[CivicBlues]

There's also something to be said about selection bias as well. Economic Immigrants of all origins to the New World likely had similar values (thrift, hard-work, overvaluation of educational credentials, undervaluation of political participation) Of course, many times these values are flipped around within a generation or two. But to ascribe such values and behavior to a specific race or nationality completely ignores the huge diversity in values and mannerisms in the homeland.

If you were a completely ignorant of the outside world living in the the US and they only allowed in tech workers and doctors from India and no one else, then you'd have the impression that all Indians are talented borderline geniuses. Put simply, a lazy poor person from India would be highly unlikely to make it to the shores of North America.

Same way I feel that the "Canadian Traveller" stereotype may be overstated. I've encountered many well-spoken, intelligent, contentious Canadian and American travellers abroad (I'd like think many of us are) in certain off-beat destinations - Mainly due to the fact you'd have to have a certain level of means and open mindedness to find yourself in such a place. In other destinations (such as all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean/Mexico, many top tier European/Asian destinations, etc.) you can find the same type of boorish, loud mouth behavior from Canadians that you would ascribe to Americans.