The US' greatest gift to Canada?
- Thread starter Machjo
- Start date
Awesome, a great gift even though it came at a cost to the development and maintenance of Anglo-Canadian culture (Quebec could care less)
And here I thought our standard of living was something we earned and DID NOT RECEIVE from the United States. Sigh, sounds like your grasping at straws here.
Canada might not spend as much as the United States but on a per capita basis we are still a top ranking country in military spending. The difference being, we waste most of on corrupt and overpriced contracts that result in a few "shock and awe" toys; whereas if we weren't a member of NATO, we would otherwise have a larger and more efficient military but for the same price.
Machjo, I was trying to call attention to the time when Canada was the beneficiary of American military spending, during the Cold War. That time period approximately coincides with the time our Heath Care System was created.
I agree with you opinion pertaining to military (in U.S.) and health care (in Canada) spendings present day.
Trotz,
American movie makers spend millions in Canada. Have you ever heard "Hollywood North"?
Do you think our standard of living would be as high if we were neighbours of China, or Russia? Or even Germany or France?
And let me add another American gift to Canada and Canadians: Florida and Arizona in the winter and Myrtle Beach for golfers anytime.
I agree with you opinion pertaining to military (in U.S.) and health care (in Canada) spendings present day.
Trotz,
American movie makers spend millions in Canada. Have you ever heard "Hollywood North"?
Do you think our standard of living would be as high if we were neighbours of China, or Russia? Or even Germany or France?
And let me add another American gift to Canada and Canadians: Florida and Arizona in the winter and Myrtle Beach for golfers anytime.
As long as we share a common language, there is no preventing influence on all sides. English Canadians, Anglo-Americans, Britons, Australians and New Zealanders read each others' books, listen to each others' songs, watch each others' films, etc. Short of dropping the English language, there is nothing we can do about that. And we needn't see foreign cultural influences as harmful to our own culture. We can embrace them as our own.
By the way, we French Canadians too read French, Belgian, Swiss, and other French-language literature from around the world, be it books, magazines, etc. along with watching their films, listening to their songs, etc. And of course the French read French-Canadian literature too. Granted the influence is not always balanced, but that reflects comparative populations obviously.
There is no doubt that our interactions with the US improved the standard of living on both sides of the border owing to the technologies and ideas we shared with one another. For instance, we can't deny the US influence on our own Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Agreed. Canada should leave NATO.
I'd still like to know how much of a threat the Soviet Union really was to us though. If it had such a hard time taking Afghanistan, how could it hope to take Canada?
I would love for old Soviet records to be dug up to see what plans the Soviets really had in mind.
I remember once reading that the Soviets apparently had an occupation plan against London, England. But again, under what circumstances was that plan to be put into effect? Was it intended as part of a pre-emptive strike or a reactionary one? Also, when was that plan drawn up? Right after WWII or much later? And if right after WWII, then was it taken very seriously later?
Honestly, I'm still not fully convinced the Soviets were a real serious threat to us as long as we didn't pose a threat to them. But I would love to see all those old files get opened up to answer that question once and for all. If it turns out they were never a threat to begin with, then that would mean that even during the cold wr our military spending was excessive.
America's gift to Canada?
We are forgetting the obvious, reminiscent to Edgar Allan Poe's story, "The Purloined Letter", not seeing something in plain sight.
The Internet.
Of course, the uber-liberals amongst us will consider that as a gift from Al Gore.
We are forgetting the obvious, reminiscent to Edgar Allan Poe's story, "The Purloined Letter", not seeing something in plain sight.
The Internet.
Of course, the uber-liberals amongst us will consider that as a gift from Al Gore.
Another way to categorize it: One could always start with the list of US films that are preserved by the Library of Congress in the National Film Registry.
National Film Registry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
What would you say is the US' greatest gift to Canada?
Easy ~ the USA gave you Gopher!
I always wondered what you looked like, and now I know.
And yes, though we don't see eye to eye on many points, I'm happy you're here. Not necessarily the US' greatest gift to us, but you are up there on the list, not far below the influence of the US Bill of Rights.
Oh, and Gopher, another gift you could give us would be if you could get your government to raise taxes and cut spending so as to get its budget back in order and the sooner the better so that Americans could afford to buy Canadian products again later on.
That's PRECISELY what I have been saying all along ~ tax the wealthy elitists who have sheltered trillions in untaxed assets and eliminate the military industrial complex. That will work wonders for the entire world!
That's fine. But don't forget, once you're debt's paid off and interest rates and inflation are all under control, to keep trading freely with us because we'll have plenty of stuff to sell you then.
I Have Draem foundation is alive and well in Canada. Education for the poor. But you hate all Americans. So your rebutall is dog crap as usual.
''we'll have plenty of stuff to sell you then.''
Sure ~ we'll soon be in the market for some good hardtack, Cipate, Molson's, and dessert comprised of maple sugar pie & Nanaimo Bars.
Sure ~ we'll soon be in the market for some good hardtack, Cipate, Molson's, and dessert comprised of maple sugar pie & Nanaimo Bars.
One issue I see in the US is how to get both sides to agree. On the right (I mean the principled right) we have Ron Paul who does want to cut back on military spending. Unfortunately, I think he's too optimistic about how that alone would allow the US to pay off its debt, plus I think he'd slash taxes way too fast. On the left we have some who might support a tax increase, but like most on the right, want to continue wasting so much on the military. How to incorporate the principled right's support for spending cuts alongside the principled left's desire to ensure all make a contribution by paying their taxes?
You know, if the left were more principled, it could easily ally itself with the principled right to at least reduce military spending. Sure they'd still be squabling over taxes, but reducing military spending is half the battle, and that is one that could be won through non-partisan cooperation if there were more principled members of both the right and the left in the US.
No, not the Cipate (cholesterol) or Molson's (liver disease). We need to keep you all healthy so that you can work harder, earn more money, and spend les on health care so that you can buy more of our products. Maple? Yeah, healthy enough. There you go, pay off your debts, stay healthy, and buy plenty of maple syrup. That will make for a healthy symbiotic relationship: you buy our maple syrup, and we buy your...
I don't know. Your environmentally healthy Amway products? not too fond of MLM's. OK, how about this. You buy our maple, we buy your organic oranges in winter. Now that's a deal.
Oh yes, I forgot about hardtack. Maybe you could start a new tradition of dipping your hardtack in maple syrup. Heck, once you get your economy in order, we could even introduce that tradition to you by advertizing it on billboards all over the US.
''Maybe you could start a new tradition of dipping your hardtack in maple syrup.''
Sounds yummy! When Nabisco sold Pilot Crackers I used to splash jam all over it & it tasted real good.
Sounds yummy! When Nabisco sold Pilot Crackers I used to splash jam all over it & it tasted real good.