tml12

Completely agreed.

I would LOVE a Harper majority. Do you know how badly this country needs one? The Liberal Party is just awful...I have never voted for them and I never will. Chretien destroyed Canada and it is just beyond painful being a federalist in Quebec living in a riding that votes 60% Liberal. The Liberal Party preaches hate while the Conservative Party preaches change.

I live in Quebec and I am voting Conservative. My Main Choices: NDP: A communist party Liberal: A party of hatred and lies. Bloc: A racist party that wants to separate Canada. Thats an easy conclusion

Love him or hate him he makes a good point. Can anyone else explain why things have fallen apart so quickly for the Liberals? Why the Conservatives are actually catching a few breaks from the media this go round? Anybody? Bueller? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Because the Liberal Party is a party of lies and hatred and the Conservative Party is a party of change and opportunity. What goes around comes around.

I understand the controversial nature of this post but it is intended to foster discussions and is not intended to be partisan. I do not believe that there are any real differences between Canada and the United States. I will offer a step-by-step critique of the arguments used by Canadians and Americans to state that the two nations are different are, in fact, myths. I have travelled and lived extensively in both countries and come from both Canadian and American roots and believe quite truly that Canada and the U.S. would both be much stronger if we defended the truth and didn’t propagate lies. Myth#1: Canada Has Single-Tier Healthcare; The U.S. Has A Completely 100% Private System Canada has a two-tier healthcare system, whereas the U.S. has a lot of public healthcare including Medicare for the elderly and disabled and work-related insurance plans. In every major city in Canada, doctors will offer patients a choice between the public system and the private system. Paul Martin, whose Liberal Party was responsible for the promotion of private healthcare in Canada due to the 1995 budget cuts, uses a private system as well as thousands of other people. Myth#2: Canada Is Bilingual, The U.S. Isn’t Canada is a country with two official languages. This makes Canada bilingual only at the federal level. Provincially, Canada only has one officially bilingual province, where, as a recent court case shows, most local services are in English. Throughout Quebec, French is the common language and only in parts of Montreal and the Eastern Townships do people really speak English. Even there, the OLF will prosecute people who attempt to display a language other than French due to Quebec law. West of Sault Ste. Marie, the common language of Canada is English and it is not a requirement to speak French. Even in Sault Ste. Marie there has been much opposition to the use of the French language with the mayor at one point declaring the town “English only.” The U.S. is a country that is mainly English but has a lot of Spanish-speaking residents. Myth#3: Canada Is Multicultural And The U.S. Is A Melting Pot Neither of those statements are true. Canada has an official multicultural policy, but Quebec, which has its own immigration laws, is much more of a melting pot, as are many parts of western Canada. In the states, the more left-leaning states have their own multicultural policies while the more red-leaning states have their own melting-pot policies. Myth#4: Canada Is A Gentler Nation Whose Citizens Believe In Peace-Keeping, Not Policing Canada was once a proud nation with strong armed forces and was respected around the world. The Canada of today is so virtually unknown that most nations do not know what to make of us. It is very hard to say Canada is “gentler” than the United States. There are left-wing and right-wing parts of both countries. The only reason that Canada seems gentler is that this country’s government does not fund the armed forces because it knows the U.S. will protect us. It is a generic lie to say all Canadians are peacekeepers and all Americans are war-mongerers. Central Canada has a larger population than Canada and for this reason it can direct policy in Canada. But as we have seen from Western Alienation and Quebec Separatism, the lies of a socialist, anti-war Canada cannot continue forever. In the U.S., middle America is controlling policy, alienating the blue, more liberal states. The Liberal Party, which controls Ontario, and the U.S. Republican Party, which controls middle America, is emphasizing these national myths in order to give reasons why our countries should act in different situations. The reality is, regardless of the lies these political parties attempt to promote, Canada and the U.S. are almost completely identical. Take a drive through the U.S. blue states and Ontario and the U.S. red states and the Prairies and you will find many of the same values and ideals. Canada is a sovereign country and a member of the British Commonwealth and this is how it should be. However, we must remember our geographic similarities as North Americans and not make any kind of attempt to undermine our position as a global leader in the world.

http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=0cc1a6...04708ce&k=87796 Harper says a Conservative government would better be able to police Arctic waters. I realize that there is an underlying military motive here but seriously, even NDP voters must admit that our waters are being trespassed on and used by foreign countries and we neither have the tools nor the technology to stop them. Can anyone really say this is a bad idea? I think it is about time Canada's sovereignty is defended...

I believe you Yaro but my point is that, certainly if you have a winter home here you understand that the people in this country are not against our country. Sure there are jerks here but the majority of Americans, it would probably be fair to say, do not have an opinion of Canada and those that do have a positive one. We cannot encourage the destruction of NAFTA and the largest and most productive trade partnership in the world. If the U.S. doesn't play fair, we will fight back. But an unfair U.S. government does not mean anti-Canadianism is vibrant in this country.

I am !!!. !!! is no more. Apologies for the confusion. Um... this may come as a bit of surprise, but the war was not the sole issue of the campaign. Few elections are decided on a single issue. Further complicating things was the fact that the other major party in the UK is also pro-war, leaving anti-war people with little to choose from. However, despite those factors, Blair still lost nearly 50 seats and his share of the vote dropped five per cent, while the pro war Conservatives picked up only a single seat and the anti-war Leb dems picked up 6 seats and a four per cent increase in their share of the vote. So while Blair was reelected, its clear he was punished for his Iraq stance. Seems to me your understanding of the situation is completely superficial. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Wait a second, so you agree, both the major parties in England are pro-war and you still don't think the people are behind it? Sounds kinda fishy to me. If there was truely "overwhelming opposition" don't you think that a major party would be willing to run on that issue to galvinize their supporters and get the WIN. Or, perhaps the anti-war crowd isn't as HUGE a % as you think. And yes, the war was a MAJOR issue in the elections and,,,,, the voters proved who they side with. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The British election was won on one simple issue: the British economy. It is strong, vibrant, and growing fast. Do you really think Tony Blair campaigned on the war? The UK Conservatives voted for it and the Lib Dems are a fringe party. Are you suggesting an "anti-war" party with no past in the UK elections should have been formed? They would have been marginialized by the Labour and Conservative interest backers. Tony Blair was challenged by the father of a soldier who died in the war and Blair won handily. Really America1, if your only reason to come here was to trash Canada, I suggest you go to the Ann Coulter Forum. Please do stay if you wish to have an even-handed debate though.

Yaro, You clearly do not understand culture here. I am currently here in the states on a business conference. There is a military mentality here that does not exist in Canada. Canada building nukes? The people of our country would never accept that. Do not attempt to antagonize the relationship between the largest trading relationship in the world. In doing so, you play into America1's hands.

That's true August. Montreal has had its fair share of controversy regarding these sexual issues and, frankly, this will put that to rest. What is my opinion on this issue? Well, as long as you are old enough to understand what sex is and what STDs are, then, go for it. Just don't sue the club if you get screwed (pardon the pun).

Yaro, I realize that you are smoking cheap crack here but really...do you intend that this discussion continue in this most ridiculously childish fashion?

Yes I'm aware, I'm also aware that we are a much more powerful country in every possible way. You may not lik to hear it but Canada is getting involved in a pissing contest it can NOT win. I feel bad if your ego is hurt by that comment but, it's true. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You seem to feel that Canadians started this "anti-Americanism" and that it is fairly recent. Canada and the U.S. have had tense moments for years. I would not blame either country for starting the "fight" because there are loudmouthed idiots on both sides of the border. The people I respect is those who have graduated from this preschool-like fighting and name calling. Kids insult...adults should talk rationally. With this much on the line, people on both sides of the border need to start maturing fast.

I don't get you guys, who cares what they say? Tucker lashing out at Canada because he had just been destroyed by Parrish is hardly surprising or really of any import at all. Freedom of speech, there's always going to be people that say stupid things on both sides of the border. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> When someone wants to interview a Canadian and an American regarding U.S.-Canada relations they DO NOT NOT NOT call Carolyn Parrish and Tucker Carlson, two of the most hateful and racist people on either side of the border. It's like having two neo-Nazis come in to discuss Germany-Israel relations...with an equally as hateful and racist result.

That's interesting. I hope you realise that Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, New Zealand, Belize, Thailand, Jamaica, Australia, Monaco, the UK, and numerous other countries are monarchies. Granted, they are all constitutional monarchies, which are vastly different to absolute monarchies, as in those above mentioned countries monarchy is combined with what you describe below: But you've failed to address the difference. So I can't cast a vote for my preferred choice of government as the option of constitutional monarchy isn't even there. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My vote was cast for collectivism...I am actually more of a communitarian but there was no option there for that (collectivism isn't really that much different).

The bashing of Canadians by Americans is inappropriate and counterproductive to our personal and economic well-being. This also applies to American-bashing by Canadians. While he probably should not have said anything at all, U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins' comments last week in Ottawa were much more appropriate and intelligent. While you may not agree with him, his comments were well put. The fact that Tucker Carlson is still allowed to talk about Canada after his inane Honduras remarks in the interview he had with the similarly idiotic Carolyn Parrish baffles me. Canadians should use this as an example to prove they are, in fact, smarter than and higher above the Americans who issue these kinds of statements. Doing otherwise would only make us look as childish and insecure as the Tucker Carlsons of the world. BTW America1, Are you aware that the Canada-U.S. relationship is a two-way street?

Canada should be for the war NOW based on the needs NOW of the Iraqi people. Wake up we are soon to be in 2006, not in 2003. Why didn't we join the waw then??? Ask Montgomery Burns...

This is sad but so true. Why can't we wake up and realize what is at stake here? This election is about more than just child care...

This is true but I would think it won't happen... There is just not enough evidence...

I don't live in Outremont August but occasionally I drive along Avenue du Parc and see all the lovely campaign signs. Bachand, for all logical purposes, SHOULD win. If he does, it will be no shock. If not, Charest will not last long. Really, if the Quebec Liberals cannot win in Outremont it will be a shock to both the provincial party and their strained federal counterparts. It will also look VERY bad for Lapierre in the upcoming election. I still give Bachand a 10-15 point edge...

Very true Sharkman...

Shoop, Are you insinuating that the NDPs should hold the balance of power? If I had a choice between Liberal majority and ANY minority I would choose majority just to ensure that the NDP would have LITTLE influence. Of course, at the present time a Conservative minority with the NDP holding as little seats as possible seems like the best option...)

Good point August. I think Ontario--and Liberal voters in general--are in denial. They enjoy hearing that we are not American and the world loves us and we are a nation of peace and environment-loving people. It's great PR (as is most bullshit) but what is sad is that the Liberals have cut healthcare funding, greenhouse gas emissions soar, etc. If it wasn't so tragically unfunny, it would be a joke. As each day, year, and decade goes on, I realize that the Liberals govern by divine right. Our nationalism is in tatters...while I don't think Martin is an evil man, I simply believe that this country needs a change (regardless of which national leader I believe is more stately)

I hate political correctness, you know? I mean, I speak with a lot of immigrants and none of them consider themselves "African Canadian" or "Chinese Canadian." They say, "I am Canadian and I am proud to be." As for this recent case, this is Canadian. We are a country where all laws must apply to all people here whether they were born or raised here or whether they are here for a weekend on vacation. We must apply our laws equally...if we allow Muslim groups to enact laws...however "tolerable" they are in their own lands...they must realize they are in our country now. If Canada agrees with these groups, we will be opening up our laws to all kinds of inappropriate interpretations...it simply is wrong.

No doubt Chretien was bad but I mean seriously people, in Ontario, seem to swear by the Liberals because they can't think for themselves. I mean, why face the facts? The Liberals govern by divine right! I was so happy when Martin just took over because I figured he would be honest about his conservative economic policies and move on with it. Apparently that is not the case...

The irony is, econimically Martin's Liberals are more "American Republican" than they would like to admit. You know, they cut healthcare funding and then swear by it, they ban handguns which will solve nothing and probably wipe them out of Alberta and the Prairies, been all talk talk about Kyoto while the Americans, who haven't even signed on, seem to be doing more, etc. I think you get my point Argus...VERY good post (can you run for PM? )