Canada as U.S. again

I notice that Canada stands in for the U.S. in so many television shows and movies. And especially for Christmas movies, more than half of those are filmed in the snowy Canadian north but supposedly take place in a northern U.S. location. It's small wonder that two of my Canadian friends each told me on separate occasions, with tongue-in-cheek and an air of resignation that Canada is just the 51st state. Yet each of them are proud Canadians and love Canada, although both admitted that the overly long, harsh winters finally got to them and they relocated south not just for the weather but for better job/career opportunities.