I won't use the r-word, but there does seem to be a harsh tone when people say "the Chinese" instead of just "Chinese". When someone says "the Chinese", it sounds like some kind of conspiracy by an ethnic group. Yeah sure, some of it is linked to organized crime, but most are just people taking advantage of something that we are letting take advantage of. Just like Cancun or Puerto Vallarta is to Canadians, Vancouver is a resort town for wealthy Asians. I'm not sure what the appeal of Toronto is though. That one puzzles me.
If a Canadian owned a condo in Mexico, it would come off as a little more rude if someone said that it was owned by "the Canadians" instead of just "Canadians". Having said that, I think Mexico has some pretty strict ownership rules for foreigners. I think they prefer to do those "99-year leases" instead of outright ownership if you are non-Mexican, so maybe not the best example.
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