ABSTRACT
Louisiana,andintheSpanish-speakingcommunitiesof statessuchasCaliforniaand NewMexico.
Thiscolonialexperiencehasaffectedthepolitical culturesandstructuresofthetwocountries,butindifferentways.Canadahasretaineditsallegiancetothe BritishCrownandhasadheredtoparliamentaryinstitutions,eventotheextentofcallingonechamberofits assemblytheHouseofCommons.TheUnitedStates, ontheotherhand,haslesskindmemoriesofthepast andhasresolutelysoughttoensurethatindividual politicalandsociallibertiescanneverbeusurpedbyan autocraticexecutiveagain.Bothcountriesrankhighin humanrightsratingsbutthesehavebeenachieved through differentpoliticalroutes.
