Canada is complicated.

If you are with the program, and are willing to live by the rules and protocols (and there are many) then it is a wonderfull place, and everyone seems happy here.
'
taxes are high, but that is irrelivant if you are willing to go around them there are ways that are legal. I supose that is the same with the US.

I have a hard time here. I cant get a pack of smokes without asking for ID, or booze for that matter. I have a birth certificate and an old drivers liscence printout (not the card)

the rules have changed here since i first got my liscence. Now i need to produce 2 pieces of government issued ID before i can get one. I have a birth certificate, but that is not enough, I need a Social Insurance Number (tax identification) or a medical card.

The problem i have with canada is it requires too much attention to run around with all the other sheep. Im expected to keep all my reciepts, collect GST and pay it back, hire acountants. everytime i pull out my money im being taxed for something or put on some mailing list.

Im still holding on to joint bank acount my mother opened for me when i was 14, they a have tried every tactic they have to get me to close it, but i dont have the ID to open a new one so i kick and screem when ever they try. I wont keep my money there. I use money mart and I own a shovel.

I just want to eat, walk around and learn things, but these fools got me running around like an idiot just to eat that i dont have time to learn squat.

I doubt i can get passport without the right ID, Air canada wouldn't even let me fly to Alberta.

Is Canada second rate? Most certainly not, but if you only compare it to the United Sates it would look that way, but then again what country wouldn’t? The US is the only super power in the world right now, it’s the richest and most and powerful nation ever, meaning every country is second rate in comparison.
But on the world stage is Canada second rate? No. We are a member of the G8, and a major contributor to NATO, having done a lot of the fighting in Afghanistan. And run many peacekeeping operations around the world.
A few statistics about Canada ranking in the world
We are ranked 12th in life expectancy at birth, averaging 80.22 years.
Canada 14th in purchasing power.
17th in GDP per capita.
9th in oil production, with 3,135,000 BBL
5th in natural gas production.
9th in trade profit.
So based on a comparison on a global level Canada is a top shelf country.

It's easy...weather aside, Canada is a wonderful place to live. Second rate? Compared to what? High taxes? Just the price we pay for civilization.

It's not perfect...especially with Harper (or Busch Lite) with one hand on the reins, but I can't think of any country I'd rather call my own.

Umm...can we annex Bora Bora and still be considered peace-loving and polite?

I think Canada has it made, according to Frank Zappa, and I generally reguard him as pretty reliable on such issues.

# You can't be a Real Country unless you have a BEER and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a BEER.-- Frank Zappa

Canadas covered on the beer and an airline, got the CFL, check, and yes they have more beer, so Canada is good in my book. Canadians are welcome to join my party anytime.

[edit on 4/29/2007 by ludaChris]

Canada, a 2nd rate country?

Well if by second rate, Stephen Harper means the government chooses too focus on the health and welfare of her own people, and intervenes in world affairs only when there is a clear moral imperative too do so. Then I'd have to say I wish America were a 2nd rate country. We'd be a lot happier, I think the rest of the planet would be a lot happier as well.

If what I'm thinking is true, Canada isn't even a country at ALL.

I'll be posting a thread on that one later... once I manage to put it all out into a good, competent thread, that is.

Canada Inc.

Meh. It doesn't matter how long you live your life, it matters what you do with the time you have. If you stayed on your butt and lived as a couch potato in Singapore to the ripe old age of 81 then what good has it done you to live that long? What joy has there been in being alive in the first place?

As peacemakers, as teachers of grass roots democracy, to bring in cheap energy from solar and wind, to donate food, to send in teachers and medics, to provide lawyers to fight against the federal reserve and world bank on behalf of the little people of every country, to support any attempts to rid themselves of facist regimes and set up good social democracies like Norway, with wonderful programs for the people, to donate money for the poor to start small businesses, to be mentors and models of fairness and goodness, and ecological business with ethics. BUT NOTHING ELSE.

All countries are second rate, third down to last, if they don't do this.

[edit on 6-1-2009 by mystiq]

Originally posted by powerbomb1123
If Canada didn't have such high taxes it would be almost as powerful as america. Socialism sucks

I was taught in (Canadian) High School, to believe that 'socialism sucks'

However, the first socialist prime minister of Canada is the one who gave us universal health care. I suppose if you want poor people to suffer and die, and care more about 'power' then yeah socialism does suck. But from a humanitarian standpoint, socialism is a key ideology.

There are a few extreme stereotypes in this thread. The idea that some of you judge an entire country based on a weeks stay in a certain area is absurd.

I myself have not lived outside the U.S but I would imagine that until you have experienced the highs and lows of a country, there would not be any type of legitimate argument to say that a country is 2nd rate.

I have always wanted to visit the border-line areas up north. Some grand sights, but that is for the future.

The only thing that separates the U.S citizens from each other is damn politics. If we had one candidate that everyone could agree on, tensions would be so much lower. With that said, I could talk to many people here in the states and have a friendly talk. Now, like any country there are some rough spots, but any middle class area is usually quite nice.

Not to mention the cities...Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and many more that have ground breaking cultures.

Canada are at the butt of a lot of jokes. Many jokes are just a form of envy. Canada may not have everything to my liking, but I respect the people and the country itself for being one of peace.

Originally posted by FritosBBQTwist
The idea that some of you judge an entire country based on a weeks stay in a certain area is absurd. Canada may not have everything to my liking, but I respect the people and the country itself for being one of peace.

What one would get from a week's stay is a feeling of being in a foreign environment, without it being terrifically strange. Our measurement is different, our spelling is different, and you're going to encounter some French here and there. Even outside of Quebec, the federal government has an obligation to function bilingually. But we speak English (some exceptions in Quebec), our money is close enough for downtown, and though we are awash in US influence we remain different. C'mon up...we'll leave the porch light on.

Me, I'm off to Newfoundland this summer just to achieve that feeling of being somewhere else without leaving the country. Third time.

But I love the States, too, and I'll be back there soon as well.

Originally posted by semperfoo

Originally posted by selfless

Originally posted by condorgirl

Perhaps our 'socialist' country just cares about our people a little more.

I'm sorry, but perhaps you are unaware of USA supplying weapons to the wars in Africa and other countries? they don't give their new stuff either i guess they just want to get rid of their old weapons to make money off of them in-stead of destroying them so that other countries could not destroy them selves with cheap left over weapons they sell just to make a buck at the expense of other countries.

Yeah, USA really cares more about other countries when it suites their agenda and that is mostly MONEY over people.

The US gives more money in foreign aid then the rest of the world combined. US aid to africa outstrips Europe 15 to 1... I think the US does alot that goes unnoticed because anything that paints the US in a lighter picture is frowned upon by ppl like you.. get a life.

Actually, on a per capita basis the United States is one of the lowest foreign aid donators. I do say though that when any disaster happens, the United States is always the first country there offering their help, services, a warm blanket, anything.

Originally posted by Burginthorn
I live in Australia, but come the end of this year my wife and I are going to Canada to see what its like. If it suits our needs, we will be making applications to move there permanently.

Ozzies always welcome "up over"!

Australia is, no, was a great country. But over the last 10 - 15 years I have watched our nation turn into a politically correct, police state.

Well then, you will feel right at home when you get here, if you are coming to Ontario. (I live in "Tronna",i.e. Toronto.)

Extremely high taxes, a hopeless health care system (even if you pay for health insurance as we both do) more speed camera's on our roads than anywhere else on the planet (road toll hasn't changed, but that doesn't stop the Govt from raking in billions each year) housing costs that are SO high, the average family can no longer afford to buy. Hoon laws - thats a new one, if you get caught doing burnouts, excessive speeding, basically the typical things young people like do in hotted up cars, the police confiscate your vehicle and sell it at auction, with proceeds going straight to Govt coffers. I dont think communist countries even stooped to that level. And every year it gets worse, with new laws, new taxes, new ways of sucking the last drops of your hard earned out of your pockets.

With perhaps some minor qualitative differences, you have just described the Province of Ontario.

We've had enough and are hoping Canada allows us to go back to a time where life is simple again.

Don't move to Ontario. Move to British Columbia, Alberta, or the far north. Move to Sarah Palin country, Alaska. It's less nanny-statish than the Yukon.

But here's the kicker my friend. Unless you love the cold, stay in your own fantastic country and fight to make it the way you want it to be.

Originally posted by darcon Not being an arsehole, just stating fact.

I wasn't calling you out here, in spite of the fact we disagreed. I was saying that while my French experience had been good, I was not stating that Quebec couldn't produce an arse or two...