A
derogatory term for
Canada made by
isolationist conservative Pat Buchanan in response to Canada's criticism of
U.S. mandates for
Arab-Canadian visitors'
photos and
fingerprints. The
television host of the ratings-poor
Buchanan and Press MSNBC show made the remark on the show's October 30, 2002 airing.
Buchanan criticized Canada for, as he describes, being defended by the United States and paying nothing for that
defense. He also criticized Canada for being a
haven for
terrorists, saying, "Even their own retired security guys say it's a complete haven. We . . . need lectures from some people, not from Soviet Canuckistan."
In response to Buchanan's remarks,
Maude Barlow of
The Council of Canadians, attacked back, saying "We don't have snipers running around with guns...that's not our culture," a reference to the so-called
Beltway snipers then terrorizing the greater
Washington, D.C. area.
Buchanan has condemned Canada on several other occasions, saying in 1990 that if Canada shattered following the failure of the
Meech Lake Accord, "America would pick up the pieces." He also said that "for most Americans, Canada is sort of like a case of latent
arthritis. We really don't think about it, unless it acts up."
Lately, the term "Soviet Canuckistan" is being thrown around by many young Internet users with a
predisposition to mock America's
neighbor to the north.