Alberta is Canada's Sausagefest

[bleeding heart]

I don't hold the same attitude for you as I've read some of your posts and they don't seem irrational or childish.

Well...that was a bit disarming, Claudius.

Thanks.

[Claudius]

Well...that was a bit disarming, Claudius.

Thanks.

Well I fully recognize that it is the nature of a flame war such as the one between Waldo and I to make both participants look completely crazy even if it's not entirely true. Just sayin'.

[bleeding heart]

Well I fully recognize that it is the nature of a flame war such as the one between Waldo and I to make both participants look completely crazy even if it's not entirely true. Just sayin'.

I know that "preaching to the choir" is an insufferable cliche, but.....

[waldo]

Waldo: As usual your post says nothing. Let me know when you can argue what was said instead of what you wish was said.

I accept your unconditional surrender... carry on!

[waldo]

The worst thing I said about the East or rather Ontario specifically is that they arrogantly believe they are more sophisticated and inherently smarter than those in the rest of the country, but especially the West, and especially Alberta; they have the arrogant belief that they somehow deserve to be in a position to tell the West what to do or to even run/govern it themselves.

I expect it's the indifference being shown that riles you the most... it really seems to work on those voices in your head dreaming up 'Eastern manifestations against Alberta'. Talking about being in position to "tell areas what to do", how's that Alberta National Energy Program... whoops... better change that to Alberta "National" Energy Strategy!!! Apparently, even today, Albertans still go ape-shyte over that NEP acronym.

[waldo]

A thread littered posts from Waldo and MiddleClassCentralist, (Ontario poster), who are not economists or anything of the sort, who don't even understand the basics of land schemes for resource extraction, who can't even understand that 10% is bigger than 4%, running around arrogantly, ignorantly, pontificating like the Black Knight from The Holy Grail about how "Alberta can't economically manage itself properly".

it's getting better... are you an economist... or anything of the sort?

you still never said how you went from 5% down to 4% (was that another of your many errors?). We're still waiting for you to provide anything other than your beak-off as to why it should be any easier for Ontario to manage its infrastructure requirements given it's population increase at 2.5 times that of Alberta in the period being discussed... cause, remember, you're the only one whining about Alberta not being able to cope! As for questioning Alberta economic management, just listen to former Alberta Premier Ralph 'we had no plan' Klein, hey? Or maybe I should rustle up those attack ads against former Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach... I'm sure you must know them, right... the whispering 'no plan, no plan' attack ads!!! Given the tremendous energy windfall Alberta has lucked into, why... a semi-intelligent monkey should be able to run the province. By the way, how's that mighty Heritage Fund doing, anyway? How's that Alberta diversification plan/strategy working out, hey?

[waldo]

...Wait it gets better....

and against the backdrop of Alberta doing far and away better economically than any other province in the country....and it's been like that for 10 years or so now

well... then... through this entire thread, what are you whining about over Alberta being unable to cope with its infrastructure burden? Like I said several times - you've been arguing with yourself!

[Michael Hardner]

Which replies?

From what I can tell, the OP term 'sausagefest' (meaning overpopulated with males) was seen as justification for saying people are nicer out west... and it took off from there.

Comparing easterners/westerners has to be about the lamest and baseless discussion that still qualifies as a discussion.

[Jack Weber]

From what I can tell, the OP term 'sausagefest' (meaning overpopulated with males) was seen as justification for saying people are nicer out west... and it took off from there.

Comparing easterners/westerners has to be about the lamest and baseless discussion that still qualifies as a discussion.

More lame than:

"Tastes Great!!!"

"Less Filling!"

???

Edited June 5, 2012 by Jack Weber

[MiddleClassCentrist]

From what I can tell, the OP term 'sausagefest' (meaning overpopulated with males) was seen as justification for saying people are nicer out west... and it took off from there.

Comparing easterners/westerners has to be about the lamest and baseless discussion that still qualifies as a discussion.

Technically, this thread was about being annoyed by the plethora of pro-west propaganda/misinformation until about page 3 when Claudius entered and made it about east vs west hatred and emotionally charged the discussion.

[Claudius]

Technically, this thread was about being annoyed by the plethora of pro-west propaganda/misinformation until about page 3 when Claudius entered and made it about east vs west hatred and emotionally charged the discussion.

This is hilarious. Claudius and his "Hatred". lol. "Emotionally charged discussion".

Oh sure. Nothing "East vs West" about this:

This post brought to you by Corporate Conservative Alliance of Canada.

Thanks for the BS propaganda

Higher cost of living. Infrastructure that hasn't been updated.

Jobs that destroy your life.

No thanks.

lol! "Jobs that destroy your life!" Yep. Nothing emotionally charged about that!

....or this...

As an aside, I do know a girl who moved west. She had an STD with no cure, only treatment. GO GET 'ER Western Men! lol.

...or even this...

See Fubar 2 - an excellent independent film depicting the lives of two typical Albertan males.

Nice stereotyping.

Closer to the truth MCC, you and a few others on the thread were happy to have a "West vs East" hatefest until someone chimed in on behalf of the West. Then suddenly even at 5 to 1 it wasn't fair or fun for you any more.

Edited June 8, 2012 by Claudius

[Claudius]

From what I can tell, the OP term 'sausagefest' (meaning overpopulated with males) was seen as justification for saying people are nicer out west... and it took off from there.

Comparing easterners/westerners has to be about the lamest and baseless discussion that still qualifies as a discussion.

And yet the reality is "East vs West" is historically the biggest social schism in Canada.

[Claudius]

Waldo I don't know what the problem is, perhaps it has something to do with using Chrome on a Linux machine, maybe my fonts are all screwed up, but when I came back here all your posts have screwed up text as quoted below...

I blah blah blah-diddly blah... Blah blub!

...so I'm sure you'll understand if I just ignore it.

[waldo]

Waldo I don't know what the problem is, perhaps it has something to do with using Chrome on a Linux machine, maybe my fonts are all screwed up, but when I came back here all your posts have screwed up text as quoted below......so I'm sure you'll understand if I just ignore it.

like I said, I already accepted your unconditional surrender.

[Claudius]

blah bl-blah-blah, I already blah blah blah blah.

Tell yourself whatever your fragile ego needs to hear.

[waldo]

Tell yourself whatever your fragile ego needs to hear.

are you sure you're not confused? How does ego exist within an anonymous persona construct? You do realize no one knows who the 'Claudius' really is, right?

oh... and, uhhh....... last word!

[Michael Hardner]

And yet the reality is "East vs West" is historically the biggest social schism in Canada.

I don't see it. Social schisms are bigger around wealth and social status. Of course that's Marxism and as August1991 points out that was discredited years ago...

[bleeding heart]

I don't see it. Social schisms are bigger around wealth and social status. Of course that's Marxism and as August1991 points out that was discredited years ago...

I agree. At the ripe(ning) age of 45, I have literally never, not once, ever, heard a disparaging word about Alberta, from some sort of regionalist perspective, outside of this very forum.

It's just not an issue that most people think about...at all.

Schisms between wealth and status, on the other hand....! Hoo, boy.

Edited June 11, 2012 by bleeding heart

[Claudius]

I don't see it. Social schisms are bigger around wealth and social status. Of course that's Marxism and as August1991 points out that was discredited years ago...

And yet it was regional schisms that have made for no less than 3 threats of separation: Between Quebec and the rest of Canada, between Newfoundland and the rest of Canada, and between Alberta and the rest of Canada. The seeds of these issues were regional/cultural schisms, not wealth or social status. I fail to recall a single instance of social status or wealth schisms threatening to tear the country apart....or anything else that would even make the news.

If you don't see it, you don't see it, but it's there nonetheless and has been the most significant historically in this country.

Edited June 16, 2012 by Claudius

[Claudius]

I agree. At the ripe(ning) age of 45, I have literally never, not once, ever, heard a disparaging word about Alberta, from some sort of regionalist perspective, outside of this very forum.

It's just not an issue that most people think about...at all.

Then you have been willfully deaf and blind. The accusations/characterizations of Alberta as a redneck, American-Republican-style culture, a "Canadian Texas", and more "American than Canadian" have been ubiquitous for 30+ years.

Edited June 16, 2012 by Claudius

[Claudius]

I don't see it. Social schisms are bigger around wealth and social status. Of course that's Marxism and as August1991 points out that was discredited years ago...

And yet it was regional schisms that have made for no less than 3 threats of separation: Between Quebec and the rest of Canada, between Newfoundland and the rest of Canada, and between Alberta and the rest of Canada. The seeds of these issues were regional/cultural schisms, not wealth or social status. I fail to recall a single instance of social status or wealth schisms threatening to tear the country apart....or anything else that would even make the news.

Claudius: "[regional schisms]..have been the most significant historically in this country."

To wit:

With the near-annihilation of the Bloc Québecois in May's federal election and the recent implosion of the Parti Québecois, one could be forgiven for assuming separatist sentiment is on the wane in Canada.

Yet the election to Parliament of a one-time Newfoundland separatist reminds us of how Quebec has never had a monopoly on secessionist desires. In 2008, as editor of the St. John's newspaper The Independent, Ryan Cleary extolled the potential virtues of an independent Newfoundland and Labrador: "We could even declare this place a tax-free zone like the Cayman Islands. We could do whatever the heck we want," he wrote.

The Rock has yet to become Caymans North, and as an NDP MP for St. John's South-Mount Pearl, Cleary's tune has changed: He recently assured Maclean's that separation is "not what people want, and that's not what I want."

Still, it takes only one unpopular piece of legislation to set provincial separatists off. From sea to sea, there may be many more than two solitudes in our home and native land.

Separation movements, in fact, are as old as Canada itself. Just after Nova Scotia became one of Canada's four founding provinces in 1867, it elected the political wing of its Anti-Confederation League to form a provincial government. The party also won 18 of Nova Scotia's 19 seats in the House of Commons. Leader Joseph Howe tried to get Confederation repealed, setting up John A. Macdonald as the first of a long line of Canadian prime ministers who scrambled to dampen separatist fervour. Macdonald travelled to Nova Scotia to help hammer out a better financial deal, and Howe, sensing he couldn't beat the ruling Conservatives, joined them, accepting a post in Macdonald's cabinet in 1869.

...

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/07/11/bloc-quebecois-separatism-canada-separatist_n_868435.html

Edited June 16, 2012 by Claudius

[bleeding heart]

Then you have been willfully deaf and blind. The accusations/characterizations of Alberta as a redneck, American-Republican-style culture, a "Canadian Texas", and more "American than Canadian" have been ubiquitous for 30+ years.

I am talking about my personal life, my acquaintances and family and friends...and the unknown millions of conversations I"ve been a part of, actively or as listener.

I have not heard a single disparaging word about Alberta or Albertans that I can remember.

I'm talking zero. None whatsoever.

Now, Quebec and Ontario is another kettle of fish.

I'm informing you of the facts, not expressing an opinion. That's the single difference between us on this particular part of this larger discussion.

I know what I know about my own life; and you think you do.

Your opinion on my life is that I've been wilfully deaf and blind...and you expect me to, I dunno, accept this assessment?

Most Canadians don't give a rat's ass about Alberta or about Albertans.

And that's not an insult, either, because it extrapolates.

Again...with the exception of Quebec and Ontario, who really are continually insulted.

And most of us are indifferent to their whining on this subject, as well.

Edited June 20, 2012 by bleeding heart

[guyser]

Again...with the exception of Quebec and Ontario, who really are continually insulted.

And most of us are indifferent to their whining on this subject, as well.

I would say more Toronto and Ottawa to a much lesser degree tha Ontario in general. Who could whine about a little burg like say London?

[capricorn]

Most Canadians don't give a rat's ass about Alberta or about Albertans.

I'm one Canadian who cares very much. When I think of Alberta and Albertans I think of that black gold that translates into megabucks going into federal coffers that the whole country can benefit from. What's not to love?

Edited June 19, 2012 by capricorn

[bleeding heart]

I'm one Canadian who cares very much. When I think of Alberta and Albertans I think of that black gold that translates into megabucks going into federal coffers that the whole country can benefit from. What's not to love?

I have no problem with Alberta whatsoever.

I'm only informing disgruntled "victims" of mean old Canada saying mean old things about Alberta that this alleged mean-spiritedness (or jealousy, as the arrogant would have it)....that it scarcely exists, particularly not in ordinary people's day-to-day lives.