Canadian Election?

[Papillon]

I am voting as a Canadian by going for Alberta, because guess who's prosperity has the biggest part in equalizing the other provinces? Destroy the oil industry and everyone goes down.

:bush:

You're 'for' Alberta because Alberta will benefit the rest of Canada? That offends me more than if you said 'Alberta is most awesome, therefore I think as an Albertan.'

I mean, don't get me wrong: nothing wrong with Alberta. But it just sounds weird to say it like that.[/QUOTE]

The thrust of the argument is true though: Alberta has a significantly larger GDP per capita than any other province, largely on the back of the oil sands and oil & gas industry in general.

 

[Heavan]

there is vary little innovation occurring within Canada. We have far too much policy in place that stifles competition and innovation in a number of fields.

The bureaucratic red tape and amount of taxation stifles new business in Canada with a lot of current businesses deciding to start up offices overseas to have direct access to better markets, a cheaper less entitled work force that works three times as hard and expects less in return, less taxation, less bureaucratic bullshit etc.

The majority of our exports are primary resources which we then buy back from other people.

Our government can't get along for a couple of months without it resulting in another election

Our service industry is painful and full of spoiled brats who never went a day without getting a pat on the shoulder and someone telling them how god dam special they are.

Not only are we increasing restrictions on immigration but less people desire to immigrate to Canada.

But the biggest problem that there is, is the common perception of Canadians that Canada is the best place in the world and that everyone should be like us. The belief that there are other reasons besides that we are the Americans lackey that we are a part of the G8. The belief that there isn't anything that needs to change or be improved because we are the best. The bloody complacency and apathy of Canadians pisses me off.

And that bloody bush clone Harper doesn't help anything at all.

I'm still not seeing how any of this puts Canada on the level of the Democratic Republic of Congo or Sudan, both defined as developing economies.

 

[Heavan]

I don't think that there's ever, in the history of modern civilization, been a developed nation that slipped down into being a developing nation. Sure, Europe isn't the center of the world that is used to be, but even things like World War 2 were just a blip on human progress, and they all pulled through. I doubt that a little momentary complacency will kill our grandchildren.

Scare tactics won't work on me, sir.

 

[AshburnerX]

Besides, who beside Canadians actually thinks Canada is currently a developed nation and not some overgrown rural community.

Basically this. A lot of your good will stems from the fact that most of the world (including America) sees you as a bunch of hicks with a love for Maple syrup, and thus harmless. It's hard to be angry at someone who hasn't done anything.

 

[Frank]

there is vary little innovation occurring within Canada. We have far too much policy in place that stifles competition and innovation in a number of fields.

The bureaucratic red tape and amount of taxation stifles new business in Canada with a lot of current businesses deciding to start up offices overseas to have direct access to better markets, a cheaper less entitled work force that works three times as hard and expects less in return, less taxation, less bureaucratic bullshit etc.

The majority of our exports are primary resources which we then buy back from other people.

Our government can't get along for a couple of months without it resulting in another election

Our service industry is painful and full of spoiled brats who never went a day without getting a pat on the shoulder and someone telling them how god dam special they are.

Not only are we increasing restrictions on immigration but less people desire to immigrate to Canada.

But the biggest problem that there is, is the common perception of Canadians that Canada is the best place in the world and that everyone should be like us. The belief that there are other reasons besides that we are the Americans lackey that we are a part of the G8. The belief that there isn't anything that needs to change or be improved because we are the best. The bloody complacency and apathy of Canadians pisses me off.

And that bloody bush clone Harper doesn't help anything at all.

The only part of that mess that even comes close to defining Canada as a developing nation is the export part.

 

[BoringMetaphor]

I dont know if I like the terms developed and developing, but I would say Spain is pretty horrible these days...

Also, don't confuse how the general public perceives a nation with how actual governments do. Just because a bunch of yahoos rely on stereotypes in no way indicates somehow that other governments view Canada the same way. Saying stuff like, everyone just sees us hicks, or, an overgrown rural community, and that's why we are treated well, is just .. uh.. wrong, I guess.

I mean in the real world, international relations are based on policy, actions and diplomacy believe it or not. Your stereotypical/the media's view of Canada has so little relevance to what actually goes on, it's pointless to bring it up. It's not like we go to G8 meetings sucking on a bottle of maple syrup and a straw hat.

Back to the oilsands - they are so expensive to actually use and horrible for the area and for our reputation, and the idea that they somehow protect against Saudi oil reliance is just.. Yeah. The oil sands seem to be talked about a lot as potential. In reality though, the cost and time it would take to get oil out of them are extremely high. Unless oil prices absolutely sky rocket, in the next 30 years we will not get enough oil out of the oil sands to make an appreciable difference. If your argument is money for Alberta, fine - but this stuff about Saudi Oil is just ridiculous.

The oil sands are important for Alberta because of jobs and revenue. At best, I think they are an important tool for the transition to a sustainable economic infrastructure. If that was the case, I would probably support their use; however, our society seems to stubbornly refuse that sort of change, instead concentrating on short term goals like immediate economic gain or, conversely, immediate environmental relief. I will admit both sides has their share of whackos, but a middle ground can be found if more people were willing to admit it was possible.

 

[Kitty Sinatra]

Besides, who beside Canadians actually thinks Canada is currently a developed nation and not some overgrown rural community.

Basically this. A lot of your good will stems from the fact that most of the world (including America) sees you as a bunch of hicks with a love for Maple syrup, and thus harmless. It's hard to be angry at someone who hasn't done anything.[/QUOTE]

(take this humorously)

Seeing as the US is the most inward-looking nation (other than North Korea; perhaps) ignorant of and uninterested in anything outside your borders that you aren't bombing, we can be certain that your view of Canada suggests nothing about the rest of the world's view of Canada.

 

[Rob King]

And I think I see a source of some of the confusion. You're talking about Canada becoming a 'developing' nation, when that's just not possible. Development is effectively a ratcheted system: you can't go backwards. You CAN, however, stop ratcheting up, while other economies ratchet up past you. So maybe we could become a second-rate nation, is what you're trying to say. Not a 'developing' nation.

I personally understand and accept that the world is fluid. Canada won't always be where it is in the world today. Neither will America, or China, or anybody else for that matter.

I would, however, like to see your sources regarding less and less people wanting to come to Canada nowadays. As far as Canadians being the only ones who think Canada is the shit, that's just basically wrong. It's arrogance to say that we are absolutely and undeniably the best place in the world, but the only people I know who think that have I.Q.s rivaled only by bricks. And you get those in other countries too, regardless of how shitty things might be.

Yes, we have slipped a bit. We used to top the UN's report on the best places in the world to live for nearly a decade. But it's a long fall, and a small shift in position does not a plummet make.