OT Canada, the Dark Side, eh... :O)
Tim and Maureen
I love telling Canadians that there are few/no bank service charges in the US and anyone can start a bank, if they want to. Here, we pay $10-$25 per month for the banks to hold our money. The gov't is sooo afraid that they will have to pay for a bank failure they have allowed the 6 Can. banks to make BILLIONS each year this way.
Oh, in April each year, you find out there are no tax deductions here. Well, OK, one. But that's all.
Yep, gay weddings allowed, but 50% of the country is actually upset enough to get up out of easy chairs and tell the gov't/courts to stuff that new court ruling. The other 50% are still "in chair."
Canadian consumers subsidize MILK, chicken, turkey, & eggs to the tune of billions because no one can start a farm and sell these things, just those the gov't allows. Those farmers have pools. But not beef farmers. Why? I dunno...
Canada is sooo frikkin' huge, even our provincial government is remote from most of the needs of the regions, let alone the gov't in Ottawa. The differences in service you get when you are close to the legislative capital or large population centre is appalling - even finding a doctor!
Oh, and Can. brand health care may be "free" but you line up with all the others. If you need heart surgery, you wait. And wait. And if you die in the meantime, aww well, sorry.
We don't have political log rolling I'm told is rampant in US, so instead we elect a KING for 4 years in provincial capitals and in Ottawa, and unless they do something wholly stupid/evil, they cannot be removed, slowed down, or negotiated with. They can cut spending or increase it without fear in Years 1&2. In fact, an old 50's politican had the recipe that got him re-elected over and over. "Cut spending deep in Years 1&2, then give it back in Year 4" Essentially buy votes with your kingly powers. Sigh. Oh, and the regional rep from your hometown is a LAME duck. He votes the party line or he's out as an independent - where he's MORE useless and won't get re-elected, not ever.
From what I've heard, US unions are there to train the worker, help them, you know. Can. unions have evolved in monstrous bureaucracys where some of the workers use their union power to sit on their butts. Pitiful. I was in a union in the forest industry that walked out on a nice day on a ridiculous issue - to go fishing.
The most powerful is CUPE. They organized all the municiplaities in Canada. They get lovely wages and benefits and never strike for more than a week because no mayor in Canada is going to let the garbage pile up. I've negotiated two such contracts from the employer's side and it's revolting compared to what a hard worker at a small company gets.
Taxes on Can. gasoline are appalling too. I live in a town with a refinery, but my gas is more expensive here than in most of Canada. Aboooot 60% of the price (or some such) is tax. An American "foreign" student I went to univ. with in the early 90's said that if the US applied the same gas tax then, their national debt would be gone in 5-10 years. EEK! You could be debt-free! But paying $2.50 per gallon, I think. (let's see $0.80 per litre times 4 litres in a gallon...makes my head hurt. Where's the kid who like math at 5 a.m. when you need her?)
Can't remember the percentage, but a huge percent of the Canadian population actually lives in Calif. I know why. It's warm there!!!! :O)) -40 degrees sucks. Really. Not that all of Canada gets that temperature. Some of the weenies on the Coast (Hi, Tia!) haven't seen -40 (recently). And where I live we don't get the 40 mph winds when it's -40. The snow piles up on the fence post til it topples over. Shangrala!
So, Canada has a dark side, eh. Esp. when you are struggling to raise a family/make ends meet. Not that I'm moving south, mind you :O)))
My (morning) thots. TTFN!
Tim T.
PS. Can't skate. Almost hate hockey. Soccer is wayyyy better. But don't tell any Canucks - I'll get beat up.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Oh, in April each year, you find out there are no tax deductions here. Well, OK, one. But that's all.
Yep, gay weddings allowed, but 50% of the country is actually upset enough to get up out of easy chairs and tell the gov't/courts to stuff that new court ruling. The other 50% are still "in chair."
Canadian consumers subsidize MILK, chicken, turkey, & eggs to the tune of billions because no one can start a farm and sell these things, just those the gov't allows. Those farmers have pools. But not beef farmers. Why? I dunno...
Canada is sooo frikkin' huge, even our provincial government is remote from most of the needs of the regions, let alone the gov't in Ottawa. The differences in service you get when you are close to the legislative capital or large population centre is appalling - even finding a doctor!
Oh, and Can. brand health care may be "free" but you line up with all the others. If you need heart surgery, you wait. And wait. And if you die in the meantime, aww well, sorry.
We don't have political log rolling I'm told is rampant in US, so instead we elect a KING for 4 years in provincial capitals and in Ottawa, and unless they do something wholly stupid/evil, they cannot be removed, slowed down, or negotiated with. They can cut spending or increase it without fear in Years 1&2. In fact, an old 50's politican had the recipe that got him re-elected over and over. "Cut spending deep in Years 1&2, then give it back in Year 4" Essentially buy votes with your kingly powers. Sigh. Oh, and the regional rep from your hometown is a LAME duck. He votes the party line or he's out as an independent - where he's MORE useless and won't get re-elected, not ever.
From what I've heard, US unions are there to train the worker, help them, you know. Can. unions have evolved in monstrous bureaucracys where some of the workers use their union power to sit on their butts. Pitiful. I was in a union in the forest industry that walked out on a nice day on a ridiculous issue - to go fishing.
The most powerful is CUPE. They organized all the municiplaities in Canada. They get lovely wages and benefits and never strike for more than a week because no mayor in Canada is going to let the garbage pile up. I've negotiated two such contracts from the employer's side and it's revolting compared to what a hard worker at a small company gets.
Taxes on Can. gasoline are appalling too. I live in a town with a refinery, but my gas is more expensive here than in most of Canada. Aboooot 60% of the price (or some such) is tax. An American "foreign" student I went to univ. with in the early 90's said that if the US applied the same gas tax then, their national debt would be gone in 5-10 years. EEK! You could be debt-free! But paying $2.50 per gallon, I think. (let's see $0.80 per litre times 4 litres in a gallon...makes my head hurt. Where's the kid who like math at 5 a.m. when you need her?)
Can't remember the percentage, but a huge percent of the Canadian population actually lives in Calif. I know why. It's warm there!!!! :O)) -40 degrees sucks. Really. Not that all of Canada gets that temperature. Some of the weenies on the Coast (Hi, Tia!) haven't seen -40 (recently). And where I live we don't get the 40 mph winds when it's -40. The snow piles up on the fence post til it topples over. Shangrala!
So, Canada has a dark side, eh. Esp. when you are struggling to raise a family/make ends meet. Not that I'm moving south, mind you :O)))
My (morning) thots. TTFN!
Tim T.
PS. Can't skate. Almost hate hockey. Soccer is wayyyy better. But don't tell any Canucks - I'll get beat up.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 10/16/03 7:13:53 AM, tmthomas@... writes:
<< I love telling Canadians that there are few/no bank service charges in the
US and anyone can start a bank, if they want to. >>
Holly started one just this week.
She owed me $3 and said she was going to put it in the bank instead, and I
should sign the way I wanted my account to read. I said "signature or name?"
She said whatever.
I signed her little book, and I think I'm account #1.
Then I asked her what I needed to do to get my money out. She hesitated, and
I thought if it were me I would say "Who said anything about getting it out?"
But she said just ask for it. I asked if I needed to request it in advance
and she said it depends.
Just like a real bank, then.
Then she went to hit Marty up to put his money in her bank too. He was
unenthusiastic. <g>
Kirby lately got a bank account with a debit card, which might have been her
inspiration.
Sandra
<< I love telling Canadians that there are few/no bank service charges in the
US and anyone can start a bank, if they want to. >>
Holly started one just this week.
She owed me $3 and said she was going to put it in the bank instead, and I
should sign the way I wanted my account to read. I said "signature or name?"
She said whatever.
I signed her little book, and I think I'm account #1.
Then I asked her what I needed to do to get my money out. She hesitated, and
I thought if it were me I would say "Who said anything about getting it out?"
But she said just ask for it. I asked if I needed to request it in advance
and she said it depends.
Just like a real bank, then.
Then she went to hit Marty up to put his money in her bank too. He was
unenthusiastic. <g>
Kirby lately got a bank account with a debit card, which might have been her
inspiration.
Sandra
Tia Leschke
>Because we agree with gay weddings? That the reasons people are using to
>Yep, gay weddings allowed, but 50% of the country is actually upset enough
>to get up out of easy chairs and tell the gov't/courts to stuff that new
>court ruling. The other 50% are still "in chair."
oppose it are the same ones people used to oppose interracial marriages
years ago? (The slippery slope, it will destroy the institution of
marriage, pretty soon we'll have to allow polygamy, etc.)
>Canada is sooo frikkin' huge, even our provincial government is remoteTim, I live an hour from the provincial capitol, and there are no doctors
>from most of the needs of the regions, let alone the gov't in Ottawa. The
>differences in service you get when you are close to the legislative
>capital or large population centre is appalling - even finding a doctor!
here taking new patients, *very* few in the provincial capitol.
>Oh, and Can. brand health care may be "free" but you line up with all theAt least you don't die because you can't afford insurance. And when you
>others. If you need heart surgery, you wait. And wait. And if you die
>in the meantime, aww well, sorry.
can't find a doctor, it's because there aren't enough of them, not because
you're on medicare and/or medicaid and no doctor will touch you because
they don't pay enough. (I just dealt with the American system this year,
and it sold me on the Canadian system, warts and all.)
>We don't have political log rolling I'm told is rampant in US, so insteadYou think that doesn't happen in the States?
>we elect a KING for 4 years in provincial capitals and in Ottawa, and
>unless they do something wholly stupid/evil, they cannot be removed,
>slowed down, or negotiated with. They can cut spending or increase it
>without fear in Years 1&2. In fact, an old 50's politican had the recipe
>that got him re-elected over and over. "Cut spending deep in Years 1&2,
>then give it back in Year 4" Essentially buy votes with your kingly
>powers. Sigh. Oh, and the regional rep from your hometown is a LAME
>duck. He votes the party line or he's out as an independent - where he's
>MORE useless and won't get re-elected, not ever.
> From what I've heard, US unions are there to train the worker, help them,You really believe the US unions are just there to help? Most of the
> you know. Can. unions have evolved in monstrous bureaucracys where some
> of the workers use their union power to sit on their butts. Pitiful. I
> was in a union in the forest industry that walked out on a nice day on a
> ridiculous issue - to go fishing.
Canadian unions are just spin-offs from the powerful American unions anyway.
>Can't remember the percentage, but a huge percent of the CanadianHuh?
>population actually lives in Calif.
>I know why. It's warm there!!!! :O)) -40 degrees sucks. Really. NotYeah, you can keep your -40 with wind chill. I spent enough time in
>that all of Canada gets that temperature. Some of the weenies on the
>Coast (Hi, Tia!) haven't seen -40 (recently). And where I live we don't
>get the 40 mph winds when it's -40. The snow piles up on the fence post
>til it topples over. Shangrala!
Smithers and Saskatoon to know I'm staying where I am.
>PS. Can't skate. Almost hate hockey. Soccer is wayyyy better. ButI won't beat you up. I used to be a speed skater, but I don't skate
>don't tell any Canucks - I'll get beat up.
anymore after suffering a shoulder injury that took 2 years to heal. And I
hate hockey, not just almost. The kid plays soccer, and I watch, but it's
boring compared to fastball.
The Weenie.
<g>
Tim and Maureen
Sorry to reply so late, but YOU USED TO LIVE IN SMITHERS?!!! Hehe! Brrrrr! Summer evenings in August of +3C. Ik! But then WE used to live in Prince Rupert! Rained 2 feet first month I was there and another 2 feet (2 FEEEET!!! really!) the next month. Nice...not.
Otherwise, this was 50% tongue in cheek or I'd be living in Alberkerkie, USA or something like that!! ;O)
Otherwise, this was 50% tongue in cheek or I'd be living in Alberkerkie, USA or something like that!! ;O)
----- Original Message -----
From: Tia Leschke
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 10:58 AM
Subject: Re: [UnschoolingDiscussion] OT Canada, the Dark Side, eh... :O)
>
>Yep, gay weddings allowed, but 50% of the country is actually upset enough
>to get up out of easy chairs and tell the gov't/courts to stuff that new
>court ruling. The other 50% are still "in chair."
Because we agree with gay weddings? That the reasons people are using to
oppose it are the same ones people used to oppose interracial marriages
years ago? (The slippery slope, it will destroy the institution of
marriage, pretty soon we'll have to allow polygamy, etc.)
>Canada is sooo frikkin' huge, even our provincial government is remote
>from most of the needs of the regions, let alone the gov't in Ottawa. The
>differences in service you get when you are close to the legislative
>capital or large population centre is appalling - even finding a doctor!
Tim, I live an hour from the provincial capitol, and there are no doctors
here taking new patients, *very* few in the provincial capitol.
>Oh, and Can. brand health care may be "free" but you line up with all the
>others. If you need heart surgery, you wait. And wait. And if you die
>in the meantime, aww well, sorry.
At least you don't die because you can't afford insurance. And when you
can't find a doctor, it's because there aren't enough of them, not because
you're on medicare and/or medicaid and no doctor will touch you because
they don't pay enough. (I just dealt with the American system this year,
and it sold me on the Canadian system, warts and all.)
>We don't have political log rolling I'm told is rampant in US, so instead
>we elect a KING for 4 years in provincial capitals and in Ottawa, and
>unless they do something wholly stupid/evil, they cannot be removed,
>slowed down, or negotiated with. They can cut spending or increase it
>without fear in Years 1&2. In fact, an old 50's politican had the recipe
>that got him re-elected over and over. "Cut spending deep in Years 1&2,
>then give it back in Year 4" Essentially buy votes with your kingly
>powers. Sigh. Oh, and the regional rep from your hometown is a LAME
>duck. He votes the party line or he's out as an independent - where he's
>MORE useless and won't get re-elected, not ever.
You think that doesn't happen in the States?
> From what I've heard, US unions are there to train the worker, help them,
> you know. Can. unions have evolved in monstrous bureaucracys where some
> of the workers use their union power to sit on their butts. Pitiful. I
> was in a union in the forest industry that walked out on a nice day on a
> ridiculous issue - to go fishing.
You really believe the US unions are just there to help? Most of the
Canadian unions are just spin-offs from the powerful American unions anyway.
>Can't remember the percentage, but a huge percent of the Canadian
>population actually lives in Calif.
Huh?
>I know why. It's warm there!!!! :O)) -40 degrees sucks. Really. Not
>that all of Canada gets that temperature. Some of the weenies on the
>Coast (Hi, Tia!) haven't seen -40 (recently). And where I live we don't
>get the 40 mph winds when it's -40. The snow piles up on the fence post
>til it topples over. Shangrala!
Yeah, you can keep your -40 with wind chill. I spent enough time in
Smithers and Saskatoon to know I'm staying where I am.
>PS. Can't skate. Almost hate hockey. Soccer is wayyyy better. But
>don't tell any Canucks - I'll get beat up.
I won't beat you up. I used to be a speed skater, but I don't skate
anymore after suffering a shoulder injury that took 2 years to heal. And I
hate hockey, not just almost. The kid plays soccer, and I watch, but it's
boring compared to fastball.
The Weenie.
<g>
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tia Leschke
>Sorry to reply so late, but YOU USED TO LIVE INEmphasis on USED TO. We lived there from October to February one
>SMITHERS?!!! Hehe! Brrrrr! Summer evenings in August of +3C. Ik!
year. The interesting thing was, we expected to feel a lot warmer when we
got back to Sooke. We actually only felt a little bit warmer. The damp
cold here really bites, right to the bone.
Tia