Canadians: Who are you voting for and why?

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Dexion

Higher costs, less selection, and slower availability of technology

You must be totally oblivious that the US has the highest product costs? Haven't you wondered why everything is made in Asia? Secondly, technology isn't USA's forte other than military power. There are other more technologically advanced countries than USA in the world, look around if you haven't noticed yet.

Link to back up the first claim. Link to back up the third claim about technology. Cell phone technology isn't the creme' de la creme of the world. Asia may have some more advanced roll outs of tech, but we rule in the realm of everything else.

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: Dexion

Originally posted by: yllus
Do you really think without free trade we'd be better off? It was a sink or swim situation.

Yes I truly believe so.

Taken from the CIA World Factbook:

The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close cross-border relationship, the economic sluggishness in the United States in 2001-02 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy.

Yeesh. Dude. Think about what that blurb means. When our biggest customer's economy went south, ours did too. What an incredible surprise.

The benefits of NAFTA to Canada have been incredible. Think of how fscked Ontario's auto and auto parts workers would have been today had trade subsidies stayed in existence. Textiles. Electronics (ATI, Matrox, Research In Motion). Cattle. Minerals. Lumber. Pulp. Electricity. Our trucking industry would be in a shambles if they had to stop at the border and pay fees for the materials they carried. What the US got out of the deal was access to our natural resources; do you figure we're going to run out of trees anytime soon? (Electricity is our own damned fault for being shortsighted.)

Lastly, per capita means proportional measurement. The U.S. does in fact have lower unemployment rates than we currently do. Why even argue this point?

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Mill, please march out of the thread. Your chest-pounding is bringing no new information relating to the OP and is only antagonizing members so that you can stroke your ego. Seriously, give it up nobody wants to read US GDP figures in a canadion election thread.

How about you shove off?

I dunno about that, It seems your economy is already in collapse mode. No offense, but as a smaller country we are doing fine economically.

When that is said I will respond with facts. I've posted little rhetoric(other than my first post), and after that nothing but facts, and a strong opinion based on those facts. In my first post I was actually joking, but I see Canadians have very sensitive egos. You all can't stand it because you're our lackeys.

And you wonder why Americans come off as egotistical bastards...

The truth hurts mean the insults have to come out don't they?

Not really. This is a thread for Canadians about the Canadian election coming up. We are discussing platforms of the parties, past performances, and predictions for the future. You came in here and started to belittle our country. Go fvck yourself and start a "The USA is so great" thread where you and your kind can stroke each other off to the star spangled banner if you want to, but keep it out of here.

 

[Dexion]

Yeesh, dude. Think about what that blurb means. When our biggest customer's economy went south, ours did too. What an incredible surprise.

Of course, I'm thinking about long term future for Canada. I'm sure this will offend alot of Americans here, but I feel the USA has reach it's peek of the graph, and will level off in sooner or later within the next 50 years. Because of our reliance on the US economy it will bring negative impact on the Canadian Economy.

 

[Dexion]

Not really. This is a thread for Canadians about the Canadian election coming up. We are discussing platforms of the parties, past performances, and predictions for the future. You came in here and started to belittle our country. Go fvck yourself and start a "The USA is so great" thread where you and your kind can stroke each other off to the star spangled banner if you want to, but keep it out of here.

Can't say it better myself!

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Dexion

I've already posted the total GDP of the US, and our deficit doesn't detract from our economic progress in the slightest. Secondly, you expect me to take some random "Green" website as a stunning indictment of world economic indicators? You actually think they impeach the Washington Times, the Cato Institute, and the CIA? I think not. You're trying to act as if I'm taking you on a side argument, but you're the one who stated the US economy was crumbling. That couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, we're experiencing very good growth right now. Finally, when it concerns the deficit you should really understand government spending, and economics. Canada spends about 40% of their GDP a year, and the US spends about 30%. We still manage to have the most massive military power, largest economy, best technology, and most disposable spending of anywhere on earth. That's because our citizens have the freedom to do what they want.

Can you quit it with your Pro-USA this and that? This never became a US vs CAnada thread. Would you kindly create one? Sheesh.

BTW you didn't answer my question about your national deficit and total national capital. I think your goverment is experiencing economical denial as the US government is constantly injecting a lot of money back into the economy to "maintain" it's growth. You can be oblivious about the fact and not read about what's wrong with the GDP. The GDP cannot be the only index to look at, it can hide alot of truths most notably "GDP IGNORES THE DRAWBACKS OF LIVING ON FOREIGN ASSETS"

Makes me wonder if the war in IRAQ had anything to do with this. Ontop of that, you might want to look up American history in economics and you'll soon figure out why China is now growing so quickly.

You're complete lack of economic insight, makes me think you've got a HS diploma at best. Where did you get your economics degree from? Our deficit is completely insignificant compared to our GDP, and we've actually injected less governmental money into the economy -- compared to the mid to late 90's under Clinton. We've actually used tax cuts, and interest rate philosophies to combat our recession. China is growing quickly because they've freed their labor market to some degree, and have higher disposable spending. You can't ignore China's massive population either. Raw labor and cheap wages will make any country be on the forefront for production. Things are produced more in Asia because of CHEAP labor, and not because of technology.

According to a UNDP study this July, Finland is the most technologically advanced country in the world. The Human Development Report 2001 states that Finland clinched top position from the U.S. in part due to greater Internet availability and the population's better technological know-how on average.

So, one country is more advanced than the US and that's basically ignoring our biological and pharmacological superiority.

This looked at factors such as the technological skills of citizens, the extent of Internet use and ability to use technology in a network economy. Specifically, the percentage of patents granted to residents, receipts of royalties and license fees, number of Internet hosts, percentage of high and medium technology exports, number of telephones, consumption of electricity, average number of school years and gross tertiary science enrollment ratio were the key criteria.

When you figure in the US's massive size compared to Finland, you'll see how absolutely stunning it is that we have as advance comm, internet, and other systems compared to countries that are the size of some of our smaller states.

Our deficit is less than 5% of GDP, and one strong year wipes it out(as you saw during the Clinton years). Now, as for long-term debt, any smart economist knows that maximizing the use of credit is smarter than relying solely on real money. I should add -- smart usage of credit, and sometimes we aren't doing that. I will give you that point, however, our Bond ratings remain fine. We're in no danger of default, especially with our strengthening economy.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Mill, get it through your thick skull nobody cares about your US-related figures in this thread as they are irrelevant to the OP. Please create another thread to boast them, if you still feel they are worth sharing with everyone.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Mill, please march out of the thread. Your chest-pounding is bringing no new information relating to the OP and is only antagonizing members so that you can stroke your ego. Seriously, give it up nobody wants to read US GDP figures in a canadion election thread.

How about you shove off?

I dunno about that, It seems your economy is already in collapse mode. No offense, but as a smaller country we are doing fine economically.

When that is said I will respond with facts. I've posted little rhetoric(other than my first post), and after that nothing but facts, and a strong opinion based on those facts. In my first post I was actually joking, but I see Canadians have very sensitive egos. You all can't stand it because you're our lackeys.

And you wonder why Americans come off as egotistical bastards...

The truth hurts mean the insults have to come out don't they?

Not really. This is a thread for Canadians about the Canadian election coming up. We are discussing platforms of the parties, past performances, and predictions for the future. You came in here and started to belittle our country. Go fvck yourself and start a "The USA is so great" thread where you and your kind can stroke each other off to the star spangled banner if you want to, but keep it out of here.

So sully(being Canadian and all) is a turncoat then? I'm trying to figure out how my advocation of a free labor market and capitalistic policies makes you Canucks frantically cry about every US policy uinder the son. All of a sudden Iraq gets brought up, and as usual the Canadian Penis envy makes you all cry and beg that another thread be started. Dexion is the one that took my sarcastic comments so personally. If you knew anything about me you'd know I actually respect the hell out of Canada, do business there, and have Canadian friend(hi to the Skoorbs). However, I don't believe in delusional people that state the US is on the brink of economic collapse, or that I should STFU because I'm not Canadian. Have you seen what P&N is mainly made up of? Whiny Canadians bitching about OUR government, and sticking their nose in every corner of it. Turnabout should be fair play, but as usual you whine like sniveling little bitches when someone calls a spade a spade.

Fact is, most Canadians are unable to admit their place in the world, and admit the US is actually economically superior. Rest on your social laurels all you want, but those policies have a serious detriment on your national economy. You can bitch and whine and say this was an election only thread, but Dexion is bringing up just as many issues as I am. I'm not sure WHY you think an American can't comment on the Canadian elections, but Canadians are free to snipe on the USA any chance for our military, economic, and social policies. That's life my friend, and the beauty of the internet.

 

[RabidMongoose]

Originally posted by: Dexion

Higher costs, less selection, and slower availability of technology

You must be totally oblivious that the US has the highest product costs? Haven't you wondered why everything is made in Asia? Secondly, technology isn't USA's forte other than military power. There are other more technologically advanced countries than USA in the world, look around if you haven't noticed yet.

I highly doubt that. The US is by far the most significant 'player' in research and development of new technologies. This is probably due to the overwhelming university systems the US has.

I suppose it depends on what you mean by 'technologically advanced'.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Dexion

Yeesh, dude. Think about what that blurb means. When our biggest customer's economy went south, ours did too. What an incredible surprise.

Of course, I'm thinking about long term future for Canada. I'm sure this will offend alot of Americans here, but I feel the USA has reach it's peek of the graph, and will level off in sooner or later within the next 50 years. Because of our reliance on the US economy it will bring negative impact on the Canadian Economy.

There is no evidence to support your opinion, thus it is just useless unfounded conjecture due to your bitter feelings about the US. Canada has no choice but to rely on the US, because there is not another suitable trading partner nearby. You don't have the labor force or infrastructure to trade wholly with anyone else. Go ahead, and please try it with the EU. I want to see how much prices will rise, and how soon you will beg the US to let you back.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: Mill
Fact is, most Canadians are unable to admit their place in the world, and admit the US is actually economically superior. Rest on your social laurels all you want, but those policies have a serious detriment on your national economy. You can bitch and whine and say this was an election only thread, but Dexion is bringing up just as many issues as I am. I'm not sure WHY you think an American can't comment on the Canadian elections, but Canadians are free to snipe on the USA any chance for our military, economic, and social policies. That's life my friend, and the beauty of the internet.

Thank you for stating your opinion, now can you please let us get back on topic?

 

[GL]

Originally posted by: yllus

The benefits of NAFTA to Canada have been incredible. Think of how fscked Ontario's auto and auto parts workers would have been today had trade subsidies stayed in existence. Textiles. Electronics (ATI, Matrox, Research In Motion). Cattle. Minerals. Lumber. Pulp. Electricity. Our trucking industry would be in a shambles if they had to stop at the border and pay fees for the materials they carried. What the US got out of the deal was access to our natural resources; do you figure we're going to run out of trees anytime soon? (Electricity is our own damned fault for being shortsighted.)

The Auto Pact was the predecessor of NAFTA and the Canada-US FTA. Ontario's auto and auto parts workers are likely no better off than they were before NAFTA because the Auto Pact existed prior to that. Actually, they may be worse off because Toyota and Honda recently got the Auto Pact nullified, and this was helped by the adoption of NAFTA and the ability for foreign companies to sue the Canadian government.

On the other side of the coin, Canadian manufacturers were initially dealt a death blow by the Canada-US FTA and factories moved south of the border to the U.S. in the late 80s to early 90s. I don't think NAFTA is by any means terrible. However, its benefits are difficult to assess because its inception occurred in tandem with the strategic weakening of the Canadian dollar and lowering of corporate tax rates to attract manufacturers back to Canada.

Lastly, per capita means proportional measurement. The U.S. does in fact have lower unemployment rates than we currently do. Why even argue this point?

Though this is generally accepted to be the case, it should be pointed out that the U.S. uses different calculations to arrive at their unemployment rate than Canada does. The two figures are not easily comparable, and so the discrepancy is usually a lot worse than it is in reality.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Mill, get it through your thick skull nobody cares about your US-related figures in this thread as they are irrelevant to the OP. Please create another thread to boast them, if you still feel they are worth sharing with everyone.

Wow, so that's why every thread about the US is full of Canadian bashers talking about Iraq, our president, and our guerrilla complex, but do it to Canadians and you all freak out. I guess you better get the "UN" to help you out on this one. If you haven't caught it yet, this forum is an international forum with American roots. That means pretty much any topic is open to all users, as long as they aren't constantly insulting users, or purposely derailing the thread. I've done very little of insults, but I've taken plenty for the ones I've dished out. Not only that, but this is the wrong forum for such a thread, and it is not surprising to have Americans comment no matter what forum on AT you post this in.

So far you've yet to post anything substantive and neither has silverpig. You've both attacked me, insulted me, and basically said what I have to say doesn't count. Dexion has done the same, but on a smaller scale. I see that verbosity and a debate is simply not a Canadian strength.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle

Originally posted by: Mill
Fact is, most Canadians are unable to admit their place in the world, and admit the US is actually economically superior. Rest on your social laurels all you want, but those policies have a serious detriment on your national economy. You can bitch and whine and say this was an election only thread, but Dexion is bringing up just as many issues as I am. I'm not sure WHY you think an American can't comment on the Canadian elections, but Canadians are free to snipe on the USA any chance for our military, economic, and social policies. That's life my friend, and the beauty of the internet.

Thank you for stating your opinion, now can you please let us get back on topic?

You've said that about 87 times now, but so far you've yet to realize that this is on topic. This will be election fodder for your election.

 

[Dexion]

You're complete lack of economic insight, makes me think you've got a HS diploma at best. Where did you get your economics degree from? Our deficit is completely insignificant compared to our GDP, and we've actually injected less governmental money into the economy -- compared to the mid to late 90's under Clinton. We've actually used tax cuts, and interest rate philosophies to combat our recession.

Deficit and GDP of course is significant! Come on, put it to lay-man terms. That relationship is; How much total money is being spent/used in respect to how much you owe. Which resuls to the ultimae question, how long it would take to be out of debt?

China is growing quickly because they've freed their labor market to some degree, and have higher disposable spending. You can't ignore China's massive population either. Raw labor and cheap wages will make any country be on the forefront for production. Things are produced more in Asia because of CHEAP labor, and not because of technology.

You might want to research why there is a higher disposable spending, it is somewhat related to the US. All the other facts such as labor, population, lower cost of living are not relevant to China's latest growth, all was true since the 1900s. I still think that Taiwan & Japan are in the forefront of technology and not the USA.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Mill, get it through your thick skull nobody cares about your US-related figures in this thread as they are irrelevant to the OP. Please create another thread to boast them, if you still feel they are worth sharing with everyone.

Wow, so that's why every thread about the US is full of Canadian bashers talking about Iraq, our president, and our guerrilla complex, but do it to Canadians and you all freak out. I guess you better get the "UN" to help you out on this one. If you haven't caught it yet, this forum is an international forum with American roots. That means pretty much any topic is open to all users, as long as they aren't constantly insulting users, or purposely derailing the thread. I've done very little of insults, but I've taken plenty for the ones I've dished out. Not only that, but this is the wrong forum for such a thread, and it is not surprising to have Americans comment no matter what forum on AT you post this in.

So far you've yet to post anything substantive and neither has silverpig. You've both attacked me, insulted me, and basically said what I have to say doesn't count. Dexion has done the same, but on a smaller scale. I see that verbosity and a debate is simply not a Canadian strength.

I have no interest (and neither does Silverpig, from what I can tell) in debating with you the strengths and weaknesses of either economic or social system. What I am interested in, on the other hand is watching the debate about the Canadian federal elections that was going on in this thread before you barged in and started shoving your rhetoric down everyone's throat. I don't think I can be any clearer about my intentions than that; if you would like to discuss the parties and/or their platforms for the upcoming election, I'm all ears.

edit: despite what you would like to think, US GDP figures are not part of the platform of any of the parties in the upcoming elections... Not that I've seen anyways.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: GL

Originally posted by: yllus

The benefits of NAFTA to Canada have been incredible. Think of how fscked Ontario's auto and auto parts workers would have been today had trade subsidies stayed in existence. Textiles. Electronics (ATI, Matrox, Research In Motion). Cattle. Minerals. Lumber. Pulp. Electricity. Our trucking industry would be in a shambles if they had to stop at the border and pay fees for the materials they carried. What the US got out of the deal was access to our natural resources; do you figure we're going to run out of trees anytime soon? (Electricity is our own damned fault for being shortsighted.)

The Auto Pact was the predecessor of NAFTA and the Canada-US FTA. Ontario's auto and auto parts workers are likely no better off than they were before NAFTA because the Auto Pact existed prior to that. Actually, they may be worse off because Toyota and Honda recently got the Auto Pact nullified, and this was helped by the adoption of NAFTA and the ability for foreign companies to sue the Canadian government.

On the other side of the coin, Canadian manufacturers were initially dealt a death blow by the Canada-US FTA and factories moved south of the border to the U.S. in the late 80s to early 90s. I don't think NAFTA is by any means terrible. However, its benefits are difficult to assess because its inception occurred in tandem with the strategic weakening of the Canadian dollar and lowering of corporate tax rates to attract manufacturers back to Canada.

Lastly, per capita means proportional measurement. The U.S. does in fact have lower unemployment rates than we currently do. Why even argue this point?

Though this is generally accepted to be the case, it should be pointed out that the U.S. uses different calculations to arrive at their unemployment rate than Canada does. The two figures are not easily comparable, and so the discrepancy is usually a lot worse than it is in reality.

Finally, a good post that lists facts. I've heard of discrepancies in unemployment rates, but never really found an explanation. Do you have anything at hand? I will say that the US has been attracting numerous foreign auto manufacturers(my state has gotten Hyundai, Mercedes, Honda) due to our willingness to give large tax breaks, and help create infrastructure for them. The amount of spin-off jobs due to suppliers and the trickle down effect is huge for us. Regardless, I thought that the unemployment rates were normed to those who reported being out of unemployment. I know that frictional unemployment is rarely counted, and that after cut offs for unemployment insurance some workers are no longer counted. I'd hazard to guess that it wouldn't really effect the figures too much, but it might make the gap slightly smaller or slightly larger.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Mill
So sully(being Canadian and all) is a turncoat then? I'm trying to figure out how my advocation of a free labor market and capitalistic policies makes you Canucks frantically cry about every US policy uinder the son. All of a sudden Iraq gets brought up, and as usual the Canadian Penis envy makes you all cry and beg that another thread be started. Dexion is the one that took my sarcastic comments so personally. If you knew anything about me you'd know I actually respect the hell out of Canada, do business there, and have Canadian friend(hi to the Skoorbs). However, I don't believe in delusional people that state the US is on the brink of economic collapse, or that I should STFU because I'm not Canadian. Have you seen what P&N is mainly made up of? Whiny Canadians bitching about OUR government, and sticking their nose in every corner of it. Turnabout should be fair play, but as usual you whine like sniveling little bitches when someone calls a spade a spade.

Fact is, most Canadians are unable to admit their place in the world, and admit the US is actually economically superior. Rest on your social laurels all you want, but those policies have a serious detriment on your national economy. You can bitch and whine and say this was an election only thread, but Dexion is bringing up just as many issues as I am. I'm not sure WHY you think an American can't comment on the Canadian elections, but Canadians are free to snipe on the USA any chance for our military, economic, and social policies. That's life my friend, and the beauty of the internet.

I haven't seen what P&N is mainly made up of because I don't frequent it. I don't bitch about the US in places where it's not supposed to happen. You complain about some of the whiney Canadians, yet you turn around and do the exact same thing. Many of us keep to ourselves and try to have civilized discussions in our own threads. I would hope that you would understand this.

Turnabout is fair play. Go find whoever whines in P&N and crap in their threads if that gives you a sense of accomplishment, but don't make blanket assumptions on Canadians and decide to ruin threads just because some 14 year old kid decided to cope with puberty in a pro-US thread over in P&N.

Your American ideas on politics and economy might do well in a US election thread, but you probably wouldn't like a Canadian ripping into US policy and pushing Canadian values in it. Guns kill, stop invading countries, help out the poor, etc. You don't like it in your threads, so why do you have to do it in ours?

 

[Dexion]

This will be election fodder for your election.

Actually, you'll be surprised how little we talk about the US. We are more concerned about our own issues: healthcare, military spending, income tax cuts and education issues. Foriegn trade is the least of our issues.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Mill, please march out of the thread. Your chest-pounding is bringing no new information relating to the OP and is only antagonizing members so that you can stroke your ego. Seriously, give it up nobody wants to read US GDP figures in a canadion election thread.

How about you shove off?

I dunno about that, It seems your economy is already in collapse mode. No offense, but as a smaller country we are doing fine economically.

When that is said I will respond with facts. I've posted little rhetoric(other than my first post), and after that nothing but facts, and a strong opinion based on those facts. In my first post I was actually joking, but I see Canadians have very sensitive egos. You all can't stand it because you're our lackeys.

And you wonder why Americans come off as egotistical bastards...

Notice how when we even bring something up, americans take it personally.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Dexion

You're complete lack of economic insight, makes me think you've got a HS diploma at best. Where did you get your economics degree from? Our deficit is completely insignificant compared to our GDP, and we've actually injected less governmental money into the economy -- compared to the mid to late 90's under Clinton. We've actually used tax cuts, and interest rate philosophies to combat our recession.

Deficit and GDP of course is significant! Come on, put it to lamon terms. That relationship is; How much total money is being spent/used in respect to how much you owe. Which resuls to the ultimae question, how long it would take to be out of debt?

China is growing quickly because they've freed their labor market to some degree, and have higher disposable spending. You can't ignore China's massive population either. Raw labor and cheap wages will make any country be on the forefront for production. Things are produced more in Asia because of CHEAP labor, and not because of technology.

You might want to research why there is a higher disposable spending, it is somewhat related to the US. All the other facts such as labor, population, lower cost of living are not relevant to China's latest growth, all was true since the 1900s. I still think that Taiwan & Japan are in the forefront of technology and not the USA.

lamon terms? Not sure what that is. Perhaps you meant lay-men? Anyway, we're at about 5% of GDP when it comes to our Deficit. All it takes is some budget trimming and a nice economic year and it is erased into a surplus. We've engaged in deficit spending for almost 50 years now, and I've yet to see the collapse. Again, I ask for a relevant source. Finally, labor, population, lower cost of living, etc are VERY relevant to China's growth, and the growth of ANY developing nation. Finally, Taiwan and Japan are NOT at the forefront of technology at all. Technology does not include just consumer computer hardware, and silicon based products. You've got to account for Bio-Tech, Oil-Tech, Chemicals, Pharm-Tech, Agriculture, Textiles, Machinery, and every other sector of technology. The US is THE most technologically advanced country in the world .Having 100mbps DSL lines doesn't make Korea better than us. Anecdotal and casual examples of their slight superiority in a category does not effect the overall label.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: Dexion

This will be election fodder for your election.

Actually, you'll be surprised how little we talk about the US. We are more concerned about our own issues: healthcare, military spending, income tax cuts and education issues. Foriegn trade is the least of our issues.

Yeah definately, the americans aren't even muttered about in our elections.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
Mill, get it through your thick skull nobody cares about your US-related figures in this thread as they are irrelevant to the OP. Please create another thread to boast them, if you still feel they are worth sharing with everyone.

Wow, so that's why every thread about the US is full of Canadian bashers talking about Iraq, our president, and our guerrilla complex, but do it to Canadians and you all freak out. I guess you better get the "UN" to help you out on this one. If you haven't caught it yet, this forum is an international forum with American roots. That means pretty much any topic is open to all users, as long as they aren't constantly insulting users, or purposely derailing the thread. I've done very little of insults, but I've taken plenty for the ones I've dished out. Not only that, but this is the wrong forum for such a thread, and it is not surprising to have Americans comment no matter what forum on AT you post this in.

So far you've yet to post anything substantive and neither has silverpig. You've both attacked me, insulted me, and basically said what I have to say doesn't count. Dexion has done the same, but on a smaller scale. I see that verbosity and a debate is simply not a Canadian strength.

I have no interest (and neither does Silverpig, from what I can tell) in debating with you the strengths and weaknesses of either economic or social system. What I am interested in, on the other hand is watching the debate about the Canadian federal elections that was going on in this thread before you barged in and started shoving your rhetoric down everyone's throat. I don't think I can be any clearer about my intentions than that; if you would like to discuss the parties and/or their platforms for the upcoming election, I'm all ears.

edit: despite what you would like to think, US GDP figures are not part of the platform of any of the parties in the upcoming elections... Not that I've seen anyways.

Dexion has made it known numerous times, that he considers Canada's dependence on the US to be crucial issue for him. However, the economy as a whole is an issue. This is not solely about foreign trade, and that shows your purely sophomoric view of the world and its many economic systems. I'm sorry you wish to censor me, but I'm trying to reply to posts that Dexion and others pose. You've actually contributed way less and crapped way more than my initial post.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Dexion

This will be election fodder for your election.

Actually, you'll be surprised how little we talk about the US. We are more concerned about our own issues: healthcare, military spending, income tax cuts and education issues. Foriegn trade is the least of our issues.

And yet Foreign Trade, your trade deficit with the US, you're dependence on the US are all issues that effect your military spending, your economy, and your social policies. Foreign trade in a literal sense might not be an issue, because it is set in stone. There is nothing Canada can do that wouldn't be economic suicide when it comes to its reliance on the US. I also consider your smaller GDP per capita, and increased GDP spending to be an issue when it comes to your ideas of social progression. It is obvious that the increased taxes to support your social systems are running off businesses, and your highly skilled workers. They can make a lot more in the US, live a higher lifestyle, and pay less taxes on the money that they earn. I think the erosion the traditional Canadian politics in favor of a socially progressive, yet economically disastrous government is an issue the Conservatives and other parties have raised. And although I'm not inundated with Canadian politics, I do understand the party conflict and stratification that the parties have when it comes to their economic, social, and military policies.

Hate on the US all you want, but eventually you're going to need another viable trade partner and military if you want to be completely autonomous of the US and our interests.

 

[Dexion]

Dexion has made it known numerous times, that he considers Canada's dependence on the US to be crucial issue for him. However, the economy as a whole is an issue. This is not solely about foreign trade, and that shows your purely sophomoric view of the world and its many economic systems. I'm sorry you wish to censor me, but I'm trying to reply to posts that Dexion and others pose. You've actually contributed way less and crapped way more than my initial post.

Sorry I'm not on the same level as you. This thread is focusing on improving Canada itself by choosing the next goverment on June 28th. I truly believe that the posts you made have had absolutely no relevance, relation or benefits of our choice for the election. I'll be surprised if you could name the leaders of each party and what their main proposals are before you run off to another internet site. We have not even talked about the difference in the parties since page 1 of this thread, so why not just keep out of this and start a new thread about "Canada's dependance on the US". If you can add anything towards the election, feel free to post.