Paul Sakuma/The Associated Press
So Canadians, you think you're polite and likeable, eh? Well, it appears some Americans would beg to differ.
Tired of dealing with Canadian cross-border shoppers, customers of the retailer Costco in Bellingham, Wa., are seeking shopping hours reserved exclusively for Americans, according to the CBC.
A Facebook page, called "Bellingham Costco needs a special time just for Americans," has generated more than 2,000 "Likes" and plenty of comments from supporters and Canadian defenders alike.
The description of the page reads (in imperfect grammar): "You all been there. its hard to find a parking spot. Them Canadians can be rude. The lines are crazy. We aren't on a vacation and have an RV to hang out in like those Canadians. We just want to go shopping, not go on an adventure."
It's not that the creators of the Facebook page hate Canadians, a post goes on to explain. It's just that Bellingham is a small place, and local laws that prevent big box stores like Costco from expanding make it difficult to accommodate crowds of Canadian shoppers.
"Yes there are crazy stories about the rudeness, we are a small town with guests that have big city attitudes," it reads. "…Basically, how would you feel if 10 extra people landed in your house out of your control and government officials wont let you do anything about it."
The president of Bellingham's chamber of commerce is asking locals to be patient with Canadian visitors, whose business contributes to the city's economy, CBC reports.
"In the last two years, our sales tax generation has doubled or tripled the pace in the rest of the state, and it's almost entirely because of Canadians coming south," Ken Oplinger told the CBC.
A senior vice-president at Costco also told the CBC that the store is not looking to change its policy; anyone with a Costco membership can shop at any of the company's locations.
How often do you visit the U.S. to shop? Are you conscious of how Americans perceive you when you cross the border?
Wency Leung