Comment by mjfern

Yes, I lived in Canada for three years, and had the impression that the electronic transfer capabilities of their banks surpassed what's available in the U.S. Perhaps this is due (in part) to the fragmentation of the banking system in the U.S.? In Canada there are essentially five banks that dominate the banking industry - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_(banks). There is also more regulatory control of banks in Canada, which likely makes it easier to require standard operating procedures, consistent infrastructure, etc.