Canada's not so nice, after all

I wouldn't be surprised if Quebecors had more anti-American views, but Quebecors have a lot of Quebecors seem to have "anti-everyone-but-them" view so I wouldn't take it personally.

"Health care, education, welfare, immigration, unions, etc."

Health care, education, and welfare are more socialistic. But our national policies are in-line with the G7/8 countries - you make it sound as if we're the opposite of the US,

Why, yes...you AND they are.

but that isn't the case. The US has been pushing for a more socialist health care system for decades,

No, No, NO! The US has NOT. Just the Euro wannabe, left wingin' Socialist DUmmies have been.

as well as putting more money into education - how's that different than what Canada does?

I have no problem with more money, as long as it is wisely spent and garners the desired results, it's way they get the money that gives me goose bumps on my hives.

As for how our immigration policies or unions make us more socialistic - I have no idea what the heck you're talking about?

Of course you wouldn't.

"That would be your OPINION"

Why is that everything I write is my OPINION or hearsay, but everything you write I am supposed to take as fact?

What I write is MY opinion, take any way you like, or even not at all.

If you don't believe me then I suggest you do your own research - there are lots of other sources that rate national economic indicators.

Maybe there are, but how many of them are true? I live in the so-called oppressed and dirt poor South. I can tell you, with empirical knowledge, po' in the US in bling-bling in most countries I've been to.

Interesting article that you attached, by the way. You seem to be taking every comment I make as an attach on the US - I am NOT attacking your or the US. All I have been trying to say is that the US isn't perfect either.

Really? With that litany of...we're so superior to you... your not attacking us? I feel attacked. I feel there is a movement of Socialist/quasi-Solcialist countries in the world that are working hard, by way of attacking every thing that makes America great, to bring us down. A very much focused and concentrated effort, at that.

Is there a problem with that statement? Every effort I make to try to bring balance or provide an explanation just seems to return more attacks about how much Canada sucks.

But you can fix that. Start by reading our Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and as an appetizer, everything Ronald Reagan ever said, wrote or thought.
"Uh...the UN? ROFLMAO!"

That's a true sign of respect for an international organization. Obviously you feel the same as Bush does.

Now there, you are dead wrong! If it was up to me, I'd run 'em all over and shove 'em in a landfill with my John Deere. OK, now that was un-called for. But I think President Bush is way too nice to them. Honestly, I'd like to see us out of the UN and them out of the US. Look at it this way...the US is a country of about 300 million of the most productive, honest, law abiding, God fearing, capitalists' in the entire world, free or otherwise... and you want us to respect and obey and be judged by a group of 3rd World Socialists, who have contributed a, oh...let's see here, a grand total of NOTHING, to the world or even their own Countries??????? I repeat myself...
"Uh...the UN? ROFLMAO!"

"You mean that's all it takes to instill confidence for you? What you h e a r ?"

Again, a double-standard - everything that you've told me so far (with the exception of the poverty article) is based on what you h e a r.

An ASS-umption on your part.

YOUR PRESIDENT DID NOT EVEN KNOW THE NAME OF OUR PRIME MINISTER!

Oh, I see you paid good money to watch farencrap 911, that was taken out of context. I'm sorry, I just have to say this... You have a Prime Minister?

And you think our politician's are denigrating? As for the media...

1) the media prints what will sell (that's no different for the free press in any country)

2) "every major (and minor) newspaper" - and you bug me for basing things on what I "hear"? Just what are you basing this "fact" on? You have a report somewhere that lists all of our major and minor papers with a breakdown of which ones have reported negatively on the US?

Actually, I do. Want one for yourself? Start here:

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/

if you need more, I have about 367 to go.

Have you read your own papers recently? I read US papers too, and I have to tell you that the US government doesn't exactly get reported on positively in every article I've read. It's the news. You make my point for me. Tell me the last time Canada was reported on positively in a US paper.

Oh, gee, I don't know...hmmm...when was the last time Canada saved a few million lives? Contributed 1/10th of what the US does to world hunger, aids, education in 3rd world countries, disaster relief, etc? When was the last time Canada, or ANY Socialist wanna be country, put their asses on the line for a PRINCIPLE? Spill blood for it. Take a public relations beating for it. Forgo trillions of dollars for it? Oh, no. If it's not popular, then it's not for us. If we can get hurt, then it's not for us. If it costs us money, then it's not for us.
But, you did contribute a nifty little arm for the shuttle.

3) Your own media, from TV to paper, from serious broadcasts to the Daily Show, all make fun of things that happen in the US, and of the political parties.

That's right, we do. I can call my Sister fat. If you call her fat, I'll come down on you with a wrath the likes of which you'll never again feel. Does that explain it?
(and I'd never call your Sister fat, either)

4) can you find me a speech that Bush has done that illustrates him as a brilliant and illustrious leader? This is definitely my OPINION, but when Bush speaks I have seen no shortage of material to portray him as a less-than-brilliant leader.

Shows just how prejudiced you really are. I can think of several like lightening, his inauguration speech, then the 9/11 speech.

With regards to the Iraq comment - Iraq has been part of political discussions

STOP! right there, bucko. No discussion. Just admonitions. Feet firmly planted on Terra firma, a big and resounding NO! from Canada. But, that's ok, it was a popular stand, after all.

in the past number of years (based on what you're saying I assume you are reading otherwise in the US media). The past Prime Minister and Bush did not get along well;

To be fair, that's who I was mocking. Martin isn't totally anti-American.

BR>
"Let's not forget, without U.S. your unemployment rate would be around 15%"

Let's not forget that without Canada you would have millions of people without power (the US imports alot of power from Canada), many of your businesses rely on natural resources from Canada, and that US is a trade-deficit country.

The operative words here are the...US BUYS, hence the employment benefit we provide.

Yes, we are a trade deficit country. We can AFFORD to be. (my tongue is sticking out at you,lol) And it's just another example of our overwhelming generosity. Just like letting you guys assemble our cars for us.

"But, thanks for the Shuttle arm, we use it to launch secret space missiles and spy sat's. :)"

You're welcome :) And, by the way, you are also welcome for the several Canadian engineers that helped launch the US aerospace industry as a whole.

And they're welcome for their huge paychecks.

"As for your beer, never touch the stuff, I prefer American Jack Daniels and American Coca Cola."

Too bad - your loss! Why do you seem to have such a anti-Canadian view on things? Is it based solely on the belief that Canadians hate you so you want to hate us back? I feel like I ran over your dog or something! Why the intense hatred?

I don't hate. I strongly dislike anyone who hates MY Country.

So that you know...I have lived in several Countries, and visited many others. I love meeting new people, learning about other cultures, it's one the pleasures in life that I cherish most. However, all of this anti-American crap has ruined 35 years of memories for me. My wife is Euro, we had a place in Euro. We last visited in 2001 just after 9/11. I can't tell you how many people, especially in France, told me, with hate filled voices, it's the fault of the US for the terrorists in the world and we deserved what we got. I was shocked, hurt, dismayed, and let down. I was on a cruise on the Bodensee which is on the borders of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, and a woman, upon hearing me speak english knew I was American, started screaming at me...how terrible you Americans are. If I never set foot outside the US again, that's fine with me. And our "friends"...like Canada...stuck it to us along with the rest of them.

So, enjoy the feeling while you can, you're in the popular majority for the time being, but NEVER, EVER, count America as being down and out!

:O)

P

Hey - great response... (this has been fun)... not sure where to start...

"you make it sound as if we're the opposite of the US,

Why, yes...you AND they are."

I believe OPPOSITE is not the case - can we settle on different. All of the other G7/8 countries have more socialistic tendencies than the US - I'm not saying that's the way to go, but it's not like these countries are suffering from it. The US is not the only country in the world to have a strong internal economy, great people, great ideas, great inventions, and contribution to the world. Has the US contributed more to the world than other countries - yes and no - it really depends in what area you are trying to measure. In some cases it has likely contributed more than all the other countries combined, in other cases hardly at all.

"The US has been pushing for a more socialist health care system for decades,

No, No, NO! The US has NOT"

So this whole "health reform" thing that has been pushed for years is just a hoax?

"I have no problem with more money, as long as it is wisely spent and garners the desired results, it's way they get the money that gives me goose bumps on my hives."

Couldn't AGREE more - poorly managed money completely pisses me off too. Good to see we do agree on something :)

"As for how our immigration policies or unions make us more socialistic - I have no idea what the heck you're talking about?

Of course you wouldn't."

Okay?! That's kind of a nothing response - kind of like "I know you are but what am I?" Do you want to respond with something I can work with here? How exactly are our unions or immigration policy more socialistic?

"Maybe there are, but how many of them are true? I live in the so-called oppressed and dirt poor South. I can tell you, with empirical knowledge, po' in the US in bling-bling in most countries I've been to."

You are probably right - and again I believe the same can be said for the other G7/8 countries. As for other statistical sources - are you telling me that the only source you are going to believe is the US Census? Please tell me you're joking.

"Really? With that litany of...we're so superior to you... your not attacking us? I feel attacked. I feel there is a movement of Socialist/quasi-Solcialist countries in the world that are working hard, by way of attacking every thing that makes America great, to bring us down. A very much focused and concentrated effort, at that."

I guess I missed the part where I have pushed a "littany of superiority" on you! Are you saying that I personally have done that or that the rest of the world is doing it? Are you saying that the US has never pushed its superiority on anyone else?

"the US is a country of about 300 million of the most productive, honest, law abiding, God fearing, capitalists' in the entire world, free or otherwise... and you want us to respect and obey and be judged by a group of 3rd World Socialists, who have contributed a, oh...let's see here, a grand total of NOTHING, to the world or even their own Countries??????? "

As a bit of a side-note, are you aware that the US incarcerates a larger percentage of its population than any other industrialized nation in the world? What was that about law-abiding? And no, I don't expect the US to obey and be judged by the UN, but I do expect the US to listen - the UN is meant to represent the world and although the UN is most certainly not perfect (I disagree with a lot of their approach during the Iraq war), the fact is that they better reflect the perspectives of the nations that make up our planet than the US President does. Should the US President be single-handedly deciding political, economic, and military decisions for the world?

"An ASS-umption on your part."

Very witty.

"Oh, I see you paid good money to watch farencrap 911, that was taken out of context. I'm sorry, I just have to say this... You have a Prime Minister?"

Actually I saw the FULL news item years ago (before Fahrenheit 9/11) - although Moore may have taken the exact quote slightly of context, the message was the same. I have also read through the Fahrenhype site and thought there were some very interesting points there.

"I just have to say this... You have a Prime Minister?"

How wonderfully ignorant (but I did laugh)!

"Oh, gee, I don't know...hmmm...when was the last time Canada saved a few million lives? Contributed 1/10th of what the US does to world hunger, aids, education in 3rd world countries, disaster relief, etc? When was the last time Canada, or ANY Socialist wanna be country, put their asses on the line for a PRINCIPLE? Spill blood for it. Take a public relations beating for it. Forgo trillions of dollars for it? Oh, no. If it's not popular, then it's not for us. If we can get hurt, then it's not for us. If it costs us money, then it's not for us."

You are kidding right? I highly suggest you do some more research here before making such a far-reaching comment. The US is NOT the only country in the world that has contributed to world growth, world peace, world democracy, etc. As for spilling blood, PRINCIPLE, asses on the line - WWI, WWII, Somalia, Kuwait, Korea, etc. ring a bell (the list goes on and on)? And when exactly did the US join in on WWII? Also remember to base such contributions on a per capita or GDP/GNP figure rather than by country - if the US population is 10x that of another country then it's reasonable to expect 10x the contribution, is it not? Oh - and don't count the money thrown into countries as "disaster relief" after the US military has blown the crap out of them!

"That's right, we do. I can call my Sister fat. If you call her fat, I'll come down on you with a wrath the likes of which you'll never again feel. Does that explain it?
(and I'd never call your Sister fat, either)"

Fair enough (but you didn't post a picture of your sister so how was I to know)?

"Shows just how prejudiced you really are. I can think of several like lightening, his inauguration speech, then the 9/11 speech."

I guess we are not impressed by the same things. Oh - and I didn't say his speech-writers weren't good - I think his speech writers are great - the problem is when he has to think and speak for himself.

"I don't hate. I strongly dislike anyone who hates MY Country."

To be clear - I do NOT hate you or your country.

"So that you know...I have lived in several Countries, and visited many others. I love meeting new people, learning about other cultures, it's one the pleasures in life that I cherish most. However, all of this anti-American crap has ruined 35 years of memories for me. My wife is Euro, we had a place in Euro. We last visited in 2001 just after 9/11. I can't tell you how many people, especially in France, told me, with hate filled voices, it's the fault of the US for the terrorists in the world and we deserved what we got. I was shocked, hurt, dismayed, and let down. I was on a cruise on the Bodensee which is on the borders of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, and a woman, upon hearing me speak english knew I was American, started screaming at me...how terrible you Americans are. If I never set foot outside the US again, that's fine with me."

All I can say is "that sucks".

"And our "friends"...like Canada...stuck it to us along with the rest of them"

As much as I may disagree with certain political agendas or leaders, I do like the US. So can I be your friend :)

I've enjoyed the discussions - just one more question - "how much farther now papasmurf"!

:)

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