Canadian Spending in U.S. Drops
rising gas prices and a falling Canadian dollar have contributed to reduced U.S. visits and spending...
Subscribe to our comprehensive news feed
Check out our Web site dedicated to prominent Canadians in the United States. Here we provide news items and profiles on Canadians who have made it big in business, fashion, sports and entertainment. Find out which of our northern neighbors are living the American dream, including fashion moguls, high profile fortune CEO's, SEO software marketers, and more.
Dov Charney
Dov Charney, Entrepreneur In many ways, Dov Charney was groomed since birth for the creative and meticulous commitment required of him as C.E.O. of retail giant American Apparel. Charney grew up in Montreal, Canada, surrounded by creative parents – his father, Morris, was an architect, while his mother, Sylvia, was a sculptor and painter. Ingenuity and attention to detail was encouraged from the start. As a young man, Charney would take bus trips from Montreal to nearby U.S. towns. It was during these visits in the early 90s that he noticed the disparity between the comfortable casual clothing on store shelves south of the border and the cheaper polyester blends available in Canada.Border Security Stalls Canadian Truckers
Canadian truckers are bearing the brunt of increased U.S.-Canada border security put in place after the 9/11 terrorists attacks, according to a new report released by Transport Canada. The post 9/11 financial impact on the Canadian transportation sector is between $312 and $544 million, and the trucking industry has absorbed 80 percent of that cost, according to the study. “No equivalent magnitude of delay-impacts were observed for any other modes [of transport],” the report concludes, according to the Canadian daily The Globe and Mail. Trackers are just part of a Canadian – and American – workforce that has seen profits dwindle as a result of increased border fees and tighter security, which has slowed cross border traffic.Dave Thomas
Those lovable Canadian hosers are making a comeback, eh. After nearly thirty years, the actors behind the famous comedy sketch Great White North have signed a deal with Global TV to revive their characters for an animated series. Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis, reached iconic status in the mid-70s as beer-swilling brothers Bob and Doug McKenzie, have agreed to voice their animated characters and serve as executive producers. "We've got a very interesting offer from one of the big networks here," Thomas, 58, told Canwest News Service, according to the Calgary Herald. Set to air in 2009, the show takes place in the fictional Canadian town of Maple Lake and will be replete with Canadian slang, eh.Canadian, U.S. Regulators in Talks
Canadian securities regulators have agreed to meet with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to reach mutual recognition, The Canadian Press reports. Four provincial securities regulators – Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario – want closer integration with the U.S. S.E.C., which would grant Canadian banks and investment dealers greater business freedom in the United States. The talks come after the S.E.C. recently turned down offers to talk with Canadian officials because of the complications involved in dealing with 13 provincial Canadian regulators. "It's an indication we can have links with the securities commission in the U.S., just as we can in Europe," Quebec Finance Minister Monique Jérôme-Forget, told the Canadian daily The Globe and Mail.Guy Laliberté
Guy Laliberté, Founder of Cirque du Soleil. Guy Laliberté was born in Quebec City, Canada in 1959. By the time he was sixteen, he had produced several high school events and had settled on pursuing a career in the performing arts. Soon after graduation, he joined a folk music group called "La Grande Gueule" (Big Mouth), playing harmonica and accordion, experience that initiated him to the art of street performance. Laliberté dropped out of college to tour Europe as a busker and folk musician. By the time he returned to Canada in 1979, he had learned the art of fire breathing.John Candy
John Candy, Comedian Big man John Candy, the lovable loser from comedic film classics like Stripes and Splash, was gifted with a remarkable versatility and deadpan delivery that made him one of the funniest actors of his generation. Born in 1950 on Halloween night, Candy was raised in Toronto, Canada, mostly under the care of his mother and aunt. A heart ailment claimed Candy’s father when the comedian was an adolescent. “I was a real heavy kid,” he once told the Los Angeles Times, according to a report by the Gale Group. “I didn’t go out on a lot of dates. Saturday nights I stayed home and watched Carol Burnett with my parents.Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Granholm’s route to Michigan’s governorship – in 2002 she became the first woman elected as the state’s chief executive – has not followed a traditional path. No, she is not a former wrestler or action film star, but Granholm has tried her hand at acting and is the only sitting governor who can claim to have been a contestant on The Dating Game. She is also a naturalized U.S. citizen. Born in British Columbia, Canada, Granholm arrived in the United States in 1962, when she was 4 years old. After attending high school in Northern California, she moved to Los Angles to give acting a shot.Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson, Actress Pamela Anderson was born in Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada. Her great-grandfather was Finnish and she has Dutch ancestry on her mother's side. After graduating from Highland Secondary School in 1985, Anderson moved to Vancouver and worked as a fitness instructor. According to legend, during the summer of 1989, Pamela attended a British Columbia Lions football game at BC Place. At one point during the game, she was broadcast on the stadium screen wearing a Labatt's t-shirt, causing a stir among the crowd. Immediately after the game, Labatt's offered her a modeling contract. Later that year, Anderson also decided to model for Playboy magazine, appearing on the October 1989 cover.Mike Weir
Mike Weir, Professional Golfer If Mike Weir were to retire from professional golf today, he would be guaranteed a spot in the pantheon of Canadian sports legends. Weir vaulted to stardom in 2003 when he became the first Canadian to win professional golf’s most treasured prize – The Masters. “It’s such a thrill, something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid,” Weir told the Toronto Star. “This win is a win for me and my family, but it is a big win for Canada and Canadian golf and the fans that have been very supportive of me.” Although 2003 was Weir’s most successful year as a pro – he also took home the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and the Nissan Open – he struggled mightily with his game up to that point, almost dropping out of the game in the mid 90s due to poor results. 
