ophelia783

Majik was referring to people who stay overnight in an ER, which, at least in Montreal, is the way it is. I only get private rooms there because I go in for migraines, for which I need complete isolation. Obviously, if you're staying more long-term, they're not going to stick you on a gurney in a hallway

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~*~* He with a sharp tongue slits his own throat *~*~

feelgood

I wasn't in a long term care, in fact, I left the next day. Seems that health care is worst in Eastern Canada than it is in the West.

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Looking out the window, that's an act of war. Staring at my shoes, that's an act of war. Committing an act of war? Oh you better believe that's an act of war

Janey

Perfect! our plan is working...

Janey

I hear you. I once stayed in a youth hostel in Lucerne, Switzerland, and was mortified at the rude, boorish and disgusting behaviour of a group of Canadian collegians. It was at that point that i realized that we are all capable of being asses.

Janey

to address a few points:

What is wrong with liberalism? Seriously other than it not being your favoured perspective, tell me what is wrong with it. And by the way, As a nation we have very strong centrist politics. We were founded by conservatives, we have liberal attitudes. In other words, the balance is working.

Capitalism: Canada is a capitalist country. We are not socialist. I don't know where you get the impression that our taxation based government programmes translate into socialist government. Are you confusing the need for a rather small population to assist each other out over a VERY large geographical area with a political system????


Medical system better there? Maybe. In some cases, but if you search on my posts, through out this forum you will find that real user experiences dispute your statement that our medical system is no good. In fact it is very good. Very very good. Of course it needs tweeking. But read and learn.


Taxation high? well we manage to work, and pay down a house and save for RRSPs. i get taxed at a fairly appropriate rate for my income. I could do with less, but then who, exactly is going to pay for the roads, railways, military (who actually need more) etc???? who???? Tell me!

Spineless?????? Fuck. Just try to go few rounds with me buddy. Spineless my ass. At any rate, go read some history.

Janey

just listen to an American, and how they say 'huh?' at the end of the sentence (a lot) It's the same thing.

and with eh,. it's annoyingly not always a real question....

AVoiceOfReason

I'm going to respond as though I didn't read any of the other replies (because I didn't read ALL of them). Here are some random thoughts on Canada from this Arkansan:

Too cold for my tastes much of the year. I was there in August once (Drumheller/Calgary/Banff/Jasper areas) and the area out of the mountains was pleasant, temperature wise. I don't like freezing in the summer, though.

My contact with Canadians has been so limited that I wouldn't even hazard a generalization about them. The ones I've met have been a mixed lot, sort of like if I went to the mall here in my town and met 25 folks at random.

I don't understand the tolerance of two languages in the country. It is expensive and confusing. Tell the French Canadians to get with the program and learn English like the rest of the northern part of the northern hemisphere. Or break up the country as they (the FC) have advocated. From what little I know about the country, they are a drain financially on the western part anyway. I guess the Eastern Provinces can merge and be the 51st State of the USA, but we'll have to figure out something to do with flag, because I don't know how to put 51 stars on a flag with the ease we have done with 50.

I liked the use of the dollar coins. In the USA, we ought to stop making paper $1 bills and then the populace will use the coins. They are more cost effective.

I find the Canadian health care system to be a complete mindblower--why would otherwise intelligent people stand for such?

I don't like that my investments in Canadian oil and gas royalty trust are taxed at 15% more than the US equivilent. I sold my Pengrowth because of that and bought a good one based in the US. I'll net more in the end.

I don't like hockey, but since most of the NHL franchises have spread to places like Atlanta and Dallas, it's hardly a regional thing.

That's about it for now.

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AVOR

A Voice Of Reason, not necessarily the ONLY one.

Janey

I Can Not Explain Bill..... Nobody Can.....


- and it is only Zee in America, to the rest of the world it's zed - England, France, Germany. I find it just wrong to hear words like Zee Zee Top Ii've always said zed Zed Top). Or the Nissan 350 Zee.. aaagh.. It's Zed ! dammit.

Janey

huh????

here are the federal tax levies by income margin for 2004:

Canadian federal income tax is calculated based on taxable income minus allowable deductions. In 2004, every taxpayer could earn $8,012 without paying any federal tax. This is called the ‘basic personal amount’. The federal taxable income groups and their respective tax rates for 2004 are:

2004 taxable income
Tax rate

Up to $35,000
16%

$35,001 to $70,000
22%

$70,001 to $113,804
26%

Over $113,804
29%



from: http://canadianeconomy.gc.ca/english...ncome_tax.html

not sure where the 60% comes from....

maleficent

there's a bank in sydney, australia called ANZ - I was meeting some colleagues after work for a drink one night at a bar right next to the (as they called it) the ANZED bank) - needless to say, i couldn't find the bar -I think it was a good way of blowing me off...

ZEE ZEE ZEE!!! There is No DEE in ZEE...

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Janey

nope. i saw it too, but Charl responded enough.

BigBen

Well, the numbers you quoted were the FEDERAL tax rates, and then you have your PROVINCIAL rates after that.

Many people that hate paying taxes will also include their property taxes (MUNICIPAL) and if they really want to use 'scare statistics' they might just include different sales taxes.

Hell, if you added it all up, I am probably paying 95% tax.

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3.141592654
Hey, if you are impressed with my memorizing pi to 10 digits, you should see the size of my penis.

Janey

too funny! I often say the same, that the only difference between canada and the US is that the roads down there are a bit worse! I drove Kingston to NYC, and swore never to drive american roads again1 talk about bone jarring!

pig

Well, going back to the original question...I'd have to say my experience with those of the Canadian cloth is limited. So limited that it's useless to make conjecture about their....oh...you said perceptions of Canadians? Fantastic.

I'd say my scrotum involuntarily contracted into my stomach thinking about how cold it must be up there most of the time when I started reading this thread, but I'm strangely fascinated to think about what it would be like to live there. Being in the states, we constantly are barraged with the notion that we're American - both internally and externally. And don't get me wrong, I love my country - but I think it'd be nice to be a little out of the international spotlight all the time...or at least feeling like it the States vs. fuck all. The thing I like about Canadians, in my perception, is exactly the notion of just sort of chillin out a little bit...and being socially liberal y'all seem to have some very nice notions of social ettiquette. I'm a Southern male...yeah, we hold doors...but we've been known to do some pretty nasty shit down here.

Other Americans are going to want to strap me for saying this, but sometimes I think it'd be nice to have a little tighter political interactions with our fellas to the North...maybe it's just frustration, but at times when we start to get perhaps, a little brash...(cough:Iraq:cough) it'd be nice to have someone perhaps expound a bit on the virtues of not being quite so headstrong. I think in the Hegelian sense of thesis, antithesis, synthesis : communism and capitolism are bound to blend at some points, and I occasionally wonder if y'all aren't a little further along in that respect.

And I rather like the idea, nominally, of having the French district in Quebec...but I know it's caused a shitload of problems too.

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You don't love me, you just love my piggy style

maskedrider

I think, on the whole, Canada is cleaner and more crime-free than the US. I'm an American and I can appreciate those features. Unfortunately, you pay more taxes in Canada as well. So... it's a trade off.

Randerolf

What do I think of Canadians? I don't.

Living in Florida, the Great White North is far removed from the sunny beaches of the Sunshine State. Although with the internet, the Canadians that I have come across have been very pleasant.

I'm told that they are extremely nice, and that there is no trash lying around or anything like that. I somewhat believe them.

When I think "Candida," I think of politeness, hokey fans, universal medicine, level-headed foreign affairs.

My girlfriend’s family is progressive, so when another right-wing grab for power occurs in Washington, her mother sings “O Canada!” I doubt that I would want to live in such a cold place. I’ve visited upstate New York, and the women are no comparison. I’m very blessed to be a Floridian. I know Pam Anderson is Canadian, but have a theory that time being bundled up has and inverse relationship to hotness.

Kudos my Canadian friends!

PS I've heared that Canada's biggest cities are among the most culturally diverse and vibrant. For some reason, decadent and Canadian don't seem to match.

skier

hmmm...

3 guesses on the reaction of americans being told what to do by Canada.

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"Asking a bomb squad if an old bomb is still "real" is not the best thing to do if you want to save it." - denim

Charlatan

Well shit... you go up a mountain it's going to be cold. Come to Toronto in July/August... hot, humid.

You have this a bit wrong (that's OK). The province of Quebec is not a drain on the west. It actually pays quite a bit into the Federal coffers. The big three provinces are Ontario, Alberta and Quebec. The drain on the system, if you want to call it that, would largely come from the Maritime provinces.

As for the cost of bilingualism, it's an expense but in the grand scheme of things it isn't *that* expensive. We are a nation built on compromise. Instead of going to war for independence or forcing compliance, we have sought solutions through diplomacy and accord. Sure it takes longer but we are generally happy with the results.

As for breaking up the nation and allowing Quebec to seperate... it will never happen.

It really isn't as bad as you've been lead to believe. The system actually works quite well on many, many levels. My experience runs the gamut from broken bones and tonsils to heart valve replacement surgery to poison control.

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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Janey

In most situations that I have been exposed to such behaviour, it's the end result of a pissing contest. Usually with a group of Americans, or Europeans who insist on lumping us together as the same country. I find it embarrasing to have to do the jump up and chest thumping my self, yet it happens.

Charlatan

That's a good point Janey... I've seen this happen a lot.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

j8ear

Look at your pay check!

(Don't come back with links and/or charts that only show half of your tax burden either!)

Then go and look at your sales receipts.

-bear

I will concede that the lowest wage earners pay ONLY 45-50 percent, and the highest wage earners pay ONLY 58 percent. Maybe you should use those numbers when bragging about Canada's awesome taxes.

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It's alot easier to ask for forgiveness then it is to ask for permission.

nukeu666

yankee doodle goes to town
riding on a pony

does everyone have a pony in canada ?
do all town have big burly mounted police in red suits?
i hardly know about canada other than that i was in 'due south' coz the country hardly comes on the news...

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Why did the Comp. Engineer get X-mas and Halloween mixed up?
Because Oct(31) == Dec(25)

Marvelous Marv

I've only been to Canada once. To Victoria, in the spring.

The Canadians I have met have all been nice people. Then again, I've never met anyone from Quebec. Are there any on the TFP?

It's too cold for my taste, but I envy their ability to leave other countries alone, and be left alone. Wish the US could do both to the same extent.

Health care? Haven't heard anything good about it from the Canucks I've met personally. I'd also love to see how much bragging about it would be heard if ten milliion Mexicans decided to utilize it for free, like they have here.

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"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."
Margaret Thatcher

Charlatan

Marv... Victoria doesn't really get all that cold. It's like Seattle. The rest is about as cold as the northern US. Which is cold.

There are a few Quebecquois on the TFP... BobBiter, Vox_Rox spring immediately to mind.

We tend to gripe about health care but on the whole no more than most in the US complain about their HMO or the like.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

genuinegirly

Canadians consider Curling a sport.
http://www.curling.ca/index.asp?lang=e

Anyone been to the Italian alps? Sorry guys, but it's prettier than Canada.

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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

cellophanedeity

Not all of us believe that curling is a sport. A game, yes. Not a sport. The ones who say that are nuts.

And as for the alps being prettier than Canada, where did that come from?

Janey

not braggin. but point taken. oh, and I don't think they are awesome, just not worth complaining about. gotta run the country somehow.

Kubz18

Well im no doubting the good sense of humor because i know you guys do, but come on your taste in music sometimes is terrible....
but i guess talking about taste in music becomes an opinon question....you or your country may not like the type of music i like etc etc

but i have been to many parts of canada and in my first time in toronto i was very impressed, i actually loved the city and the people there, i have to admit i was very suprised....on my next few trips to the toronto barrie area i still was impress, its actually a place that honestly i wouldnt mind living there someday......

BUT....there is something seriously wrong with quebecc.... i can understand the whole "were french, were better" thing but do they have to be so terribly sterotypical about it, i knew instantly when i started talking to them if they are french canadian or a normal canadian....the way they act and talk, along with that whole.."we want our own country" thing just kinda bugs me


bottom line LOVE normal canada society like winnepeg and toronto but dont care much for anything east of ontario....

__________________
"I have no idea whats going on"

Charlatan

That is a very strange way to put things... to say "french canadian or a normal canadian" is like saying, "Texan and a Normal American"... The point is for all their diferrences Quebec is "normal" Canada. I think you are just reacting to the fact that it is different from the culture you are used to.

That's not a bad thing but you should be careful how you word it is all.



You also just dismissed the entire maritimes... Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia... I can tell you that they are very different from Quebec.

The thing is, the regions of Canada are all different in some way (in Quebec some ways more than others).

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Markboy

As someone who COMES from the NZ part of that bank, I can assure you than I am from En Zed, and not from En Zee, which would just be weird...

Markboy

I wasn't going to comment, I wasn't going to bite, but this one got me really riled up. I am from what is kingly referred to here as "around the world". I've had long discussions with people in my own country, and in my travels through Western Europe, which have been extensive, and in all of our discussions, Canada has always been a country that featured highly favourably. New Zealand is a country which has been moving in several ways to emulate Canada, in the liberalising of social policy (civil unions, prostitution law reform), the provision of appropriate levels of social welfare to assist those who cannot support themselves, and a concerted effort to protect the natural splendour that makes up a large part of our beautiful countries. I can only say that Aladdin's comment is a gross generalisation, and one that I have certainly not seen mirrored by anyone who is not american.

Astrocloud

Canada is the only country where the muggers say please and thankyou.

Marvelous Marv

Did I mention how much I admire some of the architecture there?

__________________
"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."
Margaret Thatcher

BigBen

Um, No, not everybody. There are roughly 30 million people in Canada, and that would be quite a few stables. My uncle has 4 horses, and I pretend that one of them is mine. He is a big Belgian, and although he eats carrots out of my hand (his name is Carrot), he really doesn't like a 240 pound guy sitting on his back.
That is an interesting question. Yes, there are Royal Canadian Mounted Police all over Canada, and they act as our regional and federal police. They are not necessarily in EVERY town, but I would guess at least one town in three. They are tasked with POLICING every town that does not have its own municipal force.
No, they are not all Burly. The RCMP has liberalized its hiring process, and there are many officers who I could fold up and put in my pocket.
Yes, they all own dress uniforms (called a Serge, I think) that is the traditional "red suit". They only wear that uniform for special occasions. Their normal uniform looks like this:

That show did for us what "Dukes of Hazard" did for the US.

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3.141592654
Hey, if you are impressed with my memorizing pi to 10 digits, you should see the size of my penis.

Charlatan

Yee Haaawwwww!

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

BigBen

/\
|
|
|

Boy, that guy sure looks happy for standing in front of a horrific traffic accident with fatalities.

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3.141592654
Hey, if you are impressed with my memorizing pi to 10 digits, you should see the size of my penis.

alansmithee

I took that to be the general Canadian friendlyness. I mean, what's a horrific trafic accident to stop you from smiling for a camera .

And I didn't think people in Canada all had ponies, I thought the general mode of transport was mooseback?

Charlatan

ponies... mooseback... nope.

We all drive Pintos

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Astrocloud

One tv show:

Trailer Park Boys

-eh

ophelia783

I am engaged to an American, and my grandmother is American. I spend a lot of my time in the U.S., mostly in the SouthEast, and people are shocked when they find out I'm Canadian. Why? Because I don't "talk funny", or walk around continuously talking about Canada, and how it's so different. In fact, when my future BIL imitates me, he uses a British accent. It bothers me when people assume Canadians to be what they see on South Park or SNL, without realizing what major exaggerations are made.

Yes, Canadians are patriotic; we are proud of our peace-keeping army, cattle and lumber industries. The RCMP is equivalent to the FBI, and not all of them ride horses. . We are also the only country in the world which produces Aluminum, and prostitution is legal here (solicitation is not), which many don't know. However, it's a much quieter patriotism then I've witnessed in the States. That could be due to, in my opinion, on the many cultural identities that reside here, such as the Inuit, Acadians, and Metis. Each province is different, both geographically and socially. There's less of a need to "prove" a love for the country here.

However, that doesn't mean that we're so much different than Americans, or that they're so much different then us. Asking what do you really think of Canada or America is like asking someone from Maine what they think about Kentucky; it all depends on how and where you were raised, and what you're used to.

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~*~* He with a sharp tongue slits his own throat *~*~