Is Canada's Economy a Model for America?

[TK-421]

Originally Posted by Lith

Pyan-

What would we want with a few stubborn Frenchmen that won't learn English?

No, it's either all of Canadia or none of it.

Like me or Celine Dion? Although I did have no choice bu to learn english being surrounded by a sea of anglophones.

[Parson]

Originally Posted by TK-421

Crap!! Sorry, man. I knew I got it wrong when I saw a report this morning on Obama and they refered to his win in The Hawkeye State as his launch pad towards the White House. I also remember another report on CBC that said that Iowa was the perfect place to hold the first primary because in middle America it is neither very conservative nor very liberal.

No problem! Iowa is indeed a good state to start the process, but we don't hold an early primary, we hold caucuses. I could explain them if someone would like, but I will assume anyone who wants to know already does.

Iowa, if it were any more populous would be a swing state. We voted for Al Gore in 2000, and W Bush in 2004. Both elections were close enough that a few thousand vote changes would have changed the whole election. What people have trouble with Iowa in the lead off spot (politically) is that Iowa is too "Christian" and too "old."

Now we are not actually part of the American Bible Belt, look south for that, but we certainly have more of a religious influence than the states on the West or East Coast. I have not heard recently, but I believe that it still holds true that Iowa has the highest average age for citizens in the US.

Most of the real complaining comes from the fact that so much political money gets spent in Iowa. It would amount to $20 or more per citizen. For my part the money which almost all goes for advertising is great for the state, but for watching TV with 3/4's political ads is the penalty they should have put on Saddam.

[Lith]

Iowa has more old people than Florida? (And is this because of young people moving out?)

Like me or Celine Dion? Although I did have no choice bu to learn english being surrounded by a sea of anglophones.

Well, if you're anything like Celine Dion, please- Stay In Canada! Otherwise, maybe there's hope for the future. But I doubt you'd leave Canada only to become a part of the US.

[Parson]

Originally Posted by Lith

Iowa has more old people than Florida? (And is this because of young people moving out?)

Well, if you're anything like Celine Dion, please- Stay In Canada! Otherwise, maybe there's hope for the future. But I doubt you'd leave Canada only to become a part of the US.

I am going to answer what I think you asked because obviously Florida is a much bigger state, and has many more old people.

Iowa has a higher ave. age for a couple of reasons. Yes, one of them is young people moving out. The best and brightest tend to head where pay would be 2 or more times what it is here. Many others head out state as well because common pay runs about 3/4's of the national ave. $10 an hour is considered an above average starting pay, and a lot of places never move much above that figure.

The second reason is related to the first. Our older people do not leave in as great a numbers as most northern states because on the whole they cannot afford it. Many farmers could--- if they sold out --- but that would take the family business away and they would have to pay huge capital gains taxes.

The third reason is that places like Florida and Arizona where old people tend to move is also a place where young people tend to move so the average age does not move up as dramatically as one might think.

There are some other factors, like strong families which tend to increase life span, a Christian ethic which frowned on smoking and drinking etc. but those are most cited as the chief reasons.

[TK-421]

Well, I learned something about Iowa that I did not know. I actually sounds alot like many more rural communities and provinces in Canada that do heavily depend on agriculture for its economy. Prince Edward Island is a good example, although it also has a strong tourism industry in the summer. I imagine however, that corn farmers in Iowa do quite well (and I seem to recall that there are alot of corn farmers), especially with the rise of ethanol.

[Wiglaf]

Originally Posted by TK-421

The last time the Americans tried to invade we burned down half of Washington (thus why it's called the White House because they had to paint it white afterwards).

You might not want to mention that especially since we only invaded after war was declared over the unlawful kidnapping of American citizens (impressment). We might start to think we owed you one and that third times a charm as you no longer have the British army to assist you.
Oh, while DC was burned, the former Presidential Palace was painted white by Teddy Roosevelt nearly a hundred years later.
I suppose you all still object to becoming states as you did in the late 1770s? Bummer.

[TK-421]

Actually I was referring to the War of 1812 and not the Revolutionnary War. Oh, and we also burned the Capitol.
See: War of 1812 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

We never became a state of any country but rather a Dominion in the British Empire (until Confederation - i.e. independence - in 1867).

[Parson]

Originally Posted by TK-421

Well, I learned something about Iowa that I did not know. I actually sounds alot like many more rural communities and provinces in Canada that do heavily depend on agriculture for its economy. Prince Edward Island is a good example, although it also has a strong tourism industry in the summer. I imagine however, that corn farmers in Iowa do quite well (and I seem to recall that there are alot of corn farmers), especially with the rise of ethanol.

I would say that you are right that it is probably like many other rural communities and provinces. And corn farmers (Iowa leads the US in corn production) are doing quite well this year. But this is a first for a long time. Corn was selling for something just short of $2 a bushel 5 years ago and also in 1917. If it would not have been for the massive increase in the bushels of corn grown per acre "all" the corn farmers would have gone broke or sold out instead of "only" about 75% of them. [During the first part of the 20th century corn an ave. of 50 bushels was respectable in Iowa dry land farming, today that figure is more like 150 bushels] Right now as we correspond corn is selling at historic highs. Chicago price about $5.15 a bushel, locally $4.75 or so. (I listen to the markets, but not like my farmers do!)

But --- very few of my farmers at least have any to sell now. Almost all of the crop is either needed for animal feed, or contracted before harvest so that a profit can be locked in. The price is being driven up right now because not only is the demand higher for ethanol, but also with the weak American dollar American commodities are more affordable. Also, surprisingly, the demand for meat is going up in many of the developing countries and that drives demand for corn and other feed grains. Finally the production around the world was not up to expectations.

[MontyCircus]

Originally Posted by TK-421

Now, that is insulting to suggest we have no identity of our own. I assume you have never been to Canada nor really know any Canadians.

Actually, I am Canadian

I don't think it's insulting at all to define ourselves as non-Americans. We definitely suffer (or I would say benefit) from the little-neighbour syndrome that was mentioned above. And neighbours don't come any bigger than the glorious nation of U.S.A.

America: hated by the world
Canada: loved by the world

America: warmongers
Canada: peacekeepers

America: wants to round-up millions of immigrants
Canada: multicultural

And other stuff like healthcare, guns, drugs, gays, etc.

It's kind of like having a drugged-out, abusive felon as a big brother. You don't have to do much to draw a favourable comparison, just keep your nose out of trouble

Most of it's just for fun and giggles (we sure do love that "burned down the White House" moment don't we? I should get a framed oil painting of that haha). Unfortunately, some insecure people tend to teeter over into "rabid hatred of America for any and all possible reasons" territory. I guess they don't realize that doing so makes them sound.....American

[TK-421]

Well, you took me by surprise and I now see my error in assuming how you meant your post. As a humble Canuck, I retract my statement.

If you want to see how advertisers have tried to use Canadian "pride" to sell beer, check out this ad from a few years ago:
YouTube - I Am Canadian

And, for Star Trek fans, William Shatner's (a proud Canadian) spoof at Montreal's Just for Laughs comedy festival:
YouTube - I am Canadian

[MontyCircus]

Originally Posted by TK-421

Well, you took me by surprise and I now see my error in assuming how you meant your post.

Nobody expects the Canadian inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise, surprise and love...wait...our two chief weapons are surprise and love....and humility. I'll come in again.

As a humble Canuck, I retract my statement.

As a fellow humble Canuck, I accept your retraction

If you want to see how advertisers have tried to use Canadian "pride" to sell beer, check out this ad from a few years ago:
YouTube - I Am Canadian

And, for Star Trek fans, William Shatner's (a proud Canadian) spoof at Montreal's Just for Laughs comedy festival:
YouTube - I am Canadian

We are a strange people ain't we? haha. Nothing more healthy and laughing at yourself

[Wiglaf]

Originally Posted by TK-421

Actually I was referring to the War of 1812 and not the Revolutionnary War. Oh, and we also burned the Capitol.
See: War of 1812 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

We never became a state of any country but rather a Dominion in the British Empire (until Confederation - i.e. independence - in 1867).

Uh, the kidnapping of our merchant sailors was what started the War of 1812.
I think your confusion is about the 1770s comment; that was a separate comment about not joining in our glorious revolution.
Canadians always bring that up(the burning thing); in school we always blamed the Brits. Was there a Canadian militia unit present or something? Also, do we get credit for conquering Quebec then?

And not even a counter offer on the union thing? If I was you, I would have offered to annex us or atleast make the US a Canadian colony.
Not good enough even to be a colony of Canada's; I just might cry.

I believe you have a parliament (Yuck); I don't know if you have a federal or unitary government. Do the provinces' have any rights and protections from the national government?

[MontyCircus]

Originally Posted by Wiglaf

Uh, the kidnapping of our merchant sailors was what started the War of 1812.

And the Gulf of Tonkin attack is what started the fun in Vietnam.

And Saddam's massive WMD stockpiles hidden in sand buried trailers is what started Iraq II.

.....................sure

[Wiglaf]

Originally Posted by montycircus

And the Gulf of Tonkin attack is what started the fun in Vietnam.

And Saddam's massive WMD stockpiles hidden in sand buried trailers is what started Iraq II.

.....................sure

Impressment

Yeah, Napoleon sucked but you can't take American sailors by force to man your warships.
Of course waiting a few weeks for news of the agreement to stop would have saved some trouble.
And what about my questions, Sir Canadian? Pretending to be Chinese, preposterous!

[MontyCircus]

Originally Posted by Wiglaf

I believe you have a parliament (Yuck); I don't know if you have a federal or unitary government. Do the provinces' have any rights and protections from the national government?

Yup, parliament. Federal government. The provinces have a lot of individual power. Particularly Quebec. Heck, we allow them to vote as to whether they want to leave or not! Imagine if one of your governors tried to start a movement like that in the U.S.? The Waco tanks would roll in again pretty quick!

Originally Posted by Wiglaf

And what about my questions, Sir Canadian? Pretending to be Chinese, preposterous!

I thought you were asking the other guy. And I ain't pretendin'. That's where I live and intend to stay. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em