Canada
Checking my stats I saw that there was a large influx of Canadian traffic, so I thought that I would post a little about our neighbor up north. Canada should remember that its economy is highly dependent on the US both in terms of trade and tourism. The Canadians should know that whatever happens to the US will in the end up happening to them. In addition, the dangers that are faced by the US from China are in some respects even more threatening to Canada. What the US used to import from Canada is now being replaced with goods from China, and in many ways Canadian industry is being hurt by unfair Chinese trade policies.
Another problem our northern neighbors face is unfettered immigration that is helping to slowly bring down the Canadian welfare state, not to mention letting in potential terrorists.
In a more serious issue to the US the Canadians recently said that they would let American soldiers that refuse to serve in Iraq immigrate to Canada. This policy is very damaging to American security, and I would recommend that Canadian citizens inform their representatives in parliament to not let American deserters enter their country.
If you would like me to post some economic numbers about Canada, I will need to do some research and will post it a little later, just put a comment that you would like to see them. This goes for anyone else that wants to see financial data about the threat their respective country faces from China. Finance is my specialty and I will be happy to provide you with information, just post a comment about what you want to see.
Another problem our northern neighbors face is unfettered immigration that is helping to slowly bring down the Canadian welfare state, not to mention letting in potential terrorists.
In a more serious issue to the US the Canadians recently said that they would let American soldiers that refuse to serve in Iraq immigrate to Canada. This policy is very damaging to American security, and I would recommend that Canadian citizens inform their representatives in parliament to not let American deserters enter their country.
If you would like me to post some economic numbers about Canada, I will need to do some research and will post it a little later, just put a comment that you would like to see them. This goes for anyone else that wants to see financial data about the threat their respective country faces from China. Finance is my specialty and I will be happy to provide you with information, just post a comment about what you want to see.
posted by Aleksandr at 9:09 AM
1 Comments:
"The Canadians should know that whatever happens to the US will in the end up happening to them."
This is a Canadian fact that we know better than any American ever could. We're considerably more aware of developments in the USA than vice versa for a reason - we have to be.
This does not mean that we're destined to be America's bitch, though. Increasingly, we're quite content that the 49th parallel exists and that we can offer an alternative to current American priorities and policies. It's good market placement, frankly.
"...and in many ways Canadian industry is being hurt by unfair Chinese trade policies."
Indeed, but we've also been through the same globalization that has led to all cheaper manufactured goods being shipped in from China. And, we got a jump start on the rationalizations required for global free trade with the Canada-US free trade agreement of 1989, when many branch plants were relocated to cheaper plants, primarily in the southern USA.
Even with that, we have maintained a solid manufacturing base, particularly in automotive production, because we're comparatively cheaper, especially given that Canadian plants do not have obligations to provide health insurance to employees. Ontario now produces more vehicles than Michigan - it's simply cheaper to do so.
And, China's expansion has positive economic effects here as well. Our natural resources industries have seen a resurgence due to Asian growth.
It's more complex than you outline, I think, although fair trade with China is certainly an issue that we all have to address.
"Another problem our northern neighbors face is unfettered immigration that is helping to slowly bring down the Canadian welfare state, not to mention letting in potential terrorists."
Unfettered immigration is a myth, as is the strain on the welfare state.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pub/facts2002/immigration/immigration_1.html
Shows that levels are pretty stable over the last decade, especially given population growth, and...
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pub/facts2002/immigration/immigration_3.html
...shows that over half of our immigrants are skilled workers, and thus less likely to be drains on our social services.
Canada is a nation of immigrants and has done well by integrating people from many nations in the past. Immigration is a challenge to manage properly, and yes, there has to be checks on who's coming in, but this vision of Canada as some sort of welfare state shangri-la for terrorists is a right-wing hallucination based on sporadic anecdotal evidence at best. The vast majority of Canadian immigrants are not on the dole or terrorists, and to deny entry for legitimate immigrants based on unfounded and ill-conceived fears is not adviseable.
"In a more serious issue to the US the Canadians recently said that they would let American soldiers that refuse to serve in Iraq immigrate to Canada. This policy is very damaging to American security, and I would recommend that Canadian citizens inform their representatives in parliament to not let American deserters enter their country."
If America treated its conscientious objectors with more respect and stopped creating situations where people felt that the legitimacy of American military intervention could be called into question, the problem would go away too.
Feel free to offer financial statistics, but a little basic research into the nature of Canada's existence would help as well. Many of the issues you note are simply not as simple as you outline them here.
Mike - http://www.yafle.com
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