Posted on 07/05/2004 6:49:16 PM PDT by quidnunc
Within the next year or so, Canada could elect its most pro-American leader in memory. In the first part of a two-stage electoral transition, this week the Conservative Party, led by free market economist Stephen Harper, reduced Prime Minister Paul Martin's all-powerful Liberal Party to minority government status.
After governing Canada without serious challenge for the past 11 years, the Liberals replaced long-time leader Jean Chretien with Martin late last year. During the 1990s, the Chretien government was ideologically compatible with the Clinton administration. During the 2000 presidential race, the Canadian ambassador to Washington undiplomatically voiced support for Al Gore's candidacy.
From 2001 onwards, the Chretien government did little to hide its antipathy to the Bush administration's nominally conservative policy prescriptions. On one occasion, a senior Chretien aide referred to President Bush as "a moron." Chretien, himself, privately regaled fellow Liberal legislators with jokes at President Bush's personal expense.
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The difference reflects, in part, the Liberal government's own credibility problems stemming from a litany of political corruption scandals. It also reflects a gradual evolution of the Canadian electorate's attitudes and values.
Today, Canadians look more kindly on free trade, economic competition, and wealth creation than in the past, while they are somewhat more skeptical of big government solutions to social and economic problems. In truth, Canadians more closely resemble Americans than they used to.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at humaneventsonline.com ...
Some of us can remember when Canada was a free country.
It wasn't that long ago - just 40 years.
We may live to see her free again.
Canada's best course is for the western provinces to separate from Ontario and Quebec.
I don't think so. The liberals lost some seats because they were so flagrantly corrupt. But the majority of the voters in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes still want a free lunch.
I think we should be aggressively seeking to add Alberta, Manitoba, and Sonora.
Baja California-maybe.
B.C.-possibly. I love Vancouver Island, but there are a lot of commies there.
We should be encouraging Quebec independence. Ontario can suck eggs AFAIC, and the Maritimes can join if they give up welfare, otherwise, let 'em eat cod.
I think a lot of us would be happy campers.
We could deal with what was left of both Countries.
I watched the recent debates, and Stephen Harper is going to be a force to be reckoned with BTW.
Pros for Canada: we can order prescriptions online at 50% cheaper cost. way to go Canada.
Once again I have to state that Ontario is the largest provider of transfer payments to the rest of the country, not a recipient. Ontario voters seem not to care that the federal government does so little for them.
Now in the Atlantic provinces people tend to vote for whatever party they think will win the election, so as to be on the right side and get extra goodies.
Many Quebeckers on the other hand seem to think that they're getting the short end of the stick, when in fact Quebec is the largest net recipient of federal transfers, although not on a per-capita basis.
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and at times BC are also net recipients of federal dollars.
Man, things have changed a lot in a short time......it seemed so hopeless there not too long ago. Amazing.
We had this conversation before. Keep your durn hands off Vancouver. I got dibs.
http://www.unitednorthamerica.org
Canadians see unification into part of the USA as inevitable.
Close your eyes and picture this scenario:
If Canada ever becomes part of America, judging by their voting history, a Republican government will never be again.
Now that is scary Kerry.
Beauty, Eh?
I am fond of Canada and Canadians. The country is pleasant and the people the friendliest in the world (with the notable exception of Quebec and its populace).
Alas for the maritimes, their economies were exclusively dependent on the seal and cod fisheries, both of which are long moribund. Alaska and Hawaii were only admitted simultaneously to the union because one was reliably Republican and the other reliably democrat. This is why the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will achieve statehood when pigs learn to fly. I cannot imagine the sort of "Missouri Compromise" that would be necessary to take on any part of Canada but it sure seems unlikely that both parties could somehow divide it up equally. I do not see as we could afford to take on territories as our one and only colonial venture one hundred and five years ago (Philippines, Cuba and PR--Spanish American War "booty") is still costing us (Thomas Sowell went into some detail in one of his books how europe's vast colonial empires amounted to a lot of red ink when the pros and cons were added up). Canada will have to solve it's own problems. We can't afford it.
Personally, I don't want Canada to be part of the US. That would be a Royal headache. My suggestion on how we might help them keep it going on their own: give them Massachusetts.
Canada and Mexico as they presently exist must be destroyed-their national sovereignty is too robust to enable us to prevent their use as terrorist bases.
An emasculated Lower Canada, absorbtion of the West, free Quebec behind American guns and with basing rights, and Mexico driven beyond Veracruz will be much safer for us-and better for the lucky Mexicans and Canadians we take in.
Although it felt like a loss (due to the buildup in pre-election polls), the Conservatives did gain in the election. The Liberal government will fall within 1 or 2 years. Hopefully the Conservatives won't infight themselves to death and boot out Harper. Harper needs to prove himself to the eastern voters as the next potential Prime Minister. The voters fell for the Liberal scare tactics this time. It's similar to what the Dems pull on retired folk about social security every election cycle. Eventually the scare tactics won't work and there will be a Conservative government voted in. Too bad it wasn't on June 28 2004.
As for Canada, it won't ever join the US. It may adopt the greenback but even that would be decades off. Canadians are quietly but fiercely patriotic. And they remember in their history books how they beat back the American invasion of Canada in 1775 AND burned the White House down in 1813. History shows - don't mess with those hosers.
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