Should Canada Annex the Turks and Caicos Islands?

[Moonbox]

waldo, on 17 Feb 2013 - 02:16, said:

when you don't know what the numbers you claim to leverage actually mean... yes, it really sucks - for you! Try these wiki numbers instead: [/size]List of countries by inequality-adjusted HDI

well look at that... all 5 (main) Scandinavian countries within the top 11. What were you saying about, uhhh... 'socialist paradise'?

First off, Norway (#1) has almost identical public spending numbers to Canada, so it doesn't support your premise that 45-50% of GDP going towards public spending is the ideal model. Norway, at #1, has similar spending figures to Canada, and Australia, #2, has significantly lower numbers. Ireland rounds things up at spot #6 so we have spots #1, 2 and #6 supporting Canada's model, and #3, #4 and #5 supporting a "Scandinavian" model.

The funny part is that this ignores the fact that there are other European countries (like France, Austria, Hungary etc) that have significantly higher public spending %'s than Canada, and also significantly lower IHDI numbers, suggesting that it's not a simple matter of the Scandinavian countries being successful because of a relatively high level of public spending support, but rather something else altogether. That something else could be things like having a small, modern, highly concentrated and ethnically homogenous population situated in an extremely tiny area, with with ample natural resources and easy access everywhere to shipping and trading routes.

In short, they have an ideal (and small)population to govern with easy logistics and little/no ethnic/regional diversity.

[waldo]

... so it doesn't support your premise that 45-50% of GDP going towards public spending is the ideal model.

my premise? Why, how cutesy of you to presume to (falsely) state... my premise. No - my premise was to highlight you attempted to leverage the HDI without actually understanding what it is; rather, what it isn't!

[Bryan]

After a brief glance through this thread, I have one question:

Why should the "Canadian Federal State" annex the Caicos when individual Canadians can now freely trade with people in the Caicos?

I think the "dream" is "Americans have so many offshore tropical places that are still the U.S., wouldn't it be cool if there was a place like that for Canada?"

In that respect, I can understand it. T&C gets picked specifically because they themselves have expressed interest in such an arrangement on several occasions, not because it represents the best logistical or financial choice. There are many small island 'nations' that are British territories. One could just as easily dream even bigger: offer to the UK to accept ALL of them in one chunk as a new province. T&C, Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Anguilla, the Caymans, etc.

In the abstract at least, I like the idea of a piece of Canada in Caribbean. I take the family to Cuba for a couple of weeks every year, and we absolutely love the place. The advantages of being on a caribbean island far outweigh the disadvantages of its political system, so much so that I like to think that would retire there if Cuba were to allow it (they don't).

As already mentioned, the cold water of reality for exchanging a place like Cuba for any of the British overseas territories is the cost. Our last trip cost less than $700/wk per person for direct flight, a beachfront five-star resort, all food and drinks (including premium alcohol), all sports amenities, concierge and butler service, and all transfers, including taxes. How is any place that's even quasi-Canada ever going to be able to compete with that?

[shortlived]

I agree Bryan, lets invite the TCI and the rest of the Caribean into Canada.

Edited February 28, 2013 by shortlived

[Moonbox]

waldo, on 27 Feb 2013 - 16:34, said:

my premise? Why, how cutesy of you to presume to (falsely) state... my premise. No - my premise was to highlight you attempted to leverage the HDI without actually understanding what it is; rather, what it isn't!

It was cyber's 'premise', sorry. Regardless, he was trying to imply that Scandinavia and their socialist model or whatever was some sort of ideal that we all needed to aspire to. HDI or IHDI both show a different story LOL!

[waldo]

Moonbox... you're almost there! Just admit it's not appropriate to leverage the HDI... as you did, as you attempted to, improperly qualify, 'government spending vs. a measurement of well-being'. Like I said, per the IHDI, how about those Scandinavian countries, hey?