We (Canadians) Love and Hate 'Em (Americans)

The Calgary Sun ^ | March 7, 2003 | Stephen Lautens

[Mihalis]

What kind of a question is this? I never said I'm changing my citizenship. And even if I did, where's the problem? I didn't even say that Canada is a bad country. I only said that America is better, in my opinion.

[Protagoras]

I never accused you of saying anything, I asked you a question. The problem is allowing you to use our country as a steam valve.

I never said Canada was a bad country either.

I think you should leave. I have no power to make that happen. But if I did, you would be here to do a specific short term task or visit, never to live here long term. If you want the benefits of our hard earned freedom, join us unconditionally to the exclusion of all other loyalties or go back to the country where your heart lies.

And stay the hell out of our hospitals too. If you had no place to go, your system would collapse in a heart beat. (or lack of one)

And that from a person who likes the people of Canada.

[CanadianBacon]

You've got your facts a little wrong. Most of the terrorists you've had to deal with arrived at your airports and didn't cross through the Canadian - U.S. border. There have been exceptions, but the most notables (Sept. 11) come in with passports and documentation that gets them through customs at airports.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

I believe the Federal minimum wage law only covers Federal and related employees. I believe there are still at least five "right to work" states - a nice way of saying employers can pay however little they can get away with.

This guy is exceedingly ignorant and lazy, even for a "journalist". Had he bothered to check, he would've found that the Federal minimum wage law applies to everyone employed in the USA. He also would have learned that there are 22 "right to work" states which mandate the employee's right to work whether or not they are members of a union. It has nothing at all to do with the ability of employers to pay "however little they can get away with".

Always charming to see people inventing reasons to hate America. Gives you some idea of the world climate we're dealing with.

[WaveThatFlag]

Look I'm a Canada fan, but since 911 there have been multiple cases of terrorists aprehended who came into this country through Canada. And, in any case, my main point was that the US never invaded Canada. They invaded British territory when they were at war with England.

[Mihalis]

I'm sorry but you sound like a nut case. Totally irrelevant to what I have posted here.

[Protagoras]

I'm sorry but you sound like a nut case.

That's one way to avoid confronting what I said. On the other hand, you don't seem nutty at all. It's perfectly normal to want to have it both ways, the best of both worlds without responsibility. Playing both systems to your own advantage. It's not nutty at all, it's sadly all too common.

Totally irrelevant to what I have posted here.

The only thing I addressed was the exchange we had. I never even read, nor do I care about, your earlier posts. THEY are irrelevant to what I posted.

[Mihalis]

How have you concluded that I "play both systems"?

[Protagoras]

Are you here long term or short term? I am under the impression that you are here long term, correct me if I'm wrong.

[BJClinton]

US census data says that one third of Americans are without health care coverage.

I suppose it should be mentioned that 90% of the world's pharmaceutical advances are made in the US. I would love to compare the medical coverage I have vs. the Canadian universal care. And why did 250,000 Canadians come to New York hospitals last year if their healthcare system is so great?

Usually the US installs a local strongman or puppet...

It was called the Cold War, you may have heard of it? I'm not sure which side you supported.

Otherwise the US is quite happy to turn a blind eye to "allied" brutal dictatorships...

Dubya is changing that relic of the Cold War and you Socialists are screaming about it.

There are also dozens of much worse countries in the world where torture, famine and genocide occur on a daily basis (hello, Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, Ivory Coast and most of Africa),

And not a single one of them has WMD.

...or even about weapons of mass destruction that no one can find.

So, do you think he destroyed them all or was that just a cheap shot?

... to deflect criticism about what an otherwise rotten job he is doing..

And finally he shows his true colors.

P.S. Your beer still sucks.

[Oberon]

"Are they really so naive to believe that they can forcibly plant the seeds of democracy and have them flourish in the harsh soil of Iraq?"

The converse is to be so cynical that you write off 'the wogs' as being undesirous/incapable of living with personal liberties. The U.S. and other Western countries are filling up with people fleeing from those areas who give the lie to that contention.

Any attempt to nurture a U.S.-style democratic republic in Iraq is doomed to failure for cultural reasons. Our form of government is based on Judeo-Christian underpinnings and a common set of values derived therefrom, and while it has taken quite a beating in the 20th and 21st centuries, it remains in place largely because these values still form the basis of the western worldview even if many individuals in our culture consciously and vociferously despise the expressed values of their cultural heritage per se.

Islamic cultures, unless artificially pushed into other forms of government by secular concerns (witness Pakistan and Iraq), inevitably tend toward a Caliphate. Attempts to plant democracy in Iraq will last as long as we pump the occupied country full of soldiers, guns, and money, and not thirty seconds longer.

That's my prediction, anyway, and I'm sticking to it!

[Mihalis]

I suspect your concern is with those Canadians who live in the US and go back to Canada to take advantage of the free medicare.

You don't have to assume that every Canadian who lives in the US abuses the Canadian health system. If you are gainfully employed in the US, you have adequate medical coverage.

The Canadian health system is superior to the US system in terms of access. In terms of quality, the two systems are equivalent.

Keep in mind that "superior in access" does not necessarily mean better. There is a huge cost to tax payers in Canada, who have to subsidize the health care of those who do not work. The decline of the Canadian dollar (from parity in the 70's to 65% now) is one of the many outcomes of this subsidization philosophy.

I am not against universal access. But it comes at a huge cost and nobody knows who is paying what and for whom.

[Consort]

But come to think of it, the last country that invaded Canada was the U.S.

Canada is being invaded, as we speak, by illegal immigrants and nothing is being done about it. Is The Calgary Sun just another Maple Leaf Rag?

[Protagoras]

I suspect your concern is with those Canadians who live in the US and go back to Canada to take advantage of the free medicare.

It is only one small part of my concerns. And they do not apply exclusively to Canadians.

The Canadian health system is superior to the US system in terms of access. In terms of quality, the two systems are equivalent.

You are inhaling. Access means timely treatment and testing. Superior? You could die waiting in line behind some older person with nothing to do looking for a friendly, compassionate visit with their doctor.

The socialism in your country cannot exist in a vacuum without suffering by it's citizens. But this is all off topic for my point.

You didn't answer the "term" question, not a surprise. Go home.

[snooker]

US dollar $1 Canadian dollar $.65. Used to be 1:1.

snooker

[Mihalis]

Thanks for sending me home...LOL

...it confirms my "nut case" comment was accurate.

[CyberCowboy777]

I am not sure but I think he is driving at these questions:

If you love the USA and are here long term why not become a citizen?

Why take advantage of all that US citizens have created and yet stay a Canadian?

If you love Canada enough to stay a citizen, why not stay in Canada?

That is what I got from his post and the questions seem legitimate.

[Mihalis]

His questions are not at all legitimate because he doesn't know what my citizenship is, nor does he know how long I have been here. I assume he knows how long you need to be a resident before you can apply for citizenship.

[CyberCowboy777]

You said "I am a Canadian living in the US..". That leads me to believe you are a Citizen of Canada.

As to how long you have been here, it is left to assumptions. You can clear it up though.

How long do you have to be a resident?

Please understand that is bothers some of us when folks choose to take advantage of our greatness and yet reject of citizenship, or play both sides for personal gain. It is a matter of respect.

I know nothing of your status, nor do I assume. I simply wanted to bring some civility to a legitimate discussion about citizenship.