I'm not Canadian but I know the parts you drove through so maybe I can throw in my .02
the only industry is farming, otherwise folks leave those ND towns to go to metropolis' like FGO and mpls. Ag is too dominant, it holds everything else back. And even then, in ag, very few operations makes big money, lots of them go hand to mouth, even with all the incentives.
there is just no industry or real initiaitive to develop businesses up there and you cannot get folks to part wiht their money for anything. Once you cross and go into canada, the climate must change. I know there are some successful businesses just north of the border. They build prefab houses and also some places make granite countertops. I am sure there are many other businesses. Its because they need them there. In the US all that stuff is done elsewhere.
The economy in the US is very climate sensitive. People in the US with big jobs do not want to run businesses where it is colder than hell. But in Canada its cold everywhere so I guess people grow their economies as they need to, wherever they live.
My guess is also across the border people have a more focused attitude on life, because they are happy in Canada and don't feel the grass is greener. If you live in ND, or MT, or even SD you are always getting ripped about it, maybe it makes some folks more sour.
There are other parts in the US where you see parts that don't seem to be all movers and shakers. But they don't always have another country on its borders.
I think its what you make of it. I could move back to the GF / oSLo /ARDCH area and make of it what I could. I would just need to make good money. (even though taxes in GF are criminal and housing is way inflated there also) But in no way would i go to PEMBINA. I think if some folks would invest in some new industries and manage to make them successful maybe you'd see vibrancy. So bottom line, I don't think its that the Canadians are different, its just they their economy is more mainstream and that has cultural effects.