here, though they'll be of European ancestry. Most people in Toronto are immigrants but not in rural areas, it's another world out past Major Mac. Farmers may be the children of immigrants but are likely longer established than that.

If there was a centennial celebation it passed me by but Canada has been established for about as long as the US, surely you don't say there are no rednecks there.

Oh. It supports my contention that there are Mennonite farmers, not that they're insular. Nonetheless, I do think they're insular. I go to the horse auctions in Waterloo and, as the only person in the arena wearing a zipper, I feel like I've fallen from Mars. I don't think one can say that any community based on religion is receptive to people who are not of that religion, did you try selling anything to Mennonites ?

my impression is that the cities here are just as superficial as the cities in Europe... although get outside of the major three (T.O Van Calgary) they are a little less than some of there equivalents in the UK,
What I think people see is not so much a difference in materialism, but a difference in current fashion… with Canada being about 2-3yeras behind Europe… its looks like they don’t care when compared to Europe… but they do care and in the same way, but when compared to other N.A cities and the current standards in fashion that are place here…. Just go look how many ipod’s are out on the street and accessories to go with it..
The concept of shallow consumerism was invented just south of us, and it reached here long before it ever got to Europe

Mennonites aside, Ontario farmers are renowned for their erudition and sophistication. They normally drive Range Rovers around the back forty while listening to Rachmaninov and Chopin CD's. They also drive Smart Cars to go shopping. They only put on the plaid shirts and baseball caps on Sundays when they get out the beaten up F-150 for the tourists like dbd33 who are timidly venturing north of the 401 to experience the countryside. This is 100% FACT.

Ditto. They just lust after different things here. Burberry anyone?!?!?!

That's the first time I've seen those three cited as Canada's major cities.

Dont quote me on 100 years, it may be 120. I saw something in the paper when in Canada last year.
When researching the market, the reaction of the local communities did concern me a little. However after visiting 15 odd farms, I found most were immigrants or descendants of dutch immigrants, which is where I came to the conclusion that, they are not far off immigrants.
This is why I found the description rednecks suprising?
Mind you, I do look like a red indian who has been scalped.!

Mmmm. On the weekend we sat down for all day breakfast (organic muesli and fruits, as you can imagine). The people across the aisle struck up a conversation "you've just come out of the barn, haven't you ?" one said, sniffing us. We chatted for a bit about the need for hybrid tractors and solar powered milking machines before they left for their aromatherapy appointment. They were a fairly typical same-sex mixed-race farming couple.

Funny you should mention that
If burberry is a sign than Chavism is hitting the streets of calgary!!!!! :scared:

You make the farmers sound like Afrikaners so I don't know why you'd find "rednecks" a surprising term.

Ever heard of Montreal or Ottawa?

I was thinking a similar thing!!!

True but the UK has now surpassed Canada in superficial consumerism.