America Could Have Been Canada

Americans were shooting off fireworks and celebrating their countries independence on the 4th and good luck to them although a quarter didn't know which country America was celebrating its independence from.
As a Brit i cannot tell a lie so for you 25% who don't know, it was the French.
Not really, it was us, and we would have won too if it hadn't have been for those meddling Frenchies but that is all in the past and America went on free from the chains of the oppressive British to land a man on the moon and give us Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
One can't help wondering though, if America had stayed part of the Commonwealth and been ruled over by the succession of Kings and Queens since mad old King George 3rd, what would have become of it?
Luckily, we know what would have become of it because Americans only have to turn their gaze north and there is Canada who is what America could have been.
A very nice flag, a decent ice hockey team and that's about it but very much liked and an all round and decent country. Yes, it is perceived as about as exciting as sitting in traffic but nobody has anything to bad to say about it. When was the last time an angry mob was on television burning the Canadian flag and calling for the death of the Canadian Prime Minister. Who is the Canadian Prime Minister anyway?
See Americans, you could have been Canada but you had to throw our tea into the harbour and do your own thing so it's your own fault you went on to give us brilliant music, great actors and some of the best television shows ever to appear on those little boxes in the corner of our rooms when you could have just paid the extra tax, drank our tea and recxeived a visit from Prince Edward every couple of years. Your loss.