I'll try to answer as best I can Reg. I'm proud to be a Canadian but I'm not always proud of what my countrymen do. I guess the best I can do is answer with another question. Do you feel that Canadians are unique in their quest for wealth over environment? Seems it's universal to me. You spoke of leaving a land that has already destroyed everything natural that it ever had. I see Canada as just a younger version and with a plethora of natural resources. I have a general dislike of people for the most part. I find that my moral compass is not aligned with most people I meet.
I cant say I feel any kind of National pride, no attachment....part of the reason I have no issue moving countries. But I'm glad I grew up where I did, because they mostly told us the truth, good and bad. The bad stuff was never hidden or silver lined. Whilst here in Canada it seems quite the contrary, by the media and Government in particular. Ive lived in Australia and New Zealand too, as well as visited many countries in the past, so my opinions are based on real life observation.
The UK is but a fraction of the size of BC, no mind the whole of Canada....but has 30 million more people living there. They were clearing trees for farms and ship building at least a thousand years before the invasion and takeover of what is now Canada. In regards to your question, its hard to say also, because I cant be in 2 different places and times at once. What did surprise me more than anything about Canada, is the lust for money and consumables. Advertising, sales, finance is everywhere.....just to buy consumables. Take for example my recent visit to the coast, which kicked off this discussion about clearcutting. There's nobody out there. Some of the most beautiful country in Canada, or arguably in the world as you know, and its free....but instead every one is in the malls, consuming....technology, fashion, jewelry, Boston Pizza, Starbucks ! Where was this lust for consumables learned from, and by whos initiative ? My kid is 9 now. She only knows about the Coast, forest, logging and fishing because of what Ive told her, not from school or the media. But shes learning about Google and Facebook at school....how about that.
My feelings are if the forests was more publicized, had more visitors, if the people were encouraged to get out there and enjoy all that natural beauty that's free....the logging companies or corporations more like, standards whatever, would have to clean up their act. I think 10 -15 year old derelict cut block would become less and less. They'd probably become smaller too. When I asked you earlier what it is to be a Canadian, I suppose Im also asking, Is there a difference between now and say 20 - 30 years ago ? Not so much yourself Justin, but societies values in general. Thanks, I'm not meaning this as a Canada bashing post, don't take it that way....but in many ways living here was not what I expected.