A Canadian TikToker is calling out Americans for their puzzling levels of ignorance about other countries — especially their neighbours.
Edmonton-based vlogger Camille Hill posted the video on Tuesday, responding to American TikToker Lexi after the latter made a video admitting she knew nothing about Canada, and laughing about it.
Since Lexi primarily covers travel-based content, particularly hacks that would help you save money while you globetrot, many found her lack of knowledge about her neighbouring country shocking.
“Americans really don’t care about foreign countries unless they’re going to go travel there and use them as their personal playground,” said Hill after watching Lexi’s video. “Canada is a full country. It’s not just there for you and your American friends to play Disneyland at, you know?”
She prefaced her video with a request to viewers about not bullying or harassing the uninformed American.
@camilllehill #greenscreenvideo #americanmoment #canada #alberta #sask #toronto #canada?? #canada_life?? #canadatiktok #canadiangirl ♬ original sound – Cami
It all started when another Canadian TikToker Tessa Conway, who has 1.3 million followers, posted an honest video last month complaining about how non-Canadians don’t really know enough about the True North.
“Describing Canada feels like a part-time job when you’re travelling and meeting people,” she captioned her video.
@tessa.conwaydescribing canada feels like a part time job when you’re travelling and meeting people♬ original sound – tessa conway
“When I was travelling, I feel like I had to explain a lot of things,” Conway shared. “Do people know it’s hot in Canada? I feel like people don’t.”
Several viewers, including Canadians echoing the same sentiment, responded to Conway. But one response truly caught the public’s eye.
Lexi’s video has since been deleted and her account is set to private, but you can still watch it through this stitch here:
@freetimesteph #duet with @Lexi | Cheap Travel Hacks ♬ original sound – Lexi
The American TikToker began the video by saying she knows nothing about Canada. “Canada’s not on my travel bucket list because it’s like, what is Canada?” she asked, laughing. “Well, I don’t know anything about Canada. Nothing. What is there to see in Canada?”
“Why does no one travel to Canada? Or do people travel to Canada? I just don’t know it,” Lexi asked, sharing that she only found out about the existence of British Columbia recently because her friend went on a trip, prompting her to look up the province.
She also added that she wonders why she doesn’t know enough about the country even though it’s right next to the US. But Hill believes it’s high time Americans stopped blaming their education system’s shortcomings for their blatant ignorance about places outside of the US and start taking some accountability.
“There’s Americans in the comments saying things like, ‘Our education system’s bad,’ and, ‘We don’t learn about countries other than America,’ which [is] fair enough,” said Hill. “I’m from Edmonton. Obviously, Alberta’s curriculum is famously pretty messy. But at some point, there’s a personal responsibility.
“You’re a travel page. You should be better read about the world and also about your neighbouring country,” Hill implored.
She went on to talk about other ways Canada and the US are connected and have been for years.
“We’re your neighbour. Our policies and trade deals affect you. We have shared Indigenous groups and history because, obviously, the border hasn’t always been there. Also, we’re historically allied nations,” the Edmonton resident went on.
The absurdity of all left Hill baffled — could someone really be so unembarrassed about such ignorance? Or was it all a joke?
“If you’re American, can you please weigh in? Because I’m so confused,” she requested. “Is this, like, standard, or was [Lexi] just being silly? Was it ironic? I don’t know. I’m confused.”
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