—Robert Bothwell, professor of history, the University of Toronto

Ideological Divide

“People say that the border between Canada and the U.S. is artificial and the people are the same on both sides. But Canadians have evolved differently, with a sense of fairness and equality that is not seen south of the border.

It may date back to our founding. The motto of the U.S. — ‘Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness’ stresses individuality, while Canada’s Constitution talks about ‘Peace, Order and Good Government,’ stressing a belief in the government that the U.S. doesn’t seem to have.”

—Eric Cohen, Toronto

Community vs. Profit

“There is a collectivist sentiment here that emphasizes equity and interpersonal decency (frequently manifested as Canadian politeness), one that supersedes the highly entrepreneurial approach that health care has long had in the U.S.

This is reflected in every step of the system, including the lack of private medical schools and universities. The health system attempts, with considerable success, to make collective health the goal, rather than emphasizing the intervention-heavy, irrational-life-prolonging-at-all-costs marketplace that is available to the select cadre of Americans who can afford it.”

—Dr. Erica Frank, professor of public health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Global Times

The Reader Center is the place to go with your story ideas, questions and feedback about The Times’s coverage. In turn, it’s also a forum for us to fill you in on how and why we do things.

Right now the Reader Center is looking for questions about how we cover the news for our international readers and, generally, what else those readers would like to see from us. Canadians make up the biggest chunk of our international audience. So I’m hoping that many of you will use this form to submit your questions and observations.

Answering your questions will be Jodi Rudoren, the editorial director of NYT Global, whose task is to find ways to improve the relevance of The Times to readers outside of the United States. Those efforts include our expanded coverage of Canada and this newsletter.