Canadian Election — Page 3

Papa: Should have clarified, third in land mass....that's it. We are not high on any type of list except maybe how much we pay in taxes, but thats a separate story.

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well, guess what, 614, i think if you went around the world and did a litle more research in places where the news media's not got hot spots, you'd find that the ol' us of a is not quite as hated as you think. why else are people still beating down our doors to get in? why are the students of iran clamoring for intervention and support there where the mullahs are cracking down on them? and yes i do think the united states is the greatest country on the face of the earth and i don't see why anyone could imagine otherwise, although i'll make allowances that a good deal of people out there might feel the same way about their countries too. you seem to think that the united states is a pretty awful place. i won't make the argument that if it's so bad you can leave, but i will wager that you are pretty young and still have a lot of the world yet to experience. perhaps that will open your eyes. if not, well, stupidity needs martyrs too, i guess.

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Updated On: 6/24/04 at 04:16 PM

I did what? Oh, yes, Ckeaton, I am scared. Very scared.

As a matter of fact, papa, I do not think that the United States in a "awful" place to live. I know that I am lucky because I was born here and not somewhere where there is constant civil war or no food or something like that.

HOWEVER, I think there a lot of problems in this country that many people like to pretend do not exist. I strongly dislike and disagree with American society andthe American government and what it has become.

The vast majority of other well-developed countries think the United States has become something to laugh at, and a great many people here think that as well.

And if it weren't for the fact that I have very little money, I would GLADLY pick up and leave. In a few years, I fully intend to do so.

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Oh Papa, how you DO like to blow things out of proportion.
It's people like you who give Americans a bad rep with us Canadians. "51st state" is a term generally abhored by Canadians. We are a high-class country with what is probably the best international reputation of any. We are the peacekeepers of the world. If that is all our military does, then so be it. Better to be a peacekeeper than a fighter.
Don't be so quick to condemn us and our ability to function on an international level. When September 11th happened, even though we are NOT the United States, we helped out a neighbour in need (as we have done so many times). We sent our own firefighters, medics and officers (my own father being one of them) to help out. Since 1812 (when, by the way, we totally kicked your asses- hehe), Canada and the United States have co-existed peacefully, helping each other out when needed. Does that make us the 51st state? No. The U.S. may be our obnoxious "big brother", but we are still our own nation, with our own beliefs, values, traditions, celebrations and.......stereotypes.
And GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD? Where's your backing on that one? Richest country, yes. Big country, yes (though in landmass we've got you beat). Population wise, you're big (though still not *quite* the biggest). Military- you've got the best in the world. I'll give you that. But military alone does not a great country make.
What about quality of life? Safety of children? So many other things need to be taken into consideration.
I think Rosie O'Donnell was on to something. Let's just leave it at that.

>> And Blue, I like you.

Awww, that's sweet! I like you too, judy_in_disguise!

And LOL, papalovesmambo -> calling us an unholy union between the Brits and the French. That's hilarious, I'm putting that as my MSN name. Still, I wonder what kind of union the Americans are.... And you can't possibly think the US is the greatest country in the world. Besides Canada, even the Netherlands and Denmark have you beat for that.

Money: American bills confuse me, because they all look the same. You have to be careful what you take out of your wallet. Canadian bills are at least colour-coordinated, though I don't like the look of the new ones (well, they're not new anymore): the paper quality suggests that they've been cut out of magazines!

Multiculturalism: Yes, French is taught across the country at a relatively early age (grade 2 in some places, grade 4 in others), but you don't have to continue it past grade 9. Still, you can't get a parliamentary job unless you know both languages.

How did this turn into a US vs. Canada debate? I thought we were talking about the election!

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Updated On: 6/24/04 at 04:32 PM

Thank you, Judy. Glad SOMEONE agrees with me. Also, I love Tim Horton's. We have them down here now, though it's not quite the same as the Canadian ones I've been to. Still good though.

The Netherlands and Demark DEFINATELY have us beat.

American money confuses me, too, and I've been dealing with it all my life. But that's just because I'm dumb like that. :)

And as for being safe...I live in a small town in the smallest state, RHODE ISLAND. Nothing ever happens here, and I still lock my doors and am afraid to walk around my small neighborhood late at night.

In Canada, however, I have no problem walking around at 1 am. I'm not sure why, but it just feels safer.

And papa, I'm sure Judy, being a Canadian, knows very well when her counrty became a country. Thanks anyway!

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Ah, War of 1812....the war we burned down the White House. That's why it's white, they had to repaint it (it used to be pink, yuck! Imagine calling it the Pink House? Actually, that's not a bad idea....)

And the British army WAS the Canadian army at the time. You can't say the US fought the British Army, not the Canadian army, when there wasn't a Canadian army at the time. It was still made up of Royalist boys.

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Blue is right, we weren't an official country but it still was Canadian boys battling you Americans. Not to mention the fact that we never had a civil war. And when the slave trade was going on, escape slaves fled to CANADA for safety, and we welcomed them with open doors.
That's our history lesson for today.
Now I'm interested, where exactly did you get those crime stats? COPS? Now there's a great American show.
It's sometimes hard to watch the American news and see kids shooting kids in schools, and not think "why don't they do more to protect their citizens on the home front?".
Just a matter of opinion. Not to spark even more controversy- but Bowling for Columbine (though I'll admit it was extremely biased) did raise some good points.

http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/020717/d020717b.htm

http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/020717/d020717b.htm>http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/020717/d020717b.htm

target=new HREF=http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htmhttp://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm>http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm

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r.i.p. marco, my guardian angel.

...global warming can manifest itself as heat, cool, precipitation, storms, drought, wind, or any other phenomenon, much like a shapeshifter. -- jim geraghty

pray to st. jude

i'm a sonic reducer

he was the gimmicky sort

fenchurch=mejusthavingfun=magwildwood=mmousefan=bkcollector=bradmajors=somethingtotalkabout: the fenchurch mpd collective

It's possible, Papa. I do read Ann because, well, anyone who actually visits McArthy's grave and leaves him flowers needs to be watched. Carefully. Preferrably with a hypodermic needle filled with a power anti-psychotic handy.

Judy, what's that silly little game you canucks invented with the broom and the big weight you slide across the ice? I can never remember the name but it's amazing that it somehow became an Olympic sport.
Is it curling? Did I get it? Do I win a prize?

-----these statistics courtesy of www.wehatemichaelmoore.com

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jrb, awesome.
I find these statistics interesting, considering you can turn on the American news (yes, we get American news here) and hear of two murders a day in upstate NY, then watch the Canadian news and hear of two murders a week in various parts of Canada.
My home town near Toronto had a murder a while back. First one in 10 years. Hmm.