SirSpanky

The bloc?

Dang you guys are right; who else to put at the liberal helm except...... DUN DUN DUN......Belinda Frightening.

I don't think you can blame them for that though. Kids are us, without any of the "nurture" (as in nature vs. nurture) that society has instilled in us. We fear things different or unknown, and react the way we have for thousands of years; lashing out.

I didn't say there was oil, I said companies are looking around up there. In fact, the only reference I could find for Hans Island directly, was an oil conglomorate looking at the actual geographic properties of the island, to use in the design of their platforms in arctic water. Do you have a reference to the gold statement? I'm interested now.

No.

RE: sirRatam IMO We shouldn't care. What you do is your business, unless it affects others Have you ever heard of little man syndrome? Where small boys act aggressively to compensate? I think we have a mild case of little country syndrome, and like to lash out at meaningless things.

Well, I'm not going to get into that; a debate for another thread which I have no interest in. But, its good talking to you, and welcome to the forum!!

Absolutely. That was one of the thoughts as I wrote it, but I like to keep my post size down so I let it go. So what do you all think. Are these types (not necessarily just street people, but others on welfare) victims, or should they be held accountable? I don't think anyone gets better without challange. I think we need to get tough for some years, and just cut marginal people like this off. Take the hit in the short term, for long term gains.

We signed on to free trade (a conservative did if I recall), and both governments don't play fair. We essentially give our forests up for free, to rape. If you don't think Canada is unfair to other countries to protect its citizens from market forces, you need to read up. You're absolutely right; the government doesn't care about markets. It cares about sustaining its own power. That relies in a big way on our industry. Its important to realize that, and know that it motivates everything government does.

Well we've had our bad points too. Recall the Japanese in WWII. And what does "allowing gays" mean? They are here, they are staying, and they can say what they want. That is the nature of our country. Tolerance.

What resources? All I find when I search is that oil companies are searching for oil up there.

I don't think the american public would allow any new military campaign anyway, so I agree with you. I just don't think running in there with abrahms and apaches is going to help. A good diplomat, with the threat of the nuclear big stick could I think solve it with not too much trouble. As long as there wasn't a war mongering president (in the eyes of Iran) sitting right behind him/her making the cut-throat motion.

I'm not American. I live in Winnipeg, and I regularly fish out of the water system they are set to damage, so don't tell me what I believe. Jean Chretien was on his way out of office, and finally grew some nuts to say what he felt. If he was looking at 3 mroe years dealing with the americans, bet that he wouldn't do a thing. It's not fear thats motivating the push to sell to the states. Its money. People make alot of it up here. Alot of jobs are created by it. America is the best market for the worlds largest business. MY point is that those powerful people will not allow the stoppage of trade, and our government is in no place to stop them. I agree that they'd rather get power from us; but a stoppage of electricity would be interpretted as agressive action. Something not good for our largest trading partner.

I think the polls speak for themselves. Harper my yell as loud as the other politicians, but that doesn't make him effective. So in another thread you get pissed off about intolerance in the US, then you say that the party you support doesn't want gay people walking the street? (Which I've never heard from the party by the way) Thats called contradictory.

Perhaps I'm not clear on your point. Are you saying everyone who didn't vote Cons is gay/anti-abortion etc?? And good leader or not, Harper's not effective. They should find someone who is.

The whole point of the diversion is to stop flooding in Devils lake. So you think the economic giants in this country will let the government add the inherent costs to their bottom line by having to build the infrastructure to transport energy to China? Naive. We have the means to supply their energy needs for 80 years. We're not going to jeopardize that for some dirty water. The Americans will not respond well to your type of negotiating. Watch how fast they build more coal plants to fill the void.

So do you think that if by some miracle, a bush-like pres got in next term, the Americans would go into Iran? Doubtful. You're right, you would blame Iran for Iran using nukes. Even a democrat wouldn't allow nukes to be used. But I don't see the US using means other than threats to curb Iran's ambitions. At least not on the scale that they should be.

LOL yes, take away Alberta's main energy market; that'll fly. Don't for one second think that either country wants to stop the flow of energy in all its forms. Political and economic reasons. Its unrealistic to think that the americans will stop now cause we ask them to, with the money they've put into it, and the money they will not have to spend cleaning up the flooding south of the border.

308 / 2 = 99??? Check your calculator.

Pre-emptive means a strike is inevitable, and you stop it by acting. What that policy entails is damaging a nation based on the idea they might someday become able to challange the US. How can this policy garner anything but resentment from the world community?

I recently read a book "Down to this"; about a writer who starts getting down on life, so he went and spent a year in tent city in toronto. Most of the bum's cheques were pissed away the night they got them on booze and or crack. They made money for food by doing other things; read, the welfare money was to support their habits. These people are largely unemployable because of their maladjusted social habits, and their addictions. So what do you do with them? Take them off welfare so they can pillage and steal? Because they will. I also have the pleasure of knowing a few other parasites. One being my former good friend. He works 3 monthes a year in a kitchen, making $15 and hour. He could work all year but chooses not to, because its too cold to wait for the bus in the morning. I don't think anyone would argue that you should take this clown off welfare. So how do you distinguish between the two cases, without spending more money on case workers to investigate than you would save by trimming the fat?

Yes. I don't think anyone is going after the olympics puring for the financials. If you can make the dollars work for you, good for you. I think its more of an ego thing, crossed with making your city nicer with a little extra money. I'd be interested to see what kind of tourism gain is typical of an olympic city in the years following.

If you think Bush gives two poops about devils lake, think again. He has lackies for that. RE Hans island: I don't forsee the UN getting involved at all. We're both two pretty easy going countries. Look for some long, drawn out negotiations that both countries will hype up to show how much they accomplished.

First, we are in no position to "take on" anyone. They actually have a legitimate claim based in history. I've heard of a few Canadian scholars who actually think their claim is stronger than ours. This is also a whole different beast than the Americans and their international waterway rhetoric. The only precident it would set would be for the russians, and if for one second you think the US is gonna allow the russians that much closer to their doorstep, you're mistaken.

So why arbitrarily go after the bees? What about the hornets and yellowjackets that are gonna put up a bigger fight? If you're gonna be an idealist, be an idealist. I have no problem about going in to burn the bees out, as long as you're not trying to fool people as to your reasons for doing so. (I'd like to think up a clever analogy for that, but its the long weekend and I gots other things on my mind )