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A pair of “horrified” Danish tourists are taking Canadians to task for being far too dependent on motor vehicles and, less directly, for our obesity and the general lack of fulfilment in our communities.

In an open letter sent to the Citizen and several Canadian politicians, including Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, the tourists denounce the smoggy, traffic-filled state of Canada’s major cities. (Scroll down to read the entire letter.)

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Holly Chabowski says she and her girlfriend made their observations on a recent five-week vacation to Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax.

Though the tourists call their journey through some of Canada’s busiest metropoles an “incredible adventure” where they met “the most wonderful Canadians,” their overwhelming impression of the country seems to have been “great oceans of car parks.”

We were treated like second class citizens compared to cars

“We were treated like second class citizens compared to cars,” according to Chabowski, who is originally from England but now lives in Denmark. “The air was dirty, and the constant noise from horns and engines was unpleasant.”