Queenmandy85

The logistics of moving an invasion force with equipment across the Pacific, Atlantic or the arctic would be horrendous. The English Channel was hard enough. OTOH, I defer to your expertise. Thanks.

When it comes down to it, there is only one country capable of invading Canada successfully. That is the USA. That makes us pretty damn safe, right Bush-Cheney?

Not the second time. (1812)

Are you saying that a virus somehow chooses who to infect? Does a virus have economic or political aims? A virus has only one agenda...to replicate. It choses the course of opportunity and least resistance.

The result of Canada and / or the US failing to honour their obligations regarding debt repayment would bring about a total collapse of the economy. We are already getting into perilous territory with the current need to support our economies during the Covid-19 crisis. China has helped a lot of countries that we have distanced ourselves from because we didn't like them. China basically owns them and we depend on the resourses they produce. China is a leader in the developement of LIFTR reactors. We should be working with them. Xi is ruthless indeed but while you judge him, remember Mao and Stalin. What was Xi's experience in the cultural revolution? President Bolsonaro of Brazil poses a great threat to us, over the long term. He is just as ruthless as Xi. Then there are people like Kim and Duterte. You must never chose your allies because they are nice people. Allies are nations who will give you leverage and an edge. In 1941 - 1945, one of our closest allies was Stalin's USSR. In previous posts, there has been discussion of military confrontation. China is a major nuclear power. We cannot have a confrontation between nuclear armed nations.

One of the major benifits of globalization is reducing the chances of war by increased economic integration. It also reduces costs which increases disposable income.for consumers. As for China in particular, they own a vast amount of debt owed by western nations. What do we do if they feel excluded from the global economy and call the debt? Why are some people on this site so antagonistic towards China, yet not the Phillipines or Brazil?

If we all stay home, it doesn't matter if it is two metres or four metres. Walls are good protection. Once a week, I venture out to buy food. I know nothing of your (Betsy) personal circumstances so I do not presume to tell you what to do. However, for myself, I rely on that old civil service question, "Is this trip neccessary?" My concern about a mask is if it were to get contaminated, you need to remove it without touching it immediately. If your mask gets contaminated by someone's infected sneeze, the virus will still infect you through your eyes unless you are wearing goggles as well. If you sneeze, chances are, you will touch your face. Each to his/her own. If a mask makes you feel better, that's good. Just be careful.

Betsy, you don't need to worry if you are staying home. When you do need to get groceries. stay two metres away from people, and wash your hands. Many grocery stores have set up hand washing stations at the entrance / exit to the store. Wash your hands properly when you enter and when you leave. Donning and removing a mask is a complicated procedure Nice to know my OCD is suddenly a survival advantage.

Sorry.

It's not just our governments that are sneaky. It is human nature to try and avoid blame and punishment. It takes an act of will to stand up and say "I screwed up."

If the USA is a empire bully, I would love to see what a benign or wonderful empire would be like. The USA has been the most generous, constructive world power in history. Most of their actions have been intended to help people againtst hunger, poverty and against REAL tyrants. This anti-Americanism is mean spirited, ungrateful and beyond stupid. Read up on the Marshall Plan.

Older US citizens vote GOP, like Bernie and Joe? ;-)

The reason there was an immediate lack of action in China is two fold. First, they had no way of knowing what they were dealing with. Second, a major shortcoming in their system is the response by senior officals to bad news from junior officals. When you are a local official and a plague breaks out, you know clearly that if you report it, you will be punished. If you shut down the wet market that provides your boss with a money-making side-line, you will be punished. This is true, not only in China but in Russia, the US, Canada (SNC), and Boeing. The first rule of management is to shoot the messenger. It is a rare and extraordinary leader to receive bad news gracefully. As for China being fascist, there are a lot of nasty governments that we deal with. The most successful Prime Minister in the history of the British Empire / Commonwealth sat down for a conversation with Hitler in 1937. He later wrote in his diary that Hitler was the "Joan of Arc of Germany." (William Lyon "Rex" MacKenzie King. Prime Minister of Canada)

I'm not angry. (Now that I've had my coffee.) I can understand President Trump's actions as well as the Canadian Government's actions. The Canadian Government reacted as well as most and even better than some. It is important that we include the Provincial Governments in this. The collegial team effort involving local, Provincial and Federal Governments has earned our respect. The medical equipment shortage can be mitigated by us. If we stay home, wash our hands and keep our distance, we will give the country time to make up the shortfall. It is also important to maintain the production of medical supplies once our crisis has passed because the pandemic will be moving into Africa in the coming months and they will definitely need all the help we can give them.

I have to agree about the US. If we can stick it out until November, maybe the situation will improve. God, I miss Secretary of State George Marshall. When we come out the other side, a quiet review of our foreign policy will be in order. I don't seriously advocate allying with China.

What would be in it for Canada. We lose everything and our wonderful cousins to the south get everything. If they want to make a deal, what are they prepared to give?

In the past week, it all most appears that China would be a more reliable ally than the US...at least until November. They are at least delivering on medical supplies rather than the US ripping off their "allies" like Germany by stealing shipments of medical supplies.

It won't work. Americans would never accept our system of government and would never give up their guns.

This is Canada. We measure in hockey sticks. (I prefer downhill skis, myself.)

I wrote that niave piece after having spent 3 weeks in a cabin in the Kootenays. I can't believe I was so out of touch. (Thousand of others can.) We did not go out for supper and I am now hunkered down at home wishing I was back in my cabin for the duration.

Premier Ford seems to have grown into the job rather well. I am pleasantly shocked.

Laying blame is a waste of time. Put that stuff behind us and go out and live large. New beginnings are coming down the track.

I plead ignorance with regard to Singapore's leadership. I endorse neither right nor left. Ideology is impracticle. Some problems are solvable by conservative action and some by liberal. Some problems defy solution and sometimes luck makes all the difference. In the current situation, strong government action based on science, seems to have a positive outcome. Ronald Reagan was considered a great President. He was smart enough to know his limitations and surrounded himself with people who were smarter than he was and he listened to their advice.

The left believes the public are not smart enough to make their own decisions and therefore require a strong leader. The right believes people do not require big government to act as a nanny state.

Strong leadership is a left wing concept. It is incompatable with individual rights and freedom. If you want strong leadership, look to China, Russia or North Korea.