With the world’s attention focused on the 2010 Jeux olympiques d'hiver à Vancouver, commentators everywhere are talking about Canada — Canadian life and culture, comment le Canada se compare aux États-Unis, et plus.

Here’s a sampling:

Forbes.com demande: Est-ce Le Canada au XXe siècle?

“…The 21st century is shaping up great for the Canucks,” thanks to a stable banking system, plenty of natural resources, and a strong housing market, , entre autres. See all “10 reasons why Canada is cheering.”

Is Canada too modest? Commentateur Timothy Egan, blogging for the New York Times Opinionator, écrit:

Why the lack of self-esteem? Canada — snap out of it! You’re gorgeous, bébé, you’re sophisticated, on vit bien.

….Vancouver is Manhattan with mountains. It’s a liquid city, a tomorrow city, parties égales Inde, Chine, Angleterre, La France et le Pacifique Nord-Ouest. Il est the cool North American sibling. Si seulement, et cela est vrai pour le reste du Canada, it didn’t feel the need to blush.

Dans Green Village: Vancouver’s medal-worthy Olympic Village, L' Huffington Post dit que the place to live post-Olympics will be in Vancouver’s new Village olympique quartier:

Vancouver’s civic leaders believe that the athlete’s village built for the 2010 Jeux olympiques d'hiver, and the planned neighborhood that will surround it, sera one of the very greenest neighborhoods in North America. I am inclined to agree.

And it’s not just Vancouver, dit Offshore Shelter, qui demande Pourriez-vous être plus heureux de retraite au Canada?

If you’re looking for a decent standard of living for a fair price, une laid back yet sophisticated country, a place where you can grow old gracefully and with dignity, a nation with villes animées et des villes et beaucoup de stunning natural attractions – then yes, Le Canada pourrait être le bon choix for you.

(Want more about retirement in Canada? Here’s our earlier post on the Top 10 Place à la retraite au Canada.)

Et sur le côté plus léger, l' New York Times pèse également avec Ce n'est pas politique, mais plus de Canadiens Lefties:

What is the difference between a Canadian and an American? The old question is coming up again here at the Olympics, with answers involving eagerness for war, ketchup, the pronunciation of toucher or the ability to identify poutine et les Tragically Hip.

But none may be so simple as how one holds a hockey stick. According to sales figures from stick manufacturers, a majority of Canadian hockey players shoot left-handed, and a majority of American players shoot right-handed.

No reason is known for this disparity, which cuts across all age groups and has persisted for decades.

Happy reading!

Photo © Carolyn B. Vrai démon