Yeah prior to WWII it was like, 'well we have a war now, lets go learn how to fight in one'. Now we're pretty much with our finger on the trigger waiting for something to happen.
I only recently found this out, but NewFoundland and Labrador could have been part of the US in a brief moment. The region was bankrupt and gave some thought to approaching the US to have them absorb it as territories, but the UK thought it would be better for them to go to Canada. Had they went to the US, I imagine Canada would have felt a little claustrophobic.