Canada continues its record of excellence in cold weather sports other than hockey, stranding 260 motorists between Sarnia and London due to a snowstorm yesterday, more than twice as many as the 100 stranded outside Buffalo on December 10.  Canadians patiently waited their turn to be rescued.  Americans not so much.  In a surprising related development, Canada actually found some military and helicopters to help, while the US relied on local sheriffs on snowmobiles.  Guess the US Military were busy elsewhere.

Canada Military Evacuates Motorists Stranded by Snow

Printed in The Wall Street Journal DECEMBER 15, 2010

By KATE LINEBAUGH…… “Canada’s military began airlifting hundreds of motorists stranded for 24 hours on a stretch of highway in southwestern Ontario, after a blizzard snarled traffic and caused a key U.S.-Canada bridge to suspend commercial traffic into Ontario. The Ontario Provincial Police estimate 360 vehicles were stuck as the storm dumped snow over rural Highway 402 about 20 miles east of Sarnia, Ontario. No injuries were reported.”

More than 100 motorists stranded on Thruway

The Buffalo News ^ | 12/11/09 | Lou Michel and Peter Simon

More than 100 motorists are stranded on the Thruway between Dunkirk and the Pennsylvania border, locked in by blowing snow since 1:30 a.m. when the Thruway closed.

Many motorists stuck in the snow have been in contact with state police by cell phone. State police on ATVs and Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputies on snowmobiles are trying to reach the stranded motorists.

WBEN caller Will from Derby said, "If the State Police and the Thruway Authority can’t handle this, call in the National Guard. We’re going on 13 hours out here with no food, no water, no lavatory facilities. It’s like a third world country."